HUMAN education

“It is high time that ethics, justice, sustainable balance become our concerns. For we are threatened by the gravest dangers that could put an end to the human adventure on a planet that is becoming uninhabitable for us.”

Stéphane Hessel, French diplomat, poet and activist,
from his pamphlet “Empört Euch!” (“outrage!”), 2010

In the spirit of democracy and human rights education, we would like to inspire and enable young people in particular to commit themselves to living together in respect, tolerance and co-responsibility. For educators and those involved in schools, district projects, youth facilities and church congregations, HUMAN offers a variety of impulses for creative engagement with the basic themes of being human, for peaceful coexistence in the sense of UN human rights and the Earth Charter: from a single project day to (interdisciplinary) lessons, to a school project week that can lead to a dance performance, for example. HUMAN themes can also shape international student encounters, district projects or activities in church congregations.

For the realisation of their own projects, we offer two HUMAN scripts for teachers as inspiration and guidance.

Questions and Answers

How can a school, for example, get involved in HUMAN?

Participation is possible at any time and without application. As the responsible educator, you can decide in which form and to what extent you take up the human rights issue. As support for the realisation of your own projects, we have various free materials that you can find here .

We are happy to publish projects that have been created and implemented as inspiration for others. Simply share your projects or project ideas here with us.

How can I use the HUMAN music in my school?

The music expresses important themes of being human in 13 short pieces of music, rich in nuances, forceful and powerful. Fields of tension play a central role. 

  • HUMAN music or individual HUMAN music pieces can be used in many subjects. For example, as a creative introduction, to address selected human rights such as the importance of freedom of the press, inclusion, dimensions of work and home.
  • HUMAN music can also be an inspiration for actions in the visual arts.
  • HUMAN-Musik kann auch eine Inspiration für Aktionen in der bildenden Kunst sein.
  • The school orchestra can rehearse the HUMAN Suite and invite it to a concert, a concert reading (e.g. with texts on human rights issues) or to a music and dance performance. We are also happy to provide conductors of school orchestras with an adapted score. Please contact us here.


We are always open to further ideas. We are also happy to receive experiences with HUMAN projects and publish them as testimonials, with the name of the school or author. Write us your feedback here.

You can find out more about the core issues of HUMAN at HUMAN music and HUMAN dance.

How can schools combine HUMAN music with movement & dance?

Movement and dance to HUMAN music provide a creative, playful approach to basic themes of being human and human rights, not only in the subjects of music and sport.

  • A project week could focus on preparing and creating an internal or public HUMAN dance performance in which the HUMAN music is played on CD or in which the school orchestra plays live.
  • The HUMAN music can inspire the development of a community dance choreography, developed together with the students or by teachers. No application or licence is required.
  • HUMAN choreographers can be invited and engaged for a “Five days to dance project week” at the school. This intensive pedagogical-artistic project week is rounded off with an internal or public HUMAN Community Dance performance. Between 50 and 120 pupils can take part in such a HUMAN Community Dance project week; the number of participating choreographers varies with the number of participants.


We are also happy to receive experiences with HUMAN projects and publish them as testimonials, with the name of the school or author. Write to us here .

You can find out more about the core issues of HUMAN at HUMAN music and HUMAN dance.

What materials are available for dance projects?
  • The script “Dancing HUMAN” offers an insight into the choreography ideas of Wilfried van Poppel, Amaya Lubeigt, Nanni Kloke and Susan Barnett for the 13 HUMAN themes of the Community Dance premiere at Theater Bremen. We will be happy to send you the complete version of the script on request. You can find an excerpt here.
  • First HUMAN dance impressions of the HUMAN choreographers to selected HUMAN music can be found on our YouTube channel. The film of the HUMAN Community Dance premiere in Bremen can be found here.
What materials are available for HUMAN music?

The HUMAN music can be purchased as a CD via the online store of the Kulturbüro Burggrabe, ordered as a CD and vinyl via amazon or streamed on all common platforms: SpotifyApple MusicamazonDeezerTidalQobuz.
Schools, orchestras and theatres can get the CD for the special price of 12€/CD (plus postage). Request here.

We are happy to give the study score to interested conductors, orchestras and musicians. Just contact us.

