UNESCO CHAIR INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAMME:
A GLOBAL INTERGENERATIONAL FORUM

Empowering Young Leaders to be Agents of Positive Change

European Regional Forum, Italy
April 29 - May 8, 2011

Forum Overview | Preliminary Schedule | Application Requirements | Travel/Housing | For more Information | Blog

The International Leadership Development Programme, organized as a forum, is premised on a three-fold understanding of the vital role leaders play in society. The first is that every new generation of human rights leaders builds on the work of those who came before it. The second is that in todays increasingly interdependent global world, where actions or events in any part of the global system have impact on people in other regions of the world, there is a need to build a network of solidarity and to nurture a new cadre of human rights leaders who can educate others and provide enlightened leadership to meet the complex and multifaceted challenges of the new millennium. And the third is that young people are a force to be reckoned with and that the future belongs to them. In order, to ensure that they are effective leaders for a better future, today’s leaders have a duty to impart their knowledge to the younger generation of leaders and to alert it of the pitfalls of the past. This is because, although the circumstances under which the new generation of leaders operates/will operate are different, the issues that confront them are not fundamentally new to humanity and the types of strategies that would help them tackle the various issues need not be completely reinvented but innovatively adapted to new circumstances.

A principal reason why the Intergenerational Forum focuses on young leaders specifically is because, more than any other group in society, their training will most likely have great and ripple impact on society. Accordingly, the Forum will place premium on nurturing and developing young people for local and global leadership and building bridges and a network of solidarity, which promote the sharing of experiences and understanding of, and provide an impetus for, the empowerment of young leaders that will enable them to play a crucial and constructive role in the development of human rights in their communities and the world at large. The conference will provide tools and a platform for open debates about policies, programs, activities and processes necessary for human rights leadership.

In appreciation of the dynamics of an interdependent world, the UNESCO Chair hosts annually intergenerational forum that brings together young leaders from all regions of the world in the field of human rights once annually.  The forum is held in August of each year to coincide with the International Youth Day, which is commemorated at the United Nations Headquarters in the USA. To complement the annual forum, regional fora are envisaged to be held in various continents.

APPROACH
The leadership development programme is informed by the principle of reciprocal consultation, learning and empowerment and cross pollination of ideas and ideals. Participants at the conference will be individuals from all over the world who have been involved in some capacity in human rights work in their communities.  Selected young people are expected to engage through dialogue with experienced and older human rights practitioners to gain management skills and techniques and a greater understanding of human rights issues on a global level.

OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of the Forum are to:

1. involve young leaders in finding solutions to emerging human rights problems;
2. nurture individuals to be effective leaders in the field of human rights;
3. promote the sharing of experiences and understanding;
4. provide an impetus for, and the empowerment of, youth leaders that will enable them to play a crucial and constructive role in the development of human rights in their communities;
5. build a network of solidarity among future leaders in the field of human rights;
6. hone the skills and expand the knowledge relevant to human rights practice; and
7. provide tools and a platform for open debates about policies, programmes, activities and processes necessary for human rights leadership.

Participants at the conference should be individuals (ages 18-35) from all over the world who have been involved in some capacity in human rights work in their communities. During the Forum, various lectures, workshops and panel presentations are planned in areas such as grassroots organizing, building coalitions, effective communication, use of media for human rights education, and understanding of the processes and relevance of restorative justice. It is planned that discussions would be conducted under the rubric of the following principal areas: namely, poverty, education, health, conflict resolution and/or transformation, the rights and plight of children, refugees and war, hunger, HIV/AIDS, gender discrimination, peace education, environmental concerns, racism, xenophobia and other intolerances.  Discussions of these topics should be informed by understanding of the principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Millennium Development Goals.

Selected young people will engage through dialogue with experienced and older human rights practitioners to gain management skills and techniques and a greater understanding of human rights issues on a global level. A principal objective is to nurture individuals to be effective leaders in the field of human rights. Conference presenters/speakers/facilitators have been asked to serve in an ongoing capacity as mentors to the young participants upon their return to their home communities and countries.

OUTCOMES
To continue dialogue and exchange of ideas among the participants and to enable mentors to share their insights, a group email distribution list (listserv) and a group page on a social networking site will be established to facilitate on-going communication.

