by: Seyed Farid Ghohestani
Introduction
The First International Conference on Human Rights from an Eastern Perspective, held in Tehran and Qom from 28 to 30 April 2025, symbolized an effort to establish an alternative discourse in the field of human rights. Hosted by Baqir al-Olum University in Qom, in cooperation with the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization and with the support of numerous other universities and academic institutions, the conference brought together more than 50 distinguished guests from 26 countries. It critically examined the individualistic and Western-centered approach to human rights, while emphasizing the communal, cultural, and religious values of the East. The initiative aimed to demonstrate how an Eastern perspective can complement the global discourse and contribute to the emergence of a multipolar world order in the field of human rights.
The conference received more than 500 submissions from within and outside Iran, including 186 international papers. Its program consisted of 17 pre-sessions, thematic panels, and the presentation of 60 selected papers. The main objectives included laying the groundwork for drafting a human rights charter based on cultural diversity, building sustainable academic networks, and addressing challenges such as Islamophobia and human rights violations in the Middle East.
At the closing ceremony, attended by senior officials, the final declaration stressed the principles of justice, human dignity, and ethics in human rights, while offering proposals for future research from Eastern perspectives. The ceremony also featured the unveiling of four new publications in Persian, English, and Arabic. These works, comprising selected papers and presentations from the pre-sessions, represent an initial step toward producing a body of literature on human rights rooted in local and Eastern approaches, and will be made available to international academic and research institutions.
Conference Themes
The conference explored a wide range of themes, including the ontological and epistemological foundations of Eastern approaches to human rights in contrast to Western perspectives, their philosophical underpinnings and methodologies, and their relationship with concepts such as justice, human dignity, and equality. Discussions also addressed the historical background of human rights in Eastern civilizations, the role of Eastern religions and spiritual traditions in shaping these concepts, and the link between human rights and economic as well as commercial development in Eastern societies.
Other key themes included the challenges posed by the politicization of human rights, the role of international and Eastern institutions in shaping social norms, and foresight studies on the future of Eastern human rights in light of emerging technologies and cultural diversity. The conference also examined the legal experiences of civilizations such as Iran, Russia, and China, and emphasized the necessity of creating a network of human rights actors from an Eastern perspective.
Preface to the Conference
In a world where human rights are often interpreted through a Western and individualistic lens, there is a pressing need for approaches that take into account cultural and civilizational diversity. The International Conference on Human Rights from an Eastern Perspective, held for the first time in April 2025, addressed precisely this need. The event aimed to establish a new discourse based on Eastern values, including social harmony, religious justice, and collective dignity. The significance of this initiative lies in highlighting that human rights, as a universal concept, should not be confined to a single cultural perspective, but should instead reflect the diverse human experiences, including Eastern approaches rooted in classical Asian philosophies and Islamic traditions.
The conference brought together approximately 500 in-person and virtual participants, including scholars, legal experts, and parliamentary representatives from Asian and African countries such as China, Armenia, Oman, and Uganda, as well as Western countries including the United States, Austria, and Serbia. Statistical analysis indicates that 60 percent of the submitted papers originated from Asia and the Middle East, underscoring the conference’s Eastern focus. The primary objectives included reflecting on the principles of Eastern human rights, establishing interactive academic networks, and developing sustainable scholarly frameworks. The event not only addressed challenges such as human rights violations in Palestine but also proposed practical policy recommendations.
Pre-Sessions of the Conference
According to the conference secretariat, a series of pre-sessions were organized at universities and research centers across Iran prior to the main event, aiming to explore the theoretical and civilizational dimensions of human rights from an Eastern perspective. For instance, the fourth pre-session at Allameh Tabataba’i University, titled “Eastern Human Rights: From Theory to Practice,” focused on critiquing the Western instrumental approach. The sixth pre-session at Imam Sadiq University addressed the role of women and family, while the eighth pre-session at Soore University explored “Cultural East in the Artistic World.” During the twelfth pre-session, Dr. Deliana from Indonesia presented on Asia’s potential contributions to human rights. Additional pre-sessions were held at Hazrat Masoumeh University, the Jamiʿa al-Zahra Research Institute, and Baqir al-Olum University, with the fourteenth session discussing “Public Order and Freedom of Expression from an Eastern Perspective.” Overall, seventeen pre-sessions laid the groundwork for critiquing the Western human rights discourse and proposing an Eastern alternative.
Conference Structure
The First International Conference on Human Rights from an Eastern Perspective was organized through a year-long, multi-stage planning process. The opening ceremony took place on 28 April 2025 in Tehran, attended by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Dr. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and other officials, featuring keynote speeches that emphasized the need for a cultural approach to human rights. The main sessions were held in Qom at Baqir al-Olum University on 29–30 April, including parallel panels and workshops. The overall structure consisted of seventeen pre-sessions, both domestic and international, which had begun months in advance and provided a foundation for in-depth discussions.
The conference was attended by 43 international guests representing 23 countries. The opening address was delivered by Hojjat al-Islam Dr. Mahdi Imanipour, Head of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, who criticized the instrumental use of human rights by the West and emphasized the necessity of applying Eastern and Islamic perspectives to human rights. Subsequently, specialized panels were conducted in parallel sessions, and the conference concluded with the reading of the final declaration in English by an international participant.
Key initiatives outlined in the final declaration included establishing a multilateral secretariat to implement Eastern human rights policies, founding specialized human rights institutions, promoting the discourse globally, organizing biennial conferences and thematic workshops, and developing cooperation networks and cultural committees across Eastern countries.
Specialized Panels of the Conference
The conference featured at least six main panels, each addressing a different aspect of the Eastern approach to human rights, with a total of 60 approved papers presented.
