TASHKENT, December 7. /“Dunyo” IA/. On 5-6 December, Samarkand hosted the Global Forum on Human Rights Education, reports “Dunyo” IA correspondent.

The event, organized based on the initiative put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly and the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council, was attended by representatives of international, regional and foreign organizations, local and foreign experts, deputies, lawyers, responsible persons of non-governmental organizations.

The participants of the plenary session on the second day of the Global Forum discussed a draft document aimed at popularizing the best practices of the world’s young educators working on human rights issues. Presentations on this theme were made by the Coordinator of the Human Rights Education and Training Unit of the UN’s Officer of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Elena Ippoliti, and an employee of this Unit, Paulina Tandiono.

Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, and Duarte Pacheco, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union sent a video message to the participants.

The Samarkand Action Strategy for the Development of Human Rights Education, designed for 2023-2025, was adopted, based on the proposals and recommendations of the participants. 

At the closing ceremony of the forum, the First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Director of the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights Akmal Saidov and Acting Regional Representative at OHCHR ROCA Fabio Piana noted that all the events envisaged by the program were successful, important proposals and initiatives were made.

“The UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training and the results of the implementation of the fourth stage of the World Programme for Human Rights Education were discussed at plenary meetings and sessions”, Mr. Akmal Saidov said. – The issues of application of international and regional documents and approaches in human rights education were analyzed. An assessment was also given of the state and possibilities of studying, promoting and implementing the best experience and practice in human rights education. Proposals on the main directions of the fifth stage of the World Programme for Human Rights Education were considered.

Following the Global Forum, confidence was expressed that the participants' experience would contribute to the implementation of the planned tasks. It is important that the principle “education and upbringing in human rights should not be interrupted” is implemented in the family, preschool, school, higher education, judicial and human rights bodies, civil society institutions and the media.

The ceremony of awarding the holders of the “For Human Rights Protection” badge was held within the framework of the Global Forum. This award was established in 2020 at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and solemnly presented annually on December 10 – International Human Rights Day. This year, six of our compatriots, two foreign citizens and two non-governmental non-profit organizations received awards. The “For Human Rights Protection” badge was presented by the Director of the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights Akmal Saidov.

As part of the forum, master classes on human rights education were held at Samarkand State University. More than 20 professors and teachers from law schools of the country, more than 6,500 research institutions, as well as employees of the Prosecutor’s Office, undergraduate and graduate students, and young scientists engaged in scientific activities took part in them. Students of 14 law colleges of the system of the Ministry of Justice took an active part in the educational and legal direction events.

The adopted final document “Samarkand Action Strategy for the Development of Human Rights Education” reflects proposals, recommendations and tasks facing the international community, governments of countries, educational and scientific organizations, civil society institutions, for the effective implementation of human rights education.