Many human rights activists and in particular some racial, ethnic and religious minority groups have engaged into a political fight to stop the Federal Attorney-General George Brandis stated intention to repeal, or significantly weaken, section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. There is even a public petition circulated to important opinion makers to condemn the proposal.

I have serious reservations about it. First we\ are yet to see the proposed legislative changes and above all the treatment of Andrew Bolt under the current provisions was at least, in my view, problematic.

One of the characteristics of freedom of speech is that it sometimes hurts people’s feelings. This is balanced by the benefits to the society of having free speech. Universities should be bastions of free speech, in my view. Without it humanity would not have Copernicus theory as it badly undermined the feelings of Catholics when it was published.

I am for free speech, even if sometimes it hurts.

The 4th IHRE Conference in Taipei

I attended the the 4th International Conference on Human Rights Education that was held recently in Taipei, Taiwan.  I am pleased to report that the conference was very successful indeed;  successful – this is a commonly shared assessment.   It lasted 6 days – four days of plenary sessions and 2 days visit to the Green Island where a former concentration camp for political prisoners was established. 

For conference program see: http://scu.hre2013.org.tw/   

For my report from the Taiwan conference see:
http://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/focus/section2/2013/12/fourth-international-conference-on-human-rights-education.html

Six days is of course longer than the previous conferences which took 3 days only, with exception of Poland where a day was added for a visit to Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp. The conference was attended by some 250-300 delegates; there were representatives from 42 countries – including a strong delegation form PR China,  a person representing Tibet Government in Exile, many Scandinavians and other Europeans, people from Africa, Asia and Americas. The conference concluded with a resolution condemning human rights violations in Taiwan during the White Terror and seeking to address an number of outstanding issues outlined by the victims.

Professor Claudio Grossman, Dean of Law Faculty, The American University, Washington DC and the convenor of the 2014 conference sent message to the Taipei conference participants: “The American University Washington College of Law looks forward to receiving you at the 5^th International Conference on Human Rights Education next year in Washington, DC. We are certain the conference will create opportunities to promote the values of human dignity that we all share and will contribute greatly to the development of our academic contacts, delivering us to new levels of research, teaching and service. We are pleased to be the host of this event and eagerly anticipate your arrival.  Best regards and success for the New Year and beyond. Dean Claudio Grossman

The Conference has also established a new organisation that would take custody of IHRE conferences for the future. The following name was proposed “Human Rights Education International. World Federation of Human Rights Education Organisations”.  HREI intends to be only  an umbrella organisation and custodian of future conferences.  It was suggested that as a starting point, all past conference convenors will join the executive of this new body and that we co-opt few other people. I was asked to become its interim President and agreed to do so.

In addition, I had a meeting organised by the Taiwan Office Head of our DFA&T with the Taiwanese Ministry of Justice to discuss establishment of Taiwanese Human Rights Commission and lunch with Heads of Mission from 6 European countries plus Canada (US representative did not attend because of Thanks Giving Day celebrations). Last day, I had to cancel my other meetings because of a flu.

2013-11-26 Resolution of 4IHREC

I welcome wholeheartedly the today’s announcement by the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and Education Minister to abandon the $2,000 cap on tax deductions for self-education expenses announced by the previous government.

” It will lift one of the most serious threats to Australia’s productivity and competitiveness. This is a victory for common sense and is one of the smartest decisions the government could make for Australia’s economic future. Now students can proceed with their plans for investing in postgraduate and professional development education with certainty and without the prospect of an effective 30 – 54 per cent price hike”

This is a victory for common sense and is one of the smartest decisions the government could make for Australia’s economic future.

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions announced their endorsement of the “International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance” – text available here.
This could represent a watershed moment for libraries and archives as we come to terms with trends in digital service provision that have profound – and deeply troubling – implications for our users, our professional values, and our societies.

Hopefully IFLA’s principled stance on this will serve as encouragement for other individuals and professional organisations to endorse the Statement – and to take practical steps closer to home to advance its aims.

Tadeusz Mazowiecki 1927 – 2013

Last night passed away Tadeusz Mazowiecki, a living symbol of Poland’s struggle for democracy and independence.

Mazowiecki was the first post-communist Prime Minister of Poland. I first met him in 1968 in Warsaw and then in Makow Podhalanski when I was involved with Polish Catholic Intelligentia Clubs “KIK”.

Mazowiecki was a role model for me. He was what we would call in today’s language a human rights activist with great vision and compassion for those less fortunate or suffering oppression. Mazowiecki was in forefront of student protests in March 1968, in August 1980 he was together with the striking workers in the Gdansk Shipyards and he was a key strategist of the Round Table negotiations in 1989.

Another great reformer of the late early 1990’s Prof. Leszek Balcerowicz said: “Mazowiecki was a man of principle, assertive but without aggression – this is very rare in contemporary politics.”

I admired his wisdom, purposefulness and elegant manner. His contribution to Polish democracy and peace will not be forgotten.

Rest in Pace

It was a pleasure to attend the National Human Rights Conciliation, Legal & Education Officer Conference in Canberra where I spoke about “Developments in Human Rights Education Nationally and Internationally.

In my role as Equity and Diversity Director at the University of Western Sydney I have initiated UWS community dinners to honour the special relationship between the CALD communities and the University.

The UWS Chinese Dinner was the second of a set of community events aimed at celebrating the largest culturally diverse communities of Greater Western Sydney, including the Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian communities; UWS organises also Ramadan Iftar breaking of fast dinner.  For more information about the UWS Chinese Community Dinner see:

http://www.uws.edu.au/newscentre/news_centre/more_news_stories/uws_honours_chinese_community_with_special_dinner

Sev will address the Sydney 2013 Quo Vadis Conference “Connecting Tomorrow’s Future” to be held at Rydges Hotel on 4 – 6 October 2013.

Dr Ozdowski’s address is entitled “Heritage and participation in a new society – a personal journey”. See it here:

 Quo Vadis Conference, Sydney – PowerPoint Presentation

For more about the conference see:

info@quovadisconferences.org.au

www.quovadisconferences.org.au

I am pleased to inform that “Racism in Australia: Our past, present and future” article from http://www.fecca.org.au/mosaic/archive/mosaic-issue-31-july-2012/racism-in-Australia-our-past-present-and-future  will be republished by the Spinney Press in an educational resource book entitled “Racial Prejudice and Discrimination”, which is Volume  370 in the “Issues in Society” series.

The article will be also broadly available as an electronic edition (secure PDF). The book is intended for use as a cross-curricular reference resource by Australian secondary schools. For more information: www.spinneypress.com.au

On Friday 13 September, the UN Human Rights Council will be discussing ‘traditional values’, which is often touted as the “ASEAN way” by SE Asian leaders. Throughout the region, ‘traditional values’ is the argument often used by the authorities and/or majority groups to suppress the voices and rights of religious minority groups, indigenous people, women and the LGBT community.

Please go to the website prepared by Judy Taing, Asia Programme Officer and to stand up for UNIVERSAL human rights.

Judy Has launched a Thunderclap on Friday (9am UK time), to send a clear message to the UN and international community that we believe human rights are universal and that the Human Rights Council must reject ‘traditional values’.

Go to:  https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/3928-human-rights-are-for-everyone