RFK at Model UN event in Basel

For the third time, RFK Human Rights Switzerland has organized an event for a model UN student group in Switzerland. These students organization mimic the UN organization and debate current affairs. Sometimes they organize special in depth events with external parties, as was done now at the University of Basel.

The topic of the evening was modern slavery and two speakers were invited by RFK Human Rights to further explore this topic from a real life perspecive. The first speaker was Owain James of the Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation, founded by one of RFK’s defenders. Mr James shockingly told the group of students how (forced) child labour has only increased in recent years. With a focus on the situation in Africa, the speaker explained how when a childhood is taken away this has consquences for the rest of these people’s lifes - and for the whole country as well! Research has clearly shown that countries where children go to school instead of to work, are able to gain higher GDPs. Of course the important questions are: why and what can be done? The simple answer is that these countries are too poor to take care of their children. Since a lot of these countries are not poor in a sense of for example natural resources, what is needed is less exploitation of these countries, better care for our global environment and for consumers to stop buying products that involve exploitation and forced child labour.

This brought us to the second speaker, Ms Larisa Kryachkova who works for Slave Free Trade, an organization that wants to ensure that all of the everyday items we buy as consumers - food, clothing, shoes, make-up, coffee, and more - are created by workers free from human rights abuses. Ms Kryachkova gave an extensive overview of not only the moral, but also the economic impulses to go for slave free products. As their slogan »WE DON’T STOP AT IDENTIFYING. we fix it.« says, the students got some insight in the new global human rights framework the organization is developing with the help of new blockchain technology.

Workshop on music and human rights

RFK Human Rights Switzerland is embarking on a very special new partnership with the music school region Wohlen. Together, we will explore human rights through a musical prism. In order to give teachers a first idea of what human rights education (HRE) through music lessons could be like, a workshop was organised based on RFK’s cooperation with the Grammy Museum.

The day began with an introduction into the work of RFK Human rights, the whole school approach and what it means to teach human rights. With the help of US colleagues, the organization was able to provide diverse insights into its organization worldwide and here in Switzerland. After a short break with delicious cake, the second interactive part was kicked off with »Where is the Love?« by the Black Eyed Peas. Not only to creativity going, but especially to listen to the music, read the lyrics and think about how (if at all?) they match and how they make you feel.

The group moves on from one discussion to the next, when it becomes clear what a remarkable role this music school and its teachers play in the community: teachers teaching former student’s children, playing at funerals of their pupils grandchildren or in happier times playing at their wedding. The teachers are very aware of the social impact they have on and in their community, even to the extend that they feel responsible for integration in their community - and of course it all starts “at home”, so there is an active wish to better integrate amongst themselves.

Another touching story is how one teacher is discovering new ways of teaching: originally inspired by an autistic pupil he now uses these new methods on all his pupils. “We must help students to find their own authenticity” is how this teacher sums up his approach.

Needless to say, both parties left the workshop inspired by each other and are looking forward to further cooperation!

RFK USA visits Switzerland

A large part of the American STTP team cam to visit us last week. This visit was a follow-up to the international affiliates conference that was held earlier this year in May. The main goal of that conference was to set out a course for more alignment between the different affiliates. Director HRE Stephanie Eger set up an elaborate program for the American team to get better acquainted with the Swiss educational system, the role of human rights education (HRE) in it and to engage directly with the Swiss team and its partners.

The work visit started out in Zürich, with a conversation with Dr. Stefanie Rinaldi of the PH Luzern. She did extensive research into HRE in the Swiss system, which provided a good overview to our American colleagues. Like Switzerland, the US is a federalist state and the colleagues know what it is like to deal with different curricula and school systems. Dr. Rinaldi further elaborated on her conversations with teachers, what their perception of the content of HRE is and how there seemed to be a lack of legal and international context.

After talking about theory, the next visit was to the Freies Gymnasium to meet the school director and one of the school‘s history teachers. Both have worked with our STTP program in the past and could not only talk from experience, but expressed a sincere hope to engage with the program once again in this school.

Although jet lagged, the international guests did not get any rest. During lunch a meeting was held with Herr Frommherz from Education21. He explained about the role of the Platform and how he is in charge of connection schools and non-school actors in the domain of „Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung“.

Off the team went, to the Zürich International School. It has been several years since RFK Switzerland was present at this school, but never forgotten. While Ms Heller and Mr Kirkwood explained about the school, its commitment to sustainability and wishes for the future, it became very clear how those coincided with RFK‘s new approach of the Whole School Approach and the central role of human rights education in it.

