The purpose of the Chair shall be to promote an integrated system of education, information, documentation and research in the field of human rights as well as democracy and tolerance. It will serve as a means of facilitating collaboration between high-level, internationally recognized researchers and teaching staff of the University and other institutions in Germany. The activities in the field of human rights will be based on the international standards enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in the International Covenants on Human Rights and in other relevant standard-setting instruments, on the principles of universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights as well as on the principles of equality between men and women. Expected results are:

1. Contributions to the improvement of human rights knowledge and of human rights understanding especially in schools and universities e.g. developing human rights and tolerance competencies.

2. An understanding of the influences political, economic, social, cultural and educational contexts have on the chances and main focuses of HRE?

3. The strengthening of the idea of freedom and equality of human rights against the ideologies of bondage and inequality of racism and nationalism.

UNESCO/UNITWIN Chair projects was launched in 1991 in order to increase the contribution of the scientific and educational community to the achievement of UNESCO’s aims. Since its launching, this project has been developed successfully. The total number of UNESCO Chairs in various disciplines throughout the world is now over 400. More that 50 of them are now acting in fields closely related to human rights. The Chairs implement numerous activities linked with education and research in human rights, democracy, peace and tolerance. The interaction between them has been strengthened substantially in recent years following two meetings organized respectively in 1998 and 2000 in Statdschlaining, Austria. The Agreement of Co-operation between UNESCO Chairs in Human Rights, Democracy, Peace and Tolerance, signed in May 2000, envisages a regular exchange of information, research results, education programmes, materials and publications. It expresses the will of the Chairs to implement joint education and research programmes and to reinforce co-operation on global, regional and sub-regional levels. An information bulletin of the Chairs is published regularly and a third issue is being planned for publication this year. UNESCO created an Internet Forum for the Chairholders (http://www.unesco.org/humanrights/indexfrum.htm) which gives the possibility of permanent contact in order to strengthen mutual co-operation and to undertake joint initiatives.

Short and long-term objectives

The Chair will make an exceptional contribution to improve the still inadequate consideration of the human rights theme and human rights education and tolerance within research and theory at universities and schools. The Chair pursues the following aims:

• developing research projects for human rights awareness - comparative analysis of chances and obstacles of HRE
• the development of HRE as a preventive remedy for right-wing extremism - developing seminars and courses for universities and schools - concepts of interdisciplinary integration of HRE
• integration of HRE in teacher-training
• offers of HRE for further adult education - comparative analysis of textbook material and learning material - offers for developing appropriate learning material
• developing seminars for the usage of the internet concerning HRE
• developing evaluation programs of HRE
• co-operation with national institutions for HRE outside of schools
• networks of activities of the UNESCO-chairs in the area of HRE
• initiations of learning networks in schools and co-operation with the UPS
• offers of summer courses / summer universities