In 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and URG launched the ‘Friday Exchange’, a series of quarterly informal policy dialogues (small roundtable discussions) designed to allow States from all regions to exchange opinions, bridge differences and identify common ground on some of the most difficult and intractable issues facing the Human Rights Council and the wider UN human rights pillar today.
The ‘Friday Exchange’ aims to provide an informal ‘safe space’ (under Chatham House rule) for States to understand each other’s positions, reflect upon obstacles to consensus, and identify practical solutions. In-so-doing, the Exchange will support the work and effectiveness of the Human Rights Council and the wider UN human rights system, drive progress on key human rights questions facing the international community, and promote inter-State and inter-regional understanding and cooperation. The Exchange seeks to secure the participation of delegations from each UN region and different political groups, inviting the States most implicated by the issues under discussion.
