Year in Review - June 2000 to June 2001

October 1 – 7
Visit and Lecture by Professor Nasila Rembe, UNESCO “Oliver Tambo” Chair of Human Rights at the University of Fort Hare.

Prof. Nasila Rembe is currently Chair Holder of the UNESCO ‘Oliver Tambo’ Chair of Human Rights –; a position he has held since establishing the center in 1994. Prof. Rembe attended the University of Dar Es Salaam where he majored in Public International Law, Jurisprudence, Human Rights Law and Development. He received his doctorate at the University of Wales in Cardiff where he specialized in Public International Law and later became a lecturer.

For over seven years Prof. Rembe was a Faculty of Law Professor with the National University of Lesotho and at Ohio State University where he taught Human Rights and Public International Law. During this time, he founded and was editor-in-chief of the Lesotho Law Journal. Prof. Rembe has also held numerous professional appointments. Among them include member, jury for the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education; Convenor, UNESCO Chairs in Southern Africa; member, Fair Labour Association NGO Advisory Council (FLA); and member, International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (IALANA).

During his visit, Prof. Rembe assisted with the preparation for interdisciplinary program in comparative human rights which is to be established at UConn. Professor Rembe’s visit served to solidify and expand our proposals to establish an Institute for Comparative Human Rights. Professor Rembe met with faculty and taught graduate and undergraduate classes in both history and education.
He collaborated with Professor Tim Weinland in a presentation on human rights initiatives to the faculty of the Neag School of Education (NSOE). The NSOE is soliciting a grant to establish a Human Rights Curriculum Center which would prepare and make teaching materials available to teachers and school children. In this respect, his visit provided an important symbol to faculties on both campuses. While we too often speak of “capacity building” as an American university’s effort to assist an HDI in South Africa, we must continue to emphasize that an effective linkage builds capacity at both universities. His visit and assistance were extremely important.