The evening ended with a meeting with both the Swiss Youth Ambassadors and the Swiss RFK team. Founder and President Dr Christoph Karlo opened with a recap of how the Swiss foundation was set up and what all transpired since 2015 - ending with a successful gala only a few days ago. The US delegation then introduced themselves and the new STTP course.

The second day was a visit to Luzern and long term partner-school IS Utenberg. School director Uwe Volkwein had arranged for a meeting with Prorektor Lukas Keiser, the possibility to sit in on a class - even to take over for a while! - and even visit a special class of young Ukranian refugee children. The day ended with a special guided tour by two pupils from IS Utenberg. Both girls came to Luzern several years ago and could elaborate on the differences between their old Norse / American school and their (relatively new) Swiss school.

The last day was all about arts and human rights. During the last two years RFK Switzerland has been developing an elaborate offer for schools in this regard - an offer that could also be transpired to other affiliates. First stop was with RFK‘s new partner the music school in Hinterkappelen. This was followed by a private tour of the Kunsthaus in Zürich evolving around arts and human rights by educational associate Dr Kerstin Bitar. Afterwards, the different „artistic“ partners sat together to explain to the US about the different programs and had a lively exchange.

Swiss 2022/2023 UPR shadow report

In January/February 2023 the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Switzerland will take place during the 42nd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. RFK Human Rights contributed to this cycle’s NGO shadow report on the human rights situation in Switzerland.

The Universal Periodic Review is a United Nations mechanism for states to check up on each other’s human rights adherence. The United Nations explain the process as follows:

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations. 

As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed. The ultimate aim of this mechanism is to improve the human rights situation in all countries and address human rights violations wherever they occur. 

Each State prepares a report on its compliance of their human rights obligations and commitments. However, the UPR process also provides for the participation of relevant stakeholders NGOs. They can submit written information which is considered during the review.

RFK Human Rights took the opportunity to participate in this process on the topic of human rights education. The report now clearly states that »There is no obligation to provide HRE in all Swiss schools and by professionals working with children.« and asks for »[The ensurance] that students at all levels of the education system (compulsory and post-compulsory) receive standard obligatory HRE. Include HRE in the training of teachers and education professionals.«

8th Human Rights Film Festival Zurich

RFK Human Rights will once again be official education partner of the Human Rights Film Festival Zürich. The 8th edition will take place from 1 - 6 December 2022 at Kino Kosmos in Zurich. Over the course of six days, artistically strong films that explore human rights issues will be shown while avoiding stereotypes or moralistic finger-pointing. RFK Human Rights will provide a wholesom educational experience for two films.

During the day, the Human Rights Film Festival Zurich shows films for young people, which can be prepared and followed up in class developed and provided for by RFK Human Rights. Through the school screenings, we raise awareness of film making and human rights among students and teachers.

The program is aimed at Zurich secondary schools, vocational schools, grammar schools and art schools and gives young people the opportunity to see and understand films that are challenging in terms of art and content. In this way, we contribute to a reflective and critical approach to moving images in our society and arouse the curiosity of young people for their own, but also other, worlds.

The two films that RFK Human Rights is especially promoting this year are:

ANIMAL | Doc | from 2nd Sek.
What to do about climate change and species extinction? Two young people search the world for answers to the urgent questions of their time. And draw hope for their future. https://bit.ly/3wtiIWG

WO IST ANNE FRANK ?| Animation | from 1st Sek.
"What, oh, what is this war good for?": Anne Frank's story, her questions and dreams have an impact right up to the present day and are brought to life anew in this impressive animated film. https://bit.ly/3TgV6hN

Classes interested in attending can book their tickets now via Schule&Kultur

CHF 10/person | Registration deadline 10 November 2022

MAS School Management Event, Lucerne

Under the guiding theme "Time for Inspiration!", the MAS Alumni Conference of the PH Luzern took place on 2nd of September. This year’s event took place in a very special setting: between portraits of our »Speak Truth to Power« photo exhibition.

Against the black backdrop of the theater auditorium the portraits by Eddie Adams create an ardent atmosphere. Withing it, the participants of today’s session are joining. After a brief kick-off by Dr. Caroline Lanz, Prorektorin der PH Luzern Weiterbildung, RFK Human Rights gets a chance to introduce the public to the foundation and especially the education program »Speak Truth to Power«.

