Euro Arab Sustainability Leadership Youth Forum

Deadline: 18 February 2012
Open to: Youth between 18-25 years old, able to communicate in English, interested in knowing other cultures
Venue: February 28th, March 6th, 13th, 20th – First, online stage
April 25 – April 30th, 2012 in Alexandria, Egypt – Second stage

Description

The first online course entitled, Euro-Arab Youth Collaboration for a More Sustainable World took place in 2011. This course met once a week for 2 hours and consisted of a total of 25 European and Arab youth.

The participants learned about sustainability issues, community leadership and the Earth Charter. Specifically, they were asked to define their visions for a more sustainable world and articulate the type of a role they would like to play in their own communities to help solve the current challenges they face. The course was a great success since by the end each participant prepared and presented a project that they wanted to implement within their communities. Some of them have already started to put their projects into practice within their contexts.

Due to the success of the first online Euro-Arab Youth course, Earth Charter International has partnered with Shift Network (Euro-Arab Youth Initiative) to offer a second one entitled “Euro-Arab Sustainability Leadership Youth Forum – Moving Beyond Just Tolerance”.

The problems of today’s world are more complex than ever, they are highly interconnected and interdependent. We face climate change, vast exploitation of natural resources, population growth, growing gap between rich and poor, and social inequity, among many other challenges. To be able to respond to these challenges future leaders need a new and innovative interdisciplinary approach.

The course will be offered in two stages:

The first stage will take place online for 4 weeks, once a week for 2 hours, and the second stage will take place in Alexandria, Egypt where the same participants will meet each other face to face and present their final projects on how to create a more peaceful, sustainable world through intercultural dialogue, using the Earth Charter as an ethical framework.

Stage One

The first stage will take place online through Earth Charter International’s online platform, which will provide an interactive, creative and innovative space for the participants to work together.
This stage will consist of 4 sessions and the projected start date is February 28th, 2012.

COURSE DATES:
February 28th — Session one: Getting to know the Earth Charter using Donella Meadow’s ‘Visioning’ Approach
March 6th — Session Two: Intercultural Dialogue | Intercultural Communicative Competence
March 13th — Session Three:  Sustainable ways of living
March 20th — Session Four: Planning for Sustainable Action Projects

Stage Two

The second stage will take place from April 25 – April 30th, 2012 in Alexandria, Egypt, where the participants and relevant organizations will meet each other and be able to present their final projects to each other and engage face-to-face with one another.

Alexandria was chosen, because it is home to the infamous Alexandria Bibliotheca and therefore an ideal place for young people to come together, share knowledge and carry on with their intercultural dialogue.

Approximately 100 people are projected to be invited, this includes the thirty youth participants as well as fifty more organizational representatives who will also be invited to join the participants in Alexandria.

Costs

Please note that accepted participants are required to pay 30% of their travel costs to Alexandria, Egypt. Full cost of Accommodation during 2nd stage in Alexandria,Egypt will be covered by organizers.

Eligibility

Criteria for individual applications

-Age 18-25 years old
-Ability to speak English
– People with interest to know other cultures.
– People with fewer opportunities are encouraged to participate.

Criteria for organizational applications

Organizations interested in the field of intercultural dialogue
all organizations from Euro-arab region

Each organization will be able to rcommend one representative for the first stage, and a maximum of 3 representatives for the 2nd stage in Alexandria

Application

Interested individuals and organizations may apply via application forms available on The Official Website or Facebook page.

For any inquires
please contact :

Karim Gbaer
President of Shift-Network
Euro-Arab youth initiative
shift.euroarab@gmail.com

Nora Mahmoud
International youth coordinator
Earth charter organization
YouthCoordinator@earthcharter.org