Publication: A summary of the highlights of the forum will be published together with contribution from participants who will be asked to write essays about the practical application of the forum to their areas and communities of engagement.  Ten to twenty of the best and representative essays will be selected for publication annually for wider dissemination. The publication will track progress made by participants, as well as serve as a record of activities by participants. Action plans worked out collectively by participants will be widely disseminated.

Please note: All forum participants will be provided with resource materials (i.e. website/listserv information), certificate of participation, lodging, meals and ground transportation. As post-conference follow-up, the UNESCO Chair will also establish a website and group e-mail distribution list (listserv) to allow for the support and continuation of the work started at the forum. The website and listserv will also enable participants to remain in contact with their mentors and with one other.

The Forum will be held in English. Fluency in English is required.

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DRAFT Schedule of Events:

Friday, April 29 2011

• Arrive in San Marcello Pistoiese, Italy
• Registration

Saturday, April 30, 2011

• Sharing of Experiences
• Keynote Address
• European Resolutions

Sunday, May 1, 2011 – Education

• Human Rights Challenges in Europe/MDG’s
• Promoting Peace through Culture
• Year of Youth (Informed Leadership & the Power of Networking)
• Grassroots Organizing and Coalition Building

Monday, May 2, 2011 - Racism and Xenophobia

• Religious and other forms of intolerance
• Migrant issues/Asylum seekers
• Use of Media/Human Rights Reporting and Monitoring
• ABC’s of Fundraising

Tuesday, May 3, 2011 – Conflict Resolution

• Plight of Children/Refugees and War
• Challenges to Women’s and Youth Leadership
• Influencing Policy – The Rule of Law and Human Rights Advocacy
• Fundamentals of Conflict Resolution & Transformation

Wednesday, May 4, 2011 – Florence

• Community Service/Educational and Cultural Tours

Thursday, May 5, 2011 – Pisa

• Community Service/Educational and Cultural Tours

Application is by invitation only

Requirements for the European Regional Forum 2011:
Empowering Young Leaders to be Agents of Positive Change

Before beginning the online application, please note the following requirements:

1. General Information
   • Personal Contact Information
   • Community Service/Volunteer Experience
   • Employment and Educational Affiliations
   • Names and contact information for three professional references
2. Application Essay (between 750- 1000 words)
   Please address the following in your essay: 
   Section I - Intent
   • Include reasons why you would like to attend the forum.
   • What do you feel you can add as well as gain from attending
      the forum?
   Section II – Proposal
   • Identify and explain a problem/issue in the European region
     and compare/contrast it to an issue in your region (if applicable)
     or another region of the world.
   • Propose strategies to address this problem/challenge.
   • Propose how meeting and networking with young people from
     various parts of the world can contribute to alleviating the
     identified problem. What role can young people play? And how
     do you feel young people are empowered or can be empowered
     to be agents of positive change?

Essays will be judged on adherence to theme, originality and creativity.  While relevance to the theme, originality of thought and creativity in expression will be weighed above the mechanics of the composition, applicants should ensure that correct sentence structure, grammar, spelling and punctuation are strictly adhered to.

All application materials requested should be submitted in English. Please note that the Forum will be held in English and fluency in the English language is required to attend.

*Please be advised that upon acceptance, the following information will be requested:

Resolutions:
One outcome of the Forum will involve participants in writing resolutions calling upon the international community in general and young leaders in particular, to promote greater realization of human rights in a specific area of concern in Europe.  Once accepted to the Forum, you will be asked to send four provisions (suggestions) that you think should be part of this resolution.  While resolutions will be finalized during the regional program, your suggestions will serve in preparing a working draft document prior to the conference. (Participants should keep in mind that while their suggestions/ideas will be modified and may not be reproduced verbatim, the essence of their ideas may be incorporated into the draft document.)

Passport details:
If you are accepted to the regional forum, please also keep in mind that we will need the following details in order to assist you in securing the necessary visa or related travel documents (if applicable).:
Details as they appear in your passport:
Surname,
Given Names
Nationality
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Passport number
Place of Issue
Issuing Authority
Date of Issue
Date of Expiry

Submission deadline is January 7, 2011. Applicants who are not able to commit to the conference in its entirety should not apply.

Sorry. The application is closed.

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Travel/Housing:

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Airlines & Local Transportation

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UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights
University of Connecticut
233 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4124
Storrs, CT 06269-4124

860.486.0647 Phone
860.486.2545 Fax
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