The 12th World Human Right Cities Forum: Views from Participants

The 12th World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) was held at the Kimdaejung Convention Center for four days, October 10–13, 2022. During this year’s Forum, 38 programs were organized with 320 domestic and foreign speakers and around 1,800 participants in total. Under this year’s theme, “Climate Crisis and Human Rights,” we concluded that it was important to recognize that the climate crisis could also impact human rights, not just the environment.

Climate Crisis, Displacement, and Human Rights à la Special Rapporteur Ian Fry: Featured Speaker at WHRCF 2022

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) established the mandate of the special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change at its forty-eighth session in October 2021 (RES/48/14), following which Dr. Fry was appointed as the first to fill the role in March 2022 and began his duty in May 2022. Among others, the roles of the special rapporteur include studying and identifying the ways in which the adverse effects of climate change affect the full and effective enjoyment of human rights and make recommendations on how to address and prevent these adverse effects, as well as promoting and exchanging views on lessons learned and best practices related to the adoption of human rights-based, gender-responsive, age-sensitive, disability-inclusive, and risk-informed approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation policies, all of which lead to making Dr. Fry a distinguished speaker at the 12th WHRCF.

Why Human Rights in the Climate Crisis Era?

Many scientists have warned that we would face devastating consequences when the temperature rises by 1.5˚C from the level of the beginning of industrialization. Currently, however, we have come closer to that point. Therefore, now is time for us to raise awareness of and take actions against the climate crisis in order to brace for more serious risks in the future.

May 18 Education Forum 2022: An Interview with the Speakers 

The month of May in Gwangju is for remembering thousands of Gwangju citizens who rose up against the military junta oppression in May 1980, those who survived, and those who did not, and as such, is marked by various events and vigils. Among the many events keeping the spirit of the Gwangju Democratization Movement alive, the May 18 Education Forum took place last May 27 under the title “May 18 Democratic Uprising Meets Swedish Civic Education.”  The Forum focused on exchange in the area of democratic civic education through a conversation with the invited educators from Sweden, where political participation through civic education has already become commonplace.

“We Need a New Deal”: Interview with UNESCO’s Gabriela Ramos

Gabriela Ramos is a plenary speaker at World Human Rights Cities Forum to be held this October 7–10 in Gwangju. She will be speaking on “Local Governments Building the Post-COVID-19 World: Public Services and HR Challenges.”

Human Rights and Democracy from Around Asia and Africa: Four Students Debut CNU’s First Global NGO Master’s Program

Written by Anastasia Traynin Photograph courtesy of Shahed Kayes, Class Leader During the first semester of 2017, this writer had the opportunity to take an elective class with American writer, … Read More

First Class First Lady

Written by Douglas Baumwoll Photographs courtesy of Kim Dae-jung Peace Center Translations by Jung Jinho and Kwak Ji-young Special thanks to Dr. Shin Gyonggu and Harsh Kumar Mishra Ninety-five years … Read More