On August 6th, 2025, the third edition of the Rio School on Global Governance, Democracy and Human Rights was opened. The programme is an initiative of the FGV Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on EU–South America Global Governance, FGV Direito Rio, Rio de Janeiro, co-funded by the European Union.

Professor Paula Wojcikiewicz Almeida delivered the opening lecture, presenting the main activities of the CEJM and introducing the structure and academic objectives of the programme. She outlined the School’s focus on international organizations, global governance practices, and the role of the European Union as a global regulatory and normative actor.

The Rio School is a four-month in-person programme taught in English, designed to deepen understanding of global governance through the study of international organisations and multilevel decision-making processes. It explores the interaction between formal and informal mechanisms in international and European regulatory systems, as well as the role of non-state actors in shaping global legal norms.

The programme adopts a North–South perspective on global governance and combines theoretical and practical approaches to international law and international relations. It aims to strengthen academic and professional exchanges between Europe and Latin America, while fostering reflection on shared values and regulatory challenges.

The edition featured lectures from internationally renowned scholars and practitioners, including Régis Dandoy, Kai Enno Lehmann, Jed Odermatt, Hussein Kallout, Leonardo de Andrade, Monique Sochaczewski, Frédéric Mégret, María Carmelina Londoño Lázaro, Daniel Damásio, Ramona Coman, and Gustavo G. Müller, and received over 100 applications from students and professionals across disciplines.