Ridarson Galingging

Ridarson Galingging participated in HRAP in 1994 while he worked at Indonesian Legal Aid Institute. He is a practicing lawyer and teaches international law and human rights at Yarsi University Law School in Jakarta, Indonesia. At the same time Ridarson is the chairman of the Indonesian Scholarship and Research Support Foundation.

When reflecting about his time at HRAP, Ridarson reports: “HRAP has broadened my knowledge on international human rights and international advocacy. The best part of the program was attending classes at Columbia University Law School, and especially meeting the late noted professor Louis Henkin. One of the greatest benefits of this program is the privilege of becoming an alumnus of the HRAP at Columbia University and meeting human rights activists from many different countries.” 

Participation in HRAP influenced Ridarson’s future work as an international and human rights lawyer. He recalls: “My semester-long experience at Columbia University contributed to my acceptance to the LL.M. program at the University of Sheffield (UK) and to winning the UK government’s Chevening Scholarship.” 

- Compiled by Chiora Taktakishvili, Fulbright Exchange Visitor, July 2018.