Human Rights ABC miniprojects

At a three-day youth camp held at Pühajärve from February 21–23, 2025, active young people from Estonia and Ukraine came together. During the camp, participants gained new knowledge about human rights and had the opportunity to launch their own mini-projects to contribute to the protection and promotion of human rights. The youth were free to choose topics close to their hearts, and after the camp, they have the chance to bring their ideas to life with support from the Estonian Human Rights Centre and mentors from the International Organization for Migration. Explore the projects below and get involved!

The project is funded by the Bilateral Relations Fund of the European Economic Area and Norway Grants.

Projects

As part of their project, the participants aimed to raise awareness about hate speech and challenge young people to strive to be more empathetic towards victims of hate speech and different minority groups. To achieve this, the participants organised  event called “Freedom of Speech or Hate Speech” on April 26 in Tallinn. Lectures by experts such as Kelly Grossthal, Aaro Toomela and Steven-Hristo Evestus explored the topic of hate speech in connection to human rights, psychology and the legal space. In addition to these lectures, the included a human library with people sharing their experiences with hate speech from various viewpoints. Through this, the participants aimed to educate young people on the effects of hate speech on both a personal level and in society in general. By sharing real-life experiences and encouraging open discussion, the project highlighted how hate speech affects people every day. The participants are working toward a future where there’s less hate and more respect for everyone.

Follow the team’s activities in Instagram!

Hate speech is the beginning of misery. It will, at first, make you feel bad, maybe even a little hopeless. It will dig up your insecurities, which you thought you didn’t even have. But overtime, when the little things start piling up, it will become something worse than a few discriminating words. It can lead you to be negative to the people around you or to the people whom you don’t even know. It can lead to mass scale discrimination or things much worse. I believe that trying to avoid the fate that many minorities have faced, we need to root out the cause from the very beginning – hate speech. – team member Hanna

This project raised awareness of human rights among school students in a fun and engaging way. The participants developed a bilingual card game called Standpoint : Vaatenurk, designed to highlight the actions different people can take, to do their part in helping and promoting human rights. The game includes a roleplay format where players get assigned roles such as a politician, celebrity or the head of an NGO and they then need to solve a human rights crisis using the resources within their means. A judge will be responsible for determining the scenario and the player with the strongest case to solve the crisis. While Standpoint : Vaatenurk makes it possible to explore complex human rights issues through play, the participants remained focused on educating others, ensuring the game is an informative, unbiased and thought-provoking lesson for everyone. The intent of the project was to introduce otherwise hard-hitting realities of human rights violations through an engaging game, with the hope the players realize the power they themselves have to make the world a better place. To make sure the game becomes a useful learning tool, the team also visited schools and youth organizations across Estonia to share Standpoint to both students, teachers and other youth workers. A public Shokkin Board Game evening event featuring the game was also organised on April 26 at Must Puudel, Tallinn.

Learn more about the project in Instagram!

To strengthen integration and build meaningful connections between Ukrainian and Estonian youth, this project team organized an interactive youth event on April 27 in Tallinn. Students from 9th and 10th grades of several Tallinn schools — including Freedom School, Tallinn 21st School, and others — were invited to participate. The event featured different experts working in the field of human rights such as representatives from the Estonian Human Rights Centre, the International Organization for Migration and the Estonian Association of Youth Workers. These experts presented various opportunities for engagement in the human rights sphere — from youth-led projects to future career paths — aiming to inspire the next generation of human rights defenders. Through interactive exercises such as themed games and a world cafe, participants were encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences related to human rights. This fostered awareness, critical thinking, and meaningful conversations, helping to build lasting interpersonal connections. The event also included a letter exchange activity. Each participant wrote a short letter and included a contact detail — such as an email address or social media handle. All letters were placed in a box, and each participant randomly drew one. This initiative encouraged further communication and connection beyond the event itself.

Nowadays, there are many violations of young people’s human rights. Unfortunately, youth are often not aware of their rights, what to do if those rights are violated, or how they can help protect others. That’s why we would like to organize an event for high school students, where they can meet with experts in this field and talk about human rights, youth projects, and job opportunities related to this topic. They will also have the chance to talk with their peers about personal experiences with human rights and start a letter exchange to continue the conversation. – team member Kateryna

This project challenged the stigma surrounding HIV by educating communities and promoting understanding, respect, and equality for people living with HIV. Project “Red String” shed light on what it means to live with HIV today through a creative mix of art, storytelling, and public engagement—emphasizing that those affected are not a danger to society and deserve to be treated with dignity. A meaningful fashion exhibition in Tartu Kaubamaja opened with an event on April 28 on the second floor and it lasted until the end of May. It used symbolic designs to break down common stereotypes, while interactive posters and anonymous testimonials invited visitors to learn, reflect, and connect. The campaign extended beyond the event through social media outreach and collaboration with HIV organizations such as the Estonian Network of People Living with HIV, ensuring accurate information reaches even more people. At its core, the project was a call for inclusion and human rights—because everyone has the right to live free from stigma and discrimination.

Learn more about the project in Instagram!

This project used the power of storytelling and creative education to raise awareness about forced migration in Estonia and promote greater tolerance and understanding of human rights. Migrants often face barriers that prevent full participation in society—from legal and cultural challenges to social exclusion. By documenting real-life experiences through interviews and a powerful film, the project gave a voice to those directly affected, helping audiences connect on a human level. A public awareness event “The Power of Migration: Between Two Worlds” in Russian on April 26 at Tallinn University featured a premiere of the short documentary, personal stories and opportunities for open dialogue. This event brought people together to explore key issues and build new connections. Through these interactive formats, the project not only highlighted the rights to education, work, and protection from discrimination—it also fostered empathy, inclusion, and a stronger sense of community.

This project used the power of film to shine a light on the issue of bullying, reduce violence in Estonia, and empower people to stand up for their rights. Bullying is more than just a social issue—it’s a human rights concern, affecting the right to dignity, safety, education, and freedom of expression. Through a carefully produced short movie called “Stigma”, the project brought real-life bullying scenarios to the screen, capturing the emotional and psychological impact on victims by involving personal stories. Film is a powerful tool for awareness: it evokes empathy, helps people recognize different forms of bullying—from physical to cyber—and offers guidance on how to respond. The project included a public screening event of the movie on April 29 at the Film Museum in Tallinn to encourage discussions and raise awareness. By reaching broad audiences across age groups and backgrounds, this project aimed to shift attitudes, and create a safer, more respectful society for everyone.

Get to know the project in Instagram and Tiktok, share your story!

I think the topic of bullying is very important because it affects a huge number of teenagers. When we listened to real stories of people, it was hard to contain our emotions – at some point you understand that behind each story there is pain, loneliness and fear. We are making a film so that people don’t remain silent about this. So that those who have experienced bullying know that they are not alone. And those who have not yet thought about it, began to understand how important respect and support are. Every person deserves safety, acceptance and the right to be themselves. – team mentor Vladislav