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HRE USA

A network dedicated to building a culture of human rights

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The Bluedot Institute: virtual program to engage students in climate action projects

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Download and share program flyer

The Bluedot Institute is a virtual program, with in person retreats, that seeks to highlight, honor, and incentivize high school students and their teachers to engage in local solution-oriented climate action projects. Our work at Bluedot is motivated by the realization that we are leaving the planet to younger generations with big challenges to manage. Many young people fear their future is doomed and feel helpless. At the same time, we see young climate leaders emerging everywhere. We want to support and encourage their activities and inspire others to get involved, too. 

Our programs orient around land, sea, and sky, and we currently offer three paths of involvement: 

·  A curated writing program that provides students professional editing and the chance to be published when works are completed

·  A monthly fireside chat that helps students learn about climate issues and develop community projects that debut around Earth Day 2025

·  In-person leadership retreats (Upcoming Santa Cruz Island March 2025 and Martha’s Vineyard July 2025

Bluedot Intention and Program Information

Sign Up for Bluedot Programs

Panel discussion: Is the Truth Dead? The Press vs Social Media in the Digital Age

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When: December 8, 2 – 4 pm
Location: The Henry A. Wallace Center at FDR Presidential Library & Museum,
4079 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538
Tickets: $25 General Admission, $20 Students (Current Students Only)

The rise of social media has brought an explosion of information and opinions, making it harder to sift through the noise and find the truth amidst misinformation. Bloggers, influencers, politically driven media, and politicians now wield the power to influence without evidence. How does traditional journalism rise to meet this challenge?

In honor of International Human Rights Day (December 10th), join us at the FDR Presidential Library & Museum for a lively discussion on how journalism and social media shape truth in the digital era.

Buy tickets now

More infromation about the panel

This panel discussion is in honor of International Human Rights Day

Zinn Education Project: An American Coup: Wilmington 1898

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On Monday, November 18, 2024, documentary filmmaker Yoruba Richen will discuss American Coup: Wilmington 1898, a new American Experience PBS documentary directed by Richen and Brad Lichtenstein that examines a white supremacist massacre of Black residents of Wilmington, North Carolina. Richen, and others from the film, will be in conversation with Teaching for Black Lives co-editor Jesse Hagopian.

November 18 at 7pm (ET)/4pm (PT), Online via Zoom

 Learn more and register

Salem as a Child Friendly Community

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Nov 20, 2024 08:00 AM in Central Time (US and Canada)

The City of Salem and the Center for Childhood & Youth Studies at Salem State University will be holding a set of celebration events on November 20, which is Universal Children’s Day. The day events will include presentations from UNICEF and speakers from around the world on how a city like Salem could become designated as a Child Friendly Community, followed by in person workshops on what we together can do to make that happen.

Register here!

November 20th, 2024 at 9am–3pm

  • Morning 9am–12pm: Introducing Salem as a Child-Friendly Community | SSU Central Campus Forten Hall
  • Afternoon 1pm–3pm: Making It Happen Working Groups | SSU Central Campus Forten Hall
  • 6pm–8pm: Presentations, music, and performances by children of all ages throughout Salem | Salem Visitors Center Auditorium

For registration and more information
>> Sarah Roy – sroy@salem.com
>> Yvonne Vissing – yvissing@salemstate.edu

2025 International Program on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Policy Now Open for Applications

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Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights, the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race and the Program of International and Comparative Education of Teachers College are now accepting applications for the 2025 International Program on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Policy. This program is presented in partnership with the University of Auckland (New Zealand) and the University of British Columbia (Canada).

The deadline for submitting applications is November 10, 2024. We are accepting applications from professionals, researchers, practitioners and advanced students who wish to participate in an intensive program at Columbia University on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and policy. This program is an in-person two-week course from 27 May to 6 June, 2025.

With a central focus on human rights, this intensive immersion program provides an overview and analysis of the major questions in Indigenous affairs today, as they have emerged globally in the last decades. The program has an interdisciplinary approach and incorporates lectures and workshops on the most recent and innovative academic research and policy debates on Indigenous Peoples’ issues. It is complemented by visits to the United Nations and to a Native American Nation, discussions with United Nations officials, officials of a Native American Nation and other relevant parties.

For more information on the program, its methodology, and the application process – please download our flyer here.

