Human Rights Festival 2025 – Right to life for everyone and everything
Human rights are as essential as oxygen — we all need them to live.
During the Human Rights Festival, we reflect on one of the most fundamental rights of all: the right to life, liberty, and security, as stated in Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Join us to discover, experience, and celebrate how we can strengthen this right — for both people and nature.
👉 Register for free:
Click here to register
The Right to Life for All Beings
How self-evident is the right to life, really? What does it mean for people without legal documents, or for nature itself?
Increasingly, lawyers, artists, and activists are advocating for the rights of nature: rights for rivers, animals, forests, and oceans. Because without a healthy living environment, there is no life, no freedom, and no safety.
During the Human Rights Festival, we explore these themes through dialogues, art, music, and workshops.
Program Overview
The 2025 program offers space for dialogue, art, music, and action. Highlights include:
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Dialogue in The Hague: A guided conversation on the rights of nature, led by experienced facilitators.
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Information Market: Meet participating organizations and explore ways to protect the rights of humans and nature.
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Lecture by Jan van de Venis: About the rights of nature and universal human rights (in English).
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Rights of Nature Workshop: Experience how you can defend the rights of nature and give your own piece of nature a voice.
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Talk Show Table with Sahar Hossini & Mpanzu Bamenga: A conversation about living in freedom and safety, shared by two speakers with experience as undocumented individuals (in Dutch).
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Vocal Group KORALI: Ukrainian choral music celebrating love and nature.
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The Voice of Nature – The Voice of Afghan Women: Poetry recital by Somaia Ramish, Fatema Jafari & Esseline van de Sande, accompanied by the Syrian music group The Lebbos Family.
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Muze’s Kus: Create your own screen print using natural materials.
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Write for Rights by Amnesty International: Write a letter, change a life.
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Dabke Dance Workshop: Conclude the festival with joyful collective dancing.
Practical Information
Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025
Location: Grote Kerk The Hague, Rond de Grote Kerk 10 (next to Restaurant Zebedeus)
Doors open: 13:30
Start: 14:00
End: 18:00
Admission: Free (registration appreciated)
Day Schedule
| Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 14:00–18:00 | Information market and ongoing activities |
| 14:15–15:00 | Lecture by Jan van de Venis (English) |
| 15:00–15:30 | KORALI Choir |
| 15:30–16:30 | Workshop “Voice for Your Place – Rights of Nature Up Close” (Dutch, English available on request) |
| 15:45–16:30 | Talk Show Table with Sahar Hossini & Mpanzu Bamenga (Dutch) |
| 16:45–17:15 | Recital of Afghan Poetry with The Lebbos Family |
| 17:30–18:00 | Dabke Dance Workshop |
Partners
The Human Rights Festival is a collaboration of:
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House for the City – A place for meeting and connection in the heart of The Hague.
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Amnesty International The Hague – Defending human rights worldwide.
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Culture Unlimited – Promoting intercultural dialogue through art and music.
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The City Coalition – Unlocking talent and connecting citizens in The Hague.
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Dialogue in The Hague – Organizing free dialogues throughout the city.
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Move for Human Rights – Empowering youth through collaboration between human rights organizations and schools.
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Colorful Segbroek Foundation – Connecting residents from diverse backgrounds in The Hague.
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Rights of Nature Foundation – Advocating for legal rights for nature.
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SEVA Foundation – Building cultural bridges among residents of The Hague.
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The Hague Humanity Hub – Strengthening cooperation for a more peaceful world.
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Fresh & Free (Vers & Vrij) – Fighting poverty and food waste by sharing surplus food.
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Dutch Refugee Council – Supporting refugees and asylum seekers toward independence.
Contact
House for the City of The Hague
Rond de Grote Kerk 12
2513 AM The Hague
📞 070-7370325
📧 info@huisvoordestad-denhaag.nl
