Academy and Conference 2023

Join us for the third edition of the Academy and Conference

Human Rights Go Local – What Works
“Governing the city by human rights objectives:
Management concepts and instruments”

1 to 8 February 2023

Local governments are leading the way in bringing human rights to the people.However, many are currently confronted with significant shocks, including an unprecedented and unpredictable economic environment marked by a lack of ability to plan. At the same time, governments at all levels are only slowly recovering and looking for ways to deal with the ongoing pandemic, raising significant questions about resource allocation and distribution in almost all policy areas. Despite these challenges, many local governments continue to use a governance approach based on human rights in their managerial, administrative, and policy efforts.

The third edition of the “Human Rights Go Local: What Works” Academy is dedicated to management concepts and methods used to govern at the local level in order to improve local service provision through human rights objectives. Participants will discuss existing approaches and techniques that help to integrate an approach based on human rights into the planning and review of services and into the managerial, administrative and policy-processes of local governments.

The Academy and Conference in 2023 will build on the success of last year’s event and provides a platform to share and exchange on respective practices, to discuss the experiences gained, and to collect and disseminate methods that have been identified as successful by local governments. By discussing the practical aspects of integrating human rights into public management, the Academy aims to support local governments in effectively and efficiently addressing today’s pressing challenges.

Date: 1 to 8 February 2023

Agenda:

  • Wednesday, 1 February 2023: Stocktaking: Human rights objectives in public management (11:30 – 16:00 CET)
  • Thursday, 2 February 2023: Implementing human rights in public management: what works? (12:00 – 16:00 CET)
  • Friday, 3 February 2023: Networking opportunities for the next generation (13:30 – 15:30 CET)
  • Monday, 6 February 2023: Way forward: Building bridges towards sustainable results (12:00 – 16:00 CET)
  • Tuesday, 7 February 2023: Networking and cooperation–building (12:00 – 16:00 CET)
  • Wednesday, 8 February 2023: High Level Conference to discuss and present the Outcome Document (12:00 – 14:00 CET)

The Academy is a virtual event held in English.

The Conference is a virtual event with live interpretation in German, English, French and Spanish.

Important documents

For any questions about the Academy and Conference 2023, please email academy2023@humanrightsgolocal.org

FAQ: Format and methods

  • What are the methods of the Academy?

    Days 1, 2 and 4 of the Academy are designed in the same way methodically.

    Each day consists of:
    1. Plenary Sessions
    These comprise the following components: 1) opening and welcome by UNESCO Chair and Centre; 2) 10 minutes impulse speeches by representatives of int./reg. organisations and local level authorities; 3) plenary discussion

    2. Workshop sessions
    The workshops aim at gathering the content for the Academy’s Outcome Document. The Outcome Document will be a step-by-step guidance on how implement human rights objectives in public management. It will base on practical experiences of local authorities all over the world.

    Workshop methods: Two parallel workshops take place in breakout rooms with a randomized allocation of participants. The workshops are facilitated by two persons per workshop. The participants and the moderators/co-facilitators receive workshop guidelines in advance. This way, all actors can prepare for the discussion and exchange during the workshops. The co-facilitators take notes and prepare a concise summary of the core results. The co-facilitators present these results during the closing plenary session. This way, all Academy participants have access to all workshop results.

    3. Closing
    The participants come together in the plenary room to listen to the presentation of the workshop findings. The workshop findings are briefly analysed and discussed. The day is closed with the “Thoughts on the day”. This is a short input/commentary on the day’s topic given by a distinguished expert with the goal of rounding off the day on an inspirational note and setting the scene for the next day.

  • What happens during the networking events?

    Day 3 and 5 facilitate networking and exchange.

    Day 3 facilitates exchange among next generation human rights professionals and established experts in the field of human rights at the local level. As next generation experts, we understand people of all ages who are just starting out in the field of human rights. This networking event aims to show next generation human rights experts their potential job opportunities in the field of human rights.

