At a moment of increasing conflict across the world, efforts to make peace face increasing challenges. Basic human rights are violated with diminishing accountability and rising impunity. In Sudan, Gaza and Ukraine, serious human rights violations continue, with little or no international justice. Today’s conflicts become difficult to end because of the impunity that earlier generations have lived through.
How is respect for fundamental human rights a prerequisite to building peace? And when is seeking justice in tension with fostering peace and reconciliation?
This panel explores these questions from different perspectives, including history, philosophy and current international efforts to address human rights violations. It will also examine how today’s responses can help safeguard human rights and strengthen peace for future generations.
The event is part of a series organized on 15 October by the French Institute in Oslo, in partnership with UNESCO, to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of René Cassin.
Cassin played a leading role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948. He was a Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 1968 and seen as the driving force behind the UN commission that drew up the declaration.
Panel 1: 10.15-11.30
The panel discussion is co-hosted by PRIO, the Nobel Peace Centre and the French Institute.
Introduction by Pierre-Alexandre Miquel, Designate-Ambassador of France in Norway
Speakers:
- Kjersti Fløgstad, Director, Nobel Peace Centre
- Emmanuel Decaux, President of the René Cassin Foundation René Cassin, Institut international des droits de l’homme
- Kristoffer Lidén, Research director, PRIO
The discussion will be moderated by:
- Maria Gabrielsen Jumbert, Senior researcher, PRIO
Panel 2: 11:30-12.15:
The panel discussion will be followed by a session on UNESCOs Procedure 104, a unique, but too little known tool of human rights protection which UNESCO has a recourse to. This features representatives of the French national Commission for UNESCO.
