The international community observes Human Rights Day every year on December 10th. It commemorates the day in 1948 that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The annual Article3.org Human Rights Day program and luncheon is a time to pause, reflect and focus on a defining human rights issue of our time, with topics selected that are deeply rooted in social, political and economic history and profoundly relevant to current events.
Each year Article3.org presents the Human Rights Global Treasure Award in recognition of extraordinary contributions to the human rights movement. Established in 2017, the award is presented on December 10 to mark Human Rights Day.
Hosted in partnership with Humanity United and the Stupski Foundation, in collaboration with The Philanthropy Workshop and United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, this stimulating, thought provoking and engaging event is intended for philanthropists, activists, practitioners, civic leaders and change agents who are oriented towards understanding complex issues, passing on knowledge and acting on solutions. It is our hope that the program serves as a catalyst for a rich dialogue and a deeper understanding among key stakeholders and influencers.
Highlighted Speakers
Since 2014, we’ve hosted over 45 speakers at our annual Human Rights Day event. To view additional speakers, please see “previous events” located immediately after this section.
Van Jones
Kavita Ramdas
John Prendergast
Mary Robinson
Bryan Stevenson
Angela Davis
Anthony Romero
Nicole Austin-Hillery
Navi Pillay
Eileen Donahoe
Graça Machel
Adela Raz
Akwasi Aidoo
Adam Hochschild
Paul Van Zyl
Melanie Greenberg
Azadeh Moaveni
Louise Arbour
John Paul Lederach
Amina J. Mohammed
Sarah Holewinski
Article 3 Human Rights Global Treasure Awardees
Aryeh Neier
Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Huessein
Sebastião Salgado
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Lélia Wanick Salgado
Leymah Gbowee
Previous Events
Peace, Security and the Future of Conflict, 2021
Human Rights Day 2021 focused on Peace, Security and the Future of Conflict. In pursuit of a just world, the future cries out to us to navigate peace and security in ways that reflect the evolving nature of conflict with human rights at the center.
A World Made Anew, 2020
Human Rights Day 2020 focused on Human Rights at the Precipice: A World Made Anew. With a pandemic, protests, politics and a climate crisis, the world is on collision course with multiple threats to human security and our shared humanity. These turbulent times, fraught with collective failures, test the fundamental framework of universal human rights and underscore urgency of protecting rights and while sustaining a robust civil society.
Forced to Flee, 2019
Human Rights Day 2019 focused on the story of People Forced to Flee and on the Move "Yearning to Breathe Free," and in search of safe haven in another land.
Born Free and Equal, 2018
Human Rights Day 2018 focused on the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and highlighted Article 1 which states: “All Human Beings are Born Free and Equal in Dignity and Rights".
Democracy and Civil Society, 2017
Human Rights Day 2017 focused on the opportunities for civil society to resist, imagine and organize in pursuit of a more just society on the basis of civil liberties and universal human rights principles.
Climate Justice, 2016
Human Rights Day 2016 focused on “Climate Justice: A Human Rights Approach” a defining issue of our time, with the intent to bring greater awareness and understanding of the inextricable link between climate change and human rights and the profound effect on all of humanity.
Race, Poverty & Justice, 2015
Human Rights Day 2015 focused on “Race, Poverty & Justice”, a topic deeply rooted in social, political and economic history and profoundly relevant to current events. The program's featured speaker, Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative, examined the state of the criminal justice system through a human rights lens and explored a range of issues from harsh punishments to mass incarceration, with domestic effects and international ramifications.
Digital Rights, 2014
Human Rights Day 2015 focused on "Protecting Human Rights in the Digital Age", a topic that many believe to be the next important frontier of international human rights. This program primarily addressed what constitutes digital rights, their intersection with more traditional human rights, the implications of data security and privacy on U.S. policy and the globalization of digital rights as it pertains to freedom of expression, internet access and privacy.