Santos Ikiba: Humanity is for all

Santos during SARs Artivism Day Campaign, November 2023.
Santos Ikiba.

Santos, a student in the master's program Human Rights and Multiculturalism, shares his experience from the internship with Scholars at Risk.

In his third semester Santos participated in student advocacy seminars through an internship with Scholars at Risk. The Master in Human Rights and Multiculturalism includes a course The practice of human rights and multiculturalism that opens up for internships.

Greetings!

In the depths of a society poisoned by selfishness, greed and hunger for power, the true essence of humanity is lost. Humanity is for aa; justice, a dream. I dreamt, and now that dream is becoming a reality through my academic journey in Human Rights and Multiculturalism.

With pressing issues of injustice, discrimination and inequality in today’s world, knowledge in human rights and accepting diversity to me are indispensable. They provide the lens through which one can understand and address the cold-hearted evils. It’s a double-edged sword, sharpening me on the exercise of human rights and equipping me with the knowledge and skills to advocate for those whose voices are often silenced.

As an MSc. student, my participation in the transformative network ScholarsAtRisk (SAR) and the student advocacy has allowed me to translate classroom knowledge into action. Engaging in school podcasts, I amplified the voices that deserve to be heard, contributing to the ongoing struggle for justice. I felt the world outside classroom.

Moreover, my role as the Director for Nuruslums Hope for Africa is a testament to the practicality of my major. It empowers me to embrace humanity, make a positive impact and bring meaningful change to the lives of those in need. 

Human rights and multiculturalism has provided me with unprecedented knowledge, making my journey a dynamic blend of academic rigor and real-world application. Join me on this path of knowledge, activism and community-building, as we strive to create a world where education and human rights converge and thrive.

Santos Ikiba
February 20th 2024

(Photos by Runze Wang)