Venice School for Human Rights Defenders: 

Human rights defenders play an essential role in the realisation of rights and promotion of equality. Not only do they fight for human rights in situations of oppression and abuse, they also act as monitors, drawing attention both to their respective communities and to the international community to otherwise neglected violations and threats. They assist victims in claiming their rights and contribute to holding those in power accountable, thereby combatting cultures of impunity, which serve to cloak systematic and repeated breaches of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Furthermore, by linking the local level to the global and the global to the local, human rights defenders contribute to sustaining a circle of empowerment at all levels. Whether acting individually or as part of an organised group, human rights defenders are often the target of reprisals and may themselves be subject to human rights violations. Because their work is in many contexts systematically hampered, there is an increasing understanding within the international community of the importance of safeguarding and facilitating human rights defenders at national, regional and international level.

Course Outline:

The programme of the Venice School for Human Rights Defenders will include keynote speeches by prominent human rights figures such as Sakharov laureates and Right Livelihood laureates, lectures by internationally renowned academics, experts and activists coming from academia, international organisations, civil society and NGOs. Lectures will be in presence at the Global Campus headquarters in Venice Lido, unless exceptional circumstances require remote connection.

Eligibility:

The training programme is addressed to human rights practitioners from all over the world as well as to graduate students from all academic backgrounds willing to deepen and improve their knowledge in human rights topics.

Application Fees:

Places are limited to facilitate networking among peers and maximise opportunities to directly ask questions to and receive feedback from the experts. Applications will be reviewed through a selection process on a “first enrolled, first in” basis.

• The enrolment fee amounts to € 1400.00 (VAT included) and includes:
  • Tuition fee
  • Lunches and coffee breaks on class days
  • Welcome aperitif
  • Access to our online learning platform and included documentation
  • Certificate at the end of the programme