The UNESCO Chair at the First Conference of the Global Universities Alliance for Cultural Rights

On 2 September 2026, the Global Universities Alliance for Cultural Rights will hold its first conference, titled “Human (in)Security”, at the University of Fortaleza, Brazil, within the XV International Meeting on Cultural Rights.

The conference will bring together scholars from different regions and legal traditions to explore how contemporary forms of human insecurity affect the enjoyment and protection of cultural rights. From conflict, displacement and climate change to restrictions on civic space, technological transformation and emerging cultural insecurities, the programme will address cultural rights both as rights under threat and as tools for dignity, resilience, participation and peace.

The UNESCO Chair on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Comparative Law at UnitelmaSapienza University of Rome will contribute to the conference through the participation of Professor Pier Luigi Petrillo, Chair Holder of the UNESCO Chair, co-founder and member of the Global Universities Alliance for Cultural Rights. Professor Petrillo will moderate the panel “Constitutional Frameworks and Cultural Pluralism”, dedicated to the role of constitutional and legal frameworks in protecting cultural diversity, cultural rights and human security.

Sara Di Luca, International Relations and Outreach Coordinator of the UNESCO Chair, will also take part in the conference in her capacity as Executive Manager of the Global Universities Alliance for Cultural Rights, where she coordinates the Alliance’s activities, working groups and international initiatives. She will deliver the opening remarks of the conference.

The participation of the UNESCO Chair reflects its commitment to strengthening international academic cooperation on cultural rights, intangible cultural heritage, community participation and comparative cultural heritage law. The conference also confirms the role of the Global Universities Alliance for Cultural Rights as a growing platform for connecting research, education, policy dialogue and shared action across countries and legal traditions.