The institute's largest annual event, the Samuel Dash Conference on Human Rights honors the legacy of long-time Georgetown Law professor Sam Dash—a tireless advocate whose human rights career spanned half a century.

For many people, “human rights” connotes the struggle for freedom and dignity in other countries, often in the context of major geopolitical or ideological contests. But that misses the essential wisdom and power of the human rights idea: that respect for the inherent dignity of every individual—and protection of their human rights—begins in “small places, close to home.”

The human rights challenges of our world today require more than law and policy change. Holistic and sustainable progress requires a fundamental shift in society's attitudes about human rights. Art, film, and other visual culture have the power to disrupt entrenched narratives and catalyze positive social change.

Father Robert F. Drinan was a professor at Georgetown Law from 1981 until his death in January 2007. He was a priest, scholar, lawyer, politician, activist, ethicist and one of the nation’s leading advocates for international human rights. Each year, Georgetown Law appoints a distinguished human rights advocate as the Drinan Chair in Human Rights and invites him or her to our community to teach, lecture, and mentor students for one year.