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activate creative community partnerships worldwide 2011
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An international Peace Education organization, CISV educates and inspires action through a network of local Chapters, Junior Branches, educational programmes and projects. Our Programmes and activities are for all ages, starting with 11 year-old children. For descriptions of CISV programmes featured in Activate, please see the back cover.
Throughout its 60 year history, CISV has worked in cooperation with like-minded organizations for the purpose of educational research, national, regional and international relations and, increasingly, to develop our community-based programmes and activities.
Contents 4 Creative Community Justice REPAIRING THE PAST THROUGH DIALOGUE
7 Culture Beat in Graz CISV Workshop at Kansai University 8 Characters of Egypt CISV CELEBRATES DIVERSITY
11 A new Language for Cooperation 12 Human Arrows CISV IS A GLOBAL MOVEMENT
14 One Day One Goal CISV LEBANON LAUNCHES INTO THE COMMUNITY
16 Waves of Change YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN BUENOS AIRES
18 Poverty and Exclusion WORKING WITH THE RED CROSS IN SPAIN
Activate magazine is written to inspire action for a more just and peaceful world. Please pass this issue along to anyone who might be interested. If you are part of a CISV chapter, share it with other members. If you’re interested in starting a local project of your own, start by sending this to the partner organization you would like to work with. If you found this magazine on the street and you are curious to know more, then get in touch! Most importantly, if this magazine planted a seed of inspiration in you, don’t wait to take action: dare to dream and start planning your local community project right now.
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CISV educates and inspires action for a more just and peaceful world
Editorial: Practising the art of community In 1934, a writer named John Dewey wrote about the connection between art and education. He offered a simple but powerful idea: the process of making art, he said, is the thing that teaches human beings about themselves, about the world and about how to live together. Making art activates our imaginations and connects us to the world and the community we live in.
I want you to think about community building as a kind of art. I know that we usually think about art in terms of things like painting and dance, but what if we expanded our definition? What if it included all the things that people do together to make their communities better places? Things like thanking the bus driver, or helping out at the soup kitchen, or participating in a community mural project. If we thought of all these activities as art, then we would all be artists. This new magazine does think that way. It believes that education and inspired action can shape a more just and peaceful future. It believes that we are all artists who make art every day when we open our mouths, engage with our peers, and make choices in our communities. This magazine exists to celebrate stories of CISVers, and people working with CISV, who are practising the art of community. It exists to inspire you.
Each story in this issue is about a work of art. In some cases, like the mural story for Buenos Aires, a tangible thing is created that people will admire for many years. In other cases, like the story of the international Human Arrows project, a short yet powerful public event is designed to bring attention to a problem and spur people to think and take action. In still other cases, like the story from Bogotá and Arauca in Colombia, a series of activities and workshops had a lasting positive impact on everyone who participated. In every story within these pages you will find examples of innovators using their imaginations to shape their communities. They are experimenting, taking risks and daring to embrace the idea that a more just and peaceful world is possible. As you read these stories, think about your own community and let your imagination be inspired toward new possibilities. Dare to think of yourself as an artist. Then go make some art.
Alex Neuman, CISV Canada
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"Works of art are means by which we enter, through imagination and the emotions they evoke, into other forms of relationship and participation than our own." John Dewey
200 Metres of Muro: Art and Education in Argentina Practising the art of community in every sense, CISV’s Junior Branch (JB) in Buenos Aires recently contributed to a community mural project. The project was commissioned by a company to disguise the imposing wall around their newly built headquarters, which directly faces the local school. JB Buenos Aires joined children of all ages from the school and their teachers, along with the family of company’s owner to paint a mural covering 200 metres length of the wall. The mural celebrates the bicentenary of Argentina, based on designs produced by the school children, and has turned an eyesore into a feature of the neighbourhood. Read more about the activities of the re-energised JB Buenos Aires on page 16.