    Day 5 aims to strengthen (work) relationships among Academy participants. Previous academies have demonstrated that there is a clear need for this informal exchange. A special online tool is being considered for this purpose, which will allow participants to walk around a virtual room using avatars while also having private conversations.

     

  • What will my participation in the Academy look like?

    The event’s focus is on engagement and interaction – think of the Academy as a giant round table discussion in which each participant speaks about their experiences in terms of “what works” in the realisation of human rights.

    There are no formal presentations, only discussions and eye-level exchanges. Regardless of formal position, every participant is an expert in their own right.

    The Academy is informal in nature, which means that we do not work with presentations or formal lectures. The main goal of the event is to bring practitioners together at the same table and produce feasible and useful outputs for local governments. We’d like to hear about your daily work experiences and exchange ideas about “what works”, so that we can co-create a tangible output in form of the Outcome Document.

  • Are there additional events offered to members of the next generation?

    On 3 February 2023, we are organizing a special networking event for members of the next generation. The online networking event seeks to establish a link between today’s stakeholders and tomorrow’s actors: Exchange practical knowledge of working in the broad field of human rights, discuss the realization of future perspectives and aspirations, and gain insights into professionalization opportunities at the local level – a sphere gaining ever-more importance in the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals and the international human rights agenda!

    Find out how to register here.

  • Can I take part on all days of the Academy?

    Yes! Active participation on all days is crucial. The Academy is envisioned as a single overall workshop that brings together various perspectives on the topics and produces meaningful results. As a result, active participation in all strands, formats, and events is strongly encouraged.

    • FAQ: Logistics and organization

  • Who organizes the Academy and Conference?

    The event is organized by the International Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights at the Local and Regional Levels under the auspices of UNESCO and the UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Human Security in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UN-Habitat, the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), United Cities and Local  Governments, the Austrian Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs (BMEIA), the Federal Province of Styria, the City of Graz, and the  University of Graz.

  • Where can I find the progamme of the Academy?

    You can always find the current version of the programme here.

    Here is a tentative outline:

    • Wednesday, 1 February 2023: Stocktaking: Human rights objectives in public management (11:30 – 16:00 CET)
    • Thursday, 2 February 2023: Implementing human rights in public management: what works? (12:00 – 16:00 CET)
    • Friday, 3 February 2023: Networking opportunities for the next generation (13:30 – 15:30 CET)
    • Monday, 6 February 2023: Way forward: Building bridges towards sustainable results (12:00 – 16:00 CET)
    • Tuesday, 7 February 2023: Networking and cooperation–building (12:00 – 16:00 CET)
    • Wednesday, 8 February 2023: High Level Conference to discuss and present the Outcome Document (exact time tba)
  • What is the Conference and where will it take place?

    The Conference will take place as a closing event to the Academy. It will be hosted online on 8 February 2023 via Zoom.

    The event brings together high-level representatives from international organizations and local governments, who are presented with the outcome of the Academy: the Outcome Document. This contains encouragements for local governments, building on the inputs shared during the Academy.

  • Where do the Academy and Conference take place?

    Both events are held online.

    The Academy will be held on an open source conferencing software called BigBlueButton. The International Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights at the Local and Regional Levels hosts the platform on its own, secure and encrypted server. Users do not have to download anything and can simply participate securely via their browsers.

    The Academy will be held in English without translation.

    The Conference takes place on Zoom. There will be live interpretation in German, English, and French.

  • How much does it cost to attend?

    The Academy and Conference are free to attend.

  • What technical equipment do I need to take part?

    In general, we recommend the following to take part in our online events:

    • good, stable Internet connection (no mobile networks)
    • Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge (Opera is not supported by BigBlueButton!)
    • Headphones and microphone
    • A quiet location from where you can take part

    Please avoid the use of institutional networks, as this can lead to firewall issues.