Youth Peace Camp, Strasbourg, France

Deadline: 26 April 2011
Open to: young people (18 – 25 years old) from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kosovo (participants coming from both the Albanian and Serbian ethnic communities), Israel, Palestinian Authority
Dates and Venues: 2 – 9 July 2011, European Youth Centre, Strasbourg
Costs: travel expenses and visa costs are reimbursed, board and lodging are provided

YOUTH  PEACE CAMP

Engaging young people and youth organisations from conflict–struck regions in dialogue and conflict transformation based on human rights education and intercultural learning

2 – 9 July 2011, European Youth Centre, Strasbourg

In the past 6 years the peace camp project broad together young people (ages 18-25) from Kosovo , Serbia, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Azerbaijan and Armenia. During the one week peace camp, the participants underwent an experiential learning process and acquired competences in the fields of intercultural learning, dialogue and conflict transformation within a human rights framework.

The aim of the Youth Peace Camp is to engage young people and youth organisations from conflict-struck regions in dialogue and conflict transformation activities based on human rights education and intercultural learning and to provide them with a positive experience in living and learning together.

Methodology

The programme of the Youth Peace Camp will give young people, coming from regions affected by recent armed conflicts, the opportunity to share, explore, and reflect upon their work in the field of dialogue, conflict transformation and peace work they engage in.

The programme will be based on mutual learning situations among participants, making use of a variety of working methods. The participants will be able to share personal experiences with conflict and violence and share the coping strategies they developed. The programme will also allow time for participants to explore the relation between identity and the conflict in their region for young people and themselves. Personal reflections and sharing within national/ethnical groups will be alternated with sharing, learning and reflecting between youth from the different conflict regions.
Contributions from experts on intercultural learning, conflict transformation and human rights education will establish a theoretical framework and common reference points for the participants when reflect on their experiences and youth work.
Towards the end of the camp, participants are expected to develop initiatives as peer leaders and multipliers with other young people in the field of dialogue and conflict transformation.

Central to the concept of the Youth Peace Camp is the motivation and the possibility for living, learning and discussing together with other young people with whom otherwise it may be very difficult to have contacts or cooperation with.

Before the Youth Peace Camp meeting in July all participants are expected to prepare themselves for the camp by take part in the preparation units on the Directorate of Youth and Sport online platform. Following the Youth Peace Camp meeting applicants are expected to continue to use the online platform to further build up their cooperation among themselves and with the Directorate of Youth and Sport. The participants should take part in a post Youth Peace Camp meeting or online evaluation gathering. Participants to the camp are envisioned to implement their initiatives for peace building, with the support and guidance of the facilitators, to share their experience with their peers and promote the values and approaches of the Youth Peace Camp, notably human rights, democracy and intercultural dialogue.

Participants’ Profile

The 2011 Youth Peace Camp will bring together young people from:
–    Armenia
–    Azerbaijan
–    Kosovo, participants coming from both the Albanian and Serbian ethnic communities
–    Israel
–    Palestinian Authority

For each group of six participants there will be a facilitator affiliated with the community that participants identify with to support them. Each group should be balanced in relation to sex and reflect the diversity of their communities. The total amount of participants and facilitators expected will thus be 42.

All participants must:

  • be aged between 18 and 25 years;
  • be able to work in English language;
  • be available and fully committed to take part in the Youth Peace Camp project;
  • be motivated to learn and to apply the values and approaches of the Youth Peace Camp, notably human rights, democracy and intercultural dialogue;
  • be involved in youth or community projects in their community and be motivated to implement youth initiatives for peace building following the residential meeting;
  • preferably be involved in an organisation or network, institution, formal and/or informal group that is ready to support them throughout the project duration and afterwards when implementing youth initiatives for peace building;
  • possess a sense of responsibility for one’s own actions and a commitment to personal and community development;
  • be curious, open-minded and appreciate diversity.

Financial and practical conditions of participation

Travel expenses
Travel expenses and visa costs are reimbursed upon presentation of the relevant receipts, according to the rules of the Council of Europe. Only the participants who attend the entire Youth Peace Camp can be reimbursed. The payment will be made either by bank transfer after the meeting, or at the end of the meeting in cash (in Euros).

Accommodation
Board and lodging for seminars in the project are provided and paid for by the Council of Europe at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg.

Application

The recruitment of applicants will be done through an open call in the communities or regions concerned. All candidates must apply on-line, completing the application form.

IN ORDER TO ACCESS THE APPLICATION FORMS YOU HAVE TO REGISTER FIRST.

Please follow the instructions here carefully.
Please note that your application is valid only together with a support letter from your organisation.

How to upload a support letter

Applications must be submitted by 26 April 2011. If the participant is affiliated with an organisation, a letter of support from their sending organisation can be uploaded on the platform or sent separately by e-mail, fax or post to express support offered throughout the project to the participant and his/her initiatives.

European Youth Centre Strasbourg
30, rue Pierre de Coubertin
F – 67000 Strasbourg, France
Tel: +/33/ 3 88 41 23 00
Fax: +/33/ 3 88 41 27 77/78
youth@coe.int

The official webpage.

14 thoughts on “Youth Peace Camp, Strasbourg, France

  1. sir

    we are 2 volunteers from palestine we would like to participate in this camp but the diedline it 26 april and just we saw your email yesterday, we would like to know if we can participate or no

    please let us know as soon as

    thank you

    Bahaa & Ahmad

    1. Dear Bahaa,

      "Note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program."

      I doubt you can apply after the deadline, but try anyway – here is the e-mail: youth@coe.int

      Good luck,

      Kristina,
      Mladiinfo

    1. Dear Hripsime,

      According to the call, applications must be submitted by 26 April 2011. I am afraid that it is too late to apply now. Better luck next year.

      Regards,
      Dijana
      Mladiinfo

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