About the Center

The Center builds on Lehman College’s unique history: the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights began at Lehman College when the United Nations met at the College. Lehman College students, often immigrants and the first in their families to access higher education, engender a broad understanding of human rights. The Center unites student and faculty engagement on local and global rights issues in New York and the greater world community.

The Center emphasizes intrinsic linkages between human rights and peace. Not merely the absence of war or conflict, human security necessitates community building, safety, promotion of tolerance, environmental sustainability, expanded life chances, freedom of expression, movement and association, and equal access to resources across gender, ethnic, class, national, and other socio-economic divides.

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Upcoming Events

• 7th Annual Human Rights Conference: Freedom of Expression & Citizenship in 2017

Past Events

• Refugee Lives at Risk/Citizen Rights Denied: A Panel and Discussion Sponsored by the Center for Human Rights and Peace Studies Wednesday, November 4, 2015 - 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m East Dining Hall, Lehman College

Annual Spring Conference: Post-Colonial Truth Telling

• Film Series Documented: A Film by an Undocumented American- February 25, 11:00am-1:00pm
  The Mexican Suitcase- March 12, 12:30-2:30pm
  Virunga- May 6, 11:00am-1:00pm

Co-sponsored by the Leonard Lief Library

• Insurgent Ethnography: Crafting Stories that Stick

• Symposium - The Deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown Co-sponsored by the Department of Philosphy and the Department of Anthropology
• Challenging Impunity in Domestic Courts: Human Rights Prosecution in Latin America- Wednesday, March 3, 7pm
• Kentucky Cantata talkback by Dr. Sanford on January 31 at Here Arts Center. Dr. Sanford will give a talkback immediately following the show, which begins at 7pm.

More Past Events