The Oxford Human Rights Festival 2025 is back Friday 14th – Friday 21st March 2025! This annual event, hosted by Oxford Brookes University at various locations in Oxford, brings together students, academics, activists, and the wider community to discuss global human rights challenges.
Featuring powerful film screenings, thought-provoking discussions, poetry, and exhibitions, the festival explores social justice, humanitarian action, LGBTQ+ rights, education, and activism.
All events are free, but booking is advised due to limited spaces at events.
Featured Events | Human Rights Events in Oxford
Rights in Rhyme: A Night of Human Rights Poetry
📅 Friday 14th March | 🕖 19:00 – 21:00
📍 The Oxford Blue, 32 Marston St, OX4 1JU
Join for an inspiring evening of spoken word and poetry, celebrating justice, equality, and freedom. This open-mic-style event invites students, activists, and community members to share original or favourite poems on human rights and social change.
Key Themes: Free speech, activism, identity, and justice
Perfect for: Poets, writers, students, and social justice advocates
Lyd Film Screening & Director Q&A
📅 Saturday 15th March | 🕕 18:00 – 20:00
📍 John Henry Brookes Main Lecture Theatre, Oxford Brookes University, OX3 0BP
Lyd is a sci-fi documentary uncovering the history of Lyd, a 5,000-year-old Palestinian city that was a cultural and economic hub until its destruction in 1948.
What to Expect:
- A powerful narrative on displacement & identity
- Exclusive Q&A session with the film’s directors
- All donations support the Oxford Brookes Gaza Scholarship
Humanitarian Action & Studying in Extreme Environments
📅 Sunday 16th March | 🕑 14:00 – 16:00
📍 Room JHB304, John Henry Brookes Building, Oxford Brookes University, OX3 0BP
This panel discussion highlights the impact of the MA in Humanitarian Action and Peacebuilding (MA HAP), co-developed by Oxford Brookes University and UNITAR.
Topics Covered:
- How education strengthens humanitarian response
- Stories from MA HAP alumni working in disaster zones & conflict areas
- How the programme adapts to global crises & evolving geopolitical issues
Interested in a career in humanitarian action? This session marks the launch of the MA HAP alumni network and is a must-attend for prospective students & professionals.
🏳️🌈 Are You Proud? LGBTQ+ Film Screening & Discussion
📅 Monday 17th March | 🕕 18:00 – 20:00
📍 Room JHB308, Kennedy Lecture Theatre, Oxford Brookes University, OX3 0BP
This powerful documentary explores the history of LGBTQIA+ activism in the UK, showcasing:
- Rare archival footage & interviews
- The evolution of LGBTQ+ rights in Britain
- The current global challenges facing queer communities
Why It Matters: As queer rights face new threats globally, this screening reminds us of past struggles and the need for continued activism.
Post-film discussion: Engage in a conversation about the next steps for LGBTQ+ rights & equality.
Upholding the Right to Education in Palestine
📅 Tuesday 18th March | 🕐 13:00 – 14:30
📍 Room CLC2.18, Clerici Building, Oxford Brookes University, OX3 0BP
An in-depth panel discussion on the challenges of education in conflict zones, with a focus on Palestinian students & teachers.
Speakers Include:
- Hadil Louz – First-hand experience growing up in Jabalya Refugee Camp
- Awatef Sheikh – CEO, Ajyal Foundation, on educide & mental health impacts
- Dr. Brigitte Piquard – Insights on resilience in education under crisis
Chaired by: Dr. Lili Schwoerer, expert in critical education pedagogies.
✊ The Power of the People! Closing Celebration
📅 Friday 21st March | 🕕 18:00 – 20:00
📍 Room CLC1.09, Clerici Bilding, Oxford Brookes University, OX3 0BP
A social gathering to celebrate activism, art, and change.
✔️ Network & reflect on festival highlights
✔️ Engage in future activism discussions
✔️ Enjoy refreshments & meet like-minded people
Special Exhibition: What Does Home Mean to You?
📅 Monday 17th – Friday 21st March 2025
📍 Westgate Shopping Centre, Oxford
A powerful community-led art installation exploring the right to shelter & belonging.
- Crafted through Saturday’s “Craftivist” event
- A creative response to homelessness & displacement
- Open to the public for reflection & engagement
Events at a Glance
| Date | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 14th March | Rights in Rhyme: Human Rights Poetry Night | The Oxford Blue, OX4 1JU |
| 15th March | Film Screening: Lyd | John Henry Brookes Theatre, OX3 0BP |
| 16th March | Working & Studying from Extreme Environments | Oxford Brookes University, OX3 0BP |
| 17th March | Are You Proud? Film Screening | Kennedy Lecture Theatre, Oxford Brookes |
| 18th March | Upholding the Right to Education in Palestine | Clerici Building, Oxford Brookes |
| 19th – 21st March | Exhibition: What Does Home Mean to You? | Westgate Shopping Centre |
About CENDEP | Oxford Brookes University Human Rights
Founded in 1985, the Centre for Development and Emergency Practice (CENDEP) at Oxford Brookes University focuses on:
✔️ Human rights & forced migration
✔️ Inclusive recovery & development
✔️ Conflict, humanitarian action & peacebuilding
✔️ Shelter, housing & home in crises
Why Attend the Oxford Human Rights Festival 2025?
This week-long festival in Oxford offers an opportunity to engage with some of the most pressing global human rights issues, bringing together film, art, education, and activism. Whether you’re a student, activist, or simply passionate about social justice, this is an unmissable event to discuss, learn, and take action.
Your voice matters, and everyone can make a difference in the world we live in. The festival is a great opportunity to discover what is important to you.
