New Publication on Practical Skills for Human Rights Experts: Lessons Learnt from an Exchange Between Right Livelihood Laureates and Global Campus Alumni

The Global Campus of Human Rights has just released a new collaborative booklet, showcasing the cooperation between Right Livelihood Laureates and Global Campus Alumni. The small publication, titled Skills Exchange Series 2024, documents workshops and discussions between distinguished laureates and alumni, highlighting their efforts in promoting human rights, environmental protection, and social justice globally.

Through this Right Livelihood and Global Campus of Human Rights collaboration, we connect activists with current and future human rights champions. The lessons learned and presented in this booklet exemplify the skills and experience that Right Livelihood laureates pass on to the next generation of change-makers and leaders.

 

A Collaborative Exchange of Skills and Experience

In early 2024, the Global Campus Alumni network invited four Right Livelihood Laureates to participate in roundtable discussions with alumni from various regions. Held from March to June 2024, the goal of these workshops was to enable practical skills exchange. Laureates shared their hard-earned knowledge with both senior and young Global Campus alumni, who, in turn, contributed regional perspectives and experiences, fostering mutual exchange of ideas and strategies.

 

Key Themes from the Workshops Featured in the Publication:

- Environmental Advocacy: A discussion between GC South East Europe alumna Alma Midžić, Human Rights and Community Support Campaign Leader at CEE Bankwatch Network (Prague), and Laureate Vladimir Slivyak, co-founder of Ecodefense!, focused on grassroots advocacy for environmental protection in Russia. Slivyak’s work opposes environmentally hazardous projects, including nuclear energy, coal mining, and radioactive waste disposal. His insights underscored the role of grassroots movements in challenging powerful governments and corporations, a message increasingly relevant given today’s global environmental challenges.

- LGBTQ+ Rights Campaigns: In a dialogue with GC Africa alumnus Ayo Sogunro, Nigerian writer, social entrepreneur, and human rights advocate, and Laureate Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, a Ugandan queer feminist, discussed LGBTQ+ advocacy in hostile environments. Nabagesera offered guidance on community building, security strategies, empowerment through education, and creating media platforms to advance LGBTQ+ rights.

- Community Empowerment through Cooperation: The conversation between GC Latin America alumnus Santiago Plata Garcês, Senior Analyst at the Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos (Brazil), and Laureate Cecosesola, a network of community organisations in Venezuela, highlighted the power of cooperative models for community resilience and economic sustainability. Cecosesola’s model, which replaces competition with solidarity, shows how organisational change and elimination of hierarchy can empower communities and improve efficiency.

- Gender and Anti-Gender Movements: GC Arab World alumna Nouha Maaninou, Gender & Social Inclusion Expert at Integrated International (Jordan), co-led a workshop with Laureate and Egyptian feminist Mozn Hassan. Hassan emphasised collective feminist action’s importance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Their discussion focused on gender-based violence prevention, gender equality, and navigating the restricted space for civil society in the region.

Looking Forward

The publication is both a record of these impactful workshops and a valuable resource for human rights defenders, activists, and anyone engaged in advocacy and social change. The skills and lessons shared provide essential guidance for addressing today’s human rights challenges and building resilient movements.

As part of its mission, the Global Campus of Human Rights will continue fostering such collaborations, ensuring the legacy of these Laureates inspires future generations. The release of this booklet demonstrates the transformative power of shared knowledge and united efforts in the fight for a more just and equitable world.

 

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Background on Right Livelihood Laureates and Global Campus Alumni Network

The Right Livelihood Laureates are internationally recognised individuals and organisations that have made exceptional contributions to global issues, including human rights, environmental protection, and social justice. Often referred to as the “Alternative Nobel Prize,” the Right Livelihood Award has honoured over 180 laureates from more than 70 countries since 1980.

The Global Campus Alumni Network, with over 4,600 members, is a thriving community of professionals who have completed one of the eight Master’s programmes offered by the Global Campus of Human Rights. With members in over 100 countries, the network provides continuous professional development, advocacy, and support for human rights defenders, policymakers, scholars, and activists.

 

For more information and to access the recordings of these workshops, visit the Global Campus Alumni website.
Download the publication Right Livelihood Laureates & Global Campus Alumni - Skills Exchange Series 2024