First International Steering Committee Meeting of 2025 Convened
The first International Steering Committee (ISC) meeting in the year 2025 was held online on February 14, preparing for the World Human Rights Cities Forum 2025.
The ISC, composed of national and international co-host and organizing institutions, included Benedetta Cosco, Policy Officer, who has taken over the role of Executive Committee position from Amanda Flety Martinez, the UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights (UCLG-CSIPDHR); Morten Kjaerum, Adjunct Professor at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI), has rejoined the Committee after a one-year absence. In addition, Kim Dae-jung, the new head of the Human Rights and Peace Division of the Gwangju Metropolitan City has newly joined the ISC.
The meeting began with a discussion on the theme for WHRCF 2025. Committee members agreed to revise the provisional theme proposed by the Planning Subcommittee to emphasize positive aspects such as peacebuilding. After gathering feedback from the committee members until recently, the theme was finalized as “Peace and Solidarity: Human Rights Cities Acting for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding.”
In the subsequent Concept Note meeting, the committee discussed the draft shared with and reviewed by the committee members in advance. It was agreed to emphasize the aspects of 'Conflict Prevention' and 'Peacebuilding,' and to finalize the content after gathering additional input from each member.
The final Concept Note for the WHRCF 2025, which was finalized based on discussions at the first ISC meeting, is available on the WHRCF official website (www.whrcf.org). The next International Steering Committee meeting will address the organization of the Special Session of international organizations.
First International Steering Committee Meeting of 2025 Convened
The first International Steering Committee (ISC) meeting in the year 2025 was held online on February 14, preparing for the World Human Rights Cities Forum 2025.
The ISC, composed of national and international co-host and organizing institutions, included Benedetta Cosco, Policy Officer, who has taken over the role of Executive Committee position from Amanda Flety Martinez, the UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights (UCLG-CSIPDHR); Morten Kjaerum, Adjunct Professor at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI), has rejoined the Committee after a one-year absence. In addition, Kim Dae-jung, the new head of the Human Rights and Peace Division of the Gwangju Metropolitan City has newly joined the ISC.
The meeting began with a discussion on the theme for WHRCF 2025. Committee members agreed to revise the provisional theme proposed by the Planning Subcommittee to emphasize positive aspects such as peacebuilding. After gathering feedback from the committee members until recently, the theme was finalized as “Peace and Solidarity: Human Rights Cities Acting for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding.”
In the subsequent Concept Note meeting, the committee discussed the draft shared with and reviewed by the committee members in advance. It was agreed to emphasize the aspects of 'Conflict Prevention' and 'Peacebuilding,' and to finalize the content after gathering additional input from each member.
The final Concept Note for the WHRCF 2025, which was finalized based on discussions at the first ISC meeting, is available on the WHRCF official website (www.whrcf.org). The next International Steering Committee meeting will address the organization of the Special Session of international organizations.