23rd Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights: Human Rights & Artificial Intelligence, 29–31 October 2025 | Copenhagen, Denmark
Artificial Intelligence (AI) now shapes nearly every aspect of our daily lives – from how we access information to fundamental areas such as employment, education, housing and access to justice. While AI offers tremendous opportunities for innovation and development, it also poses significant risks to human rights, the rule of law, and democracy. These risks often exacerbate existing inequalities, disproportionately impacting marginalised and vulnerable groups.
AI technologies can interfere with fundamental rights such as privacy, equality and non-discrimination. Their expanding use in critical areas—such as child protection, criminal justice, and asylum processes—raises complex ethical, legal, and technical challenges. Moreover, accountability and remedies for harms caused by AI systems remain insufficiently defined.
The 23rd Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights (ASEMHRS23) will bring together key stakeholders from Asia and Europe—including government officials, civil society, academics, and national human rights institutions—to discuss the intersection of AI and human rights. The Seminar will focus notably on privacy, equality, and access to remedies, aiming to build capacity, strengthen partnerships, and develop actionable recommendations for human rights-based AI governance.
Denmark, a leader in responsible and ethical AI, will host this timely regional dialogue, contributing to global efforts to ensure that human rights remain central in the governance of emerging technologies.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
- Increased awareness and understanding of the human rights implications of AI technologies, with particular attention to regional contexts in both Asia and Europe.
- Identification of policy and regulatory gaps and recommendations for an AI governance framework that advances the respect, protection and fulfilment of all human rights.
- Strengthened multistakeholder collaboration between Asia and Europe to foster inclusive, transparent, and rights-based AI development and deployment, promoting mutual learning and shared best practices across regions.
The participation in the 23rd Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights will take place in three simultaneous working group discussions on the following topics:
→ Privacy and Data Protection
→ Equality and Non-Discrimination
→ Remedies and Access to Justice
Please refer to ASEMHRS23 – Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence – Concept Note for more details.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The Seminar is designed for stakeholders engaged in artificial intelligence, human rights and digital rights. It particularly targets:
- Government representatives, policymakers, and regulators involved in shaping AI governance frameworks
- Civil society organisations and human rights practitioners working on digital and AI-related issues
- Academics, researchers, and AI practitioners exploring the intersection of technology and rights
- Representatives of national human rights institutions and ombudsman offices
- Private sector actors responsible for developing and deploying AI technologies in line with ethical and rights-based standards
PARTICIPATION AND FORMAT
- The Seminar is an invitation-only event for which relevant participants belonging to the civil society from Asia and Europe are selected by the Co-organisers. The civil society participants comprise human rights and AI experts & practitioners from civil society organisations (CSOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) & academia (universities, research institutes & think tanks)
- Representatives of ASEM Partners’ Ministries / government agencies are nominated by ASEM Partners.
- The Seminar also welcomes representatives from National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), relevant international /regional / inter-governmental organisations, as well as from the private sector.
- The format of the 3-day Seminar will consist of plenary sessions, expert panel discussions, and thematic working groups which will be under the Chatham House Rule. The working language of the event is English.
HOW TO APPLY
- To register interest or to recommend an expert, please fill out the online form available here. Please submit your application by 15 August 2025 (early submission is encouraged, especially for these participants requiring a visa to enter Denmark)
Please note that while all expressions of interest and recommendations are duly considered, they do not guarantee invitation. Final decisions will be based on factors such as expertise, geographic distribution and gender balance and will be taken by the Co-organisers. We will inform successful applicants of the outcome by the end of August 2025.
For selected representatives from civil society and national human rights institutions, the co-organisers will cover travel, accommodation, and meals as per the seminar programme.
ABOUT THE ORGANISERS
The Informal Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Seminar on Human Rights series was launched in 1997 to strengthen relations between civil society actors and governments in Asia and Europe on human rights issues. The Seminar series is co-organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (nominated by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, with support of the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
