About the Program

The World As It Could Be Human Rights Education Program is an outgrowth of a series of successful initiatives carried out since 2006 to educate and inspire youth and adults to further human rights for all people. These initiatives have used the creative arts to deepen learning about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR); they have also given participating youth the voice to teach their peers and adults about the importance of the UDHR concepts.

With the success of two years of pilot work at San Francisco’s Balboa High School (Jerry Garcia’s alma mater), and Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo, CA, the project is now working to widely distribute a high school curriculum that integrates the creative arts to deepen the learning of the UDHR, as well as to commission original productions in which youth convey the importance of the UDHR Articles, starting with Article 26, the Right to an Education.

While raising awareness about the UDHR the project seeks to provide multiple levels of benefits:

-Supporting grassroots non-profits and creative arts professionals

-Showcasing the importance and value of creative arts to personal development and a vibrant culture

-Engaging youth to inspire learning, critical thinking and positive social interaction

-Encouraging youth who are often marginalized due to learning or physical differences to enjoy participation in school-wide events

-Engaging the broader community to support and celebrate accomplishments of youth

-Providing collaboration opportunities among non-profits, public schools and universities

The two main initiatives of the project currently are:

-Distribution and continuing development of a project-based high school curriculum, and congruent teacher training institutes. The curriculum, which meets high school requirements for teaching the UDHR, integrates the creative arts and a culminating presentation to inspire the students toward deep learning, personal growth and civic engagement

-Commissioned original productions that provide youth participating in community-based creative arts programs with opportunities to develop and perform work based on UDHR concepts. These productions, recorded for DVD and video distribution, then become a teaching tool for the immediate live audiences as well as the broader public.

Invitation to Participate: The World As It Could Be Summer Institute, 2013

INVITATION FROM THE REX FOUNDATION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL & MULTICULTURAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION 3-Day Institute to Experience The World As It Could Be Program Curriculum Tuesday-Thursday, July 30-August 1, 2013, [...]

Course Offering: Integrated Learning for Human Rights and Social Justice

Collaboration Between the Alameda County Office of Education and The World As It Could Be We are thrilled to announce a new 5-day course – Integrated Learning for Human Rights and Social Justice – a collaborative project of the Art [...]

Rites of Passage: Special Event March 4

As part of building on the work of The World As It Could Be Program taking place over the last few years in Bay Area and other high schools, we invite you to a special event on Monday, March 4, from [...]

SF Board of Education Honors The World As It Could Be

We are proud and honored to announce that on the occasion of December 10th as International Human Rights Day, on Tuesday, December 11, 2012, The World As It Could Be Human Rights Education Program received a Resolution and Certificate of [...]

Henry Sidle Sings “There’s a Way” and “The World As It Could Be” at GOTV 2012

David Gans introduces Henry Sidle, who sings his original compositions and talks about Rex’s work in human rights. Henry says: “It was such an honor to be up on the Green Vibes stage a few weeks ago. Not only was [...]

Art Show Benefits The World As It Could Be

Update: At the closing reception of the ARTSKOOL’D show, on Friday, September 28 from 5-7 p.m., there’s yet another way to support Rex and get cool art. Participating artist Pedro Mena also created the artwork for “An Acoustic Evening With [...]

‘There’s a Way’–or Two or Three–at GOTV

We were delighted when Rex supporter Henry Sidle, who last year composed the human rights anthem “The World As It Could Be” and performed it to an appreciative audience at Gathering of the Vibes, sent us his latest, “There’s a [...]

Scenes From the 2012 Summer Institute

This year’s Summer Institute for The World As It Could Be at the University of San Francisco was a great success. We loved working with the participants, sharing thoughts on human rights, and being inspired by everyone’s presentations. Thanks so [...]

“THIS IS A PUBLIC RECORD”–Download Andrea McEvoy Spero’s Dissertation

Andrea McEvoy Spero‘s Ph.D. dissertation for the University of San Francisco, “THIS IS A PUBLIC RECORD”: TEACHING HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH THE PERFORMING ARTS is now available for download as a PDF file. Download Andrea McEvoy Spero’s Dissertation as a PDF [...]

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