Dr. Christoph Karlo, President of RFK Human Rights Switzerland, talked about the beginnings of the foundation, it’s goals and introduces the team that will be present during the day to answer any and all questions. Next to director human rights education Stephanie Eger and lead educator Yann Lenggenhager, Uwe Volkwein, school director of IS Utenberg, has joined to talk about his experiences in using STTP.

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT WESTERN SAHARA

Western Sahara hosts the second largest wall in the world, coming up short only to the Great Wall of China. This wall, known as the Berm, is 1600 miles long, 10 feet tall, and made of sand. The Berm runs all the way from Western Sahara’s southern border with Mauritania, to its northern border with Morocco. It separates the territory with the portion controlled by Morocco to the west, and the portion controlled by the Polisario Front to the east. Surrounding the Berm is a UN-monitored buffer zone to support the ceasefire established in 1991. On November 13, 2020, the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces entered the buffer zone near Guerguerat and ended a 29 years-long ceasefire between Morocco and the Polisario Front.

Western Sahara falls under the UN classification of a Non-Self-Governing Territory, meaning that its “people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government.” It is a territory on the northwest coast of the African continent, and was under Spanish colonial rule until 1976. Spain failed to facilitate a transmission of political power to indigenous Sahrawis when they withdrew in 1976. This led to a power struggle over the territory between Morocco, Mauritania, and the Polisario Front, which represented native Sahrawis and was backed by Algeria. Mauritania renounced all claims to the territory in 1979 while Morocco and the Polisario Front remain in opposition to this day. In 1991, the UN Security Council established the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) with the intent to facilitate the holding of a referendum in which the people of Western Sahara would choose between independence and integration with Morocco. A ceasefire was also established at this time. Morocco currently occupies approximately 80% of the territory.

The 2020 Trump Administration unilateral declaration has had negative impacts on Sahrawis. Despite the fact that Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara is illegal under international law, some international actors have recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the territory. In December 2020, US President Trump unilaterally recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, via tweet, as part of a strategy to regularize relationships between Morocco and Israel. This declaration drastically increased the vulnerability of Sahrawis under Morocco’s repressive occupation, and ignored long-standing efforts from the UN to achieve a satisfactory solution for all parties involved.

Morocco has a long record of violent repression of Sahrawis, and particularly Sahrawi human rights defenders, who speak out against Moroccan occupation. Moroccan authorities routinely abuse and arbitrarily imprison Sahrawi activists. The Moroccan state systematically violates Sahrawis’ rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association; it often restricts Sahrawis’ movement within and between the occupied territories; and media and journalism are severely restricted in order to inhibit international awareness of the human rights situation. Despite these significant human rights abuses in Western Sahara, MINURSO still lacks a human rights monitoring mandate to date.

In November 2022, Morocco will go before the UN Human Rights Council for their Universal Periodic Review. During the Review the HRC will evaluate the human rights situation in Morocco, and Morocco-controlled areas in Western Sahara, based on reports submitted by the State, civil society stakeholders, national human rights institutions, and UN Comments restricted to single page entities and independent experts. RFK Human Rights, in collaboration with the Nushatta Foundation for Media and Human Rights, the Sahrawi Organ against the Moroccan Occupation (ISACOM), and Right Livelihood, submitted a report to the HRC highlighting Morocco’s continued violation of Sahrawis’ right to self-determination and other fundamental human rights, and making recommendations to address this situation. Read our report and summary factsheet here.

WESTERN SAHARA: JOINT SUBMISSION FOR UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW DOCUMENTING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS COMMITTED BY THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO

August 23, 2022

As the United Nations Human Rights Council prepares to conduct its fourth cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Kingdom of Morocco, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and our partners, the Sahrawi Organ against the Moroccan Occupation (ISACOM), the Nushatta Foundation for Media and Human Rights, and Right Livelihood, have submitted the following report. We documented human rights violations committed by the Kingdom of Morocco in the Non-Self Governing Territory (NSGT) of Western Sahara since Morocco’s prior UPR in May 2017. The submission assesses Morocco’s implementation of recommendations received during its previous cycle, and provides specific and action-oriented recommendations based on incidents in the past five years.

The UPR is a mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council to assess and improve the human rights situation in each of the 193 UN member states.

