Deadline
Extended: April 15, 2014
Summer
Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Programs in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Rwanda
In 2013, GYC Rwanda Participants (from 7
different nationalities) visited the Bisesero Mountain Heroes Memorial and
learned about the French soldiers' complicity in exposing the Tutsis to the
Interahamwe killers. After visiting the memorial, GYC made a donation and
participants recorded thoughts in the visitors' book, spoke to a heroic
survivor of Bisesero in a nearby village, and drove back to Lake Kivu to
debrief the experience and incorporate it into their blogs and volunteer
service (some participants volunteered for the Association of Student Genocide
Survivors).
Dear Colleagues and Friends:
Global Youth Connect has several
positions remaining on our Summer 2014 Human Rights Delegations to
Bosnia-Herzegovina and Rwanda.
Do you know a young leader,
student, or professional who would benefit from engaging in dialogue and action
with other like minded young adults and grassroots organizations in
post-violence countries?
Each three-week GYC delegation
brings youth from around the world together with youth from Rwanda/Bosnia to
engage together in three key activities:
- A
Cross Cultural Human Rights Workshop
- Site
Visits/Meetings with policy makers, organizations, institutions, and to
memorials
- Volunteer
Service with grassroots NGOs on a variety of human rights issues including
but not limited to: conflict resolution, education, health care,
food/shelter, access to justice, human rights of children/youth, women,
low-income populations, LGBTQ populations, indigenous populations,
genocide survivors.
The key outcomes of our
programs are: experiential and
theoretical understanding of transitional justice, conflict resolution, as well
as human rights standards, promotion, and protection in a post-genocide
context. Other outcomes include future employment and experience for local and
international youth participants; networking and capacity building for local
grassroots initiatives on a variety of human rights issues. Two decades
after the violence, youth and civil society organizations in Bosnia and Rwanda
continue to struggle to overcome the legacy of genocide. But they also continue
to teach the world.
***
Change
is possible. This trip has actually given me a lot of hope because I see how
many people are actually working on human rights and even how much of the
younger international generation is moved. Before I didn't think there
was much I could do at this point in my life, but now I realize that even the
smallest things matter. (GYC Bosnia Participant)
***
The regular deadline for
applications has been extended to April 15, 2014. Program fees go up
after the regular deadline has passed.
The age ranges are: 18 - 30 (for
Bosnia Programs) and 18 - 35 (for Rwanda Programs).
Anyone can apply: from the U.S.
and all over the world! So please forward widely!
There is no application fee, and
prospective candidates can apply to more than one program.
To apply, visit:
***
JUNE/JULY
2014 CONFLICT RESOLUTION DELEGATION TO BOSNIA
(with
SREBRENICA)
Location:
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dates:
June 29-July 20, 2014
Age
Range: 18 - 30 (Student/Young Professional)
Program
Fee: $2700
This
program will focus specifically on the roots of conflict and the dynamics of
justice, reconciliation, and peace building as experienced in Bosnia and
Herzegovina more than a decade after the signing of the peace accord. In
particular, participants will gain experience in conflict resolution and
transformation as well as deepen their understanding of the post-conflict
challenges faced by Bosnians today, especially young people from various ethnic
and religious backgrounds.
AUGUST
2014 HUMAN RIGHTS DELEGATION TO BOSNIA
Location:
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dates:
July 30 - August 20, 2014
Age Range:
18 - 30 (Student/Young Professional)
Program
Tuition: $2700 (International Applicants)
This
program will focus on how local Bosnian youth and human rights organizations
(including women’s organizations, youth organizations, LGBTI-rights
organizations, arts organizations, and peace-building organizations, among
others) are rebuilding the country more than a decade after the signing of the
peace accord. Participants will gain experience in the application of
international human rights theory, as well as deepen their understanding of the
post-conflict challenges faced by Bosnians today, especially young people from
various ethnic and religious backgrounds.
August
2014 HUMAN RIGHTS DELEGATION TO RWANDA
Location:
Rwanda
Dates:
July 31 - August 21, 2014
Age
Range: 18 - 35 (Student/Young Professional)
Program
Fee: $2500
During
this GYC delegation, International participants will join with Rwandan peers to
learn about human rights achievements and challenges in Rwanda and the world,
and to take concrete action steps together to support current and future
efforts for human rights protection and promotion, both in Rwanda and abroad.
Through a combination of workshops, site visits, advocacy meetings, and
volunteer service with grassroots NGOs, we will learn and act on numerous key
human rights issues in Rwanda, including but not limited to: gender and human
rights, human rights of children, LGBTI populations, historically marginalized
indigenous groups, refugees, domestic workers, poverty reduction, public
health, juvenile justice, freedom of expression and the arts. In advance of and
during the delegation, all participants will examine the roots of the 1994
Rwandan genocide, and see how its legacy has impacted the country and its
people, particularly Rwandan youth, and also how the country is attempting to
rebuild today.
***
More info:
Previous Rwanda Program Reports:
Previous Bosnia Program Reports:
GYC
Blogs:
Gycvillage.org
and the Open Society's youthpolicy.org/interculturalblogging
***
Thank
you for spreading the word about this opportunity for young leaders to engage
in human rights learning and action at both local and global levels, in support
of sustainable peace and development in post-genocide countries.
With gratitude and in solidarity,
Global
Youth Connect
