In cooperation with our partners in Ukraine, Center for Civil Liberties and Kyiv Human Rights Hub, a series of online lectures was hosted in spring, addressing interesting aspects of human rights, reviewing contextual topics that are of relevance in Ukraine. These events, organized to educate and empower various segments of Ukrainian society, were a resounding success.
Event Highlights
The lecture series covered a range of topics, engaging participants from diverse backgrounds, included law students, human rights defenders, activists, and lawyers and others :
1. What is Hate Speech and How to Fight It?
Held on April 5, 2025, this lecture explored the concept of hate speech, its inherent dangers, and the legal frameworks available to combat it. The lecture was delivered by Viacheslav Likhachov, an author and researcher specializing in ethnopolitical conflictology, xenophobia, and extremism. The recording is available on YouTube.
2. Discrimination: what it is and how to combat it?
On April 15, 2025, Viacheslav Likhachov also presented on the topic of discrimination. This lecture focused on the fundamental principle of equality as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, discussing how discrimination manifests and how legislation can help eliminate this injustice. The recording is available on YouTube.
3. Speaking and Writing Freely, or Freedom of Expression and Media During War
This interactive lecture, held on May 3, 2025, delved into international standards of freedom of expression and media, particularly in the context of martial law in Ukraine. Oksana Kuper, a lawyer and strategic development consultant, guided participants through legal policies and practical tools for upholding these rights during wartime. The recording is available on YouTube.
4. Judicial System and Judicial Proceedings in Ukraine: Impact of War
On May 31, 2025, Myroslava Chornousko, a lawyer and national consultant of the Council of Europe in Ukraine, delivered a lecture on the structure of the judicial system in Ukraine, judicial proceedings, and the right to a fair trial during wartime. The recording is available on YouTube.
Empowering Through Knowledge
The lecture series was attended by more than 120 participants, with several hundred viewers having already watched the recordings on YouTube. Thanks to social media and other platforms, the events reached more than 20,000 people overall.
A common thread throughout all these events was the presentation and discussion of the Human Rights Guide as a valuable Ukrainian-English self-education resource. The lectures successfully engaged a diverse audience, primarily consisting of law students, human rights defenders, and legal professionals, demonstrating a strong desire for knowledge and practical tools in human rights. Each event achieved significant reach through social media and direct outreach, highlighting the broad interest in human rights topics.
This project is financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia under the "Development Cooperation Projects and International Aid" Programme. The project in Eastern partnership countries is supported by its associate partners the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia, the Riga Graduate School of Law, 2022 Nobel prize winner Center for Civil Liberties (Ukraine), the People's Advocate of Moldova, the Equality Council of Moldova and the Grigol Robakidze University Georgia.