Read the submission

Read the fact sheet

New exhibition and education program on the rights of indigenous peoples

"Back to the Roots" is the name of our the new exhibition by WE ARE AIA with accompanying educational program, created in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Switzerland and ZHAW. This new exhibition literary takes you back to our earth's roots. It will open up newfound perspectives in understanding nature as a living being and from which to draw ecological knowledge from traditional sources.

The education program comprises of an introductory and interactive, human rights based lesson plan on indigenous rights, an interactive tour of the exhibition followed by one of two possible creative workshops with follow-up material to recapture what was learned back in class. This program was developed in line with Lehrplan21. During the workshop, students will be able to deconstruct patterns of thought that date back to colonial times that no longer do justice to our current ecological issues.

WE ARE AIA I Awareness in Art
Löwenbräukunst | Limmatstrasse 268 | 8005 Zurich
Opening hours (free entry):
Wednesday - Friday: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

School classes can book a visit through: welcome@weareaia.ch

International »Speak Truth to Power« summit

This May all »Speak Truth to Power« directors and coordinators met in Sarajevo during an international summit to discuss a joined new course for the future of the program.

The three-day summit was opened by the president of RFK Human Rights Kerry Kennedy and former Prime Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina Zlatko Lagumdžija. After reiterating the beginnings of the »Speak Truth to Power« education program and how the organization expended from the United States to more and more European countries, work started on strategic planning for the future.

Human Rights Education is a deliberate, participatory practice aimed at empowering individuals, groups, and communities through fostering knowledge, skills, and attitudes consistent with internationally recognized human rights principles. Human Rights Education builds awareness, empathy, and understanding of the basic rights shared by all people.  Its goal is to help people understand human rights, value human rights, and take responsibility for respecting, defending, and promoting human rights.

In order to achieve these outcomes as best as possible, the joined focus for the next years will be on helping schools to: incorporate human rights education (HRE) throughout the school ecosystem. Promote the role of HRE as a means for informed action toward advancing peace, freedom, social justice, and the dignity and worth of all people. Reposition HRE as a centerpiece that connects to the student-centered and democracy-focused goals of other civics education, culturally responsive-sustaining education, and social and emotional Learning (SEL).

An important part is of course youth involvement. RFK Human Rights Switzerland has several years of experience now with our Youth Ambassador project, about which we informed other colleagues during the retreat.

All other affiliates contributed in a similar way by presenting projects from their own countries from which the others could learn. We will continue this international cooperation and further strengthen mutual exchange, materials, strategies and lessons learned.

Special Guest Appearance by Uschi Waser for students

Today a special event for students of the University of Zürich took place: they received a private tour through the exhibition »The Mouth is for Speaking« by our partner Awareness in Art, after which they not only participated in the workshop but were also able to meet and talk to human rights defender Uschi Waser.

»The Mouth is for Speaking« is an exhibition about the right to have a voice and be heard. It showcases different works of art by international artists. The students were led through the exhibition by founder and curator Martina Huber. She explains the students about Luke Willis Thompson’s piece »(a) Breathing: collective noun«. This piece captures the often-unnoticed process of breathing, which is in reference to the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, where being suffocated and silenced is a common experience in the Black communities.

Another piece on display is the installation and (video) performance & sculpture »Apart from Us« by Seline Baumgartner. Before speaking up, most people facing injustice endure it in silence. Stigmatization, shame and other’s unwillingness to listen prevents survivors from standing up for themselves and others. This is also true for the children that were taken from their homes and became the victims of administrative detention in Switzerland. One of these survivors is Uschi Waser, who was especially invited to talk to the students.

Ms Waser was born a member of the marginalized Jenische community. Only a few month old, she was taken from her mother and family to be raised in foster homes and boarding schools. Why? Because she supposedly were to grow up in precarious conditions in a criminal milieu of homelessness and vagrancy. This was a semi-governamental project called »Kinder der Landstrasse«. She spent her childhood in over 25 different homes. She experienced rape and sexual abuse. But no (judicial) help.

Today Uschi Waser is brave enough to tell her story and come up for the rights of others. Understandably, the students - who talked to her in small groups to make it a personal experience - were moved by both her story and her bravery.

