On May 20, 2024, the 1st European Cross-Regional Spring School on Climate Justice and Human Rights was launched. The Spring School is a flagship activity and a unique academic initiative aimed at developing at MSU cutting-edge courses on human rights and the connection of this segment to climate justice, sustainable development, and the well-being of current and future generations.
The opening ceremony was attended by representative personalities from the MSU, the Global Campus network of universities (GCHR, GC Caucasus), as well as from the EU Delegation in the Republic of Moldova.
Mr. Adriano REMIDDI, Head of Capacity Development Unit, GCHR, expressed his confidence that the Spring School, as the first major activity carried out in the context of the ‘Development of Climate Justice and Human Rights Education at the State University of Moldova’ Project, will have a substantial impact on university education focused on the effective promotion and protection of human rights.
Ms. Rodica CIOBANU, head of the Public Law Department, Faculty of Law, MSU, noted the value and topicality of the Spring School, from the perspective of the transregional research area and its interdisciplinary nature, the cooperation between two distinct faculties at MSU – law and biology – following to provide comprehensive solutions to the current challenges generated by climate change and its impact on human rights.
Mr. Vladimir DOLGHI, vice-rector for economic-financial activity and international relations, MSU, encouraged the involvement of the academic and professional environment in the configuration of climate justice benchmarks, as a precondition of a consolidated framework for the promotion and protection of human rights and expressed the support for such an initiative of collaboration between distinct faculties within MSU and regional and global university networks.
Prof. Manfred NOWAK, Secretary General of the Global Campus of Human Rights, emphasized the emergence of a set of strategic measures that need to be implemented in order to support the development of climate justice, aimed at the protection, through joint and coordinated efforts, of human rights at the regional level and global.
Ms. Kristine GEVORGYAN, program manager at Global Campus Caucasus, Yerevan State University, recalled the beautiful collaboration with the academic environment from the Republic of Moldova, in the context of the implementation at the Faculty of Law of the MSU, with the support of the GCHR and GC Caucasus, of two university courses and the successful provision of academic mobility by a group of master’s students originating from different regions of the African continent. This collaboration was appreciated as a cornerstone for future projects, including the one focused on the development of education on climate justice and human rights, initiated by the launch of the first transregional Spring School on the stated topic.
Ms. Corina MOCANU-BONNIN, First Secretary, representative of the EU Delegation in the Republic of Moldova, welcomed the initiative of organizing a Spring School on climate justice and human rights, through broad cooperation of the global academic and professional environment, especially on the dimension of the impact of environmental changes on the life and well-being of generations, an impact that has no boundaries and can only be managed interdisciplinary and through concerted efforts.
Ms. Iordanca-Rodica IORDANOV, Faculty of Law of the MSU, demonstrated an active role in the development of the topic regarding the pioneering of the promotion of climate justice from a regional perspective and global impact. The examples provided, described through the prism of the difficulties faced by the local and regional community in the current climate conditions, highlighted the need to configure some priorities and some strategic directions of action in the medium and long term, in order to improve the well-being of today’s and tomorrow’s generations, through fundamental, interdisciplinary actions and through joint, consolidated effort.
Dr. Zoi ALIOZI, EU Climate Pact Ambassador, thematic expert within the project, moderated the discussions of the expert panel and highlighted the substance of environmental justice, its connection with human rights and the essential role of the university education level in disseminating data, promoting climate justice, and increasing awareness of the strategic vision in the implementation of mechanisms to ensure the well-being of generations and the safeguarding of human rights.
The launch event of the first transregional European Spring School on environmental justice and human rights was organized by the network of universities Global Campus of Human Rights, Global Campus Caucasus and the State University of Moldova (Scientific Research Laboratory ‘Comparative Public Law and E-Governance’), with the support of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, in the context of the implementation of the ‘Development of Climate Justice and Human Rights Education at the State University of Moldova’ project.
