Michael O’Flaherty gives second Röling lecture in Groningen: War, Peace and Human Rights

From Ukraine to Gaza: every day shows how fragile peace and human rights are – and how urgent the question is of what role human rights can play in achieving and maintaining peace.

On Wednesday 10 December 2025, International Human Rights Day, Michael O'Flaherty, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, will address these urgent and topical issues in Groningen during the second Röling Lecture. His lecture is entitled: “War, Peace and Human Rights”.

Influential voice in the field of human rights

With extensive experience at the UN, the EU and the Council of Europe – and work in conflict areas such as Bosnia and Sierra Leone – Irish human rights lawyer O’Flaherty is one of the most influential voices in the international human rights field. He has held the office of Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe since 2024.

His lecture promises to offer a sharp and expert view of current events and the power of human rights as an instrument for peace.

Röling Lecture

The Röling Lecture is held annually around the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (10 December the 10^th 1948) and is named after the Groningen legal scholar and founder of the Polemological Institute, Bernard Röling (1906–1985).

Practical information

Location: Aula, Academy Building, University of Groningen
Date: Wednesday 10 December 2025 – starts at 7.30 p.m. (doors open at 7.15 p.m.)
Admission: free | Language: English

Programme:

• 7.15 p.m. – Walk-in and reception
• 7.30 p.m. – Welcome by Prof. Wilbert Kolkman, Dean of the Faculty of Law
• 7.40 p.m. – Röling lecture by Michael O’Flaherty, Commissioner for Human Rights, Council of Europe
• 8.30 p.m. – Interview by Paul van Sasse van IJsselt, Professor of law and religion, Faculty of Law
• 8.45 p.m. – Questions and answers with the audience
• 9.00 p.m. – End