Cande Lucero, CISV Argentina
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MOSAIC AND IPP ARAUCA
REPAIRING THE PAST THROUGH DIALOGUE
Creative Community Justice As we sit to write this story, it is impossible not to experience a moment of reflection that brings a swell of memories and swirl of feelings about all that we lived through over the course of this project. Our project was a joint effort. It included the Mosaic and International People’s Project (IPP) teams of CISV Colombia, a partner organization called The School of Community Justice at the National University of Colombia as well as the Bogotá Chapter and CISV Colombia.
Cristian Gutierrez, Stephanie Ontiveros, CISV Colombia
The project explored the theme of community justice through social networking. What does this mean? The idea of community justice is to improve local quality of life. It lets people get involved in making their area a better place to live by helping to reduce anti-social behaviour like vandalism and drug dealing. In Colombia, there is also an idea called “justice in equity” (justicia en equidad). This is where justice is administered according to the social norms of the community, but also in a way that respects the national legal system. Community justice is a path towards democracy because it puts people and communities at the centre.
Given the turbulent past and present of Colombia, it is understandable that these alternative methods of conflict resolution might help heal the wounds of communities. In many circumstances the legal rules do not guarantee justice. Different approaches can offer new possibilities for fairness and allow communities to handle their own issues and find justice in unconventional ways.
THE PARTNERSHIP The School of Community Justice of the National University of Colombia, aims to strengthen communities across Colombia through conflict management and resolution techniques. Their main activities include teaching, research and fieldwork.
For more information about this partner organization, visit: www.justiciacomunitaria.unal.edu.co/v3
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AN AMBITIOUS COMMUNITY JUSTICE INITIATIVE
Since 2006 the School of Community Justice has coordinated a project in several municipalities in the Arauca district of Colombia. It involves promoting community justice practices, training mediators and strengthening support networks. The school runs “justice in equity” processes, in which local societies come to recognise their own social norms. This is a basic starting point for finding peaceful solutions to everyday conflicts. The goal is to support communities by providing them with the tools they need to solve their own conflicts without having to use the complex legal system or engage with illegal armed groups. The school believes that conflict can be an opportunity for positive change and the transformation of society. This is a belief that CISV shares.
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“Our small contribution to this huge process of Community Justice was to share CISV’s unique educational approach.”
The School strives not only to provide the community with the tools to find solutions, but also promote mutual understanding among the residents of their needs and interests. This means putting aside the view of conflict as an obstacle and coming to see it as an opportunity for growth and transformation, which is ultimately reflected in a powerful transformation of social relations.
CISV COLOMBIA COMES ON BOARD: A MOSAIC PROJECT AND AN IPP
We live in the capital city of Colombia, Bogotá. Sometimes we feel isolated from the rest of the country here. When we used to think of Arauca, our first thoughts were violence, guerrilla militants, and paramilitaries. Many in Bogotá think of it as one of the most dangerous places in the country. The truth is, we had strong stereotypes of the area. It was hard to convince some people, including our own families, that it could be a safe place to be. A few days in Arauca were enough to realize that this place is, in many ways, like any other in Colombia.
Of course, the people have suffered from violence. But they are people who, like you and me, have hope, creativity and spirit. They want a better life for themselves and they want to transform the negative perceptions of their community that they know exists. They are proud of the richness of their culture. They believe that peace is possible. For the CISV participants of this project, the experience was powerful and transformative. As Colombians, we discovered a shared hope for a community and shared love for our country. We felt privileged to be invited to observe and learn about the ways they work together to solve their conflicts creatively. We were fascinated at how they manage to nurture friendship ties despite the local history of violence. Meanwhile, we had something to offer the community. Over several days with the community, our group facilitated Peace Education activities related to conflict and resolution. Our small contribution to this huge process of Community Justice was to share CISV’s unique educational approach.
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TAKING IT HOME: THE IMPACT OF OUR PROJECT
As a result of this partnership between the School of Community Justice and CISV Bogotรก, we believe that the fabric of Colombian society has been strengthened in some small way. The community justice efforts in Arauca now have a more diverse set of tools and methods. Meanwhile, a small group of Colombians and global visitors have broader, richer understandings of this complex country and culture.
