The UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Democracy at the University of Fribourg has been renewed until the end of 2024. UNESCO has once again awarded the Chair the UNESCO label, thus confirming Prof. Eva Maria Belser and Prof. Sarah Progin-Theuerkauf as Co-Chairholders.

With this renewal, UNESCO recognises the Chair as part of the important UNITWIN network, which includes around 900 institutions worldwide. Through this network, higher education and research institutions all over the globe pool their resources to address pressing challenges and contribute to the development of their societies. In many instances, the networks and chairs serve as thinktanks and bridgebuilders between academia, civil society, local communities, research and policy-makers.

The UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Democracy at the University of Fribourg has existed since 1998 and has realised numerous projects since, especially in the field of cultural rights. Prof. Eva Maria Belser has held the UNESCO Chair since 2016, and Prof. Sarah Progin-Theuerkauf joined in 2020. The UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Democracy works closely with the International Research and Consulting Center (IRCC) of the Institute of Federalism and maintains partnerships with UNESCO Chairs all around the world.