You can download Helge Burggrabe’s explanations of the 13 HUMAN music pieces in various languages:

German

English

In the HUMAN album trailer the composer Helge Burggrabe and the British conductor Duncan Ward, who conducted the CD recording, outline their approaches to the composition.

Music videos for selected pieces of HUMAN music can be found auf unserem YouTube channel.

Does HUMAN offer workshops for educators?

Train the trainer workshops are planned with the HUMAN choreographers team around Wilfried van Poppel and Amaya Lubeigt for interested teachers. If you are interested, please contact us.

What HUMAN materials are available on the topic of human rights education?

Aspects and topics of human rights are included in the curricula of almost all subjects and grades nationwide. An overview of all HUMAN materials can be found here.

What further materials and contact points on human rights education can you recommend?

Many organisations in the field of human rights also offer materials for schools, and some promote their own “youth engagement groups”. With regard to school materials, we would like to point out some addresses here:

  • The book “Compass. Handbook on Human Rights Education” fans out ideas and materials on human rights education on more than 600 pages. It is published by the German Institute for Human Rights Education, the Council of Europe, the Federal Agency for Civic Education, Amnesty International and the Lucerne University of Teacher Education. The book has been translated into 30 languages and is available for free download or can be ordered from the Federal Agency for Civic Education (nominal fee 7.50 € plus postage).
  • right now is an initiative of the two human rights experts and education practitioners Else Engel and Lea Fenner. Their work focuses on children’s rights and human rights education. In their experiential and process-oriented trainings – also for teachers/students – they are guided by a human rights education that shapes intersections with peace education as well as ethical, political and intercultural education. In this way, they support people and organisations in putting human rights into practice.
  • The Berlin Committee for UNESCO Work e.V. is a member of the UNESCO Club Movement network and has published a documentation with numerous texts and ideas under the heading “The right to be a human being”. Download here.
  • The website “Menschenrechte – Deine Rechte” of the Baden-Württemberg Youth Foundation offers information and methodological suggestions as well as project ideas for working with young people (“human rights city tour”, “human rights talk”, etc.).
  • On the focus “Freedom of the press is a human right”, the association “Reporters without Borders” has produced, among other things, the “World Map of Freedom of the Press” with teaching recommendations.
  • The church relief organisations misereor and Bread for the world offer teaching materials on individual aspects of human rights in the globalised world. The thematic booklet “Human Rights” can be downloaded free of charge from the Misereor website.
  • The Kinderschutzbund Deutschland focuses on all issues related to children’s rights and provides building blocks and materials for working with younger children.


You can find more links to materials and organisations on our page Support & Network.

Is there an exchange between the schools involved in HUMAN projects?

Experiences, ideas and activities are welcome to be published on the HUMAN website in the form of texts and videos as inspiration and for networking purposes. We are happy to hear from you here.

I have more questions, who can I contact?

You can find more answers in our Fragen und Antworten on the following topics  HUMAN musicHUMAN danceHUMAN education and Donation. In addition, you are always welcome to contact us here .

HUMAN music

The basis of the HUMAN International Culture Project

HUMAN dance

Connecting HUMAN music with community dance projects.

“For me, it was natural to take part in a project on the topic of “human rights” because, in my opinion, human rights in themselves are a matter of course. Every person in the world should have the same chances and opportunities to live a happy and fulfilling life. We all know that there is still a long way to go and that is why we should keep campaigning for a fairer world. Being able to do this in such a creative way as in the “HUMAN” project was of course also fun, despite the serious background.“

Jennifer Großer

Social education worker at the Tannenhof girls’ residential group on the film project HUMANrights – 75 years of human rights

‘It’s great how HUMAN music and dancing together open the doors to a new shared school living and learning space. Here, the 160 students, 32 teachers and 41 educators involved come together without language to form a large community: what a wonderful plea for more humanity across all borders.’

Margaretha Bennert-Bürgler

Deputy Head of School at St. Franziskus School about the vision of the inclusive, intergenerational HUMAN Community Dance project in cooperation with St. Benno-Gymnasium (Dresden, November 2024)

‘Dance creates connection. The HUMAN project allows the often abstract idea of human rights to be visualised through movement. Humanity is the ability to develop a deeper understanding of each other and a stronger connection through shared experiences and forms of expression.’

