90 human rights defenders from 40 countries attended Equitas’ 36th annual International Human Rights Training Program in June. They left Montreal after the three-week program with new knowledge, skills and networks as well as concrete plans to apply their learning to promote positive social change in their communities. ” It was such a pleasure to meet you, staff, interns and volunteers of Equitas. It was such a wonderful team, so helpful, so organized and so welcoming. I feel blessed to have the chance to attend the training. I feel I have really learned a lot from the training. And thank you for providing this opportunity to me and I hope that this opportunity will continue to be open for for my colleagues who are making the difference on the ground. ”
Participant from Cambodia
Many journalists came out to the John Abbott College campus to visit the program and meet with participants. Read the press coverage here. The IHRTP’s international reputation has attracted over 3,500 courageous and committed human rights defenders to Montreal since the first training in 1980. This year was no exception, with participants coming from countries that have found themselves in the international spotlight as of recent, such as Burundi, Nigeria, Morocco, Nepal, Cameroon, and Haiti. “During the past 35 years, the IHRTP has helped to create one of the largest international communities of human rights leaders. This network of over 3,500 human rights defenders were trained here in Montreal, and are playing critical roles in making their countries better places to live for the most vulnerable and marginalized.” -Ian Hamilton, Equitas Executive Director The IHRTP is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD). The success of the Program is also made possible thanks to the generous contributions of Aimia, the American Jewish World Service and the Donner Canadian Foundation. The participants were hosted and trained at John Abbott College in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue.