A high-level panel discussion bannered “Beyond Knowledge: Pathways to Inculcating Human Rights as a Life Value” brough together distinguished leaders from human rights institutions and public safety sectors at the UC Theatre on January 22, 2026. The panel was composed of Staff Legal Officer of the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office PCPT Norieshiel W. Larines, Executive Director of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights Atty. Jacqueline Ann C. De Guia, Senior Human Rights Officer of the United Nations–OHCHR Ms. Signe Elneff Poulsen, and Chairperson of the UC Board of Trustees Mr. Ray Dean D. Salvosa. Each offered critical perspectives on embedding human rights as a lived principle within justice systems and public service.

UC Criminology students and faculty, together with participants from higher education institutions across Northern Luzon, engage in discussions that move beyond theory, emphasizing human rights as lived values integral to justice, governance, and public service.

The lectures form part of the Rights2Life Project, a collaborative initiative between the University of the Cordilleras and Ghent University, which seeks to strengthen the Philippine criminal justice system through a firm grounding in the rule of law and human rights. The project aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) through international academic collaboration, SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by promoting humane and inclusive justice systems, and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by advancing rights-based, research-informed criminal justice reforms.