Annual International Day Human Rights Conference

The Annual International Day Human Rights Conference is a one-day event held annually since 1997, designed to educate 7th-9th graders on topics related to both local and global human rights issues and global citizenship. The conference helps young Iowans better understand human rights, exploring how access, empathy, and inclusion shape healthier communities locally and globally. It provides a hands-on introduction to human rights and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event features breakout sessions led by university faculty, staff, and community partners on diverse topics such as access to clean water, environmental health, cultural identity, disability rights, the power of art as activism, and individual rights outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Interactive sessions have included virtual reality tours, discussions on environmental impacts like fast fashion, workshops on the right to education for children with disabilities, and designing sustainable model cities.