Mission

Shaping a new generation of leaders who act with purpose to shape societies where everyone belongs.

Humanity in Action is an international leadership development organization offering transformative educational programs rooted in cross-cultural dialogue. Our participants engage with local histories of exclusion and dehumanization to identify lessons for today’s most pressing social challenges.

Our mission is to:

Educate tomorrow’s leaders on past and present human rights challenges through critical historical as well as contemporary inquiries and cross-cultural dialogue, developing essential skills to affect change.
Connect an ever-growing international community committed to strengthening democracy, human rights, and pluralism.
Inspire civic engagement for advancing social equity, responsibility, and justice.

The mission of Humanity in Action is vital and timely.

Our programs confront today’s most pressing societal challenges with a commitment to education, leadership, and action.

In response to the growing polarization and fractures that threaten social cohesion, we foster dialogue across divides and encourage understanding among diverse perspectives.
As anti-democratic forces, extremism, and the distortion of truth gain ground, we promote civic engagement, critical thinking, and a steadfast commitment to democratic values.
Where inequities and discrimination persist against marginalized and minoritized communities, we work to elevate their voices and advance equity and inclusion.
In the face of resistance to diversity, equity, inclusion, and restorative justice, we build a culture of belonging grounded in those very principles.
To combat civic passivity and democratic apathy, we empower individuals to participate actively and knowledgeably in public life.

Seeing beyond the realities our tribes want us to see

Our Founding and Evolution

The core tenet of Humanity in Action’s educational programming is learning from historical contexts to meet today’s challenges.

Our fellowships are grounded in what history can teach us about responding to threats against vulnerable populations and communities, and how we can use those lessons to build and support inclusive societies.

Humanity in Action was founded in 1997 with a focus on the 1943 flight and rescue of the Jews in Denmark during the Holocaust. The rescue exemplifies collective resistance in the face of great danger and was also a powerful lesson in how individuals can take meaningful action within their own communities and spheres of influence. It is that lesson that inspires Humanity in Action.

Since our founding, the organization’s scope has grown conceptually, intellectually, and geographically.

Our unique programs in Europe and the United States allow Fellows to learn about specific human rights challenges of the past and present, including peacebuilding and transitional justice, the legacies of slavery and colonialism, and resistance against far-right movements within democracies. These inquiries allow our Fellows to identify themes and throughlines to understand how to catalyze meaningful action.