Applications for the 2026 American Civic Education Teacher Awards close this Sunday, May 31

Applications for the 2026 American Civic Education Teacher Awards close this Sunday, May 31—and we don’t want a single deserving educator to miss it.

This is the nudge you’ve been waiting for.

Think about the teacher who made a student feel, maybe for the first time, that the Constitution belonged to them. The one whose classroom produces young people who ask hard questions, seek evidence, and show up for their communities. The one doing the quiet, essential work of preparing the next generation for self-government.

That teacher deserves national recognition. And if that teacher is you, apply yourself—it’s encouraged!

ACETA awardees receive: National recognition from the Center for Civic Education, IndianaUniversity Center on Representative Government, and the National Education AssociationA spotlight in local and national mediaAn honored place at the NCSS annual conferenceA platform to share promising practices with a national audience

The application takes just a few minutes.

Apply by Sunday, May 31

And if you know someone who should apply—please forward this. Right now. The end of the school year is busy, and the best educators are often the last ones to advocate for themselves.

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

APPLY for the International Geneva Peace Fellowship! Deadline: 7 June 2026

The Geneva Graduate Institute and Interpeace have launched the International Geneva Peace Fellowship Programme: a new initiative to foster the next generation of leadership in peace and humanitarian diplomacy.

At a moment when conflicts are becoming more fragmented, multilateral institutions are under pressure, and pathways into peace work are increasingly difficult, investing in new leadership matters more than ever.

Over a 9-month residential programme in Geneva, 10 Fellows from around the world will work across leading institutions in International Geneva while contributing to practical initiatives on mediation, humanitarian diplomacy, youth participation, health and peace, civilian protection, and inclusive peacebuilding.

The Fellowship aims to reinforce Geneva’s position in a changing world order by fostering a new generation of leadership, building partnerships across sectors and regions, and preserving a space for dialogue, innovation, and practical cooperation.

The initiative is implemented jointly by the Geneva Graduate Institute and Interpeace, with the generous support of the Fondation pour l’Adaptation de la Genève Internationale (FAGI).

Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/dZcTN3Q2

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

The Mosaic Middle Grade Reading Fellowship for 7th and 8th graders

Know any rising 7th and 8th graders interested in a cool reading fellowship? Free books and good conversations promised! Please spread the word [participants can be anywhere in the U.S.]

Application Link here: https://lnkd.in/gPbUtPpb

The MOSAIC Middle Grade Reading Fellowship is a school-year long cohort for 7th and 8th graders residing in the USA, who will read books on themes of Migration, Origins, Solidarity, Advocacy, Identity and Community. The central goal of this fellowship is to understand and analyze contemporary issues through engaging with middle-grade literature on these themes and through a human rights lens. 

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Applications are now open: Master of Science in International Affairs and Diplomatic Practice

Applications are now open for the Online Master of Science (M.S.) in International Affairs and Diplomatic Practice, jointly offered by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and Seton Hall University’s School of Diplomacy and International Relations.

This one-year programme is delivered fully online with flexible full-time or part-time study options, combining academic rigor with practical diplomatic training.Designed for mid-career professionals, the programme strengthens knowledge and skills in contemporary diplomacy, international security, policy analysis, negotiation, and conflict management.The programme also offers specialisation options in areas such as International Law and Human Rights making this programmeespecially relevant for professionals who want to connect diplomatic practice with human rights.

Explore

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

 Is Affordability a Human Right?

Woven Teaching is excited to share our latest edition of Human Rights Beyond the Headlines! This month’s topic: Is Affordability a Human Right?

Created to support educators in helping young people navigate the current events that impact their lives, Human Rights Beyond the Headlines will provide background information about key current events and strategies for discussing them with young people, including how to understand them through the wider lens of justice and human rights.

Is Affordability a Human Right?
Why is there so much talk lately about affordability, especially when it comes to politics?

Google searches for the term “affordability” skyrocketed in late 2025. At the time, several Democrats were running for office, and they focused heavily on affordability in their speeches and messaging. In addition to Google searches, Congressional newsletters to constituents mentioned the word affordability an average of 70 times per month in the Fall of 2025.  

What does it mean that affordability is “the political word of the moment”?  What does the word affordability mean to you? 
Download

Are there issues that you would like to see covered in Human Rights Beyond the Headlines? Drop us a line at info@woventeaching.org!

