Local teach-in offers international human rights perspective
In his 2025 CBC Massey Lectures, titled Universal: Renewing Human Rights in a Fractured World, the Canadian human rights activist and lawyer Alex Neve confronted the gap between the aspirational ideal of universal human rights—rights that apply to everyone, everywhere, always—and the stark reality that those rights are frequently breached or honoured inconsistently. Drawing on his decades of human rights advocacy, he traced how both authoritarian regimes and democratic systems fail to live up to the universality promise, examined the interplay of global crises (such as climate change, mass atrocity, inequality, and rising hate) with human dignity, and offered ideas for how we might renew commitment and solidarity so the universal rights framework can better realize justice, and protection in today’s deeply divided world.
Following his October 1 Massey Lecture stop in Edmonton, Alex delivered a teach-in for the general public in collaboration with the John Humphrey Centre and faculty at the University of Alberta. “From Local to Global: Mobilizing for Human Rights Through International Mechanisms” unpacked the workings of the international human rights system, including UN treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review, and demonstrated how local advocacy can influence global outcomes
JHC’s Executive Director Renée Vaugeois, lead organizer of the teach-in, reflected on the event:
“On October 2, we had the privilege of welcoming Alex Neve to the University of Alberta for a powerful teach-in on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). We began with a grounding in the architecture of human rights before Alex took us on a journey through the history and future possibilities of the UDHR. Joined by Dr. Andy Knight and Dr. Dominique Clément, the conversation moved from Canada to global issues touching on Nigeria, Colombia, and the urgent need for courageous leadership in human rights.
What stood out most was the energy in the room. High school students, university students, and community members not only filled the space with questions and insights, but stayed for nearly two hours afterwards to connect and continue the dialogue. People left feeling inspired about the universality and potential of human rights, as well as the importance of strengthening our collective narrative to meet today’s challenges.”
The teach-in concluded with networking and a light lunch. The JHC is grateful to have collaborated with Dr. Andy Knight, Dr. Dominique Clément, Dr. Temitope Oriola, and the Edmonton Japanese Community Association in hosting this event.