Tami Lou Ollhäuser

Teacher, Gemeinschaftsschule Gebhard Konstanz, director of the HUMAN Community Dance Project (October 2024)

‘Dance means learning with all the senses and with the body. A project that translates human rights into dance opens up a valuable experiential space to experience the foundations of social coexistence, such as tolerance, respect, cooperation and communication, on a completely different level.’

Charlotte Dreßen

Director, Gebhard Community School Constance, HUMAN Community Dance Project (October 2024)

‘Community is reflected in the interactions of our students. Where, if not in dance, can togetherness open up a space for so much more?’

Ann-Kathrin Speidel

Teacher, Gemeinschaftsschule Gebhard Konstanz, HUMAN Community Dance Project (October 2024)

“The HUMAN Project is designed to empower young people and help them flourish!”

Helge Burggrabe

HUMAN Initiator and composer of HUMAN music

“Even the first rehearsal together was full of touching, humorous, tense moments. It was a great feeling to experience how intensively the students had already engaged with human rights and music. I’m looking forward to the big performance in June.”

Lena Simon

Cultural Office of the City of Wolfenbüttel, Head of the HUMAN Project at the Lessingtheater Wolfenbüttel

“The German-Polish student encounter week in connection with the HUMAN project days was the most impressive thing that ever took place at our secondary school. The 45 children from Germany, Ukraine, Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, Northern Macedonia, Hungary, Syria, Spain and Peru also rose above themselves in the Community Dance. What a touching and moving sign for more humanity!”

Gabriele Lechner

Headmaster of Pfeffenhausen Primary and Secondary School on the HUMAN Community Dance Workshop with the partner school Szkoła Podstawowa Poland

“Participating in the Human International Cultural Dance Project in Pfeffenhausen was an unforgettable adventure and a beautiful learning experience for the Polish students.”

Barbara Dzikowska

Barbara Dzikowska, teacher and partnership officer, on the HUMAN Community Dance Workshop, Szkoła Podstawowa and Pfeffenhausen Primary and Secondary School

“The dance project was very special. It was so nice to see how much joy the impaired people had to be able to dance with us.”

Anina Hartmann

Participant of the first inclusive HUMAN project in June 2021, Rudolf Steiner School Zürcher Oberland/Wetzikon

“Unbelievable what the group has worked out on human rights in such a short time. The implementation turned out beautifully and touched me very much.”

Mirjam Rohde

Class teacher 12a, on the HUMAN dance project at the Ida-Ehre-Gemeinschaftsschule, Bad Oldesloe (March 2023)

“Very much I hope that many will be inspired by the innovative and exciting HUMAN Culture Project and the young people’s commitment to human rights. It is with pleasure that our university contributes to this.”

Karin Luckey

Rektorin der Hochschule Bremen (bis 8/2023)

“The project was a completely new dance experience and a really nice togetherness, without any pressure of grades. We could all get involved and problems were dealt with directly.”

Nele

Pupil of the 12th grade on the HUMAN dance project at the Ida-Ehre-Gemeinschaftsschule Bad Oldesloe (March 2023)

“During the project we started to think more about the topic of human rights. The thoughts about the fact that some privileges like the right to work or education do not exist in many countries did not let us go. We don’t even think about it anymore because we seem to take these rights for granted, but through the intense immersion through movement and words, we realized how much we still have to struggle in this area.”

Eva Beilharz und Merle Horn

Pupils of the 12th grade of the Freie Waldorfschule in Freudenstadt.

“Young people who are interested in people in other countries develop a deep understanding of a Europe of diversity, of a Europe of peace and democracy. This is the great pound of this school partnership and the HUMAN performance for it a powerful, distinctive sign.”

Ruth Müller, MdL (SPD)

Deputy Chairwoman of the SPD in the Bavarian State Parliament, County Councilor in the County of Landshut

“It was an exciting and intense week where the students pushed themselves to their limits while living ‘humanity’ with grace and energy. A wonderful experience for all involved!”

Barbara Meyer und Annette Bildhauer

Teachers at the Gymnasium am Wall in Verden/Aller

“The HUMAN International Culture Project as a process of human rights education honours human rights and also all the contributors to it.”

