A Foundation for Justice and Equality

1050 Jenkins Nanovic Halls | Hesburgh Auditorium
November 9, 2023 – November 10, 2023
Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

When the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed by the United Nations in July 1948, it set out, for the first time, the fundamental human rights of all people, a universal prescription for ensuring the dignity of every person.

Seventy-five years later, the declaration is the most translated document in the world and it has inspired the adoption of more than seventy human rights treaties. But important questions remain, including how different perspectives, not included in 1948, can contribute to or even correct our understanding of human rights in 2023.

The Keough School of Global Affairs will mark this important anniversary with a two-day forum explore these questions. Dr. Walton Webson, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, will offer a keynote address to stimulate reflections on “Human Rights, a Foundation for Justice and Equality: Fulfilling the Promise of the Sustainable Development Goals.”


Schedule

Thursday, November 9

 

2:00-2:15 p.m. Opening

2:15-3:30 p.m. Panel 1: The global relevance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Location: 1050 Jenkins Nanovic Halls

  • Chair: Jennifer Mason McAward, Associate Professor of Law; Director, Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights
  • Tecla Namachanja Wanjala, Acting Chair of The Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission of Kenya
  • Ernesto Verdeja, Associate Professor of Peace Studies and Global Politics, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame
  • Francisco Urbina, Associate Professor of Law, Notre Dame Law School, University of Notre Dame

3:30-4:00 p.m. Break

4:00-5:15 p.m. Panel 2: The pluralism of dignity traditions

Location: 1050 Jenkins Nanovic Halls

  • Chair: Michel Hockx, Director, Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies; Professor of Chinese Literature
  • Seyed Masoud Noorii, Founder And Executive Director Roya, Institute for Global Justice; Former Faculty Member, Center for Human Rights Studies, Mofid University, Iran
  • Pavithra Rajendran, PhD Fellow, Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame
  • Ebrahim Moosa, Mirza Family Professor of Islamic Thought and Muslim Societies, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

5:15-5:45 p.m. Break

5:45-6:45 p.m. Keynote: “Human Rights, a Foundation for Justice and Equality: Fulfilling the Promise of the Sustainable Development Goals” 

Location: Hesburgh Auditorium

  • Dr. Walton Webson, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations

6:45-7:45 p.m. Reception

 

Friday, November 10

 

8:15-8:45 a.m. Coffee

8:45-9:00 a.m. Opening

9:00-10:15 a.m. Panel 3: Enacting human dignity today

Location: 1050 Jenkins Nanovic Halls

  • Chair: Abby Córdova, Associate Professor of Global Affairs
  • Monalisa, Indian Human Rights Attorney
  • Ellis Adams, Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Policy, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame
  • Tamás Ádány, Head of Department of International Law, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Hungary

10:15-10:45 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Panel 4: Universal Declaration of Human Rights-sensitive Policies

Location: 1050 Jenkins Nanovic Halls

  • Chair: Andrés Mejia Acosta, Kuster Family Associate Dean for Policy and Practice; Associate Professor, Political Economy of Development, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame
  • Juan Sebastian Chamorro, Hewlett Visiting Fellow for Public Policy, Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame
  • Suparna Chaudhry, Assistant Professor in the Department of International Affairs, Lewis & Clark College; Affiliated Scholar,International Justice Lab, College of William & Mary
  • Zoltán Búzás, Associate Professor of Global Affairs, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

12:00-12.15 p.m. Conclusion

This event is presented by the Keough School of Global Affairs and its Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion, Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business, Nanovic Institute for European Studies, and its Pulte Institute for Global Development.





Speakers

Ambassador Walton Alfonso Webson

Permanent Representative at the UN for Antigua and Barbados

Tecla Namachanja Wanjala

Acting Chair of The Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission of Kenya

Jennifer Mason McAward

Associate Professor of Law; Director, Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights

Ernesto Verdeja

Associate Professor of Peace Studies and Global Politics, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

Francisco Urbina

Associate Professor of Law, Notre Dame Law School, University of Notre Dame

Michel Hockx

Director, Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies; Professor of Chinese Literature

Seyed Masoud Noori, PhD

Founder And Executive Director Roya, Institute for Global Justice; Former Faculty Member, Center for Human Rights Studies, Mofid University, Iran

Pavithra Rajendran

PhD Fellow, Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

Ebrahim Moosa

Mirza Family Professor of Islamic Thought and Muslim Societies, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

Abby Córdova

Associate Professor of Global Affairs

Monalisa

Indian Human Rights Attorney

Ellis Adams

Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Policy, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

Tamás Ádány

Head of Department of International Law, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Hungary

Andrés Mejia Acosta

Kuster Family Associate Dean for Policy and Practice; Associate Professor, Political Economy of Development, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

Juan Sebastian Chamorro

Hewlett Visiting Fellow for Public Policy, Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

Suparna Chaudhry

Assistant Professor in the Department of International Affairs, Lewis & Clark College; Affiliated Scholar,International Justice Lab, College of William & Mary

Zoltán Búzás

Associate Professor of Global Affairs, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame