The Annual Front Line Defenders Lecture was established in 2013 to provoke discussion and debate about the range of issues affecting human rights defenders as they work tirelessly to bring about changes and build robust civil societies. The lecture is broadly accessible to a general audience with an interest in philosophy, law, human rights or politics.

This year's Lecture:

'Politicizing Human Rights in Palestine/Israel' by Anat Biletzki

A narcissistic view of “Human Rights” (capitals and scare-quotes intended) posits that they are not political; that is, human rights are, or should be, universally conceived, internationally regulated, objectively adjudicated, legally administered, and never instrumentally exploited for particular interests. Contrariwise, however, it is only in explicit political contexts that we can make sense of the goal of “Human Rights” and their defenders – to relieve the woes of victims of tyranny, oppression, and persecution. In Palestine/Israel, the recent criminalization and tagging of Palestinian human rights groups as “terrorist organizations” by Israel is an outrageous, cynical political maneuver. Consequently, only a concerted political struggle can hope to achieve its reversal and bring to the fore, yet again, the hallowed position of Front Line Defenders.

This year we are taking the lecture on tour to Dublin, Galway and Belfast from the 14th - 16th March 2022. To Register for the Dublin or Galway lectures, please click on the below:

Dublin - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2022-front-line-defenders-annual-lecture-tour-dublin-tickets-212430865437

Galway - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2022-front-line-defenders-annual-lecture-tour-galway-tickets-212442399937

Our University partners Queens University and The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice and Queen's School of Law will co-host the Belfast lecture.

Belfast Venue: Queens University Campus

Date: Wed, 16th March

Time: 5pm - 7pm