News

The students of the Global Campus Europe are proud to present the 14th edition of the Venice Human Rights Film Festival. Sponsored by Right Livelihood, the festival is set to take place on 13 and 14 December in Teatrino Groggia, Cannaregio, 30121, Venice, Italy. United by our commitment to advancing human rights and democracy worldwide, the festival focuses on children’s rights, especially highlighting the experiences of those growing up amid conflict. We invite you to explore powerful stories of children from across the globe who, despite facing conflict and adversity, embody resilience and hope.   >> This years festival will run on Friday 17:30-23:00 and Saturday 11:00-14:00 and 16:30-00:00 <<     This year’s theme captures the universal longing for a brighter future, while also giving voice to children’s perspectives in various contexts of struggle. In a world where many young lives are impacted by displacement, violence, and instability, Ma Quanto Manca? Stories of Conflict and Resilience in Childhood shines a light on the strength of children navigating these challenges. From personal narratives to community stories, join us as we amplify these voices and examine the global impact of conflict on childhood. Exploring children’s rights through the eyes of children themselves, the festival will be divided into three questions commonly asked in childhood: Ma Perché?, Dove Andiamo?, and Siamo Arrivati?   ‘Ma Perché?’ focuses on the theme of questioning, and will host movies that question the very essence of child rights issues by posing existential and contextual questions. Films about activism and stories of those who question the established rules will also be featured in this section. Friday 13th December offers a screening of Obaida, which focuses on childhood in armed conflict and intergenerational trauma. We are also delighted to be screening Caging Childhood: Palestinian Children in Israel’s Military Detention System which focuses on children in detention and growing up amid conflict. These impactful films will be followed by a Q and A with Director of  the organisation Defence for Children International (DCI) Ayed Abu Eqtiash. Finally, Friday evening will close with a screening of 20,000 species of bees, focusing on LGBT+ rights in childhood, and the search for identity.     ‘Dove Andiamo?’ will feature films about movement, evolution and the future horizons that human rights envision. Throughout this section, topics such as climate, peace processes, refugees and migration, and post-conflict societies will be covered. Saturday 14th December, promises a morning dedicated to children and youth from 11:00-14:00, featuring films tailored for the younger audience. Following on from our child-centred activity sessions, we will be screening Iqbal. Bambini senza paura which focuses on children at the frontline of the economic and climate crisis.     Finally, and perhaps the most famous children’s question, ‘Siamo Arrivati?’ will reflect on challenges and possible changes: are we at the end of something? Is there a possibility to change? This section will focus on breaking the cycle of violence, exploitation and generational trauma. Saturday evening will feature two powerful films that focus on forced migration and detention during childhood. Mogoneba; Recuerdo de un viaje narrates the journey of a mother and daughter forced to leave their native country to travel across Europe by land until they reach Barcelona. Nothing About Us Without Us documents the fires that destroyed Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesvos, and follows with a Q and A involving members of the organisation Refocus Media Labs, focusing on filmmaking as a tool of advocacy for children in migration detention.     We are also delighted to welcome Alef Zero, to perform on Saturday evening from 22:30, providing us with some incredible jazz fusion to close out the festival. The festival is free entry and open to all, and the venue will be fully accessible. Be sure to follow us on instagram and check out our website to keep up to date with announcements on films to come!     For more information please visit the website: emafilmfestival2024.squarespace.com Instagram: ema_filmfestival Email: emafilmfestival24@gmail.com Media requests: pressoffice@gchumanrights.org – Isotta Esposito

Admissions to the 2025/2026 edition of the European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation are open!    Application deadlines: 2 February 2025    The European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation (EMA) is one of the eight Regional Master’s Programmes organised by the Global Campus of Human Rights. EMA was created with the support of the European Union and 43 universities from all EU member states, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.    