More information: https://www.naschet-jenische.ch/uschi_waser/

Winners Youth Ambassador short movie competition announced

A year ago, the second RFK Human Rights Short Film Competition was launched on the issue of climate change and human rights. Climate change seems to have been somewhat forgotten since the Corona pandemic, and in the face of the war in Ukraine, we seem to be preoccupied with other existential needs for the time being. However, we must not forget that climate change is about to become a big wave that hits the world. That's why a year ago we asked young people to think creatively about climate change and human rights and to present their views and ideas to us in a short film. We received films not only from Switzerland, but also from Bosnia, India, Japan and Canada. On 2 April 2022, the best two films in the two age categories 1995-2004 and 2005-2009 were awarded prizes.

The winners are:

Winner age category 1995-2004

1. Place: 1.5 Degrees of Peace von Kasha Sequoia Slavner (Kanada)

2. Place: Lend an idea… von Karla Lamesic (Schweiz)

Winners age category 2005-2009

1. Place: Climate Change and the Food on our Plates von Liam Dekel (Schweiz)

2. Place: Stop CO2 von Danilo Medakovic (Schweiz)

              Your Decision von Tobias Pohl (Schweiz)

You can now watch the winning films here online.

Meet our new intern: Zoe Oreopoulos

We are happy to introduce everyone to our new intern Zoe Oreopoulos. For the next five months Zoe will support our STTP activities.

My name is Zoe Oreopoulos and I am very happy to have just begun my internship for the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation in Switzerland. I was born in New York City to a German mother and a Greek father. After a few years we moved to Athens, Greece, where I spend the first part of my education at the German School and had the opportunity to meet people from various countries and cultures. After 8, mostly sunny years, me and my family, that now included a younger sister and brother, undertook another big step and moved to Hamburg, Germany - much less sunny but still great.

Now I am living in Berlin where I am pursuing my bachelor’s degree in American Studies and Gender Studies at the Humboldt University. Besides my studies, I am also working as an assistant for a TV production company, a field that I would like to pursue in the future. Though I must admit that my initial interest in the University was sparked by its beautiful building and the idea of living in a colorful city like Berlin, both my chosen majors have strengthened my interest in topics that I was passionate about before as well. Literature, political and societal issues, as well as women ́s, minority, and LGBTQ+ rights have always been very important to me, and I am always excited to learn more about them. Growing up in three different countries, with three different languages and three different cultures, I experienced firsthand the need to discuss these issues on a global scale.

I believe that this is the reason why one of the friends to the foundation suggested that I might find its work compelling and should try to engage with it. And he was right. During my research about the foundation, I realized that human rights, as well as the lives and agendas of its activists, only played a very small part in my own secondary school education. Most of the time it was used as an interesting side note that was mixed into a long monologue. This only occurred to me when I began being confronted with human rights issues and the activism surrounding it on a daily basis. It is also what I found so interesting about the foundation ́s efforts, because it does work towards solving exactly this issue. The concept of taking a serious subject, such as this one, and turning it into an interactive and fun learning experience is what really stood out to me. This approach teaches kids to understand other people experiences and be active while doing so.

I am very motivated to learn about how the foundation approaches its plans to bring students and human rights together, what the organizational side is like and how obstacles are handled and removed. During my internship I hope to get a fresh perspective on human rights, one that is maybe a little different from the narrative that I have discussed at my university. I am really happy about getting to know and work with exciting people, challenging myself with tasks that I haven’t had the opportunity to undertake before and gaining more knowledge about the inner workings of a human rights foundation. Overall, I am looking forward to a few interesting, educational, and fun months and hope, that I will be able to come and visit Zurich at some point during my time with the foundation.

RFK GUEST SPEAKER for the Model United Nations team UZH

Each year around the world universities participate in Model United Nations (MUN) roleplays. They do this to gain insights and train skills. In preparation for this year’s MUN conference at the University of Zurich, RFK Human Rights Switzerland provided them with and interactive evening with one of our activists: Ms Adiba Qasim.

Model United Nations is a simulation of the United Nations. By multilateral approaches, the participants debate and tackle various global issues from the perspective of a delegate representing a Member of the UN. Participants can get an insight into world politics while at the same time training soft skills like public speaking, group communication, and researching.

For this first cooperation RFK Human Rights invited Adiba Qasim to speak. She talked to the students about her own life and how she is a survivor of the Yazidi Genocide in northern Sinjar District in Iraq, and focused on the topic of the Rehabilitation of Child Soldiers in Iraq.