Gerhard Ziener

Author and Lecturer, Pedagogical-Theological Centre Stuttgart

“Don’t be afraid to be big, it was one of the best experiences of my life.”

Joana Laranjeira

Participant of the “Five days to dance” Erasmus+ project in Meppel, The Netherlands

“Well, I think human rights are an incredibly brilliant idea! That man as a species, which is very much characterized by ‘survival of the fittest’, can conceive of such ideals of equality, freedom and connectedness, that is a phenomenal achievement.”

Morten Reisemann

Ensemble member, HUMAN dance premiere Bremen

“A project like HUMAN emphasizes what unites all people and makes us think about how important human rights are. I’m happy to contribute to making society more aware of their importance.”

Julio Fernández

Conductor of the HUMAN Community premiere Bremen

“For me, HUMAN is the chance of an intercultural embrace between people who value life.”

David Cisternas

Violinist and dramaturge of the Konsonanz chamber ensemble

“HUMAN offers an inspiring and empowering opportunity for youth and all others involved to work together on an artistic project, and with a focus on the values, needs, and desires common to all people, to creatively counter the current tide of global issues that are shaking our inner stability.”

Susan Barnett

HUMAN Community Dance choreography team

“Dancing together is so wonderful. Because dance is a great language that all people understand. I take great joy in expressing the 13 pieces on being human. I’ve really been bitten by the dance bug!”

Yeroh Saw

Ensemble member, HUMAN dance premiere Bremen

“For me, the HUMAN performance expressed a new human right, as essential as any other: the right to be who you are!”

Yann Lenggenhager

History Teacher, Lead Educator Robert F Kennedy Human Rights, Switzerland

“With HUMAN, we want to encourage young people to develop their personal strengths and visions with the goal of going their own way as part of a free and tolerant society.

Kurt de Prins

Principal of IMELDA High School in Molenbeek

“The HUMAN project means for us as a label: empathy and enthusiasm to put the UN human rights in music and dance in a completely new way in sound and image.”

Marcus Heinicke

Senior Product Manager at Edel Kultur/Berlin Classics

“The HUMAN evening carried us away. Mutual union and decoding of movement and music. Profound and joyful at the same time. A moving reminder of human rights, which are so precious and so threatened.”

Katharina Vollmer

Pastor, Swiss German Reformed Parish of Geneva, on the HUMAN performance on UN Human Rights Day, Dec. 10, 2022 at the Temple de Madeleine.

“More than ever, our world needs humanity. So I am very happy that HUMAN wants to overcome opposites with young people in order to realize the dream of equality and unity of cultures in a loving and humane way.”

Aldegonde Brenninkmeijer-Werhahn

Initiator of the HUMAN performance in Brussels

“For me, HUMAN is about essentials: beyond language and cultural barriers, we are all first and foremost human beings – with bodies that want to move. Community dance can break down walls and build bridges! So let’s dance!”

Nanni Kloke

Leitung HUMAN Choreographie Team

“For me, dance makes my world better. I tell stories and images with it. It’s something very unique, intimate, and at the same time, very communal.”

Mina Raschiatore

Ensemble member, HUMAN dance premiere Bremen

“Dancing together is an ideal platform to meet each other with openness, respect and acceptance.”

Wilfried van Poppel

Choreography HUMAN Community Dance premiere and direction of HUMAN school projects “Five days to dance”.

“It is a very special opportunity to share with others and through HUMAN and dance theater to bring body movements, images and demands for human rights such as freedom, equality, creativity … forever into the world.”

Pablo García Bartolomé

Psychologist specializing in art therapy, community health and health education.

“Being HUMAN is our reality, but feeling HUMAN is our right. Through this project and through dance, we want to invite participants to love and express life, to feel, to understand and to work together for a better world.”

Amaya Lubeigt

Choreography HUMAN Community Dance premiere and direction of HUMAN school projects.

“Movement arises out of itself, that’s how I dance. Doing this for human rights holds archaic moments and touches my heart – it is healing. Taking the movement of our VALUES into the world is just wonderful.”

Andrea M. Nossem

Participant of the HUMAN dance project with free dance in munich, germany.

“It’s about self-confidence. HUMAN is a very beautiful project where you can express yourself, and I think that’s great.”