>> Learn more

ISHR Human Rights Research Award

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The ISHR Human Rights Research Award will provide students with an opportunity to gain valuable research experience, while supporting the work of Columbia faculty conducting human rights-related research. The research opportunities selected for the 2024-2025 academic year are enclosed (each opportunity includes distinct contact information for applying). Students who receive the Fellowship are expected to complete at least 80 hours of research assistance during the academic year. ISHR will award one research stipend per opportunity in the amount of $1,500. Priority will be given to HRSMA and UHRP students.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with preference given to applications received by Friday, November 8, 2024

>> Learn more

Episodes 42 & 43 with Hugh Starkey are available on Human Rights Education NOW!

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We are pleased to announce the availability of our latest installment of podcast episodes in Human Rights Education NOW! Episodes 42 & 43 feature conversations with Hugh Starkey. Hugh Starkey is an Emeritus Professor of Citizenship and Human Rights Education at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society. His research focuses on education for democratic citizenship and human rights education (EDC/HRE) from an intercultural perspective. From 2019 to 2024, he co-convened the World Educational Research Association’s International Research Network on Human Rights Education, which evolved into the International Association for Human Rights Education. Hugh’s latest book, co-authored with Lee Jerome, is Children’s Rights Education in Diverse Classrooms: Pedagogy, Principles and Practice (2021). He has led major European-funded projects on citizenship and human rights education and served as a consultant for numerous governments, as well as for organizations such as the Council of Europe, UNESCO, the European Commission, and the British Council. Hugh has supervised 25 successful doctoral students who have conducted research in regions including East Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Europe. For more information, visit his UCL profile and access his lectures, articles, and materials on children’s rights at his publisher’s website.

Episode 42: Hugh Starkey, Part One

In Episode 42, Dr. Hugh Starkey discusses the origins of his interest in human rights and human rights education, highlighting his transformative experiences working in Algeria. He describes how the World Studies curriculum and pedagogy influenced his approach, along with his work with the Council of Europe, which deepened his awareness of human rights issues. Hugh connects his background in language and intercultural education to human rights education, emphasizing the importance of integrating controversial issues within language education to enable democratic participation among learners. He then explores the relationships between nationalism and cosmopolitanism, arguing that cosmopolitanism can coexist with patriotism while addressing the challenges of nationalism in undermining universal human rights claims. Hugh advocates for incorporating human rights within multicultural education, envisioning a reimagined nation as a multicultural entity that confronts the legacy of colonialism. He later outlines steps for enhancing children’s rights, discussing the significance of participation rights in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and encouraging educators and children to familiarize themselves with the CRC, supported by organizations like Amnesty International and UNICEF. 

Topics discussed:

  • Transformative experiences from working in Algeria.
  • Influence of the World Studies curriculum and pedagogy
  • Increased awareness of human rights through work with the Council of Europe
  • Connections between language education and human rights issues
  • Importance of democratic focus in enabling learners to speak
  • Role of global citizenship education in promoting human rights
  • The relationship between nationalism and cosmopolitanism
  • Incorporation of  human rights in multicultural education and children’s rights initiatives

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE

Episode 43: Hugh Starkey, Part Two

In Episode 42, Dr. Hugh Starkey discusses the crucial role of school leaders in promoting human rights education (HRE) despite facing political constraints. He explores the connections between social justice, global citizenship, and HRE, highlighting the influence of Malcolm X on advocacy efforts. Hugh emphasizes the importance of building a culture of human rights both locally and globally, positioning social justice as a core aim achieved through HRE initiatives. He addresses the rights of migrants and the dehumanization strategies employed against them, recommending Council of Europe resources for educators. Hugh then argues that expanding knowledge about human rights is vital in countering authoritarianism and stresses the importance of popular education and community involvement in advancing these efforts. He reflects on influential figures like John Dewey, René Cassin, and Eleanor Roosevelt, citing a key quote from the Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that encapsulates essential principles. Lastly, Hugh advocates for integrating human rights education into teacher training programs and underscores the necessity for government action in the United Kingdom to ensure educators are well-prepared to teach HRE in their classrooms.

Topics discussed:

  • School leaders’ role in human rights education
  • Social justice and global citizenship connections
  • Malcolm X’s influence on human rights
  • Building a culture of human rights
  • Migrant rights in human rights education
  • Dehumanization tactics against migrants
  • Knowledge expansion on human rights and authoritarianism
  • Popular education and community organizations’ role
  • Human rights education in UK teacher training programs

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.

Thank you for supporting the Human Rights Education NOW! podcast!

We are grateful for the generous support of our members, individual donors, and The Puffin Foundation Ltd
The core values of HRE USA and its partner organizations include transparency and critical thinking skills. We believe that human rights--and human rights education--belong to everyone, and that the full realization of human rights means that access to human rights education materials must never be conditioned upon the subscription to any particular religious faith, ideology, political affiliation, or membership in any particular organization and that any organizational connections should be openly acknowledged.