As co-organizer and key stakeholder of the Geneva Human Rights Dialogues, the Swiss Commission for UNESCO (SCU) is pleased to present the summary report and video of the second Dialogue, which was dedicated to the Right to Science.

This thematic dialogue was held on 25 and 26 April 2022 and brought together UN officials, UN Special Rapporteurs, NGOs and academics. It is part of a dialogue series that the SCU launched in 2021 in collaboration with the OHCHR, UNESCO, the University of Geneva and the REGARD network to strengthen approaches and foster partnerships for the respect and implementation of human rights related to education, science, culture, communication and information.

The Right to Science, access to scientific knowledge and its benefits, scientific freedom and the safety of scientific researchers are increasingly receiving more and more attention. The open-ended discussions, based in part on a background paper developed specifically for the workshop, were incredibly rich and constructive and underlined the value of a cross-sectoral thrust at UNESCO.

The Dialogue was structured around three segments: current trends and challenges for the Right to Science, existing human rights mechanisms, and lessons learned from partnership approaches. The synthesis report includes 16 key messages and key actions that were identified during the discussions.

To access the summary report, please click here, and watch the video here.

Convocato dalla Commissione svizzera per l’UNESCO (CSU) e dai suoi partner, il 25 e 26 aprile si è svolto con successo il secondo Dialogo di Ginevra sui diritti umani sul diritto alla scienza.

Malgrado sia passato a lungo nel dimenticatoio, è sempre più evidente che il rispetto del diritto alla scienza è un elemento essenziale di un approccio efficace basato sui diritti umani.

In rappresentanza di un’ampia varietà di parti interessate, come rappresentanti delle Nazioni Unite, ONG, relatori speciali, diplomatici, accademici e del settore privato, un totale di 64 partecipanti ha preso parte all’incontro in persona e/o virtualmente.

Le discussioni, basate in parte su un documento di base sviluppato specificamente per il workshop, sono state incredibilmente ricche e costruttive. Le principali conclusioni saranno pubblicate in un documento di sintesi prossimamente.

Il Presidente della CSU, Thomas Zeltner, ha tenuto un discorso di apertura (vedi qui il suo discorso).

As co-organizer and stakeholder of the Geneva Human Rights Dialogues, the Swiss Commission for UNESCO (SCU) is pleased to present the summary report and video of the first Dialogue, dedicated to Freedom of Expression.

This Dialogue was held on 17 September 2021 and brought together UN representatives, NGOs, special rapporteurs, diplomats and academics. It is part of an initiative that the SCU launched in 2021 in collaboration with the OHCHR, UNESCO, the University of Geneva and the REGARD network to strengthen approaches and foster partnerships for the respect and implementation of human rights related to education, science, culture, communication and information – an initiative that also aims to intensify learning within UNESCO and its networks on human rights issues in their work.

The discussion was structured around three segments: emerging issues and current challenges, existing human rights mechanisms and lessons learned from established partnerships. The synthesis report includes 12 key messages and actions that were identified during this Dialogue.

To access the summary report, please click here, and watch the video here.