FORUM MATERIALS

2026[Human Rights Villages] Concept Note

10 Jul 2026
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Concept Note

Human Rights Villages Against Authoritarianism: Achievements and Challenges



Background

Authoritarianism and populism have recently been spreading rapidly across the globe. The historical achievements of democracy and the advancement of human rights throughout human history now appear almost as if they were false, while extreme ideological confrontation and political instability are escalating to the point of state violence. However, the emergence of authoritarianism and populism does not begin solely at the level of the state. Rather, seeds of authoritarianism that have been growing throughout citizens’ everyday lives grow like a snowball, developing internally into the declaration of martial law and externally into armed conflict.

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From this perspective, this session aims to assess the significance and limitations of human rights village initiatives nationwide, and to consider the future direction of human rights city and human rights village policies in the context of the proposed “Jeonnam–Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City” as a key contemporary challenge.


Objectives

This session aims to enhance the significance of “human rights villages” in responding to authoritarianism, while exploring the future direction of human rights villages in the context of integration between Gwangju and Jeonnam.


Main Agenda

1. Human Rights Cities and Village Policies in Gwangju and Jeonnam

2. Case Studies on Human Rights Villages

3. Future Directions from Case Studies



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E-mail: whrcf@gic.or.kr


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WHRCF SECRETARIAT

2F, 5, Jungang-ro 196beon-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea

Tel: +82-62-226-2734 │ Fax: +82-2-226-2731 │ E-mail: whrcf@gic.or.kr

Copyright WHRCF All rights reserved.

WHRCF NEWSLETTER

Sign up for our newsletter and
get the latest news on the WHRCF

FOLLOW US

#WHRCF2026 #Solidarity #HumanRightsCities  #freedomforall
#StandUp4HumanRights #Cities4Rights