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Fresh thinking: Putting human rights at the heart of Europe’s future

Putting human rights at the heart of Europe’s future - Rust, Austria, 7-8 September
How can human rights contribute to addressing the challenges facing Europe? It is time for fresh thinking – both within the continent and on the global stage. In this vein, FRA brought together 60 human rights leaders, experts and activists to share their vision for the future. This meeting report distils their views and suggests proposals for action.

The meeting on 7-8 September focused on three major and overlapping challenges:

  • the climate crisis;
  • the rise of disinformation and corresponding decline in civic engagement; and
  • Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

The discussions brought to the fore what works, proposed innovative approaches, and sparked fresh thinking.

Participants proposed about 30 different actions to realise the full potential of human rights, ranging from strengthening a human rights culture to leveraging funding for greatest impact and preparing for Ukraine’s future.

In particular, they considered how we can do better together, demonstrating how partnerships can be transformative.

Despite the magnitude of the issues discussed, the meeting left participants with a sense of hope.

Cultivating hope involves optimism and pragmatism. It means to break down the seemingly impossible into achievable steps. To enable this, it is key to have political will and build public support for change.

For more, see the Meeting Report: Putting human rights at the heart of Europe’s future