The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations’ Summer School

Deadline: 23 June 2012
Open to: Students and representatives or members of youth organizations and movements notably partners to the Alliance
Venue: 04 – 12 August 2012, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Description

For the third time the Alliance is organizing, in cooperation with other partners, its Summer School, to be held from 04 to 12 August 2012 at the University of Coimbra and in Braga (PORTUGAL).
The aim of this Summer School is to bring together young people (from 18 to 30 years old) from various regions and different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, academic and professional profiles, walks of life and interests.
During the course participants will acquire knowledge and tools to strengthen their ability to communicate across difference, interact with the “Other” and look at diversity as an asset for cross-fertilization and inter-cultural exchange from which mutual trust, better understanding and an innovative mindset can emerge and proliferate.

The course will also provide an excellent space for strategic networking and finding partners; this dimension will be most strongly encouraged by the team of trainers as well as for intercultural dialogue and intercultural learning.
The week-long course will gather close to 100 participants. It is designed using a process of mutual learning, being the participants’ experiences the starting point of the training-learning process. Active participation and in-depth reflection are key methodologies used in the course. Participants will compare their approaches to youth work, youth participation and youth role in our increasingly diverse societies as agents of change, engaging in the preparation of concrete projects to be carried out once back home.
This Course is an opportunity given to youth leaders to share, better understand and integrate the objectives settled by the Alliance of Civilizations at the international level and better contribute to their achievement. Some of these objectives help enable youth to take an active part in implementing the Alliance’s goals and objectives at the national and regional level and be further equipped to participate in cooperation projects:

1. Promoting the empowerment of youth by strengthening intercultural skills and competences
2. Strengthening young people’s capacity to get involved in the preparation and implementation of cooperative action across divides
3. Facilitate moments of encounter and exchange between young people
4. Developing a network of participants in the Alliance summer schools

Eligiblity

The participants in this course are mainly students and representatives or members of youth organizations and movements notably partners to the Alliance. The course is open for nationals or residents in member States of the Group of Friends of Alliance and for members of its partner organizations.
Participants are invited to submit their candidatures and youth organizations are invited to propose candidates for this course. The selection will be carried out by the Alliance of Civilizations in cooperation with its partners.
Geographical, cultural and gender balance will be ensured in the selection process of the participants, as well as the balance between the type and/or nature of organizations. Priority will be given to organizations partners to the Alliance.
Concerning participants and their profile:

• should be a key multiplier playing an active role within a youth organization, network or service at local, national or regional level, and plan to continue this work in the near future;
• seeking gender balance;
• diverse social, cultural and geographical background (including disadvantaged and minority groups);
• aged between 18 and 30;
• have already some qualification or experience in terms of international youth work and project work;
• be committed to attend the full duration of the course and to develop a project as a follow up to the Alliance Summer School that is likely to be supported by a youth organisation or service;
• be able to present the context of their work, their way of tackling problems, the challenges they meet and identify;
• be able to work and communicate in English.

Venue

The 2012 Summer School will be hosted by the University of COIMBRA (Portugal- www.uc.pt) between 4 – 12 august 2012. Furthermore it will comprise an extension to “Braga EYC 2012 – European Youth Capital” for the celebration of the International Youth Day.
The European Youth Capital (EYC) is an annual title awarded by the European Youth Forum to a European city. During this year, the city will have the opportunity to display all sorts of cultural developments, and also social, political and economic affairs related to young people.

The course will have a participation fee of 250 euros covering tuition, accommodation, meals and visits included in the programme.

A number of grants to support travel, accommodation and tuition expenses of participants are available. Priority will be given to participants showing a solid past civic engagement and presenting a project to be developed as a follow up to the Summer School that clearly supports the Alliance’s objectives aimed at increasing exchanges or mutual understanding and collaboration between people of different cultural and religious backgrounds.

Application

Those fulfilling the criteria and interested to participate should send the enclosed application form to aureliamartins@netcabo.pt and dalia.alliance@gmail.com by 23 June 2012.

The application form is available at UNAOC summer school- application forms June 2012.doc

The Official Website