Rita Pereira

Participant of the “Five days to dance” – Erasmus project in the Lernhaus am Campus in Osterholz-Scharmbeck

“Edris – a young Afghan who danced in this project won my heart! Between despair and tears in his eyes from laughter, he made me live through everything in the four days. At the end, he gave me a Turkish euro, which he probably had with him as a good luck charm on his escape. It was really as if someone was pressing a gold treasure into my hand out of sheer gratitude of being seen. THAT touched and impressed me deeply.”

Nina Baldinger

Choreographer, leader of a HUMAN community dance project in Freiburg (2022), with 20 people from 7 different nations.

“Participation in the Human Project has given me the opportunity, through the expression of dance, to recognize and communicate universal sensations and feelings of human rights in a wonderful and, for me, unknown atmosphere. Both in terms of the artistic situation and the group of people who participated in this project. A hug for all of you!”

Gloria Madrigal Mir

Participant in a HUMAN dance project in Asturias, summer 2022

“Expressing in free dance what shows up moment to moment on these compositions by Helge Burggrabe on elemental themes of being human, unites us as a group and brings our individual expression of humanity to the world. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for this great gift!”

Oranna Erb

Direction of the HUMAN dance project with free dance in Munich

“The idea of the Human Project is to bring young people together, to give them a voice so they can be heard individually and collectively.”

Royston Maldoom

Artistic accompaniment choreography

“With a dance project like HUMAN, everyone can participate. There is consideration for one’s own abilities and the best is brought out.”

Madita Brünjes

Ensemble member, HUMAN dance premiere Bremen

“To participate in a community dance project means for me to be able to express myself without borders. In HUMAN, this is how we present the basic rights of humanity, which unfortunately are not respected in many countries.”

Sandra Calvo Pastor

Ensemble member, HUMAN dance premiere Bremen

» We are tonight in the HUMAN dance project spectators or participants of a new human-human relationship without ifs and buts. […] The only essential thing is the encounter at the same eye level in the presence of the full individuality of each other. «

Domenig Christian Gaegauf

Initiator of the first inclusive HUMAN dance project in Switzerland (June 2021)

“A great project! I wish all participants deep lasting and happy impressions and encounters. I would love to dance along immediately! Hopefully the message will also reach places and people where it is especially needed, so that human rights can really be rights of all people.”

Julia Jentsch

Film and theater actress

“Human rights are the minimum framework on the basis of which the individual can develop. Therefore, they must be collectively demanded and protected. In the workshop team formed by Amaya and Wilfried, we are all pieces of a beautiful puzzle whose elements fit together to form a whole. But the message is never clear, it requires audience members who are challenged by what happens on stage.”

Angélica López de la Manzanara

Lawyer, participant in the HUMAN Community Dance project in Asturias in the summer of 2022.

“Human encounter in movement, where the spark jumps before the dance begins. And suddenly we spectators are also part of this warm-hearted community of people who are all on our way.

Semya Ayoubi

Visitor to the HUMAN Community Dance performance at the inclusive European Congress “Moving Borders” 16.6.2022, Zurich

“Dancing with people is always very moving and fills the heart immensely, especially when you see so many different people who didn’t know each other before dancing a piece like HUMAN together on stage.”

Susanne Eule

Choreographer, director of a HUMAN community dance project in Freiburg (2022) with 20 people from 7 nations.

The moving engagement with human rights set positive processes in motion in the participants and promoted and enriched communication between all.

Katharina Gutzeit

Dance teacher and cultural mediator, leader of a HUMAN dance project at the Ida-Ehre-Gemeinschaftsschule Bad Oldesloe (2023)

“It fills me with great joy and confidence to weave in free dance, together with other dancers, the loving, appreciative togetherness of the human family.”

Vera Griebert-Schröder

Participant of the HUMAN project with free dance and Conscious Dance, Munich

“The music and the dance express what cannot be said and about which it is impossible to be silent. Man must not be silent and must not be silenced. That is why we dance.”

Mareike Windorf

Managing Director, German Chamber Orchestra Berlin

“Project HUMAN is about all of us. Regardless of your skin color, country of origin, age, background, disability or culture, it’s about you. And it’s a privilege to be a part of it!”

Albino Moura

Principal Escola de Dança Lugar Presente, Viseu-Portugal, partner in the Erasmus project
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