Free Printed Materials
We are now offering printed copies of our materials free-of-charge to educators in the United States! To request lessons and curricula, please complete this order form.
To order a free Universal Declaration of Human Rights poster for your classroom, please complete this order form.
 For more information about other Woven Teaching materials and resources, please visit woventeaching.org/resources

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Equitas: Call for Applications: Equitas International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) 2026

For the first time in over 40 years, the International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) will be held outside Canada, in Bangkok, Thailand, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of Equitas’ flagship international training program.

This edition reflects Equitas’ commitment to expanding access to human rights education and strengthening engagement with partners and movements across the Global South.

Program at a Glance

  • Location: Bangkok, Thailand  
  • Online preparatory phase: 15 September – 23 October, 2026 (self-paced, approximately 12–15 hours over 6 weeks) 
  • In-person training: November 1 – 13, 2026 (11-day intensive training) 
  • Languages: English and French  
  • Participants: Approximately 100 human rights educators and defenders from around the world 
  • Participation fee: $9,180 CAD (Includes: training fees, accommodation and meals, educational materials, and medical insurance covering emergencies)
    • International travel and visa costs are not included. 
  • Bursaries: Limited full and partial bursaries may be available  

Location: Bangkok, Thailand
When: Fall 2026

APPLICATION DEADLINE : Monday, June 8, 2026  
Space is limited – early applications are encouraged. 

>> Learn more

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Community Farewell to Voice of Witness

Join us for a fond farewell to our beloved oral history organization, Voice of Witness!

After over 15 years of amplifying vital human rights stories and bringing oral history education across the country to students of all ages, Voice of Witness will be closing its operations at the end of May. We are so grateful to our incredible community who has supported us throughout the years and made our work possible, including our narrators, editors, donors, community partners, past staff members, and educational partners.

We invite you to join us for this farewell sendoff, where we will share reflections and favorite memories from our years of programming and collaboration. Oral history is about connecting through the transformative power of storytelling and we are so honored to have connected with each of you. 

May 26, 2026 at 3:00 pm PT / 6:00 pm ET, Virtual

>> RSVP

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Youth-Friendly Child Impact Statement Toolkit Now Available

The Toolkit—created by youth in partnership with UNICEF USA and Kids Impact Initiative—gives young people a practical way to analyze policies through a child rights lens and share recommendations with decision-makers. Piloted and tested with UNICEF clubs across the country, it’s designed to be used independently by youth leadership groups on local, state, and federal advocacy efforts. If you work with youth leaders, youth councils, or after school programs, we invite you to share this new resource and encourage youth feedback so it can continue to grow and improve. 

Learn more about child impact statements here.

Download the toolkit here.

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Teaching for Change: Lesson on Freedom Schools for Voting Rights

The Freedom Schools of the 1960s were part of a long line of efforts to liberate people from oppression using the tool of popular education, including secret schools in the 18th and 19th centuries for enslaved Africans; labor schools during the early 20th century; and the Citizenship Schools formed by Septima Clark and others in the 1950s.

With the gutting of the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court and many states, we need to teach with the Freedom School approach in our classrooms and communities. This lesson is from our publication, Putting the Movement Back Into Civil Rights Teaching.  

View Lesson

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

New Course: Human Rights-based Approach to Dignity in Care

This course explores dignity not simply as a matter of respect or compassion, but as a complex principle connected to rights, participation, accountability, equality, empowerment, and legality. It is designed as a self-paced online course for people working in care, patient care, or related fields.

A central focus of the course is the PANEL framework, which stands for Participation, Accountability, Non-discrimination and Equality, Empowerment, and Legality. Learners examine how these principles can help translate the abstract idea of dignity into practical action within care settings. The course encourages participants to think critically about how dignity can be upheld in everyday interactions, institutional policies, and professional decision-making.

Through reflective activities, case studies, and structured learning exercises, participants explore how human rights principles can guide more person-centred and dignity-focused care. The course emphasizes the importance of listening to people receiving care, recognizing their agency, addressing discrimination, and ensuring that care practices are grounded in human rights standards.

Overall, the course equips learners with a practical foundation for understanding and applying dignity in care through a human rights-based approach. It is especially relevant for health and social care professionals, students, caregivers, and anyone interested in improving care practices by making dignity more concrete, actionable, and rights-informed.

Enroll Now

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.