In many ways, however, we have also learned about ourselves. It is incredible how the experience of difference can cause us to ask questions, to challenge our perceptions and to seed new and powerful ideas. The experiences of this project encouraged us to examine our own attitudes as active citizens, both locally and globally. They reminded us how important it is and how valuable it can be to take action in our communities. It is not always easy and sometimes we must act with confidence and creativity. But with the right help, it is possible.
PARTICIPANT REFLECTIONS What taught me a lot was to see, know and understand the methods that the partner organization, Escuela de Justicia Comunitaria (School of Community Justice), used in order to solve problems and challenges in the communities in Arauca, Colombia. It was very educational to understand how much influence conflict management and resolution (and especially mediation) can have in order to solve challenges of trying to reinforce the community.
Camilla Wetzel, CISV Denmark
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I was impressed to see how by ensuring peaceful processes, the community learns how to solve their own issues, without necessarily having the governing justice included in the conflicts. What surprised me the most was how pleased the people of the community were with the participants of the IPP and Mosaic Project being in Arauca.
A final note that I would like to make is about the cooperation between the Mosaic Project and the IPP. It gave some exciting and useful opportunities to get to know different parts of the community. It gave a better understanding of the community as a whole, and it is definitely worth considering in other communities and Chapters around the world.
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MOSAIC PROJECTS
Culture Beat in Graz
Financial support: EU programme “Youth in Action”, Panthersie, [Projekt:500], Land Steiermark Soziales, Land Steiermark Kultur, Stadt Graz Kultur
‘I don’t want to leave this place!’ said Olivia on the morning that camp ended. She was one of 26 youth participants of the Culture Beat project who had only one thing in common; they all lived in the city of Graz. Each participant had a different story, different background and experienced their city in a completely different way. Culture Beat was a 14-day camp, the long-planned conclusion of a Mosaic project. During the camp, young people lived and learned together about the diverse community of Graz. The goal of the project was to help participants to recognise the multicultural nature of modern Graz and the active part each of them can play in its development. Using experiential learning methods is powerful and effective but it requires certain skills and attitudes from participants to work well. These include the willingness to listen to and receive feedback, the desire to participate actively and the ability to cooperate with others. Over the course of the camp, we saw each of the participants develop in these areas as they discovered and appreciated diversity.
Once the participants got to know each other, they felt comfortable exploring issues like conflict, personal development and group dynamics. Not only did the activities help achieve these learning goals, but the day-to-day life at camp led to many learning experiences too, both for youth and for grown-ups. Activities such as “Fantasy Graz“ enabled one-on-one and group conversations about cultures, violence, trust and cooperation in our shared city. Participants were suprised by how much they learned from other members of their own community. As the camp came to an end, the participants began to suggest ideas for future projects that would continue to celebrate the diversity of Graz. At ist end, Culture Beat turned out to be a beginning. The city has changed. And so did we.
Babsi Enko, CISV Austria
CISV Workshop at Kansai University
A 3-day workshop for more than 130 non-CISV participants at Kansai University was delivered by the Kansai Chapter of CISV Japan. On invitation by the University, the local Junior Branch developed the workshop, together with the CISV International Leadership Training Committee. Evaluation showed that all the students thoroughly enjoyed the event and gained a lot from the experience, particularly increased confidence in communicating with speakers of other languages. Due to the success of this CISV workshop, more are planned for the future.
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MOSAIC
CISV CELEBRATES DIVERSITY
Characters of Egypt The “Characters of Egypt” festival has been taking place since 2008 in this same protected area in the middle of the beautiful mountains in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. Each year the festival gathers tribes from all around Egypt to participate by sharing their folklore and culture through music, poetry, dancing, sport competitions and more. It is also the only opportunity in the year where the elders of these tribes get to meet to discuss their issues and conflicts, share resources and support each other. “This is the opportunity for us to meet and learn from each other,” said one of the representatives from Farafra Oasis, where CISV Egypt has been hosting IPPs since 2006.
