ZÜRICH ART WEEKEND

During this year’s edition of Zürich Art Weekend RFK Human Rights and WE ARE AIA | Awareness in Art kicked off their new cooperation with an ART TALK about human rights through the prism of art.

ZURICH ART WEEKEND is a non-profit organisation that brings together Zurich’s major public and private art institutions through a variety of initiatives and events. On Sunday AIA organized a special event at Löwenbräu Kunst where Prof. Dr. Guido Palazzo (Professor of Business Ethics, HEC Lausanne), Stephanie Eger (director human rights education RFK Human Rights) and Mariana Vassileva (artist) talked about how art can encourage our engagement for human rights.

You can rewatch the talk here.

Human Rights through the prism of art: new partnerhip with WE ARE AIA | Awareness in Art

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Switzerland is proud to announce a new partnership with platform WE ARE AIA | Awareness in Art. Since last September, Löwenbräukunst (Zürich) has a new platform: WE ARE AIA I Awareness in Art, a project that encourages visitors to engage with current social issues through the prism of art. RFK Human Right is AIA’s new educational partner and will develop an educational program for schools around each new exhibition.

AIA works according to a unique concept where they address five core themes in their exhibitions: human rights, biodiversity, social responsibility, digitalisation and equality. They select artists that not only deal with these issues but actively engage with them.

The first exhibition presented by WE ARE AIA is titled »A Future of Many Futures« and can be visited until the end of January 2022. On display are pieces of art by five different artists. Core themes of the educational program are »gender« and »equality« and centers around the installation IS MY BODY PUBLIC? by the artist Alicia Framis. A school visit starts with and interactive guided tour through the exhibition, after which the pupils will dive deeper into the subject of »equality« through the »Speak Truth to Power« material. During the last part the class will be divided into groups to make and present their own art installation based while discussing and dealing with questions of gender. This way the pupils not only learn about individual works of art, but also hear inspiring life stories of activists and become artistically active themselves.

WE ARE AIA and RFK Human Rights are currently working on the next exhibitions which will address the human right freedom of speech and the rights of indigenous people.

WE ARE AIA | Awareness in Art @ Löwenbräukunst, Limmatstrasse 268 Zürich
Opening hours (FREE OF CHARGE):
Wednesday - Friday: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
and by appointment .

School classes can book a visit here.

ARTIVISM: the Art of Activism

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Switzerland organized it’s first summer program. Together with the Pädagogsiche Hochschule Luzern and VforArt we developed a program for all ages in which the interconnections between art and human rights took central stage.

With the help of Dienststelle Soziales und Gesellschaft (Kanton Luzern), Migros Kulturprozent Luzern and Förderpool Kinder- und Jugendfreizeit (Stadt Luzern) we were able to offer special workshops, tours, meet ups and food-for-thought sessions. Together with VforArt and three students of the PH Luzern we developed a workshop for teens on how to become a human rights defender. A new ready-to go lesson plan based on this course will be available on our website before the end of the year. You can find positive reactions in instagram.

Part of the summer program were visits by human rights activists Marie-Claire Graf and Karen Tse. Ms Graf is an environmental activist and Mrs. Tse talked to us about how we can (and should!) end torture. They were interviewed by staff of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights for an upcoming new projects and available to the public for questions. The interview with Marie-Claire Graf is now online.

During the 4 weeks that RFK Human Rights was a guest at IS Utenberg in Luzern, several food-for-thought sessions were organized. We showed representatives of museum, galleries and schools our STTP photp exhibition and discussed how arts and human rights activism could complement and enhance each other. Out of the 5 sessions that took place, 4 follow-up projects were conceived.

A conversation with UNESCO ambassador Dr. Peter Reuss

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights educational associate Dr. Kerstin Bitar recently interviewed Dr. Peter Reuss, German Ambassador to UNESCO, about the importance of human rights, education, science and culture in our time. We invite you to (re)watch this interesting conversation:

School Event KS-Hottingen, Zurich

Between May 17 and June 18, 2021, the Kantonsschule Hottingen in Zurich hosted conversations between students and activists at the invitation of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation.