Panel 1: Human Rights in Eastern Philosophy
This panel provided a fundamental critique of Western human rights, focusing on concepts such as Confucian harmony and justice in Buddhism. The keynote speaker from China compared these principles with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, emphasizing that the human-centered and individualistic approach of the Declaration, by overlooking spiritual, religious, and social dimensions, fails to offer a comprehensive solution to global challenges. Discussions included audience questions on the applicability of these principles in modern societies, highlighting the role of Eastern philosophy in resolving global conflicts such as migration.
Panel 2: Islamic Approach to Human Rights
One of the most substantial panels, it featured a keynote address by Hojjat al-Islam Seyyed Ehsan Rafiei Alavi, President of Baqir al-Olum University. He discussed social justice in the Qurʿān and women’s rights within Eastern Islam. The papers presented—including a comparative study of Islamic human rights and international conventions—demonstrated that Islam offers a comprehensive foundation for human rights. The discussions also addressed challenges such as Islamophobia in the West, with participants suggesting that Eastern perspectives could help bridge this divide.
Panel 3: Human Rights in Asian Cultures
This panel highlighted the cultural diversity of Asia. Notable presentations included one from India on Gandhi and non-violent approaches to human rights, and another from South Korea on Confucian influences on modern rights. Audience questions primarily addressed economic challenges, such as poverty, and the panel concluded that Asian cultural models can provide innovative approaches to economic rights.
Panel 4: Human Rights Challenges in the Middle East
This panel addressed contemporary issues, including the Palestinian crisis. A participant from Russia criticized the global silence regarding the Gaza genocide, while other papers examined human rights conditions in Syria. Discussions highlighted the potential of Eastern approaches in conflict resolution and proposed initiatives in cultural diplomacy. Presenters aimed to reach a consensus despite diverse political and cultural contexts, and the panel also emphasized Iran’s constitutionally grounded human rights framework.
Panel 5: East-West Convergence in Human Rights
This panel compared different approaches. A presentation from Austria explored the potential for integrating Eastern values into European human rights frameworks. Discussions suggested that such convergence could support a multipolar world, with audience questions focusing on ideological barriers.
Panel 6: Women and Women’s Rights
Titled “Women and Family in the Mirror of Cultural East,” this panel, primarily consisting of female participants, aimed to present a new conception of women based on Eastern culture and civilization, distinct from Western feminist interpretations. It emphasized the fundamental differences between Eastern and Western human rights, particularly in relation to women, and proposed using major Eastern religions as frameworks for redefining women’s rights.
Key Papers and Methodologies
Among 76 accepted papers, 60 were presented, with methodologies mainly including qualitative analysis, case studies, and comparative approaches. Notable examples include:
• “Islamic Human Rights and Modern Challenges” (Iran, comparative study) showed that Qurʿānic principles can complement the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and emphasized social justice as a foundation for human rights.
• “Confucian Philosophy and Collective Rights” (China, historical analysis) proposed replacing individualism with social harmony and modeling rights based on family relations.
• “Women’s Rights in the Eastern Approach” (Turkey, case study) examined Islamic advancements and concluded that the Eastern approach can strengthen women’s rights without Westernization.
• “The Role of Buddhism in Environmental Rights” (India, qualitative) focused on sustainability and integrating Buddhist ethics into global law.
• “Human Rights Challenges in Africa from an Eastern Perspective” (Egypt, comparative) proposed cultural networking.
• “Islamophobia and Western Human Rights” (USA, critical) analyzed Western double standards.
• “Economic Rights in East Asia” (South Korea, statistical) highlighted the success of Eastern models in economic rights.
• “Cultural Diplomacy and Human Rights” (Russia) suggested incorporating Eastern approaches into the United Nations.
• “Human Rights and the Palestinian Crisis” (Iran, case study) emphasized the necessity of Eastern solutions for legal resolution.
• “East-West Convergence” (Austria, future-oriented) recommended joint research for mutual understanding.
Despite methodological diversity, a unifying theme across all papers was highlighting the innovative and solution-oriented contributions of the Eastern approach to human rights.
The Eastern Approach: Its Nature and Rationale
The Eastern approach to human rights, emphasizing collectivism and traditional values, can complement the Western approach, which is often individualistic and secular. The conference highlighted that although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is valuable, it does not sufficiently address cultural diversity.
In a world where human rights discourse is increasingly used as a political tool to exert pressure on states, it is essential to critique the dominant approach and present an alternative perspective. Recent events, such as the genocide in Gaza, the inefficiency of human rights institutions, and ongoing injustices, have made this necessity even more evident. The conference aimed to address such challenges and offer a deeper and more comprehensive interpretation of human rights. For instance, in the Islamic panel, discussions emphasized that social justice in Islam—through mechanisms such as zakāt and the rights of the poor—can provide models for global economic rights, whereas the Western approach primarily focuses on individual freedoms. This cultural distinction is not merely a challenge; it is an opportunity to enrich global human rights discourse.
Key challenges discussed included human rights violations in some Eastern countries, such as gender or political restrictions. The conference demonstrated that the Eastern approach, with its emphasis on harmony and ethics, can address these issues from within. Conference statistics—showing that 60 percent of the papers originated from Asia—highlight the East’s potential for theoretical contributions in this area. Cultural interaction analyses suggested that linguistic and ideological barriers, such as Islamophobia, can be mitigated through dialogue.
The conference’s impact on policymaking may include the establishment of research networks, as reflected in the final statement. For future research, it was recommended to conduct more comparative studies on African-Asian approaches and to examine the role of the United Nations in integrating these perspectives. In a multipolar world, the Eastern approach could help reduce conflicts, such as the Gaza crisis, where Western silence has been notable.
