Human Rights School for youth by the Russian-Norwegian border

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee organised 13-17 November 2016 a Human Rights School for 27 high school students from Murmansk and Kirkenes.

NHCs Enver Djuliman and youth during an outside activity

The NHC Human Rights School was aimed at encouraging reflection and strengthening contacts between young people from the two neighbouring countries, through education and dialogue on human rights. Joint games and activities outside of the formal sessions are equally important in creating this meeting place for the youth, and despite some late evenings, passionate discussions took place between the young adults from Kirkenes and Murmansk!

Strengthening human rights through dialogue.

In interactive sessions, the teenagers discussed the protection and promotion of human rights, the rights of refugees, intercultural understanding, hate speech in social media and youth activism as well as the situation with human rights in Russia and in Norway. Representatives from Norwegian civil society like NOAS, the European Wergeland Center and the University College of South-East Norway as well as a Russian activist also contributed with their experience.