Rowan El Shimi, CISV Egypt
THE PARTNERSHIP Fustat Wadi El Gemal is an Egyptian National Park and home to the Wadi Environmental Science Centre CWESCD, which along with the Egyptian Desert Pioneers Society CEDPSD organize the annual Characters of Egypt festival. This Festival was set up with the aim of creating an understanding of Egypt's cultural diversity, while also spreading awareness about ecoBtourism. One of the main components of the Characters of Egypt project is the development of a museum celebrating tribal heritage and way of life.
For more information about the project visit: www.charactersofegypt.com For more information about the partner visit: www.wadielgemal.com
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During last year’s huge festival that was attended by 3,000 people, one of our active volunteers, Sarah Haddad, attended as a guest and ended up coordinating the kitchen somehow. She explained her involvement with CISV to the festival organizer Waleed Ramadan, board member of Fustat Wadi El Gemal, which organizes the festival every year. As a result, at the start of October, CISV Egypt was approached at the last minute by the festival organizers asking if we could manage to organize the festival and recruit around 100 volunteers to work during the three-day event. Without hesitation we jumped at the opportunity.
A NEW CHALLENGE, A NEW OPPORTUNITY
We decided to take part in this since it was a great chance to celebrate CISV’s Year of Diversity, as well as get CISV’s name out there by working with the two partner organizations to put this event together and possibly do some fundraising for CISV. They were great goals that we managed to achieve; we just had no idea at the time that we would be achieving so much more.
Word spread quickly that CISV Egypt was organizing this event and we received over 150 applications to volunteer, from CISVers and non-CISVers alike. We divided the tasks in hand into functions, such as registration, accommodation and cleaning, food, tribes’ liaisons, publicity and press liaisons, and training. Each of the functions had coordinators, who were active members of the Chapter, and a mix of CISV volunteers and newly recruited members. The functions quickly started working as a team and one week before the event we all met for a training given by the event coordinators, CISVers Sarah and Ali Azmy, along with members of the partner organizations.
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“CISV has many capable volunteers who organize camps and events, receive excellent training and value and know the importance of volunteerism and teamwork.”
One thing that is memorable for all the volunteers is the spirit of the group. We arrived at Wadi El Gemal a couple of days before the event, and started setting up alongside the staff there. We had ice-breaking activities, even though they were almost not even needed since the whole group of 100 volunteers seemed to bond and work together exceptionally well. That was amazing, since most of them either didn’t know each other before or had never worked together. We managed to pull together this incredible event, and all the visitors, tribes, press, and partner Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) were particularly impressed with how the volunteers (or ‘the people in the t-shirts’ as some referred to us) were so well organized and helpful to everyone.
TAKING INITIATIVE GETS NOTICED
Even though it wasn’t in our plans, this event attracted 50 volunteers with no CISV experience to take an interest in our organization, and we hope to recruit them all for Junior Branch and programmes. We also managed to get amazing media exposure, with many of the journalists and TV channels covering the event centring their news items around the volunteers. Three newspapers dedicated entire pages to us and we were interviewed by TV channels and got the opportunity to talk about CISV’s purpose, activities and programmes. Not only this, but Waleed the event organizer was so impressed with our work and dedication that he mentioned in every interview he did and during the press conference that the event would not have been possible without CISV. “I consider myself ignorant to not have known about CISV, this group of people truly know what volunteerism and teamwork is all about, since they have been working together since they were 11,” he said. “I look forward to them organizing this event next year along with many other cooperations.” he added. This coming from someone so prominent in the field in Egypt, was a great statement for the benefit of CISV.
The volunteers had a terrific experience. Even though it was hectic, where we woke up to have meetings at 6 am, “Everyone was dealing with each other as one group, one family,” Mona Abdel-Aziz a CISV volunteer said “When people got sick, which tends to be a trend in the desert, you had people you just met supporting you and helping you and even doing your tasks”. They got a chance to meet people from all over Egypt, celebrate their diversity and participate in promoting tourism in an eco-friendly manner.
