We have a duty to learn from those who have survived atrocity and loss.
They have much to teach us about the root causes of gross human rights
violations, and its impact upon survivors, families, communities and future
generations.

We must understand the causes of atrocity and why societies and
governments perpetrate such acts. Following WWII, torture was universally
outlawed but is now being reconsidered by western democracies. They are
even questioning the relevance of the 1951 UN convention on the status of
refugees. A whole generation are growing up in a climate where violation of
certain peoples’ rights is acceptable.

We educate the public, policy makers and future generations about the risks
of pursuing policies that ignore human rights. We look at the origins of
violence in our own society, and examine our capacity for prejudice and
racism so that people can relate to it in their everyday life - in a children’s playground or on the factory floor.

We work closely with universities developing human rights courses which
use poetry, drama, film and art, and a systematic programme of workshops,
lectures, public appearances and seminars.