 Youth has been identified as one of the key priorities for the work of the Alliance of Civilizations. The AoC Secretariat is actively trying to involve youth directly in its work by collaborating with broad networks of youth organizations. Our goal is to have a youth perspective in the media debate, on cross-cultural and interreligious issues and in all AoC projects.
Youth as a priority
Youth is a priority for the Alliance of Civilizations. We fully recognize that throughout history, young people have played an active role in shaping major social and political advancements.
Youth’s contribution to understanding the impact of cultural and religious diversity on everyday life as well as on politics is now more crucial than ever. As they constitute the largest segment of population in many regions, youth play a vital role in shaping their country’s response to cultural and religious diversity.
Youth’s inquisitiveness and creativity, as well as their natural ability to forge links beyond their own group position them as potent agents of positive social change. Therefore, supporting young people’s participation in policy and decision-making benefits society as a whole.
As a young leader from Latin America recently said: “Today’s youth have the responsibility to work toward global understanding. Participation is their right.”
AoC Youth programming
The long-term vision of the UNAC Youth Program is that youth are recognized and engaged as key actors in efforts to foster cross-cultural understanding. The UNAOC advocates for concrete, open and sustainable mechanisms for meaningful and broad participation of youth. We also call for the inclusion of marginalized youth, youth from minorities, voiceless youth, disenfranchised youth, etc.
The UNAOC aims to support youth organizations from all over the world in their efforts to address barriers to mobilization, education, empowerment, mobility, employment, migration as well as the integration of their voices in mainstream media.
For 2009 and 2010, the UNAOC Youth Program will focus on:
- Raising Awareness: Raise the decision-makers’ awareness regarding the importance of young people’s contribution to fostering understanding between people of various cultural and religious backgrounds.
- Strengthening Capacity: Contribute to further enhance the capacity of youth to effectively implement initiatives advancing cross-cultural understanding.
- Sharing Information: Develop mechanisms and networks to facilitate partnership building and the exchange of information regarding the impact and challenges of youth’s work and contribution to cross-cultural understanding.
The long-term vision of the UNAOC Youth Programming is that at all levels of action and decision-making, youth are seen as key actors and stakeholders in efforts to foster cross-cultural understanding. We aim to achieve this vision by:
- Youth Solidarity Fund, a international program providing seed funding to youth organizations for them to implement their own projects seeking to advance cross-cultural understanding
- Youth Website which includes 3 interactive clearinghouse of information on organizations, opportunities and tools available to youth seeking to advance the UNAOC objectives; an on-line discussion forum; words of wisdom from youth; and information about the UNAOC Youth Program, etc.
- International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding , beginning on August 12, 2010
- Global Youth Movement for the Alliance of Civilizations which aims to highlight concrete actions of youth to advance cross-cultural understanding
- PLURAL+, a youth-produced video contest and festival about migration.
- Youth Events as part of the Alliance of Civilizations Forum
o During the First Alliance of Civilizations Forum held in Madrid in January 2008
o During the Second Alliance of Civilizations Forum held in Istanbul in April 2009
o During the Third Alliance of Civilizations Forum to be held in Rio in late May 2010 (more information to come) - Guidebook on innovative practices for decision-makers regarding youth participation in intercultural initiatives or policies (more information to come)
- Guidebook on advocacy and media relations for youth organizations working on cross-cultural understanding (more information to come)
- Collaboration with UNICRI on a project in the Mediterranean aiming to establish or reinforce national youth consultative committees to foster dialogue with governments regarding cross-cultural understanding and the prevention of radicalization (more information to come)
The UNAOC works with its Youth Advisory Committee for the implementation of some of these initiatives and the development of key messages on UNAOC-related themes.
Photos courtesy of Ben Powless. |
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