In May 2003, the Manual on Human Rights Education “Understanding Human Rights” was first presented to the public in its original English language version at the Ministerial Meeting of the Human Security Network in the Human Rights City of Graz, Austria. The Manual is the result of an initiative by my predecessor Benita Ferrero-Waldner as Chairperson of the “Network” in 2002/2003. It was elaborated by a dedicated team of renowned Austrian and international experts under the auspices of the European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (ETC) in Graz.
The Human Security Network is a group of states from all regions of the world determined to solve ing problems of human security by action-oriented means. On several occasions, such as its Ministerial Meeting in Santiago de Chile in 2002, the Network has emphasised that “human rights pre a foundation upon which human development and human security can be pursued”. Therefore, Human Rights Education has become one of its priorities. In this spirit, the Manual “Understanding Human Rights” addresses audiences all over the world and is intended to function as a genuine, practical “training tool”. It consists of training modules which can be varied and adapted by their users according to different contexts and training situations. The Graz Declaration on Principles of Human Rights Education and Human Security, endorsed by the 5th Ministerial Meeting of the Human Security Network on 10 May 2003 in Graz, contains a commitment to translate the manual into other languages in order to introduce it into different regional and cultural settings. Today, just three years after its launch, the manual is available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, German, Alba-nian, Croatian, Serbian and Thai. This has been achieved in collaboration and with the generous support of several members of the Human Security Network as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.
The Manual, which has been introduced in several countries and regions by train-thetrainers workshops facilitated by the ETC, has received a very positive feedback from users all over the world. But the rapid developments in the field of human rights have necessitated an update of the Manual. Therefore, with funding from the Austrian Development Cooperation and the Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture of Austria, a second edition has been elaborated by the European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (ETC) in collaboration with a large team of Austrian and international experts. The Manual intends to reach out to people from all world regions, cultures and social groups. The more diverse its users, the more the Manual will achieve its goal to promote human rights and human security. In 2006, with the inception of the Human Rights Council, the international human rights architecture has undergone considerable changes. I trust that this second edition of the Manual on Human Rights Education will be able to serve as a guide to the human rights challenges that lie ahead. Dr. Ursula Plassnik
Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Austria