The students, aged 15 to 18, had the opportunity to visit the Foundation's exhibition of portraits by renowned photographer Eddie Adams. Portraits of well-known personalities, defenders of human rights in different countries and regions of the world. In addition, the teachers, together with the Foundation, organized visits of activists to present themselves to the classes and discuss with them. The goal of these talks is to learn about and understand the work of activists who have dedicated their lives to protecting other people or societies from injustice. Some of these conversations took place in person, while others were adapted online.

Foundation staff were honored to witness the conversation with Mr. Löb of the Gamaraal Foundation. Mr. Löb is over 95 years old, and although his body seems weak, his personality is strong and his message clear: we must avoid situations similar to those that triggered the Holocaust; we must protect democratic values and not fall into populist and extreme temptations. The coexistence of cultures, religions and origins makes us stronger and freer.

Mr. Löb was 11 years old when the persecution of Jews reached Hungary and Romania. In March 1944, the Germans invaded Hungary, which led to a worsening of the situation for the Jews. Mr. Löb recounted his memories of the first ghetto in Hungary, of being transported by train and arriving in a concentration camp, memories that even today seem inhumane, impossible and unreal. The students were silent and full of awe. Some even had tears in their eyes.

The students had the unforgettable opportunity to exchange with the following activists: Marie-Claire Graf, a Swiss woman working for sustainable development and climate protection; Mr. Löb from Gamaraal Foundation, with his touching personal story as a Holocaust survivor; the tireless work of Kailash Satyarthi Foundation on the personal stories of some boys rescued from slavery; Marina Pisklakova and her courageous work to protect women in Russia from domestic violence; Yann Lenggenhager, Swiss teacher and expert in human rights education; Mary Mayenfisch, an Irish-born lawyer with extensive experience in business and human rights; and Dominic Pugatsch, expert in preventing racism and anti-Semitism.

Proud to present our new educational associate: Dr. Kerstin Bitar

Dr. Bitar has been a big fan of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights for several years now. She works is scientific director in the Rosengart Collection in Lucerne and also works as art educator and art historian at the Kunstmuseum Basel as well as the Kunsthaus Zürich. Dr. Bitar teaches pupils of different ages on different topics in art with a holistic approach. It is in this capacity as art educator and art mediator, that Dr. Bitar will be working closely with the foundation to set up new ways to introduce (especially young) people to human rights through art.

Dr. Kerstin Bitar on joining Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Switzerland: "The education of young people around the world is a great good and a very important prerequisite for a hopefully democratic future. As an art historian and especially a museum educator, I have been working for many years to bring human rights issues closer to students from first grade to high school in a holistic way: more recently, equality for women; be it in the collections of some museums, be it specifically in exhibitions, for example, in the very worthwhile, insightful exhibition "Peintres femmes" at the Palais Luxembourg in Paris, which I saw earlier this week, or the impressive exhibition "Sophie Taeuber Arp Living Abstraction" in the Kunstmuseum Basel and from the 15th of July at the Tate Modern in London. Here it became clear that equality for women artists is a process that has been going on for many centuries and is by no means a matter of course. Just as school education for girls as a whole did not initially coincide with the one of the boys.

Dialogues and workshops, consisting of a guided tour and a creative part, in which the students, among other things, with a specific task on the theme: draw, paint, develop film contributions or create collages, is one possibility. Art can thus be a podium in which topics on freedom of expression, on protection from torture, discrimination and arbitrary state interference, the defined rights included the right to education, work, health care, cultural life, and freedom of speech and opinion, on collective participation, on history as a whole, on religious freedom are negotiated. 

I look forward to giving more of these tours for the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Switzerland. And for all people staying or visiting Switzerland this summer: the foundation is presenting a wonderful program with workshops, an exhibition and lectures in Lucerne, all on the theme of the “The Art of Activism”."

HUMAN RIGHTS & SARS-CoV-2

HUMAN RIGHTS & SARS-CoV-2

SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER EDUCATION MATERIAL

• The COVID19 crisis had led most governments around the world to implement measures aimed at reducing the spread of the virus to avoid the collapse of hospitals and to protect people’s health.

• By doing so, governments have temporarily - in part until today - suspended a number of civil and constitutional rights - with considerable human rights implications.

• Teaching human rights and creating awareness about the importance of the protection of human rights and the dignity of humans is one of the core activities of our organisation.

