Graduates in human rights

Thirty six students who have successfully completed the master's degree course in human rights and democratisation graduated in a ceremony at the Aula Magna of the Foundation for International Studies in Valletta yesterday.

The oration was given by Chief Justice Emeritus John J. Cremona on Human Rights Documentation In Malta. Nisrine Bou Karam, from Lebanon, spoke on behalf of the graduating students

The 36 graduates include seven Maltese, Beverly Louise Abela, Lara Bezzina, Emanuel Camilleri, Therese Camilleri, Vanessa Frendo, Roberta Muscat and Anna Zammit.

The academic programme of the course is managed by the Faculty of Laws of the University of Malta while the administrative and logistical aspects are handled by the Foundation for International Studies of the University of Malta.

On this occasion, 15 institutions, partnering the University of Malta in the organisation of this course, are meeting in Malta.

The aim of the Mediterranean Master's Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation is to train a number of young persons from Southern Mediterranean countries who will have an influence in their home countries in the building up of a human rights culture.

The Mediterranean Master's was introduced in academic year 2000/01 and this year's students are the sixth intake. So far more than 150 students have graduated from the course.

A number of scholarships are awarded each year thanks to the sponsorship of the European Commission.

These scholarships are available to students from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Libya, Palestine, Iran, Iraq and Malta.

This year, 33 students have been awarded a scholarship and they hail from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia and Turkey.