International legal scholar to launch human rights collection

Human rights issues ranging from justice in Rwanda to fair trade coffee, from housing to biotechnology, and from the effectiveness of public art in campaigns to how sexuality is dealt with in secondary schools, are all covered in a new DVD collection being launched at Southern Cross University on Friday.

The seven-DVD set and conference proceedings are a compilation from the University’s Activating Human Rights and Peace Conference, held in Byron Bay last year. The launch will be held this Friday, March 20, at 3pm, in the Co-op Bookshop, Goodman Plaza.

The set is being launched by leading international legal scholar and lawyer, Professor Adrien Wing, who will later deliver the third annual Michael Kirby lecture in the Whitebrook Theatre (Y-block), at the Lismore campus, at 6pm.

Dr Rob Garbutt, editor of the conference proceedings, said they are a ‘testament to how human rights concepts can help us think about our relationships to each other and the world around us’.

Dr Baden Offord, conference co-convenor and co-director, Centre for Peace and Social Justice, said: “This seven-DVD set of keynote talks represents an excellent resource for all human rights educators and provides a very contemporary multi-disciplinary view of modern human rights discourse and its value in our fractious (unruly) world. It would be a good look in a private collection too!

“The proceedings provide a rich and diverse collection of perspectives on how human rights and peace are mutually dependent aspects of a healthy society.

“Archbishop Desmond Tutu in his welcome to the conference put forward the view that activating human rights for all people is crucial for bringing about peace in the world. These proceedings - more than 45 papers - offer innovative ways of approaching the nuances of peace building and its theory and practice.”

The DVD collection and conference proceedings can be purchased from the Co-Op Bookshop.

For inquiries about the Michael Kirby lecture please call Anita Dow on 66 20 3375 or email lawevents@scu.edu.au.

Photo: Professor Adrien Wing, who will launch the human rights CD and conference proceedings set on Friday prior to delivering the third annual Michael Kirby lecture in the Whitebrook Theatre.