• We have therefore started to develop dedicated human rights education material tailored to the current situation.

SPECIAL TEACHING UNITS

1. Digital Rights and the Corona Crisis (in English) - English file

2. Solidarity despite social distancing (in German) - German file

3. Corona Crisis Timeline Switzerland - Download file

4. Does Corona discriminate? - German file / English file

5. Human Rights and the Corona Crisis I - German file

6. Human Rights and the Corona Crisis II - German file / English file

Kick-off Human Rights Education Art Program

Good news! On the 21st of April the Human Rights Education Art Program had its kick-off at the Lyceum Alpinum in Zuoz.

Motivated students of 5 and 6 Gymnasium attended the workshop which existed of a three hour interactive lecture about art and human rights. At the end the students started to collect ideas, inspired by the stories and images from the workshop, for their own artwork related to human rights. During the workshop the students were encouraged to share their meanings and opinions about human rights. This resulted in a lively and interesting discussion about the relationship between art and the different human rights issues the students were personally interested in.

The Human Rights Education Art Program was developed by VforArt, to accompany the »Speak Truth To Power« material and specifically the photo exhibition. It is available for all schools.

If you are interested in the Human Rights Education Art Program, please contact Mrs. Chantal van Vlijmen.

The intersection of art, medicine and human rights

Have you ever wondered about how art, medicine and human rights can come together and enhance one another? In order to discuss these and other questions, we invited two experts: Dr. phil. Kerstin Bitar and Dr. Anna Erat MD/PhD.

STTP exhibition featured in Engadiner Post

Local newspaper “Engadiner Post” wrote an extensive article about the Speak Truth to Power exhihibtion, which is currently on display at the Lyceum Alpinum in Zuoz. Read the whole article here:

Guest lectures at the Lyceum Alpinum in Zuoz

On April 6th the students of the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz were welcomed back from their Easter break with a visit by lead educator Yann Lenggenhager and Youth Ambassadors Co-President - also alumna of the Lyceum Alpinum - Cinzia D’Adamo. By a series of presentations the students, accompanied by the director Dr. Christoph Wittmer, were introduced to the Speak Truth To Power exhibition.

During the first part of the lectures, small groups of students were informed about the life and work of Robert F. Kennedy and attained general information on the foundation’s work. After that, the portraits of Marina Pisklakova and Kailash Satyarthi were interpreted and discussed to provide the students with powerful and inspiring examples of activists. The two activists could not be more different from one another: coming from different nations – even continents – and fighting for different causes in very different circumstances. Their relentless and passionate fight for justice and for a better world however, connects them and also inspired many students from all age groups.

Following the presentations, many lively discussions on the human rights situation in both Switzerland and abroad were held. At the end of the presentations, the students were able to listen to the stories behind the portraits individually or directly ask questions, which many of them did with great enthusiasm. What was most remarkable was to see students coming from all corners of the world, recognizing the portraits of human rights activists from their own country and sharing their own thoughts, resulting in many enriching conversations. A 14-year-old Guatemalan boy for example, passionately explained the symbolism of the traditional clothing worn by Rigoberta Menchú and a Czech girl immediately noticing the picture of Václav Havel on the day the exhibition was set up.

During Yann and Cinzia’s visit, the students were able to engage with the portraits in an active way by seeking to understand the stories behind the impressive portraits. At the end of the day, a 7th grade class even came back to the exhibition with their German teacher, in order to complete a task of writing a short essay on the portrait that struck them the most. The hallway was filled with chatter as the students were browsing the pages of the Speak Truth To Power book and listening to the stories behind the QR codes.

It is clear, that the presentations and exhibition struck a chord with the pupils. The interesting exchange characterized by a multitude of perspectives certainly made the visit enriching for everyone - both for the pupils as well as for Yann and Cinzia.

New educational associate: VforArt

The Robert F. Kennedy foundation Switzerland is proud to announce a new partnership with VforArt. Mrs Chantal van Vlijmen, art historian and founder of VforArt, has developed new and innovative workshops to accompany our »Speak Truth to Power« material.

VforArt is specialized in creating customized art programs for children and adults, as well as commercial and non-commercial organizations. Human rights are, besides art and its history, an important subject for Mrs Van Vlijmen, especially when it comes to our daily lives.

