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20/7/2009
Children at school: the pupils, all seated on the ground in a common space and divided into groups, are listening to lectures taught by their respective teachers.
© UNESCO/Akhtar Soomro

The United Nations work towards a Declaration on human rights education and training

On 17 and 17 July 2009 an international experts Seminar on the project of UN Declaration on human rights education and training was held in Marrakech (Morocco).

The event, organised by the Government of Morocco, has seen the speeches of Abdelwahad Radi, Morocco Justice Minister, Ahmed Herzenni, President of the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council and Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi, former President of the UN Human Rights Council.

The Marrakech Conference was realised in the framework of the activites promoted by the Advisory Committee, which, with Human Rights Council Resolution 6/10 of 28 September 2007, has received the task to elaborate a project declaration on human rights education and training . The Advisory Committee has set a drafting group chaired by Ms Halima Warzazi, whose rapporteur is Prof. Emmanuel Decaux.

In order to support the initiative a Platform of Human Rights Council member States: Italy, Morocco, Slovenia, Costarica and Philippines.

The Marrakech Conference has been organised in four workshops: 1. Principles and general vision of the Declaration on human rights education and training; 2. Obligations and role of the States linked to a Declaration on human rights education and training; 3. The role of other actors (National institutions for human rights, NGOs, media, etc.); 4) The role of the United Nations machinery for the promotion and protection of human rights in human rights education.

Prof. Antonio Papisca and Prof. Marco Mascia of the Human Rights Centre of the University of Padua participated to the Seminar giving their contribution respectively to workshop 1 and workshop 3.

The Government of Morocco has developed and published online a section in the website of the Moroccan Permanent Mission to the United Nation office in Geneva, specifically dedicated to the seminar. The pages provide information and documentation of the event, including a background paper, the agenda and the opening speeches.