In August 2014, when Adiba Qasim was 19 years old, her village in Northern Iraq was stormed by Islamic State militants who proceeded to brutally kill and enslave thousands of Yazidis. At Adiba's urging, her family managed to escape just minutes before the militants arrived. They made an arduous trek over the mountains to a Turkish refugee camp, and after years of uncertainty, her family eventually found refuge in Germany. Intent on documenting the genocide of her people, Adiba returned to Iraq to work with journalists and humanitarian organizations. With her life in danger a second time, Adiba eventually made her way to Switzerland where she lived without legal status until the Swiss government granted her asylum after more than two years in limbo.

Adiba is currently a student focusing on international law at the University of Geneva, a frequent speaker on refugee rights, and a fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.

We thank Lorenz, Ridika and August from MUN for this fantastic opportunity and hope to come back next year!

Finisssage at the Institut Montana

A succesful Finisssage at the Institut Montana in the Zugerberg, with Dr. Christoph Karlo and activist Adiba Qasim talking to inspired pupils. Since February the “Speak Truth to Power” exhibition was on display at the school and most of the 350 pupils have been working on the topic of human rights during multiple classes in different subjects. The Finissage is marking the end of this specific project - specific, because there are already plans for follow-up projects.

It is a beautiful day while driving up the Zugerberg to visit the Institut Montana. The schools looks out over the Zugersee and the magnificant view reaches all the way to the foothills of the Alps. The school was founded in 1926 in the belief that education can help make the world a better place. No wonder then, that Ms Welti, Head of the Bilingual Secondary School, was so enthusiastic about getting our exclusive photo exhibition in her school. The portraits by Eddie Adams are hung throughout the main building, most notably in the central Aula. Many of the teachers and personal are saying that they are such a good fit - both to the school and the building - and that the halls will seem so empty once they have left. It is hard arguing with this, once you see the portrait of the smiling 14th Dalai Lama in the middle of the Aula, surrounded by sunlight shining in from the flanked windows.

Today’s program starts with a speech by director Alexander Biner. He talks about the importance of human rights, speaking truth to power, the connection of the school with this subject and how grateful he is to have worked with RFK Human Rights. Next, Dr. Christoph Karlo president of RFK Human Rights Switzerland tells the audience (pupils from the Institut) why it is so important to think about human rights and their meaning both at a young age and as a citizen of a prosperous country like Switzerland.

Now it is time for the pupils to show us from RFK Human Rights and each other, how they researched human rights during the pas months. Most of them researched a specific right or activist. Some made presentations, liked these young men and their map of respect for the rights of homosexuals across the globe. While working on the subject, many pupils could simply not believe how badly (and in what atrocious ways) human rights are still violated in our world today.

At last activist Adiba Qasim, a Yazidi refugee from Northern Iraq, tells the pupils her story. About how as a girl she was unable to go to school, but always wanted to so badly. How she would follow others their and as a child tried to look over the walls and learn something. About how happy she was that when she had to flee her home and eventually came to Switzerland, was finally able to fulfill her dream and is now studying at the University of Geneva. Her story is so touching, one of the teachers brings in her younger students and Adiba tells her story again. They are very moved by what they hear and even start hugging Adiba.

This is a heart-warming example of the aims of our program Speak Truth to Power: to teach and touch pupils with the life stories of our activists, to become human rights defenders themselves.

The exhibition "Speak Truth To Power" is open to the public on Saturday, 26 March, from 2 to 4 pm. Registration at: www.montana-zug.ch/events

THE MOUTH IS FOR SPEAKING

From March 2nd until May 28th a new exhibition can be seen at our partner’s Art Space WE ARE AIA | Awareness in Art. The exhibition is called “The Mouth Is for Speaking” and the educational program will centre around “freedom of expression”. School classes are welcome for a tour and workshop, as is everyone else for a visit at the Löwenbräu Kunst in Zürich.

Cultural critic and writer Olivia Laing says:

The mouth is for speaking, how do you speak if no one’s listening, how do you speak if your voice is prohibited, or no one understands your tongue?

The artists in the exhibition reveal voices that can no longer be overlooked. Their powerful works tell stories of individuals, their experiences, their journeys, and their search for identity.

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Switzerland cooperated in creating an exclusive and exciting project for pupils. The visit and the workshops aim to create empathy and an awareness of options for individual action in the local environment. The audience not only gets to know individual artworks but also learns that there are many different ways to express their convictions and to be heard.

