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Between 12 and 14 April, a Training of Trainers course was conducted for the topic “Learning to teach Human Rights through Intellectual Games”. The course was organized by the Promo-LEX Association in partnership with the Moldovan Club of Intellectual Games and was funded by the US Embassy in Chisinau.

The basic goal of the course was to raise awareness of intellectual games as a means of learning and promotion of human rights among young people from the Transnistrian region of Moldova. The course brought together 22 young persons (students of 10-12th grades) from different regions of Transnistria: Ribnita, Dubasari, Tiraspol, Grigoriopol and Tighina.

The program of the course included two basic modules: the first one focused on the field of human rights, and the second – on that of intellectual games. During the first day of the course, participants learned some of the basic human rights concepts. A brief introduction to the history of the subject taught the participants more details about the appearance of the field and the basic reference documents in the field of human rights, such as: the Cylinder of Cyrus, Magna Carta Libertatum, the US Declaration of Independence, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but also about the evolution of the law in the Romanian space. Other subjects on the agenda of the first day of the training referred to the basic principles and classification of human rights. The trainers taught the participants about the national and international tools and mechanisms for protecting human rights.

The second and third days of the course were dedicated to intellectual games. The participants learned about the concept of intellectual games, what were some of the most popular games, what were the game rules and how the games are organized. The participants were trained to play such games as „The Hat”, “The Pyramid”, „Trivia Quiz”, „Match”, „Brain Ring” and „What Where When”.

Later, the participants were divided into teams and played the games they learned about. The questions asked during the games required both general knowledge and specific human rights related issues. In order to give correct answers, the participants had to apply the knowledge they had gained during the first day of the training.

The participants gave high appreciation both to the content of the course and to the idea behind it. Most of them noted that the course exceeded their expectations and that they had learned many new things both about human rights and intellectual games. The course organizers believe that the course as well as the project in general is a very good initiative, because it manages to combine in a fun and entertaining way the process of learning with the promotion of human rights and intellectual games. In a country with countless accounts of human rights violations and a frozen conflict, learning, defending and promoting human rights is imperative.

Note that the course was the first activity within the project. In order to become true multipliers and promoters of human rights and intellectual games, the course participants will have to organize training seminars in the field of human rights as well as two sessions of intellectual games, in their schools, among their colleagues.

We remind that the course was organized as part of the project „Human rights start with education” with the financial support of the US Embassy in Chisinau.