This year we are celebrating a milestone in the social movement for human rights education that started with our first conference held in Sydney in 2010 and now marks a decade of dialogue for social harmony, justice and furthering democracy through the growth of human rights education worldwide.
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 10th ICHRE at Kathmandu University, Nepal. The theme of this year’s conference being: “Human Rights in Academic Excellence, Technology and Artificial Intelligence”.
The International Conference on Human Rights Education (ICHRE) series was established after I completed my term as Australian Human Rights Commissioner. It has grown stronger over the past decade and it now brings together participants from all over the world. It started in Australia but has since been held in South Africa, Poland, Taiwan, USA, Holland, Chile and Canada.
Hosting the ICHRE in Nepal is significant in helping promote, understand and share the experience of human rights culture as Nepal transitions towards democracy. Assembling in Nepal places us in one of the leading countries of South Asia advancing human rights education and offers participants a glimpse into its rich culture, history and heritage.
I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to Kathmandu University for hosting the conference this year and for facilitating the conversation as we work towards solutions for many current human right issues. I thank and commend Western Sydney University for its strong commitment to improving human rights culture, and for its ongoing support of the international human rights education movement.
I trust that this conference will help to grow the human rights movement and encourage further grass roots participation in order to help overcome the immense rights challenges faced in our world today.
(Signed)
Professor Sev Ozdowski AM OAM FRSN
Foundation Convenor & Series Coordinator, International Human Rights Conference Series
Director, Office of Equity and Diversity, Western Sydney University