For the first time, high level experts will discuss how human rights education can contribute to a positive development both within and between the neighbouring states of Norway and the Russian Federation. (20-MAR-07)

Based on the Norwegian Helsinki Committee´s release, this article has been written by HRHF / Niels Jacob Harbitz. Photo of Bjørn Engesland: HRHF / Niels Jacob Harbitz.

Some 100 politicians, teachers bureaucrats, representatives of organisations, prison staff and people in charge of edication of the police will gather in Murmansk 28-29 March for a conference arranged by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the District Administration of Murmansk. The purpose of the conference is to discuss how the UN global programme for human rights education can be implemented throughout the school systems and in the training of lawyers, police and prison staff. The ambition is to strengthen human rights education i nthe two countries, and promote increased bilateral cooperation on this issue.

Bjorn Engesland 100.jpgA UN World Programme for Human Rights Education
-The Murmansk conference has generated great response from experts who wish to participate, from both Norway and the Russian Federation. The positive interest shows that discussion around human rights education is a great entry point for bilateral cooperation between Norway and the Russian Federation on human rights, also more generally speaking, says Secretary General of NHC Bjørn Engesland, left. The international community, spearheaded by the UN, emphasises competence on human rights as a key resource for democratic development. In 1994, the UN launched the then coming decade as the Louise Arbour.jpgdecade for human rights education. In 2005, this was followed up by another launch; of a UN World Programme for Human Rights Education. The programme  obliges states to strengthen human rights education within their school systems and throughout society at large. On these grounds, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, right, supports the conference and the World Programme for Human Rights Education will be presented by Dendev Badarch, Director of UNESCO´s Moscow office. The conference will conclude with the presentation of a declaration that will be sent to Russian and Norwegian authorities. It will be presented at a press conference at Hotel Polarny Zori on Thursday 29 March 12.15.

On NHC´s work in the Barents region
Since 2000, NHC, in cooperation with the municipalities of Murmansk and Severomorsk in the Russian Federation, and Tromsø and Sør-Varanger in Norway, has worked on education and training in human rights and multicultural understanding for youth, teachers, journalists and other groups in the Barents region. The aim is to strengthen contact and cooperation across the border between Norway and the Russian Federation and contribute to a positive development. The partners of the ´Barents project´ consider it important to highlight democracy and human rights as key components in the cooperation between the Russian Federation and Norway, dominated as this relationship is by financial and security issues.

For further information, please contact

Secretary General Bjørn Engesland at
engesland@nhc.no, +47 22 47 92 09 / 957 53 350

Director of human rights education Lillian Hjorth at
hjorth@nhc.no, +47 22 47 92 06 / 970 65 530