COURSE DESCRIPTION  EMA is a one-year advanced master’s course aimed at educating professionals in the field of human rights and democratisation. The Master’s degree offers an action- and policy-oriented approach to learning that combines legal, political, historical, anthropological, and philosophical perspectives with skill-building activities., In the first semester in Venice students pursue in-depth study of the following areas: Human Rights Institutions, Mechanisms and Standards; Human Rights in Context: Historical, Philosophical, Religious and Anthropological Perspectives; Globalisation, Development and Human Rights; Building and Protecting Democracy; Human Rights, Peace and Security. In the second semester, students are hosted by one of our participating universities, and prepare a research thesis and follow courses offered by the host university. This approach provides both a broad education on human rights and democratisation issues, as well as amply opportunity to specialise on areas of specific interest to the student.     EMA provides the foundation for a career in national, international, governmental, inter-governmental and nongovernmental organisations, as well as academic institutions dealing with human rights and democratisation.      COURSE PROGRAMME  EMA is both a residential and an exchange programme. The first semester, from September to January, is organised at Global Campus Headquarters in Venice and the second semester, from February to July, takes place in one of the 43 participating universities. The multidisciplinary EMA Programme includes lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, skill-building sessions, experiential learning and individual research.      HOW TO APPLY  EMA is open to EU and non-EU citizens. The criteria adopted during the selection process are academic ability and background, relevant additional academic work, courses or publications, relevant practical experience, motivation and language competence. Applicants are required to hold a university degree of a high standard in a field relevant to human rights, including disciplines in Law, Social Sciences and Humanities, and must have a minimum of 180 ECTS (Bachelor/General Degree). Certified fluency in English is an admission requirement to the programme.      COURSE FEE AND EXPENSES  The tuition fee for the academic year 2025/2026 is €6450.00, payable in instalments.  Tuition fees cover all EMA courses, both in the first and second semester; reading materials for the first semester; tutoring; access to Global Campus’ specialised library; lunch on class and exam days; individual access to our e-learning platform; use of available IT facilities (including wireless area and computer room), and the field trip (subject to final budgetary approval).    The tuition fee does not cover accommodation and subsistence, travel costs to and from partner universities and visa expenses.      ENROLMENT DOCUMENTS  The following documents shall be enclosed with the application:  – Transcript of records and degree diploma  – Curriculum vitae  – Two reference letters (preferably one academic and one professional)  – Copy of passport picture page  – Proof of English language proficiency  – Receipt of payment of the application fee of 50 Euro    More information about EMA, the faculty and the programme can be found at https://emahumanrights.org.  

We are glad to announce that the Global Campus Europe / EMA awarded theses 2022/2023 selected for the publication are online and you can find them at our Repository.   The five theses are:   – Voices Unheard, Stories Untold. A Qualitative Content Analysis of Gender Bias in War Reporting and Human Rights Journalism as a Viable Alternative, written by Jozefien Dierynck and supervised by Antonis Gardikiotis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. http://dx.doi.org/10.25330/2697   – The Good Ukrainian, the Bad Syrian, the Ugly Afghan (and the Forgotten Ones). Reframing Migration Governance through Michel Foucault’s and Hannah Arendt’s Legacies written by Clarisse Fagard and supervised by Graham Finlay, University College Dublin. http://dx.doi.org/10.25330/2698   – Beneath the City’s Shining Facade, Discrimination and Death in the Sewers. An Analysis of India’s Right to Life Obligations to Eradicate the Caste-Based Practice of Hazardous Manual Sewer Cleaning, written by Yamuna Kali and supervised by Michel Rouleau-Dick, Åbo Akademi University. http://dx.doi.org/10.25330/2699   – Mind the Gap: Incorporating Human Rights into the Curricula of Undergraduate Business Programmes, written by Sara Rentroia Pacheco and supervised by Carmen Márquez-Carrasco and Laura Garcia Martin, University of Seville. http://dx.doi.org/10.25330/2700 – When the Land no Longer Provides. Human Rights and the Status of “Climate Refugees” in the Sahel, written by Daniel George Shynn and supervised by Matjaž Nahtigal, University of Ljubljana. http://dx.doi.org/10.25330/2701     Each year the EMA Council selects five theses which stand out for: – originality of the research topic, and its relevance and importance (including its contribution to the promotion and implementation of human rights and democratic values); – innovation with respect to argument, methodology, and theoretical approach, including case studies; – exceptional knowledge of the academic literature and excellent capacity for critical analysis; – clarity of structure, language and argumentation of a publishable standard with minimum revisions   The five theses are awarded with the online publication after an editing review.

