The World Human Rights Cities Forum 2025, held from May 15 to 17 under the theme Peace and Solidarity: Human Rights Cities Acting for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding, successfully came to a close. This newsletter features some of the Forum’s most memorable moments.
Highlight Video Released
A highlight video capturing key moments from the Forum has just been released. Check it out to relive the energy and inspiration from the field!
The World Human Rights Cities Forum 2025 has kicked off with an Official Events.
Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony marked the beginning of the World Human Rights Cities Forum 2025 — a meaningful moment as human rights cities took their first steps toward peace and solidarity.
With pickets in hand, participants delivered a message of support and solidarity to human rights cities around the world.
Plenary Session
The plenary session was opened with a keynote speech on "Peace and Solidarity" viewed from a humanities perspective.
Experts assessed the current situations in Korea, Asia, and the international community, and reaffirmed the crucial role of human rights cities and international cooperation in building peace in the face of war and violence.
Human Rights Cities where everyone is protected and safe:
Disability, Migration
Disability
Eugenics and Forced Sterilization:
State Violence Denying the Existence of Persons with Disabilities
Disability-discriminatory laws in South Korea and Japan, rooted in the Eugenic Protection Law, were examined, along with discussions on ways to address state-sanctioned violence and ensure the protection of sexual and reproductive rights.
Migration
Human Rights Cities
and Public Health for Migrants
The session examined the realities faced by migrants in South Korea, who remain in the blind spots of human rights, and explored future directions for creating human rights-friendly cities by promoting migrants’ right to health — a right closely linked to their fundamental right to survival.
Emphasizing Community Solidarity for Human Rights Cities:
Village and Human Rights, Social Economy
Village and Human Rights
Human Rights Villages,
Human Rights Minds
Village networks that have helped spread human rights awareness were explored, emphasizing the importance of practicing human rights at the village level to advance human rights across society.
Social Economy
Social and Solidarity Economy Responses and Strategic Approaches for Human Rights Cities
This session highlighted the positive role that the social and solidarity economy (SSE) has played in the recovery of cities affected by war and other social crises. It also provided a platform to discuss the scalability and effectiveness of SSE initiatives in advancing human rights cities.
Human Rights Cities where everyone is respected:
Children and Youth, Women
Children and Youth
Creating a Classroom Culture
Where Everyone's Human Rights Are Respected through Student Autonomy
The current state of student autonomy from the students' perspective was examined, along with ways to revitalize student autonomy activities and encourage active participation to build a classroom culture where everyone’s human rights are respected.
Women
The May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising and Women 2025
Published to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement, the new edition of The May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising and Women 2025 sheds light on the activities and spirit of the women of May while emphasizing the importance of memory and solidarity in uncovering the truth.
Wars That Threaten Human Rights:
Dialogue to Promote a Global Anti-Violence Culture
Dialogue to Promote a Global
Anti-Violence Culture
Spreading a Global
Anti-Violence Culture:
Stories from Citizens of Five Countries
Ways to contribute to the spread of a global anti-violence culture were discussed by critically addressing structural violence—such as war, state violence, and social discrimination—and by defining peace as a way of life that resists discrimination and inequality.
The stories of special sessions and events are coming soon in the July newsletter! Please stay tuned for the next newsletter.🤗
세계인권도시포럼 사무국 WHRCF Secretariat whrcf@gic.or.kr 1-2F, 5, Jungang-ro 196beon-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea +82-70-4262-4335 수신거부Unsubscribe
