International Human Rights Day: reflecting to act between impunity, effectiveness and legality

On the occasion of the International Day of Human Rights on 10 December 2024, the University of Padua will host the National Conference for Peace at the Aula Magna ‘Galileo Galilei’ in the Palazzo del Bo, focusing on the care of human rights.

The University of Padua, together with the University Centre for Human Rights Antonio Papisca, is proposing a programme for the whole day, from 9.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m., with various speeches focusing on many aspects, including censorship and disinformation, the call for peace and, above all, the three key words at the centre of reflection with respect to the continuous and considerable violations of human rights, legality and international human rights law: Impunity, Effectiveness and Legality.

IMPUNITY

Human rights violations and war crimes against humanity are frequently followed by omissions or inadequate actions that become scenarios of partial or total impunity, and this fuels inequalities by affecting the most vulnerable to an extreme degree and threatening confidence in democratic institutions and in domestic and international law.

EFFECTIVITY

Civil society activism, interaction with international guarantee institutions together with social and educational mobilisation, are the crucial aspect of ensuring the effectiveness of international human rights law. With this in mind, governments have an obligation to make the institutions that are crucial on the road to building peace and justice work.

LEGALITY

Legality means that the force of law must prevail over the law of force. It defines the boundary within which individual freedoms unfold without violating the freedom of others. For this to be realised, justice and responsibility are required, where by the latter is meant acted legality, i.e. not only the knowledge of and respect for rules and duties, but also the willingness and ability to implement the constitutional and universal principles of solidarity, justice and equality.

The day will then end at 8.30 p.m. with the concert ‘Hymn to Freedom’ in the Sala dei Giganti of the University of Padua, promoted by the Concentus Musicus Patavinus and the Human Rights Centre of the University of Padua.

Participation is free of charge with prior booking.

For all other information visit the dedicated page on the Centre’s website.