“Is that not something we all admire, a voice that is willing to overcome the first of human instincts, human survival, for the sake of defending a principle that has relevance to all humanity?”, asked Zeid bin Ra’ad al Hussein during the Human Rights and Humanitarian Forum, highlighting the power of human rights defenders.

On May 9, 2024, The Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA Law and the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative jointly hosted a Human Rights and Humanitarian Forum that featured a series of talks and discussions by global thought leaders and local changemakers from UCLA, The Promise Institute and Aurora networks, addressing major topics of pressing concern from human rights and forced displacement to the global health crisis, the right to education, climate change, artificial intelligence, philanthropy, and gender equality. 

During the Forum, Zeid bin Ra’ad al Hussein, President & CEO of the International Peace Institute, member of The Elders, and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2014-2018), delivered a keynote address focusing on the overview of human rights and humanitarian challenges facing the globe today, touching upon democracy decline and his work on a global pandemic treaty. The address was followed by a Q&A with Kal Raustiala, The Promise Distinguished Professor of Comparative and International Law, Director of Ronald W. Burkle Center for International Relations, and Director of the Program on Global Governance at UCLA.