Professor Helle Porsdam awarded UNESCO Chair in ’Cultural Rights’

Award: For the first time in the history of the University, a researcher at University of Copenhagen has been awarded a UNESCO Chair. With the title of UNESCO Chair, professor Helle Porsdam will focus on cultural rights, e.g. the right to education, culture and science. “If we on a global level can start talking about cultural rights within a common discourse, it would be a huge step towards a more peaceful international community,” Helle Porsdam explains.

This article has been translated to English by UCPH Global Development. Read the original articlein Danish at The Faculty of Law

Professor Helle Porsdam, University of Copenhagen, has been awarded UNESCO Chair in ‘Cultural Rights’ for a four year period. I her period as UNESCO Chair, Helle Porsdam will contribute with knowledge and research on cultural rights as a part of human rights. Cultural core rights such as the right to education, culture and science are mentioned in both the World Declaration of Human Rights, article 26 & 27 as well as the International Convention of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Cultural Rights create mutual understandings

With departure in her research at the Faculty of Law and the Saxo Institute, Helle Porsdam is going to work towards advancing the understanding of cultural rights with the aim of using these as a global discourse encouraging an inclusive social and political development, as well as a mutual understanding of cultures. Helle will especially address gender-issues, the right to science and the relationship between science, society and politics.

Jacob Graff Nielsen, Dean at the Faculty of Law, comments: “It is a special honor and pleasure to the Faculty of Law, that Professor Helle Porsdam is going to possess a UNESCO Chair in Cultural Rights. With the awarding of a UNESCO Chair in Cultural Rights, Helle Porsdam and the Faculty will receive a distinguished recognition as well as a promising task of promoting cultural rights through research and education”.

What is a UNESCO Chair?

The UNESCO Chair programme was established in 1992 and promotes international inter-university cooperation and networking to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work.  The programme supports the establishment of UNESCO Chairs Networks in key priority areas related to UNESCO’s fields of competence – i.e. in education, the natural and social sciences, culture and communication.

Contact

Professor Helle Porsdam
Phone: 35 33 15 22

Communication officer Lise Steen Nielsen
Phone: 21 32 80 05