The educational program comprises preparation and follow-up that utilizes theory, an interactive tour of the exhibition, and a practical artistic workshop. During the workshop, students find new languages — be they visual or physical — that allow them to express themselves without words. Those who prefer to express themselves through their bodies will be especially inspired by the choreographed dance movements in Seline Baumgartner‘s work.

The second part of the workshop is based on the concept by artist Ishita Chakraborty, who explores cultural diversity through the spice rack that carries a long history of colonialism, the slave trade, and migration. The students are invited to draw and trace their collective journeys, stories, songs, mother tongues, or recipes while painting and writing on bedsheets with spices, tea, or coffee.

The workshop is a cartographic experience to interweave the multicultural lyrics to weave an unmade song by stimulating several senses.

WE ARE AIA I Awareness in Art @ Löwenbräukunst | Limmatstrasse 268 | 8005 Zurich
Opening hours (free entry):
Wednesday - Friday: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

STTP photo exihibition on display at Institut Montana

Since this Monday the “Speak Truth to Power” photo exhibition is on display at the Institut Montana in Zug.

This new cooperation was kicked off by a visit from our director human rights education Stephanie Eger. During a teacher conference she introduced the teaching staff to the work of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and talked about the importance and essence of human rights education.

Human Rights Education is a deliberate, participatory practice aimed at empowering individuals, groups, and communities through fostering knowledge, skills, and attitudes consistent with internationally recognized human rights principles. It encompasses education about human rights, through human rights, and for human rights.

Many teachers are committed to teach their pupils about human rights - in many different ways. Some will approach the subject during their history lessons and others in more creative ways during for example arts classes. Even the youngsters (age 6+) will be introduced to the subject!

New lesson plan

Together with VforArt we created a workshop series for the summer program ARTIVISM. Due to a lot of interest in this topic a new lesson plan consisting of a PowerPoint presentation and educator guide based on the summer workshop, is now available.

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Switzerland and VforArt have joined forces to teach pupils about the value of human rights illustrated through art. The combination of education and art, in addition to a cognitive stirring, provides an emotional effect, whereby the values of human rights are better and more sustainably internalized.

Human rights are the guiding principles of our society. They tell us how to treat each other on both an individ- ual as well as a community level. Unfortunately, we of- ten fall short on meeting these self-imposed standards. Sometimes without even realizing this, because other people – strangers – are suffering the consequences of our behavior. Art can be a means to mirror our current state of affairs and open our eyes and hearts to the faiths of others.

KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• What are my human rights?

• What are history’s important human rights documents?

• How are human rights depict- ed in art?

• How can art influence the awareness of human rights in the world?

Impressions of the STTP photo exhibition at Collège Sismondi

At the beginning of 2021 the photo exhibition “Speak Truth to Power” was on display at the Collège Sismondi in Geneva. During several months the pupils of this school were able to be inspired by the portraits of RFK’s international human rights defenders.

Lucie Landolt, one of the pupils at Collège Sismondi, made a film with impressions of the exhibition and asked several fellow students about their impressions.

Robert F. Kennedy Legacy Gala

We hosted our annual Robert F. Kennedy Legacy Gala on 20 November 2021, on the occasion of what would have been Robert F. Kennedy’s 96th birthday. After not having been able to host our gala last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we were very happy to be reunited with our team members, friends and supporters on this joyous event. We had the privilege to host our gala at the newly opened Chipperfield building of Kunsthaus Zurich.

At the gala, we offered a walking tour of the Chipperfield Building with Dr. Kerstin Bitar, scientific director at Rosengart Collection in Lucerne and art educator as well as art historian at Kunstmuseum Basel and Kunsthaus Zürich. Furthermore, the gala dinner included various speeches by President and Founder of RFK Human Rights Switzerland Dr. Christoph Karlo, President of RFK Human Rights Kerry Kennedy, Dr. Marcus Dapp, Christoph Aumayer and Dr. Prof. Effy Vayena. Moreover, each of our speakers were introduced by our RFK Youth Ambassadors, among them Cinzia D‘Adamo, Sarah Evison, Richard Müller, Flurin Andri Martin, William Lassen and Liza Cahiz.

The speeches were followed by a raffle, in which the lucky winner received a watch by Edox with the value of 10,000 CHF. The evening concluded with much dancing into the early hours of the morning.
We want to extend a big thank you to everyone who attended our Robert F. Kennedy Legacy Gala 2021 and we look forward to seeing you next year.