Some time ago I have written to Australian newspapers about the issue of usage of historically incorrect term “Polish Concentration Camps” instead of Nazi Concentration Camps in occupied by Germans Poland.
Now the Polish government decided to legislate to outlaw the usage of the term “Polish Concentration Camps” which brought strong rebuke from Israeli government and some others.
I find it extremely disappointing to see the current voices that wish to advance inflammatory rhetoric and exaggerated claims about the level of Polish complicity in the holocaust. Such claims only help to feed Polish antisemitism and fuel a vicious cycle of mutual recrimination with Poles advancing claims about the role of Polish-Jewish activists in Wilno in 1920, during the Polish-Soviet war in1921 or about the pro-Soviet sympathies of some Polish Jews between 1918 and 1956. I agree with Prof. Stola that “Those who condemn Poles en masse are the best friends and allies of Polish antisemitism – they feed each other.”
We need to see much more of sensitivity, both from both the Polish and the Jewish sides to continue excellent work done since 1989 to advance Polish-Jewish dialogue and reconciliation. The accusation of Polish State during WWII of cooperation with Nazis is simply a gross falsification of history. Similarly, denials of what has happened in Jedwabne and in some other villages after the Soviet retreat in 1941 as well as numerous cases of betrayal of Jews by individual Poles are falsification of history.
I think it is time to take a deep breath and look for the facts and for what unites Polish and Jewish communities. But perhaps this conflict opened by the recent IPN legislation would be like a storm that will refresh the air and will replace attitudes with facts.

Dear friends and colleagues,

Shortly after I completed my term as Australian Human Rights Commissioner, I established a series of International Conferences on Human Rights Education which many of you have attended over the years. Together we have established a grassroot movement for word-wide human rights education (HRE).

I write now to invite you to attend the 9th International Conference on Human Rights Education (9th ICHRE) which I will be convening at Western Sydney University, Parramatta Campus, Sydney, Australia on 26-29 November 2018. The working title is: 9th International Conference on Human Rights Education – Unleashing the Full Potential of Civil Society.

I encourage you to ‘save the date’.

The 9th ICHRE will coincide with and celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 25th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration which highlighted the value of human rights education.

The Conference will consider the range of human rights education issues such as national and international curricula, pedagogy and best practices. It will address contemporary challenges and how to effectively address them. Attention will be given to the most effective ways of maximising the potential of civil society through human rights education. The delivery of lasting solutions and strengthening the practical knowledge and skills of participants, including through human rights education workshops, will be the key objectives.

Some 400 international and Australian delegates are expected to attend. They will include academic thinkers, international and government officials, NGOs and human rights and education practitioners, with a special focus on those from developing countries.

Please keep a look out for the dedicated Conference website which will go on-line in February at the following address – http://ichre2018.com.au

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions – I would be only too happy to respond.

Looking forward to seeing you at the 9th ICHRE in Sydney this November.

The below video contains a short conversation with Sev about his work at Western Sydney University and the importance of multicultural policies for Australian diverse society.

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Baha’i are very peaceful people with whom I have worked over the years in Australia and elsewhere.
Today I have learned that a prominent Baha’i leader in Yemen, Hamed bin Haydara, 53, was sentenced to death on 2 January of for his religious beliefs. Mr bin Haydara was sentenced after more than four years of imprisonment during which he was tortured; he was sentenced in his absence to death by a judge of the Specialized Criminal Court in Sana’a, Yemen. An appeal has been lodged. Please refer to http://bahai.org.au/index.php/death-sentence-in-yemen-alarms-australian-bahai-community/
I am calling upon human rights loving Australians and the international community to speak out against the judgement.

Western Sydney University hosted the 2nd National Advancing Community Cohesion Conference – Today’s Challenges and Solutions, at its Parramatta Campus, from 20-22 November 2017.

Over 280 participants attended the Conference which was convened by Dr Sev Ozdowski AM, Director of Equity and Diversity at the University.

The Conference considered contemporary challenges to social cohesion in diverse, multicultural communities, and ways to more effectively address them. It was attended by politicians, decision-makers, thought leaders, and practitioners from government departments and agencies, academia and think-tanks, civil society organisations, schools, and the private sector.

While multiculturalism was the cross-cutting theme of the Conference, relevant issues were considered from several perspectives including social, economic, political, cultural, legal, religious, and sexual/gender identity, perspectives.

The feedback received from participants revealed that 87.5% rated the Conference as having ‘Very High’ or ‘High’ utility (usefulness, benefit or value) while 93% said they would attend another community cohesion conference organised by the University.

