In cooperation with
Date & Place
June 2026
Venice Lido
Cost
€ 1,500 (VAT included)
10% discount for GC alumni
Tuition waiver opportunities
Application Deadline
28 February 2026 for tuition waiver applicants
15 April 2026 for self-funded applicants
Entry Requirements
Fluency in English
Experience/interest in the field of human rights protection and activism
Self-funded applicants
to the Venice School for Human Rights Defenders
Deadline: 4th May 2025
Scholarship applicants
to the Venice School for Human Rights Defenders
Deadline: 30th March 2025
A space to empower your advocacy, connect with inspiring activists, and gain the tools and strategies to amplify your impact.
Overview
The Venice School for Human Rights Defenders is a training initiative aimed at activists and human rights defenders wishing to address contemporary challenges and cross-cutting issues in the field of human rights protection. The school aims at empowering participants with the knowledge, skills, and networks necessary to drive meaningful change in their communities and strengthen the global movement for human rights and social justice.
Faculty
Project Management
Alberta Rocca / Sara Brogliato / Elena Battaglia / Larisa Barbu
Learn more about us
About the Venice School
By taking this course, you will:
- Examine today’s pressing human rights challenges, analyse root causes and explore solutions
- Build advocacy expertise, and translate academic and institutional knowledge into impactful public action
- Leverage UN mechanisms to bolster national-level human rights work
- Amplify your voice in global decision-making processes around human rights through sharing knowledge and expertise
- Develop strategies and techniques to increase the impact of defenders’ national and regional advocacy work, especially in fragile states
- Expand your professional network and connect with fellow human rights defenders and practitioners from all over the world
In class, participants will engage in an interactive learning experience through:
- Thematic plenary sessions and skill-building seminars
- Engaging participatory debates and group works
- Role-playing exercises to simulate real-life scenarios
- Case studies for practical application of concepts
- Brainstorming sessions to inspire creative problem-solving
- Peer learning activities to foster shared reflection
The Venice School for Human Rights Defenders is an intensive, one-week programme which this year marks its 17th edition.
In the morning sessions, participants get a deeper understanding of international and regional mechanisms, legal frameworks, and thematic issues related to the work of HRDs, including advocacy, documentation, and wellbeing. Afternoon sessions translate this knowledge into practice through interactive workshops, simulations, and labs focused on real-life scenarios.
Target audience: the Venice School is designed for human rights activists worldwide as well as students, PhD candidates, researchers, social workers, journalists, and IGOs and NGOs officials who aspire to become effective agents for change in their communities while advocating the rights of all individuals.
Language: fluency in English (both written and spoken) as the school is fully taught in English.
Self-funded applicants (deadline: 15 April 2026): will be evaluated on a rolling basis and candidates eligible for enrolment will be notified by email with an acceptance letter, including instructions for fee payment.
Tuition waiver applicants (deadline: 28 February 2026): will be evaluated only after the deadline. Candidates eligible for tuition waiver are youth aged 18-25. Application shall include a personal statement demonstrating commitment to human rights advocacy.
Young applicants: we strongly encourage talented young women and men aged 18 to 25 to apply.
Class size: limited to 30 participants to foster peer networking and maximise opportunities for direct interaction and personalised feedback from the experts.
Visa: for those who require visa to travel to Italy, kindly be advised that visa application is a lengthy and complex process. Please inform yourself about the timing and necessary steps in advance. For more information, visit: https://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/
€ 1,500 (VAT included) that includes:
- Tuition fee
- Welcome aperitif
- Lunches and coffee breaks on class days
- Reading material
- Certificate of attendance upon completion of the programme
All expenses related to transportation, accommodation and subsistence and any additional cost not listed above must be arranged and covered by the participant.
We offer a limited number of tuition waiver opportunities (subject to external funding approval) for young human rights defenders aged 18-25 who demonstrate their commitment to human rights advocacy.
Our Community at a Glance
The success of the Venice School lies not only in its role as a pioneering training initiative fostering a dynamic learning environment, but also in its ability to empower participants with essential knowledge, practical skills, and a vital network to advocate effectively for justice and equality.
Diversity is a core value of the programme, enhancing mutual exchange, personal growth and peer learning through the varied background and experiences of the participants.
In its long-standing history of excellence in training development, the programme has exemplified this mission by involving different cohorts of participants that have enriched the Venice School’s vibrant network of advocates, furthering its impact in driving social change across regions.
For 10 editions from 2010 to 2019 we have welcomed 128 young Russian students through a collaboration with a consortium of Russian Universities led by the Peoples Friendship University of Russia and sponsored by the Moscow regional Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, with a view to foster international students and scholars exchanges focusing on human rights.
For 10 editions from 2016 to 2025 we have welcomed 130 Sakharov Fellows, selected by the European Parliament for their commitment to freedom of thought, human rights, and democratic values.
Satisfaction Rate
Venue
The School takes place in Venice Lido, at the Monastery of San Nicolò, home to the Global Campus Headquarters. This historic 11th century Benedictine monastery offers a unique setting for the programme.
Off-the-beaten-path, Lido is an 11-km long barrier island facing Venice, at a 15-minute distance by waterbus (vaporetto) from St. Mark’s square. Lido offers sandy beaches, green areas, nature protected oasis; it is famous for being the seat of the Venice Film Festival and for its Art Nouveau villas and grand hotels, such as the Grand Hotel des Bains described in Thomas Mann’s novel “Death in Venice”.
What to watch
Apply
Application deadlines:
28 February 2026 for tuition waiver applicants
15 April 2026 for self-funded applicants
Contact us
Drop an email to our secretariat or call us:
Email: veniceschool@gchumanrights.org
Telephone: +39 041 2720 911 int. 803