Dear Colleagues, It is with great pleasure that I write to you on behalf of the UNESCO Chair and Institute of Comparative Human Rights. We commend your organization for the hard work and dedication that you have contributed to promoting human rights. I would like to take this opportunity to inform your staff of UNESCO's 2nd Annual Intergenerational Conference, and to request your assistance in making the event a success. The Intergenerational Conference, entitled "Human Rights as a Tool for Social Change," seeks to promote the sharing of experiences and understanding of, and provide an impetus for, the empowerment of youth leaders that will enable them to play a crucialand constructive role in the development of human rights in their communities. These leaders are selected from an array of applicants coming from all 6 continents. We hope to advertise the conference and application as soon as possible, as the deadline is set for March 6. The tentative dates for the conference are August 4 ­- 13, 2006. We would greatly appreciate your help in advertising this event to the members and contributors of your organization. Attached you will find the application and tentative schedule for the conference. Please feel free to contact me at the phone number or email below. I look forward to collaborating with your staff and creating a successful experience for young leaders. Sincerely, Macala Clare Student Intern, University of Connecticut UNESCO Chair and Institute of Comparative Human Rights, UConn-ANC Partnership 233 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4124 Storrs, CT 06269-4124 USA 860.486.9200 Phone 860.486.2545 Fax ---- UNESCO CHAIR & INSTITUTE OF COMPARATIVE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT INTERGENERATIONAL CONFERENCE: HUMAN RIGHTS AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL CHANGE AUGUST 4 13, 2006 Conference Overview: The conference is premised on the presumption that every new generation of human rights leaders builds on the work of those who came before it. In today's 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 to meet the complex and multifaceted challenges of the new millennium. We must remember that although the circumstances under which the new generation of leaders operates 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 e completely reinvented. The Intergenerational Conference seeks to promote the sharing of experiences and understanding of, and provide an impetus for, 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. The conference hopes to provide tools and a platform for open debates about policies, programs, activities and processes necessary for human rights leadership. 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. Participants will receive training 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 will be conducted under the rubric of four principal areas; namely poverty, education, health conflict resolution and/or transformation. Specific areas of focus will include issues such as human trafficking, the plight of children, refugees and war, hunger, HIV/AIDS, religious intolerance, gender discrimination, racism and classism, peace education and environmental concerns. Conference facilitators will serve in an ongoing capacity as mentors to the young conference participants upon their return to their home countries. 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 have been asked to serve in an ongoing capacity as mentors to the young participants upon their return to their home countries.Fluency in English is required. Conference will be held in English only. Application and Registration Information: Applications will be accepted by email (unescochair@uconn.edu ), or via fax 860.486.2545 up until March 6, 2006; confirmation letters will be sent by email to selected participants on March 27 to provide time for visa applications and travel arrangements. A packet with the final program and background materials will be sent to participants along with the letter of confirmation. Accommodations: The UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights will cover lodging, meals, and ground transportation for all selected participants. Accommodations will be made available in the South Campus air-conditioned residence hall, which consists of quad suites. Double occupancy refers to four people sharing a suite (two people sharing each bedroom and four people sharing the bathroom). Rooms will be assigned upon acceptance into program. All dorms on the UConn campus are non-smoking, however, designated smoking areas are posted outside of the dorms. Special Needs: Single rooms with private bath for individuals with special needs are extremely limited and will be assigned to individuals needing such accommodation. Some areas of campus are not easily accessible to people with disabilities and anyone with a disability is urged to contact the Accessible Van for transportation around campus. More information on this will be included in the Welcome Packet that will be sent to participants upon receipt of registration information. Travel: Air Travel Participants will be responsible for their own airfare to Hartford, Connecticut. Travel scholarships are available for participants from developing countries (application deadline for those seeking travel scholarship is February 27). If you would like to be considered for travel scholarship, please be sure to include in the application essay the reasons why you would like to be considered for travel assistance. Ground Transportation A shuttle service will be provided from Bradley International Airport, Hartford/Springfield to the University of Connecticut Storrs campus. Preliminary Schedule: Friday, August 4, 2006 Conference Guests and Facilitators Arrive Saturday, August 5, 2006: Conference Guests Arrive Campus Tour Millennium Development Goals Sunday, August 6, 2006: Leadership Skills Human Rights as a Tool for Social Change Monday, August 7, 2006: Use of Media in Human Rights Reporting Conflict Resolution/ Restorative Justice Tuesday, August 8, 2006: Communications/ Organizing (Coalition Building, Advocacy, NGOs/ Civil Society) HIV/AIDS Wednesday, August 9, 2006: Direct Action (Grant Writing, Outreach, Research) Law: A Tool for Social Change through Litigation, Negotiation, Politics and NGOs Plight of Children/ Child Soldiers Thursday, August 10, 2006: Nutrition/ Hunger Human Rights in the Atomic Age Clean Water/ Environment Friday, August 11, 2006: International Youth Day (Observed), New York Trip to United Nations International Youth Day Activities Saturday, August 12, 2006: Action Plan Reports/ Report-outs Presentation of Certificates Please note: All conference 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 conference. The website and listserv will also enable participants to remain in contact with their mentors and with one other. APPLICATION FORMS CAN BE REQUESTED BY E-MAIL FROM: unescochair@uconn.edu OR Macala.Clare@uconn.edu ======== North American Human Rights Education listserv ======= Send mail intended for the list to < >. Archives of the list can be found at: http://www.hrea.org/lists/hr-education-na/ **You are welcome to reprint, copy, archive, quote or re-post this item, but please retain the original and listserv source.
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