Dear Friends and Supporters of the International Society for Human Rights,

A busy time is behind us: after a long break, partly due to Covid, we were finally able to hold an International Council meeting in person and gather numerous representatives from National ISHR Sections and Working Groups in Bonn. We all know how important personal meetings are in challenging times like these. Only through direct, face-to-face exchanges with each other is it possible to reach a level of interaction that is so important to our work. Because, of course, effective human rights work means sharing information, numbers, data and facts – all of which can be done virtually. But at least as important are the quieter pieces of information, the nuances, the accentuation of what is important and what is less important – and these subtleties are very difficult to convey in a virtual setting.

The ISHR Secretariat team did a great job in preparing and running the International Council Meeting. We would like to single out Bonjeh Evadine, our Communications Director, and Alex Martin Musiime, our Project Manager in the Secretariat. They are the behind-the-scenes enablers from whose work the entire network benefits. They deserve our great thanks!

This newsletter gives you, dear readers, an insight from the different contents of our International Council weekend in Bonn, which could not have been more multifaceted: From important statements on the human rights situation in different countries, to the honoring of human rights defenders for their courageous, as often risky, work, to new elections of our leadership – much was achieved, which will also make our work successful in the long run. We look forward to the new phase of activity in the International Society for Human Rights and thank all those who work every day to ensure its success and progress. And, of course, our thanks also go to all those who promote our worldwide work through their idealistic and financial support.

With warm regards from Bonn,

Thomas Paul Schirrmacher
President. ISHR. 

Matthias Boehning
Secretary General. ISHR