2nd Meeting - Social Forum 2025

The contribution of education to the respect, promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights for all.

PROGRAMME OF WORK

Thursday, 30 October 2025

15h00-15h05 Musical interpretation of the right to education

(Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), by UN Music Club members, Mr. Damianos Serefidis (violin) and Mr. Michael Wiener (piano)

15h05-15h45 Education for civil rights – Freedom, safety and accountability

Moderator: Ms. Juana María Ibáñez Rivas, Member, United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development

Video message on transversal issues: Ms. Verene Shepherd, Vice-Chairperson, Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, The contribution of education to racial and gender justice

• Ms. Petra Heusser, Representative of the Geneva Hub on Education in Emergencies,

Education for the right to life: Ensuring education in emergencies as a life saving measure

• Ms. Maria Lucia Uribe Torres, Executive Director of Arigatou International, Education for

the right to freedom of religion and belief

• Ms. Denise Roche, Advocacy Manager, Scholars at Risk Europe, Education for the right to

academic freedom

15h45-16h30 Interactive Dialogue

16h30-17h15 Education for cultural rights - Diversity, memory and belonging

Moderator: Ms. Mylene Bidault, Human Rights Officer, mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, OHCHR

Video message on transversal issues: Ms. Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights, the contribution of education to the right to participate in cultural and scientific life

• Mr. Zongxu Xie, UN OHCHR Indigenous fellow 2024, Miao youth from China's Guizhou and Co-founder of Vision 2061, Education for intangible cultural heritage and the cultural rights of ethnic minorities: Pathways to a sustainable future

• Ms. Camilla Croso, Executive Director of the Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA), Education for the right to science

• Mr. Patrice Meyer-Bisch, Philosopher, President of the Observatory on cultural rights and diversity, Fribourg, Switzerland, Education for cultural rights for all

17h15-17h55 Interactive Dialogue

17h55-18h00 Performance

• Pragmatic Glocalized Solutions: Inheritance of Miao Intangible Cultural Heritage – Weaving Local Wisdom into a Shared Future for All Humankind, Vision 2061 (video)