We are excited to announce the 11th Human Rights Paper Session, co-hosted by an esteemed group of institutions including the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, the International Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights at the Local and Regional Levels, the University of Graz’s UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Human Security, the May 18 Institute Chonnam National University, Mahidol University and the Gwangju International Center. This event will take place from 13-15 May 2026, during the World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) in the City of Gwangju, South Korea.
The hosts invite human rights researchers and practitioners to submit papers on the theme “Human Rights Cities Against Authoritarianism and Populism”. This theme addresses the practical tasks of human rights cities in countering the spread of authoritarianism and populism that is undermining democratic institutions, pluralism, and the culture of human rights. It also emphasizes the urgency of renewed international cooperation to defend human rights, promote solidarity, and create democratic resilience. The Forum seeks to identify strategies through which human rights cities, international organizations, and civil society can uphold human rights principles, as well as to explore avenues for solidarity at both local and global levels.
The abstract submission deadline is 12 March 2026. The abstract must be sent to the following email adress: whrcf@gic.or.kr
Selected papers will be presented on site during the WHRCF. Presenters will also be invited to submit their papers for consideration in the Nordic Journal of Human Rights, a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights. If in-person attendance is not possible, online participation will be arranged.
Find further information on the website of the WHRCF.
Important documents:
