Poznan Human Rights Centre & Adam Michiewicz University

Course on International Protection of Human Rights & Protection of National Minorities

Poznań (Poland), 3–12 September 2012

Since 1992, the Summer Course on International Protection of Human Rights has been organized by the Poznań Human Rights Centre, which was joined by the Adam Mickiewicz University in 2006.

The main purpose of the Course is to educate young people in human rights at the academic level and help them to develop skills to act in the human rights field. Since 2007, the Course has undergone a process of specialization. It is now combining two substantive streams: (a) General Course on Human Rights – students have the opportunity to acquire profound and systematic knowledge of various aspects of the United Nations and European systems of the human rights protection; (b) Minority Protection Course – the curriculum embraces lectures on the United Nations and European legal instruments, mechanisms and procedures serving the protection of national and ethnic minorities.

The Course is dedicated to young activists in the field of human rights, NGO workers and volunteers, lawyers, researchers and advanced students from all over the world. A law degree is not required, however all candidates must prove deep interest in human rights issues. Among all applications the group of 25-30 participants is selected. The Course aims to educate them as important actors of the civil society, engaged in the promotion and protection of human rights in their countries (via education, NGO activity, legal actions, etc.), as well as to give the participants an opportunity to exchange views and ideas with peers from their own and other regions.

Programme: The Course consists of approx. 60 hours of lectures and case-studies held in English. It has an academic profile but also aims to develop some practical skills. The curriculum focuses on systems of human rights protection (UN, Council of Europe, EU, OSCE) and selected challenges to human rights, such as protection of refugees. Special importance is attached to the protection of minorities, a problem of growing importance in both Europe and worldwide. Participants will inter alia examine cases of conflict resolution concerning national minorities and gain practical skills in this field.