Mr. Washington began his work at Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Geneva and was promoted to a full-time “Expert” position at Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights New York (OHCHR-NY), based at United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ) in New York City. In this role, he created multidisciplinary content and research for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) focused on the use of relevant tangible and intangible cultural heritage to advance human rights, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the ways the arts can empower communities.
Additionally, Mr. Washington has led and curated several United Nations projects, including a multi-national UN arts and human rights webinar series, the development and moderation of the final plenary of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) 10th Anniversary Youth Forum (2021), the United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (2021), and the first United Nations International Day for People of African Descent (2021). His work also includes a multi-agency United Nations Art Collection project, dynamic UN Human Rights (OHCHR) and UNHQ Visitor Services webisodes, and several UN films, including a short film for the “I Still Believe in Our City” campaign sponsored by OHCHR and the New York City Commission on Human Rights. The ongoing arts and human rights webinar series includes international, exhibiting artists from Puerto Rico, Russia, Brazil, the United States, Bangladesh, Lebanon, and Afghanistan.
Recently, Mr. Washington has had the honor of curating and presenting new research, work with the United Nations Art Collection, exhibition results, choreography, curriculum, expert oral and written statements, a multi-media exhibition, and the accomplishments of his multifaceted projects at various international institutions, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva (Switzerland), the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the Council of Europe, and in conversation with colleagues from the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) working in Geneva and Paris.
Mr. Washington’s curatorial, artistic, artifact and object based, and human rights focused projects at the United Nations have been featured extensively on UN TV, as well as across UN, UN Human Rights (OHCHR), UNHQ Visitor Services, UN News Centre Chinese, UN Global, and UN Permanent Missions’ podcast, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook channels.
Title: Dreams & Defiance: Centering Cultural Expressions of People of African Descent
Film trailer for a film celebrating the first United Nations International Day of People of African Descent (Host, Producer, Script Writer, and Curator). The film was featured prominently on United Nations and United Nations agencies’ media platforms.
'I still Believe in Our City' created by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya with commentary from Carmelyn P. Malalis and Derrick L. Washington, PhD. Produced by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in partnership with the NYC Commission on Human Rights (Expert Intervention & Co-Script Writer).
Title: A Call for a New Social Contract: Centering Indigenous Cultural Expressions
Trailer for a film about the celebration of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, collaboration between UN Human Rights and UN Visitor Services (Co-Host, Producer, & Co-Script Writer).
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) YOUTH FORUM 2021 – Commemorating its 10th Anniversary
