The University of Miami School of Law Human Rights Program is set to host the Human Rights in the Americas Symposium: An Examination of Past, Present, and Future, a significant weeklong event examining the past, present, and future of human rights in the hemisphere. The November 16-21, 2025, interdisciplinary symposium aims to address a wide array of pressing topics at what organizers describe as a "critical moment in the field of human rights in the Americas."
The event is designed to be a comprehensive gathering, featuring official hearings by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights alongside a series of thematic panels. The conference comes at a time when, despite legal advancements, geopolitical realities such as authoritarianism, the erosion of democratic norms, conflict, and instability continue to pose increasing threats to human rights across the Americas and globally.
“We are at a critical moment for human rights in the Americas, as geopolitical realities and the erosion of democratic norms pose increasing threats to people across the hemisphere,” said Professor Caroline Bettinger-López, founder and director of the Human Rights Clinic and faculty chair of the Human Rights Program. “This symposium provides a vital opportunity to engage directly with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and experts on the most pressing issues of our time, from migration and racial justice to the rule of law.”
A convergence of minds and missions
A central component of the symposium will be the hearings conducted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The IACHR was established by the Organization of American States in 1959 with the mission to promote and protect human rights in the Americas. Along with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, it is one of the principal human rights organs within the OAS. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who hold at least two sessions per year.
In addition to the IACHR hearings, a series of thematic panels will be held daily to examine critical human rights issues. These panels will explore the intersection of human rights with various fields, including democratic institutions and the rule of law, migration, housing justice, sports, gender justice, racial justice, and the environment. This multifaceted approach underscores the symposium's interdisciplinary nature and its goal of fostering deep and nuanced discussions on the challenges facing the region.
High-profile kickoff and distinguished speakers
The symposium will launch on the evening of Sunday, November 16, with a welcome reception at the School of Law. The kickoff event will feature a prominent keynote address by Ken Roth, the former executive director of Human Rights Watch. Roth is scheduled to deliver the Henkin Human Rights Lecture, during which he will also discuss his new book, “Righting Wrongs.”
Following his lecture, Roth will engage in a discussion with Pedro José Vaca Villarreal, the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. This opening dialogue between two leading figures in the human rights community is set to provide a powerful start to the week's proceedings.
Miami as a crossroad for human rights
The choice of Miami to host an IACHR period of sessions is significant, as the city is described as ideally situated at the crossroads of the Americas, where the complex human rights problems of Latin America and the Caribbean are felt intensely. Over the past several decades, South Florida has become home to numerous diasporic communities, with migrants from across the Americas settling upon its shores. The region also faces its own local human rights issues, many of which are interconnected with broader regional dilemmas.
The Human Rights Program has a long-term relationship with the IACHR, making it a natural partner for the event. The program's advocacy arm, the Human Rights Clinic, has litigated numerous cases and participated in many hearings within the Inter-American human rights system. Furthermore, HRP faculty affiliates are actively engaged in scholarship and teaching that aligns squarely with the IACHR's priority areas.
Beyond the panels: Art, scholarship, and engagement
The symposium's agenda extends beyond hearings and panels to include cultural and academic components designed to deepen the conversation. An art exhibit focused on the right to housing will be featured throughout the event. The artwork, produced by Red Line Service, a community of Chicago artists with lived experience of being unhoused, illustrates the seven dimensions of the international human right to housing in powerful and concrete ways. Red Line Service is a partner organization of the Human Rights Clinic.
To ensure the discussions have a lasting impact, the University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review will capture the lessons and reflections from the various symposium sessions. This will include publishing synopsis reports of the hearings and thematic panels, as well as selected scholarly papers written by the speakers, thereby deepening the academic discussion spurred by the conference.
The symposium is free and open to the public, with registration; however, there is a $299.00 fee for legal professionals seeking to receive Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit. The conference will take place at the University's Lakeside Village.
Read more about Miami Law’s Human Rights Law area of study.