Mrs Van Vlijmen developed a special Human Rights Education Art Program for our foundation, which explains human rights on the basis of art: “It is a great pleasure to collaborate with this amazing foundation. For me it is a honor to have developed the Human Rights Education Art Program. Through this way students are informed about the importance of Human Rights with art as a guide. A fantastic combination, it makes the topic of human rights more understandable and accessible and at the same the awareness of art increases. For the future I hope to educate and to inspire numerous students, who will continue to spread the important message of human rights.”

A free lesson plan can be downloaded at our website: https://www.rfkhumanrights.ch/arts-and-human-rigthts

For questions or more information about the Human Rights Education Art Program, you can contact Mrs Van Vlijmen directly at: info@vforart.com

For more details about Mrs Van Vlijmen other activities, please visit her website www.vforart.com

VforArt’s art journey can be followed on Instagram.

Presenting STTP at the Collège Sismondi

Our lead educator Yann Lenggenhager visited the College Sismondi in Geneva (https://www.sismondi.ch/), where the Speak Truth To Power Exhibition is currently showcased, for a special guest lecture.

The visit began with an interesting chance encounter with the school’s director as well as teachers to discuss their use of the STTP pedagogical tools. Next stop was a participation in a lesson with regard to the political and humanitarian situation in the Middle-East, with a focus on the recent history of Lebanon.

Following this, Yann went on to present the work of the foundation, followed by a tour of the exhibition. Special attention was given to the lives and works of human rights activists Kailash Sathyarti and Gabor Gombos. Following these presentations by Yann, it was the student’s turn to work with the exhibition. The pupils then moved individually to a picture each had previously selected. They responded to a list of questions prepared by their teacher, investigating the case of the activist.

Finally all returned to the classroom where a wrap-up took place. The pupils showed great interest in the work of the foundation and debated vividly about the state of the world and possible actions to improve it.

Exposition au Collège Sismondi

At the beginning of the new year, our “Speak Truth to Power” photo exhibition has also found a new home for the coming months at the Collège Sismondi in Geneva.

We are very happy that in spite of the ongoing Corona pandemic, there is unbridled interest in our exhibition and human rights. Our activists, as photographed by Pulitzer Prize winner Eddie Adams (1933-2004), have already inspired many of the teachers at the Collège Sismondi to take their classes into the exhibition.

If you want to visit the exhibition (with your school class) you can contact Madame Annick De Sabato assistant to the direction: +41 (0)22 388 79 02 .

Talk about the Konzernverantwortungsinitiative

Louis Gachet, student in CPNV  (Le centre professionnel du Nord vaudois) St Croix, interviews Mary Mayenfisch, Lawyer, on the recent results of the Swiss Responsible Business Initiative.

Mary brings her professional perspective on the importance of mandatory human rights due diligence and the compliance by States and businesses with the internationally recognised business human rights standards.  She comments on the complexity of the Swiss voting system and speaks about the results of the November 29, 2020 vote.  This does not herald the end of what was achieved by the initiative but, on the contrary, reflects the importance of this topic and future generations  will soon take the lead and influence the changes needed.

Watch the interview here.

Winners of the Short Film Competition 2020

On International Human Rights Day - December 10th - the Youth Ambassadors announced the winners of the first short film competition.

During a special, online award ceremony Co-President Jonathan Boissonnas presented the winning films of this premiere film contest. Members of the jury Brian Iselin (founder of “Slavefreetrade”) and Beat Baggenstos (founder of ClimbAID) assured the audience that it was a most difficult task to define the winners among all the great submissions. In the end, these were deemed the best films, defined by age category:

Born between 1994-2003:
1st place: Article 31 by Arno Thöni
2nd place: Hook by Arnes Hamzić and Ermina Muratović

Born between 2004 - 2008:
1st place: Cuore di tigre by Mara Manzolini for the project "Un libro per lo schermo"
2nd place: A note to Gab and the generation Alpha by Patrick Weaver

Paul Brandus predicts new US President

Only a few days before this year’s presidential elections in the Unites States, Paul Brandus - White House Correspondent and Award-Winning Author - took the time to talk to us exclusively about these upcoming elections.

