1. Introduction
The Fourth International Conference on HumanRights Education: Global Convergence and Local Practice was held from the 21stto 26th of November 2013 in Taipei, Taiwan.The conference was host by Chang Fo-Chuan Centerfor the Study of Human Rights, Human Rights Program, and Department of Political Scienceat Soochow University, Taipei. Soochow University is the first private university in Taiwan, has students over 15000.
The Chang Fo-Chuan Center for the Study of Human Rights at Soochow University was founded in 2001, the first human rights researchinstitute in Taiwan. It aims at the promotion of human rights education and research in Taiwan, the TRAINING OF human rights NGO workers and contributing to international exchange. The undergraduate Human Rights Program was set up in 2004 and then in 2008 the master human rights program was established. It is designed for students to deepen their understanding of human rights through the integration of theory with practice.
Day 1, 2, 3, 4 of the HREC 2013 took place on Waishuanghsi Campus, Soochow University. On the 5thand 6th day of the HREC, two human rights tours were provided. One group visited the Jingmen Human Rights Park, the other group visited the Green IslandHuman Rights Park.
2. Conference objectives
· To examine and support UN objectives in HRE
· To explore the role of HRE in advancement of peace, democracy and multicultural understanding around the world
· To foster HRE across the Asia Pacific region and to build networks and dialogue.
· To discuss and compare how different countries dealing with the transitional justice during the period of political transition.
· To seek advancement of HRE in Taiwan through incorporation of best international practice in school curricula.
· To discuss and debate the entanglement Asian Values and Universal Human Rights Standards in Asia.
· To explore the interplay of the global, regional and local mechanisms within the process of implementation.
· To discuss the role of human rights museum in human rights educatioh.
· To explore the relations on Globalization, Civic Education and Human Rights Education.
· To discuss and explore the diverse issues in different areas of human rights, such as s LGBT, Abolition of Death Penalty, Migrant Workers and Marriage Immigration, and other Related Topics.
· Taiwan has left the United Nations for forty-two years and was not allowed to participate in many international organizations. Taiwanese organizers wanted to show their eagerness to keep contact with international and abide by the standards on International Human Rights; "GLOBAL CONVERGENCE AND LOCAL PRACTICE” was therefore named.
3. Delegates
- The Conference attracted high quality national and international speakers with diverse backgrounds and expertise – from leaders of national human rights organisations and well known HRE experts and researchers to NGO practitioners and students working in the area of HRE.
- There were over 538 participants, from 38 countries, with 274 male and 264 female. There were 145 international delegates from five different continents, with 5 sponsored by Aus AID. There was a broad representation of civil society with large numbers of students (41%), teachers, academics (23%) ,activists, human rights advocates, HRE practitioners, NGO workers(19%), professionals(1%) , government representatives(3%), and others(13%) interested in human rights education.
- Some of the represented organizations and institutions were the Legislative Yuan of Taiwan, Council of Europe, Centre for Architecture and Human Rights in Canada, Australian Council for Human Rights Education, Chinese Association for Human Rights, Presidential Advisory Committeeon Human Rights in Taiwan, Human Rights Commission at Hamadan Bar association in Iran, Estonia Institute of Human Rights, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center at Japan, Uganda Coalition for Human Rights Education, Centre for Citizenship and Human Rights Education at University of Leeds in UK, Indonesia's Coalition for Justice and Democracy, Institute for Population, Family and Children Studies (IPFCS) in Viet Nam,Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor.
4.Conference Contents
The Conference was composed of 3 oration, 28 concurrent sessions and 10 workshops. 128 speakers from 37 different nations addressed on abroad range of HRE issues(Please see the Conference Handbook).
Topics Covered:
The Conference program covereda broad range of HRE issues, the topic include:
- The Role of the Human Rights Museum
- Human Rights Education (four panels)
- National Report on the Implementation of the Two International Covenants
- UN and International Legal Framework
- Rights Defending Documentaries of China
- Women’s Rights and LGBT (two panels)
- On Democracy, Human Rights and Multiculturalism
- Education on abolition of Death Penalty (two panels)
- Human Rights Practice and Public Interest Groups in China
- Prison Reform in Taiwan
- Image of Human Rights, Taiwan
- Migrant and Refugee Rights
- Asian Regional NGOs (two panels)
- Translating Educators’ Commitments to Justice and Human Rights into Practice
- State State in Transition (two panels)
- Environmental Rights (two panels)
- Labor Rights in Taiwan
- Legal Pluralism and the Rule of Law
- Training of Government Officials
- Taiwan Rural Front
- Rule of Law Education in Hong Kong
- Prison: Treatment and Reform
- Militarization of Border Islands and the Right to Peace
- Human Rights and Civilization
- Education on Rule of Law in China
- Reflection on Human Rights Journey: from Authoritarianism to Democratic Rule
- Social Welfare Rights
- Rights to Health and Children’s Rights
