Conference: Global Conference on Human Rights and Diverse Societies

The McGill University Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism will host a conference on "Human Rights and Diverse Societies," October 7-9, 2010, in Montreal. The program is here. Here's the idea:

The Conference will bring together from around the world academics, writers, journalists, legislators, diplomats, activists and others who are active in the field of international human rights and who devote their lives to building, supporting and studying diverse societies.

The conference seeks to challenge the mainstream narrative of the universality of human rights. Panellists will address how diverse societies around the world conceptualize human rights and deal with the implementation of human rights policies and norms. The conference also aspires to identify alternative frameworks that can facilitate the conceptualization of and help find solutions to global human rights issues.

Some of the core themes of the conference include the power of education to spur and combat hatred; the role of the media in shaping public opinion and public policy on human rights and diversity issues; religious diversity; the manner in which real and perceived security threats have changed the global mindset; the role of human rights institutions.