According to Brandus, there was a clear indication that Joe Biden would become the United States’ 46th President. He walked the international audience - with people not just tuning in from Switzerland but also the US, Germany and The Netherlands - through several statistics and datasets, while explaining the numbers.

Back in 2016 Donald Trump was seen as this successful businessman from the TV series “The Apprentice” and many voted for him because he was the much-esteemed political outsider many people were longing for, not in the least in comparison to established Hillary Clinton. But in the four years Donald Trump was in office, he managed to divide the nation even more. According to Brandus Americans have seen attacks on free press, human rights violations and several cases of corruption. This is not the American way. Reporters should not be called enemies of the country. Many Americans fear that with four more years of Trump, the situation may worsen.

According to Brandus, the Corona crisis also played a major role in this election campaign. Many people are critical of Trump’s (lack of) policy with regard to the pandemic. This may even be a decisive topic for the upcoming elections, because without it, Trump - thanks to positive economic developments before the corona crisis - could probably have maintained his business savvy image which many Americans admire. This in turn could have given him an advantage over Joe Biden.

Another interesting point Brandus predicted was the upcoming transition period after the elections. Brandus expected that Trump will not easily concede, should he lose the election. Which would of course lay a heavy burden on the next Presidency. He even hinted at the possibility of Trump not conceding at all.

Today we know who the 46th President of the United States is and that Brandus’ predictions were correct. Today we can confirm that Trump does not want to accept his defeat - again, as predicted.

It was an historic election. No doubt about it.

Menschenrechtliche Verantwortung von schweizerischen Unternehmen – Wie geht es weiter nach dem «Nein» zur Konzernverantwortungsinitiative?

Dr. iur. Christoph Good, Stiftungsrat der Robert F. Kennedy Foundation Switzerland & Partner bei Good Rechtsanwälte GmbH

Kaum eine Volksabstimmung in der Schweiz wurde in den letzten Jahren sowohl von Befürworter*innen und Gegner*innen mit derart harten Bandagen und unter Einsatz solch immenser Ressourcen geführt wie die Abstimmung vom letzten Sonntag zur Initiative «Für verantwortungsvolle Unternehmen – zum Schutz von Mensch und Umwelt». Auch wenn die Initiant*innen letztlich eine knappe Mehrheit der Stimmenden für ihr Anliegen gewinnen konnten (50.7%), scheiterte die Initiative am Ende doch am ebenfalls erforderlichen Ständemehr.

 Aus menschenrechtlicher Perspektive mutet der Ausgang der Abstimmung als eine Enttäuschung an. So wäre es nach einer nunmehr fast zehnjährigen Debatte seit der Verabschiedung der UNO-Leitprinzipien für Wirtschaft & Menschenrechte durch den UNO-Menschenrechtsrat (2011) wünschenswert gewesen, erstmals klare, umfassende und vor allem verbindliche Spielregeln für die Frage der unternehmerischen Verantwortung von in der Schweiz domizilierten Konzernen für die Bereiche Menschenrechte und Umweltschutz zu erreichen. Gleichfalls wäre es eine geeignete Gelegenheit gewesen, ein klares Zeichen für die Integrität des Wirtschaftsstandorts Schweiz zu setzen.

Heisst das Abstimmungsresultat, dass das Thema menschenrechtliche Verantwortlichkeit von Unternehmen in der Schweiz nun abgehakt ist und es mit business as usual weitergeht? Wohl kaum.

• Allein die Zustimmung einer Mehrheit der Abstimmenden – die gleichzeitig muntere Konsument*innen sind – zeigt, dass die Bevölkerung diesbezüglich klare und ernst zu nehmende Erwartungen gegenüber den in der Schweiz domizilierten Unternehmen hat.

