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What We Do Youth Programming
What We Do Youth Programming | Youth Programming |
 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. Read more... 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 youth 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 AoC with regard to its youth priority is that youth are recognized and engaged as key actors in efforts to foster cross-cultural understanding. The AoC 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 AoC 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. In the next 24 months, the AoC Youth programming will focus on:
The AoC works with the AoC Youth Advisory Committee for the implementation of some of these initiatives and the development of key messages on AoC-related themes. The Youth Advisory Committee is composed of 7 full members (one per world region) nominated by the AoC key youth partners. An observer from an international non-governmental organization identified by and reporting to the International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organizations (ICMYO) is also part of this committee. Strategic partners can also be invited as guest observers for two years. The biographies of the members of the Youth Advisory Committee will soon be available on the AoC Youth Website. In all of its efforts, the AoC will mostly count on the support of the Global Youth Movement for the Alliance of Civilizations whose mandate is to mobilize youth from around the world in support of the AoC objectives and to amplify the voice of youth regarding the need for global understanding and respect. This Global Youth Movement for the Alliance of Civilizations will be composed of a very large number of organizations and individuals including young influencers, eminent personalities, journalists, academics, religious leaders, elders, business leaders, etc. Organizations member of the Global Youth Movement for the Alliance of Civilizations will be asked to suggest and implement tangible projects supporting the AoC objectives while supporting the contribution of youth in building cross-cultural understanding. Individual members joining the Global Youth Movement for the Alliance of Civilizations will be asked to take on concrete actions in their daily lives to advance the AoC objectives. All members will report the results of their projects and actions on the AoC Youth Website. Specific projects and actions with outstanding results will receive increased visibility. The AoC will coordinate this movement while the Youth Advisory Committee and various institutional partners will provide support, especially with regard to outreach and identification of outstanding projects. Youth at the Alliance of Civilizations Forum At the First Alliance of Civilizations Forum held in Madrid from 15-16 January 2008, over 60 youth from all over the world took part in a Youth Event and in the Forum itself. The youth-oriented sessions at the Forum focused on youth voices in the media as well as intercultural and inter-religious exchanges and leadership training. Youth actively participated in the overall Forum and made substantial contributions to the working session on Innovative Uses of the Mass Media and the working session on the Role of Religious Leaders in Shaping Shared Security. The event was also an opportunity to meet and interact with decision makers from various fields, including politics, civil society, media and religious institutions. Read more about the Madrid Forum here. During the Second Alliance of Civilizations Forum held in Istanbul in early April 2009, close to 100 youth from over 40 countries gathered in Istanbul for 2 days in preparation for the Forum. The Youth Event aimed at allowing youth to prepare for their participation in the Forum while shaping key elements of the AoC Youth Programming. This event adopted a highly participatory approach offering young participants more familiarity with the Forum themes and the opportunity to develop strong links – and partnerships – with their counterparts. More details about youth participation in the Istanbul Forum are available here. Photos courtesy of Ben Powless. |