The narrative report on the Conference is attached.

2018-01-09 Report on the 2nd National Advancing Community Cohesion Conference

It was rewarding to receive the publication of key papers presented during the 2016 International Conference on Human Rights Education that was held on December 12-15, 2016, at the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile (Universidad de Chile).    

The 2016 IHREC was the first of these Conferences to be held in Latin America. It was organized by the Faculty of Law’s Center for Human Rights and its Office of Outreach, in cooperation with Western Sydney University. The Organizing Committee of the VII IHREC included representatives from both the University of Chile and Western Sydney University. From the University of Chile: Lea Newfarmer, Myrna Villegas, Alex Choquemamani, Paulina Pulido, Natalia Reyes, Lorena Pino, Camila Araneda, Claudia Cárdenas, Javier Godoy, Nicolas Bosbach, and Sebastián Candia. From Western Sydney University: Sev Ozdowski.

The Conference, which was bilingual, brought together academics, students, activists, government officials, members of NGOs, and experts to discuss the most pressing issues regarding human rights education (HRE). Over four days, the IHREC participants took part in thematic panels and poster presentations that dealt with eight issues: 1. Human rights education (HRE) in formal education systems. 2. HRE in professional training. 3. HRE for the general public. 4. Judiciary and HRE. 5. Transitional justice and HRE. 6. Multiculturalism and HRE. 7. Gender and HRE. 8. Social rights and HRE. This publication compiles a majority of the presentations given during the thematic panels, in the language in which they were presented and organized into thematic chapters that reflect the eight issues detailed above. Throughout the discussions, conference participants presented case studies and theoretical frameworks that should guide the promotion of best practices in human rights education. They identified major political, economic and cultural obstacles that hinder the full exercise of human rights and the ways that HRE can help confront those obstacles.

For the publication see :  VII IHREC Chile

The 8th International Conference on Human Rights Education, Bridging our Diversities, was held in Montreal, Canada, from November 30th to December 3rd, 2017. Concordia University provided the venue and graciously hosted the event. The 2017 Conference was co-organized by Dr Sev Ozdowski of Western Sydney University and Australian Council for Human Rights Education. This year’s Conference was the 8th in a series of annual conferences previously held in Australia, South Africa, Poland, Taiwan, USA, Netherlands and Chile.

More than 310 registered participants coming from over 50 countries in all regions of the world took part in this event. The main objective of the Conference was to work together to develop a dynamic articulation of the value of human rights education as well as to document a collection of innovative and effective strategies and practices to respond to current global challenges.

The conference spread over the 3.5 days and consisted of three major themes:
. Human rights education as a fundamental response to global challenges, for reconciliation with
indigenous peoples and in achieving gender equality
. HRE good practices for building equitable and inclusive communities
. HRE tools and tactics to ensure impact

All workshops and panel presentations followed a participatory approach which involved active engagement of participants.

More information and a full list of all plenary, workshop and panel sessions, including main speakers and organizations responsible for organizing workshops and panels, is provided in the attached Narrative Report, Conference Program, and Conference Declaration and Closing Remarks.

ICHRE 2017 Narrative Report   IHREC 2017 Declaration     IHREC 2017 Full Program

IHREC 2017 Closing Remarks (by Sev)

Please see the enclosed article suggesting what could be done to improve Australia’s Human Rights protection system.
See: http://theconversation.com/ten-things-australia- can-do- to-b…

I certainly would support the idea that we need to legislate for an Australian Bill of Rights along the lines proposed by Fr Frank Brennan after his extensive consultations across Australia on the issue.

See also:

Video: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Human Rights Day 2017 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. You. Me. Everyone. In our daily lives, our schools and work, in our political and community life, all of us can uphold that fundamental truth and build a better global community for us all.”

And:
OHCHR Website for Human Rights Day

Happy Human Rights Day – Stand Up for Human Rights

Weren’t able to attend this year’s DCA and NAB Annual Diversity Debate?  Or just want to revisit some  of the poignant messages and humorous discussion over whether a focus on identity helps or hinders diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

DCA and NAB Annual Diversity Debate 2017

A full video recording of the evening of 24 October and a transcript of the event are now available for DCA members to download. Non-members can also watch the highlights video.

https://www.dca.org.au/event/59

Here is the link to the SBS interview I did about the Advancing Community Cohesion Conference:

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/audiotrack/conference-examines-barriers-social-cohesion-australia