June 2006 NUI Galway hosts Summer School on Minority Rights & Indigenous Peoples

The Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway, with be the location of this year's Summer School on Minority Rights & Indigenous Peoples. Now in its sixth consecutive year, the event has become a permanent fixture in the international human rights calendar, attracting a high level of interesting participants and a host of international speakers from a range of countries.

This year the summer school will draw on experts from India, Iran, Ireland, Chile, Canada, Nigeria, South Africa, Greece, Belgium and the United Kingdom.

Participants will include:

• Professor Patrick Thornberry who is one of the 18 independent experts on the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – the committee that analyzed Ireland's submission last year;
• Ms Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh – a Muslim feminist from Iran who was imprisoned for two months during a crackdown on civil society by the government.

According to Dr. Joshua Castellino, Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway, "Over the past five years this event has met with excellent reviews due to the scope of experience of the participants and the blend of interests. Again this year, we are looking forward to the participation of both Geneva based institutions as well as local and national NGOs, thus allowing for a high-caliber event where the international meets the national in an intensive learning process."

Several analogous events are planned around the summer school which will be open to the general public. This includes two book launches of work undertaken by staff at the Irish Centre for Human Rights and a special showing of the Irish film Pavee Lackaen with opportunities to interact with those involved in its making.

More information is available from Dr. Joshua Castellino on +353 91 49 3725