One World Centre to host free talk on Human Rights

Marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

A former detective is amongst the speakers at an upcoming free talk exploring the role of human rights in today’s world.

Questions on the table include 'do they still hold out the promise of a better future?' and 'how are they being used to defend our liberty, equality and justice?'

The One World Centre is to host the event to mark the 75^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It will feature three short presentations on various aspects of human rights followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A.

Speakers will include:

• Ken Corlett: a former detective with extensive experience in the investigation of serious breaches of international humanitarian law. Ken was seconded to the United Nations firstly as a war crimes investigator in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He later investigated political killings in Lebanon and was the Chief Investigator for UNRWA, the agency responsible for Palestinian refugees in the Middle East. Ken will talk about human rights in the context of conflict and post-conflict zones.
• Dawn Kinnish: now a Member of Legislative Council, as the Isle of Man Government Equality Adviser from 2018-2021, Dawn completed the project for the Cabinet Office to implement the 2017 Equality Act which included equality law guidance and advice for the public, private and third sectors. Dawn believes that equality sits at the heart of human rights and will talk about the interaction between the two, exploring different legal cases which demonstrate the continued importance of human rights today.
• Andrew Langan-Newton: a consultant litigation Advocate at Keystone Law, Andrew has a particular interest in environmental and climate change litigation. He has also authored articles on relevant topics to climate change litigation and will speak on the role that human rights law has taken in supporting action on climate change globally and its prospects for influencing climate action in the Isle of Man.

One World Centre Coordinator Wendy Shimmin said: “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was a landmark document which aimed to secure the rights of all human beings after the horrors of the Second World War.

"In an age where we are seeing increasing conflict, unrest and, in some cases, the removal of hard-won rights, we aim to reflect on the relevance of the Universal Declaration in the modern world and what needs to be done to ensure those rights are defended to promote peace, justice and equality for everyone."

The charity says it is suitable for anyone with an interest in current affairs, social justice or global issues, and students are also very welcome.

The talk will take place at the Manx Museum, at 7pm, on 21 March.

Although the talk is free to attend, tickets should be booked either through Eventbrite at https://hr75.eventbrite.co.uk or by calling the One World Centre (Isle of Man) on 310191.