The presidential initiative is being trialed in seven secondary schools in Denmark
The International Bar Association has rolled out its Rule of Law Educational Project, a presidential initiative geared towards the youth.
The Danish Bar and Law Society helped to develop the initiative, which is being trialed in seven secondary schools in Denmark. The pilot runs from March 3 to May 4 and involves 10 classes.
Over 400 students aged 15-19 have signed up. The Denmark program is divided into the pre-workshop, one-day workshop, selection, video production, and IBA Annual Conference phases.
The pre-workshop phase is a teacher-led phase that takes place remotely. Participants will study introductory materials on the rule of law, which includes the IBA Rule of Law video series.
The one-day in-person workshop is lawyer-led and involves interactive legal instruction, dilemma-based discussions, and creative exercises. Students will create storylines for rule of law-focused narrative videos. During the selection phase, a committee will review the student narratives and choose the top five concepts to be produced professionally with a video production company. The video production phase will be led by a video production expert.
Finally, the program participants will attend the 2026 IBA Annual Conference in Copenhagen.
“Around the world, we are witnessing the sustained erosion of legal safeguards and institutional independence. If we are serious about protecting democracy and fundamental rights, we must begin with education. Empowering young people to understand and defend the rule of law is one of the most powerful and enduring investments we can make in our collective future,” said IBA president Claudio Visco in a statement. “Through the IBA Rule of Law Educational Project, the IBA is making that investment in future guardians. By engaging students directly with practising lawyers and real-world dilemmas, we are helping to build a generation that will recognise threats to the rule of law and have the confidence and courage to stand up for it.”
The World Justice Project reported that between 2024-2025, the rule of law declined in 68 percent of countries for the eighth straight year.
“Democracy, freedom of expression and the rule of law are values we often take for granted in Denmark – but they are far from a given everywhere in the world. That is why it is so valuable when young people have the opportunity to engage with these questions and reflect on their importance,” Anya Eskildsen, CEO of Niels Brock Copenhagen Business College, said in a statement.
The Denmark pilot will be reviewed with the aim of expanding the program to other jurisdictions.
