How human rights and active citizenship education can become more engaging, stimulating and close to the real life of young people? Partners Bulgaria Foundation in cooperation with the Human Rights Academy – Norway have developed innovative program to engage young people in human rights education and act as active citizens in their communities. A website with human rights education resources has been developed aiming to equip teachers, museum workers and youth facilitators with interactive methodology and participatory learning methods relevant to the life experience of young people. Such methods represent active, exploratory and inspiring forms of learning. The content is developed in 11 modules which introduce young people to the full spectrum of human rights, help them identify problems and seek solutions. The modules provide knowledge and increase awareness of human rights principles and build young people’s competences to take the initiative to respect, protect and promote human rights for all. Values of dignity, inclusion and equality are an integral part of the process of human rights education. Through various exercises students are challenged to reflect on human rights issues and democratic dilemmas in their community. Students are encouraged to express their reflections through photography, dialogue or various advocacy initiatives. Special attention is given to museums and their role in human rights education of young people.
Innovative methods such as video and photo laboratories have been introduced to provide technical tools young people to look at their communities equipped with human rights lens. Looking into their communities and with camera in their hands, young people act as human rights defenders appealing for more equality, justice and freedom of expression. Their photographs and video films are exposed in a digital exhibition where young people express their opinion on human rights and the development of democracy in their city. Over 80 young people from Montana, Varshets, Gotse Delchev and Blagoevgrad were trained through video laboratories, where they studied images of human rights topics and learned to create them. This digital exhibition covers thematic categories such as discrimination, identity, climate and environment, freedom of expression, social inequality and children rights. Each photograph and video film includes a description and follow-up questions for group discussion. The photographs of young people can be used in civics and human rights teaching. They draw attention to related articles of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights international documents.
In addition, young people have been introduced to the dialogue process as the main tool for achieving understanding and peaceful resolution of disputes and disagreements in a democratic society. A series of public dialogues initiated by young people in local communities have set an example how to contribute to a culture where different points of views co-exist and the society tolerates a diversity of expressions. In a world of polarization and many areas where peace is under threat, young people want to show an example and play a role in inspiring better dialogue.
The was implemented with the financial support of the Active Citizens Fund in Bulgaria under the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area.
http://humanrights-education.org/
https://hrlensbg.humanrights-education.org/en/digital-exhibition/
http://humanrights-education.org/en/2023/10/27/human-rights-lens-photo-album/
Some photos from the digital exhibition authored by students from Montana, Bulgaria:
