The Estonian Institute of Human Rights is the oldest human-rights organization in Estonia, working systematically and actively on human-rights protection since the country’s restoration of independence. The Institute was founded on International Human Rights Day, 10 December 1992, on the initiative of President Lennart Meri.

Since 2013, the patrons of the Annual Human Rights Conference have been Presidents of the Republic of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Kersti Kaljulaid, and Alar Karis.

The Institute’s mission is to advance human-rights research and to raise awareness of human rights in Estonia and internationally. The purpose of the Annual Conferences is to open new perspectives at a time when value systems collide, cultural backgrounds differ, and interpretations of human rights reflect broader societal tensions and change.

One of the central questions is whether today’s human-rights debate supports the development of democracy, or whether the rhetoric of human rights has become a tool for justifying restrictions on freedom of expression and enabling an assertive minority to dominate a silent majority.

The Annual Human Rights Conference has always been guided by the principle that truth does not emerge from repeating like-minded opinions, but from the meeting of different viewpoints and value judgments—even when they clash. The aim is not to offer comfort or reaffirm existing convictions, but to break habitual patterns of thought: to understand where we are heading and who is accompanying us on that journey.

Every year, the conference brings together more than 300 public figures, politicians, diplomats, government officials, journalists, analysts, and civil-society representatives from over 30 countries.

Participants have included, among others: Pekka Haavisto, Allar Jõks, Jüri Reinvere, Madeleine K. Albright, Vagn Joensen, Cuno Jakob Tarfusser, Richard Barrett, Dr. Quirine Eijkman, Mustafa Qadri, Artemy Troitsky, Kalev H. Leetaru, Stephen J. Rapp, Patricia Shaw, Alexander Sokurov, Liliane Landor, Lauri Mälksoo, Oleksandra Matviychuk, Věra Jourová, Gentian Zyberi, Riina Kionka, Dunja Mijatović, Harri Tiido, Thomas Zerdick, Raul Rebane, Malavika Jayaram, David Mothander, Douglas Davidson, Anja Mihr, Christopher McCrudden, Mustafa Dzhemilev, Marriët Schuurman, Galina Timchenko, Dalee Sambo Dorough, Maria Makejeva, Dmitry Muratov, and many others.