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On February 3, 2024, the Department of Leadership, Higher & Adult Education's Student Association (LHAE DSA) coordinated the 2nd Annual Human Rights & Equity Symposium (HRE 2024) at Innis Town Hall. Crafted with precision, the event convened students, faculty, educators, leaders, and experts in human rights and equity, creating an ambiance of academic excellence and research vigor.

This year's theme, “Praxis of Human Rights: Navigating Identity and Belonging through Education,” encapsulated three core objectives: (1) understanding the roles and responsibilities of educators, leaders, and scholars in upholding human rights principles; (2) promoting equitable practices in learning and working environments; and (3) delving deeper into human rights and equity concepts and terminology.

HRE Symposium Planning Committee (Left to Right): Maria Mahmoudian, Shelly Khushal, Mohammad Saleem Khan, Samia Mursi, Samantha Clarizio, Mahassen Ramadan (missing from photo)

The enthusiastic audience was welcomed by Henry Ssali, President of the LHAE DSA, who thanked everyone for “sacrificing their weekend sleep in favor of participating in this important Human Rights & Equity Symposium". He acknowledged the numerous conflicts happening globally citing some in Sudan, DRC, Ukraine, and Gaza, but advised that the symposium's goal was to offer a space for academic engagement regarding the principles of human rights and not necessarily to influence the resolutions of the current wars. He wished everyone a productive discussion and invited the symposium's project lead to frame the legislative context and provide an overview of human rights in the Ontario context.

Shelly Khushal, Project Lead for the Symposium shared “a key component of the symposium was to engage in deeper and critical thinking around inclusion and belonging, by both the institution and the individual”. She stressed that understanding human rights is a collective responsibility, urging each participant to contribute to advancing human rights principles at every level. She further added, “In this symposium, we also contemplated what we can do, in our capacities as scholars, to disrupt programs, processes and practices that continue to perpetuate injustices on marginalized and racialized sectors of society, in an attempt to create spaces which centre human rights, sovereignty and dignity at the core of student success.”

Showcasing Excellence

HRE 2024 fostered diversity of thoughts, perspectives, and beliefs, making them not only relevant and timely but also indispensable. The symposium brought together voices of OISE students combined with industry experts in the human rights and equity field:

• Alice Romo: Rethinking Learning Environments: Policing in Schools
• Zian (Kelly) Zhang: Tackling Inequity in Education through Destreaming
• Samia Mursi: Bridging the Education-Health Gap: The Path to Building Health Equity
• Mahassen Ramadan: The connection between Food Sustainability and Social Justice
• Rochele Padiachy: Championing Human Rights: Connection to Knowledge Stewardship
• Kien Nam Luu: Accountability: Unveiling Advanced Frameworks in Education
• Riley Yesno: Empowering Indigenous Wisdom: Embracing Governance & Sovereignty
• Rusa Jeremic: Shaping Minds, Changing Lives: Curriculum Transformation for Social Justice

Highlights

The symposium’s highlights encompassed profound insights shared by esteemed panelists, offering a nuanced understanding of pressing issues in human rights and equity.

Rochelle Padiachy emphasized the significance of ‘lived’ experiences, urging participants to discern the human aspect within the context of human rights, quoting “finding the human in the right”. Conceding that knowledge is acquired rather than owned, she challenged conventional notions. Kien Nam Luu emphasized the imperative of self-advocacy and shared responsibility of stakeholders in maintaining accountability within education. Riley Yesno boldly encouraged a deeper exploration of sovereignty and governance, advocating for an ethical framework grounded in care and solidarity. Her call to support sovereignty in a tangible manner placed a heightened emphasis on relationships. Rusa Jeremic shared a pivotal moment in her life, intricately tied to pedagogical social justice. She highlighted the necessity of embracing discomfort as an essential step in uplifting human rights, stressing that genuine transformation demands a willingness to confront challenges. Each speakers’ contribution added layers of depth to the symposium, enriching the academic discourse on human rights and equity.

Acknowledgment and Appreciation

The success of the symposium rested on the dedicated efforts of the Human Rights and Equity Planning Committee, led by Shelly Khushal, Vice President (Academic Affairs), Academic Associates, Samantha Clarizio, Samia Mursi, Mahassen Ramadhan, Maria Mahmoudian and Mohammad Saleem Khan. Special recognition is also extended to LHAE DSA Executives, Henry Ssali (President), Alice Romo (VP, Finance), Jasmine Biloki (VP, Communications), Steph Chartrand (VP, Internal), and LHAE Department staff, Gary Cronin (Communications Specialist) and Brandon Wells, Academic Programs Coordinator, for their incredible support throughout.

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Aakriti Mahajan is a second-year M.Ed. student at OISE in the Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning (CTL). She is passionate about critical thinking and digital innovation in education. If you're interested in collaborating or learning more about her work, please feel free to contact her at aakriti.mahajan@mail.utoronto.ca.

Shelly Khushal is a fourth-year PhD candidate at OISE in the Department of Leadership, Higher & Adult Education (LHAE) with a focus on human rights and policy. Shelly is also a Human Rights Officer in one of Ontario’s largest school boards, providing education and training on human rights, unconscious bias, discrimination and harassment.