The Global Campus of Human Rights (GC) and the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities (AIPG), in collaboration with the Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (I-GMAP) at Binghamton University, are thrilled to announce the call for applications for the third edition of the Joint Annual Engaged Artivist Award on Atrocity Prevention and Human Rights. Eligible Artivists may submit their applications from October 10 until December 10, 2024 (Human Rights Day).     The purpose of this Award is to recognize the work of Artivists (artist-activists), highlighting the original ways in which they respond creatively to large-scale identity-based violence and mass atrocity in varying conflict contexts and geographic regions across the globe. The concept of “Art as Atrocity Prevention” is related to the role of the arts in mitigating risk factors associated with genocide, other mass atrocities, and identity-based violence, as well as the use of the arts as a powerful tool to contribute to the transformation of post-atrocity societies. The sponsoring institutions understand atrocity prevention broadly.      Among other things, artistic interventions can be seen as preventive when they: – Contribute to improving the human rights of groups of people who have been marginalized;  – Call attention to violence or discrimination against groups of people;  – Demand justice for past human rights violations; – or Depict visions for a different future where identity-based violence is less likely to occur.      This Joint Annual Engaged Artivist Award emphasizes the ways in which Artivists around the world are working directly to mitigate atrocity risk factors, as well as the importance of art as an effective tool in processes of healing, reconciliation, and reparations. It encourages engaged artists to reflect on their role in the prevention of identity-based violence and the promotion of human rights by taking action, choosing a human rights issue and using art as a tool for effective communication.    The aim of this Award is to strengthen the quintessential role of the arts in the prevention of systematic violence, demonstrating how art may be used as a grassroots tool for addressing political violence and human rights abuses — and for advancing peacebuilding, transitional justice, and prevention efforts.      The award will be given to one selected Artivist to support their work related to the topic of genocide and mass atrocity prevention, broadly understood. The selected Artivist will benefit from a year-long residency during which the sponsoring institutions will provide the following resources:     – A residency from mid-August 2025 to January 2026 at the Global Campus of Human Rights headquarters in Venice, Italy, with the possibility to participate actively in the educational activities of the Global Campus during this period and audit relevant classes and with a stipend of EUR 12,360 to support room and board, workspace, and any other needs;    – A residency from January 2026 to May 2026 at Binghamton University’s Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention in Binghamton, New York, with the possibility to audit relevant classes and with a stipend of USD 22,000 to support housing and other needs;    – A week-long visit to one of the offices of the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities in either New York (USA), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Kampala (Uganda), Bucharest (Romania), or Oświęcim (Poland); and    – The costs associated with travel to and from Venice, travel to and from Binghamton and travel to and from to an Auschwitz Institute office, including all relevant visas (as necessary and separately).        The selected Artivist will be honored during the Ceremony of the Awarding of Diplomas of the “European Master in Human Rights and Democratisation” (Global Campus Europe) in Venice, Italy, at the end of September 2025. That ceremony will also feature the work of the awarded artivist. In the past, this has included a display of selected past works or a performance. As art comes in many forms, the concrete manner will be decided in advance of the ceremony together with the artivist. Following the two residencies, the three institutions will offer a joint certificate to the Artivist acknowledging the completion of the unique artistic visiting research period.        The call for applications is open to Artivists from October 10, 2024 until December 10, 2024 by clicking here    Interested Artivists are asked to submit the following materials:  – A resume or CV;  – A written proposal of no more than 2 pages describing what the Artivist would like to accomplish over the award period. This can include the development or creation of a new artistic piece, or a justification for how the artist plans to benefit from the professional development resources of the three institutions;  – Photographs or other documentation of your past artistic intervention that engages with the themes of the award; and  – A short biographical statement of the Artivist and references.      For more information, contact the selection committee at award.GC.AIPG@gmail.com       Organizers:  Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities: jens.stappenbeck@auschwitzinstitute.org   Global Campus of Human Rights in Venice, IT: communications@gchumanrights.org   Binghamton University’s Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention in NY, USA: kwhigham@binghamton.edu