Annual UN Student Conference on Human Rights
Students meet at the UN General Assembly Hall to discuss global issues such as land mines, child labor, and sustainability at the UN Student Conference on Human Rights (UNSCHR). Plans of Action created by students from past conferences as well as an archive of UNSCHR research guides can be found at UN Student Conference Resources.
"I feel that the information and opinions presented at the conference will continue to teach me throughout my lifetime. This amazing experience exposed me to the bustling culture of New York City as well as the difference that the youth of the world can make in a matter of days."
-Grace Wallace (Jackson Hole High School, Jackson, WY)
UNSCHR 2010
This year's conference will take place on December 1 - 3 at UNIS (United Nations International School). The theme is "The Rights of Children." The conference co-sponsors are currently working on sub-themes and background documents. Please check back soon for these resources.
IC 21 is currently accepting applications for the conference. If you are interested in attending the conference or for more information, please contact Jenna (jenna@ic21.org).
Conference Background
In December 1998, the United Nations Department of Public Information invited students from around the world to a conference at UN Headquarters in New York to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to draft the Youth Declaration of Human Rights. This program was so successful that students lobbied to make the conference an annual event that would be scheduled to coincide closely with Human Rights Day (December 10th). The annual UN Student Conference on Human Rights has taken place every year since.
The UN Department of Public Information hosts the conference. The Carol Baur Foundation, Global Education Motivators, InterConnections 21 and the UN International School in New York City are founding co-sponsors.
Goals
While the theme of the conference changes each year, the goals of this annual event remain the same: to promote awareness and learning and to prompt action among student leaders about human rights in general, as well as the specific rights issues related to the current year's theme. The conference is also an opportunity for student leaders to network and develop important leadership skills such as public speaking, team and consensus building, negotiating, and research and drafting. Finally, the conference provides participants with first-hand experience in using information technologies such as video-conferencing and web-casting.
Format
In recent years, the UNSCHR conference has united approximately 60 high school leaders from around the world for 2½ days at the UN International School and UN Headquarters in New York.
Prior to the conference, participants research universal human rights and the annual theme; participate in live video chats international experts via the UN Cyberschoolbus website (http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/); and share their ideas across cultures through a web-based forum.
During the conference, the student leaders in NY work with the countless students participating by videoconferencing and web-casting to develop a consensus on issues related to the annual theme and to draft a Plan of Action. Experts on the theme also address the conference, which is chaired and moderated by student participants. The student chairperson then presents the President of the UN General Assembly with the Plan of Action and requests that it be disseminated to UN Member States.
While in New York, IC 21-sponsored students and teachers usually spend a day or two visiting sites and take a tour of the UN.