Oxford Human Rights Festival reflects on the question: ‘Now What?’
The twenty-first Oxford Human Rights Festival gets underway later this week and aims to inspire people across the world to reflect on how to achieve a better future.
The twenty-first Oxford Human Rights Festival gets underway later this week and aims to inspire people across the world to reflect on how to achieve a better future.
The festival, which runs from 17 to 26 March, will feature talks, exhibitions, art, films, seminars and music, and is organised by Oxford Brookes University students.
Jacqueline Kearney, festival coordinator, is a graduate of the University’s Centre for Development and Emergency Practice (CENDEP). Jacqueline said: "This year’s committee reflected on the state of human rights today and the emotions they feel when witnessing the continuous attacks on fundamental rights across the world. These reflections led to a discussion about the power of the arts and of public events to not only raise awareness but also to promote engagement and to catalyse action.
“This year’s guiding question ‘Now What?’ aims to implicate all of us, asking us to reflect on the lessons learned from the history of human rights, and to question what does the future of human rights hold?"
Dr Supriya Akerkar, Director of CENDEP added: “The theme reflects a range of emotions: impatience with the pace of justice to those who have suffered human rights abuses, optimism with a call for solidarities to the human rights defenders around the world, provocation to think about a better future and to work to reduce inequalities and affirm the dignity of every person.”
The festival starts on Friday 17 March with the annual Nabeel Hamdi Lecture which this year will be given by Slava Balbek, an award-winning Ukrainian architect. Slava is the founder and CEO of Kyiv-based architecture and interior design studio, Balbek Bureau. Since the start of the war with Russia, Slava has been working to protect historic buildings, preparing rescue kits and creating an emergency housing plan.
A talk on the threats faced by the Sámi people, an indigenous community that has inhabited the far north of Europe for thousands of years, will take place on Monday 20 March. Throughout the week there will be a range of events about the challenges faced by migrant communities and an evening of discussions, music and coming together in solidarity with the ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ movement in Iran.
The festival takes place in venues across Oxford. Many of the events can be attended either in person or via Zoom . Visit Oxford Human Rights Festival for a full programme of events and to book.