Recent political, economic and social crises seem to increasingly challenge the normative value and practical relevance of human rights. Such crises include the rise of (neo-)nationalist populist politics, a growing number of authoritarian states and challenges to international law and multilateralism. While some have started to fundamentally question the value of human rights, others maintain that current crises call for more and better human rights implementation not less. Both perspectives are perspectives of contestation: Human rights are contested, but they may also be used to contest illiberal and authoritarian politics.

Leading international human rights scholars, activists, and representatives of the UN and other international institutions will discuss, analyse and propose reactions to human rights in times of contestation. They will convene in Nuremberg a city that has seen both: Human rights being contested through their complete annihilation by the Nazi regime and human rights as source of contestation of the most barbarous acts during the trials bringing the leading figures of the Nazi regime to justice.