• Hinzu kommt, dass mit dem letztlichen «Nein» zur Initiative immerhin der indirekte Gegenvorschlag als menschenrechtliches Trostpflaster zeitnah in Kraft treten wird. Auch dies ist auf regulativer Ebene eine Premiere für die Schweiz. So geht der indirekte Gegenvorschlag zwar deutlich weniger weit als die Initiative, führt aber doch zumindest die ersten rechtlich verbindlichen Regeln zum Thema Wirtschaft & Menschenrechte für einen (zwar kleinen aber doch wirkungsmächtigen) Teil der Unternehmen in der Schweiz ein. Kernstück des Gegenvorschlags sind eine Berichterstattungspflicht über sog. «nichtfinanzielle Belange» für grössere Unternehmen (mehr als 500 Vollzeitstellen und Bilanzsumme > 20 Mio. resp. Umsatz > 40 Mio.) sowie eine umfassende Sorgfaltspflicht (= Menschenrechts-Due-Diligence) für Unternehmen, die bestimmte Edelmetalle (Zinn, Tantal, Wolfram oder Gold enthaltende Mineralien oder Metalle aus Konflikt-und Hochrisikogebieten) einführen oder verarbeiten oder Produkte oder Dienstleistungen anbieten, bei denen ein begründeter Verdacht besteht, dass sie unter Einsatz von Kinderarbeit hergestellt oder erbracht wurden. Schon allein aufgrund der engen Verflechtung der Schweizer Wirtschaft und der Tatsache dass die betroffenen Grossunternehmen ihre menschenrechtlichen Sorgfaltspflichten zur Minimierung ihres eigenen Haftungsrisikos mittels verbindlicher Supplier Codes und Zuliefererverträge innerhalb ihrer Zuliefererketten an die «Kleinen» weitergeben werden, wird letztlich ein deutlich grösserer Adressatenkreis an Unternehmen von den neuen Regulierungen direkt oder indirekt betroffen sein, als dies vom Gegenvorschlag vermutungsweise wohl ursprünglich beabsichtigt war.

• Und nicht zuletzt zeichnet sich bereits jetzt durch die diesbezüglichen Regulierungsbemühungen der EU hinsichtlich einer verbindlichen Richtlinie zu corporate due diligence and corporate accountability (voraussichtliche Verabschiedung im Sommer 2021) ab, dass es vermutlich nur eine Frage von kurzer Zeit ist, bis die Schweiz im berühmten sonderweglichen «autonomen Nachvollzug» Regeln übernehmen wird, die sich inhaltlich in einem ähnlichen Rahmen bewegen werden, wie es die Konzernverantwortungsinitiative verlangt hat.

Das Thema wird uns also in jedem Falle weiter begleiten und auch zukünftig einen Schwerpunkt in unserer Stiftungsarbeit bilden. Wir sind der Überzeugung, dass unabhängig von der Frage, ob eine diesbezügliche gesetzliche Verbindlichkeit besteht oder nicht, es zur good governance eines jeden Unternehmens gehört, die Menschenrechte in ihrer Geschäftstätigkeit zu respektieren, sich der menschenrechtlichen Risiken der eigenen unternehmerischen Tätigkeit bewusst zu sein und die notwendigen Schritte zu ergreifen, um diesbezügliche negative Externalitäten der eigenen Tätigkeit zu minimieren und zu beseitigen. Gleichzeitig sind wir uns bewusst, dass Menschenrechtskonformität von unternehmerischer Tätigkeit nicht einfach mittels Umlegens eines Hebels bewerkstelligt werden kann, sondern vielmehr ein fortlaufender Lernprozess ist. Aus diesem Grund werden wir uns auch im kommenden Jahr wiederum bemühen verschiedene Workshops und Food for Thoughts Sessions mit nationalen und internationalen Expert*innen zu konkreten menschenrechtlichen Themen im wirtschaftlichen Kontext und zum Austausch von best practices anzubieten, um damit einen nachhaltigen Beitrag zu leisten, dass noch mehr Unternehmen von sich aus den Weg Richtung nachhaltiger menschenrechtskonformer Unternehmertätigkeit einschlagen oder ihre diesbezüglich bereits ergriffenen Bemühungen intensivieren.

Vernisage Schulhaus Utenberg, Luzern

Schauen Sie sich hier das Video der Vernisage im Schulhaus Utenberg in Luzern an:

Join us!

Das Team von Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Switzerland ist auf der Suche nach neuen Teammitgliedern.

Möchtest du dich gerne für Menschenrechte einsetzen? Hast du Erfahrung im Schweizer Bildungswesen oder Kommunikation? Dann schau dir gerne unsere Vakanzen an.

Wir freuen uns, von dir zu hören!