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In just one Mosaic project, CISV Egypt managed to cover all four Peace Education content areas of CISV:
Diversity
By organizing one of the biggest festivals celebrating diversity in Egypt and meeting people with so many different cultures
Sustainable development
By promoting responsible tourism in Egypt, and making visitors and volunteers aware of the effects of their consumption and habits
Human Rights
By giving an opportunity for tribes that can sometimes be neglected within Egypt to come together and be heard by members of the press, to spread awareness about the issues they are facing in an attempt to gain public and governmental recognition
Conflict and resolution
By dealing with a different NGO, naturally there were conflicts, which we managed to resolve peacefully. This gave an opportunity for our volunteers to learn firsthand how to manage conflict and channel it into something positive. Also, during a tribes meeting they set a system where each tribe would send one of their judges to solve conflicts and issues for another tribe, thus guaranteeing that each judge would have an objective opinion in the process.
This event, changed people’s perception of CISV Egypt from being a “Travel Agency for kids” to an organization that supports the concept of volunteerism, cultural dialogue, sustainable living and developing individuals on a local level.
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INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR BRANCH
A new language for cooperation Developing a project for people with learning disabilities is both challenging and extremely rewarding and was the focus of Iberico, the annual get-together for Portuguese and Spanish Junior Branches (JBs), last year.
JB in Portugal has long enjoyed a cooperative relationship with Quinta Essencia, a Portuguese organization that works with young people with learning disabilities to help them take their place in society. Recently they worked closer together to create an activity, which was very successful and both organizations were keen to do this again.
So when the Junior Branches in Portugal and Spain wanted a different focus for Iberico, Quinta Essencia seemed a natural partner. Staff and young people from Quinta Essencia were invited to attend, a first for Iberico. The CISV participants from Portugal and Spain had some experience in working with other organisations, but none had planned activities with people with learning disabilities in mind. They were asked to plan and run a session for the Quinta Essencia participants around topics related to what we do in CISV, such as communication and conflict resolution. Afterwards, CISV participants felt that they had done something productive, through working with a group of young people with learning disabilities in a way that really included them. Comments Francisco Paveo Martins of CISV Portugal “I believe that we made a real impact on the CISV participants, especially in terms of being aware of the needs of people with learning disabilities. Being responsible for planning and taking those special needs into account was a big challenge and one they rose to meet.” Francisco Pavão, CISV Portugal
THE PARTNERSHIP
The tagline of Portuguese charity Quinta Essencia is ‘a new language’. This illustrates their new approach to working with young people with learning disabilities, helping them to integrate and make an active contribution in society. The organization combines its strong relationships with research institutions with a corporate social responsibility programme to meet its goals.
For more information about the partner visit: www.quintaessencia.pt
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INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR BRANCH
CISV IS A GLOBAL MOVEMENT
Human Arrows For as long as the history books take us back, we can read about wars and conflicts all around the globe. In 1999, preoccupied with questions about the fundamental nature of humanity and the most pressing issues of our time, filmmaker Jeremy Gilley launched Peace One Day and set out to find a starting point for peace. He had a mission: to document his efforts to establish the first ever annual day of global ceasefire and nonviolence with a fixed calendar date. Remarkably, two years on, he achieved his primary objective; we call that day Peace Day.
POINTING TO A PROBLEM
Tore Bang Heerup, CISV Denmark
THE PARTNERSHIP Due to the efforts of Peace One Day founder Jeremy Gilley, in 2001 the member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted 21 September as an annual day of global ceasefire and nonB violence on the UN International Day of Peace. Peace One Day looks to engage all sectors of society, including governments, organizations of the United Nations CUND system, regional and nonBgovernmental organizations and individuals in observance of 21 September and encourage action on Peace Day that creates a united and sustainable world. For more information about this partner organization, visit: www.peaceoneday.org
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During the past years CISV has celebrated this day on a local level. Actions such as sending out balloons into the air, participating in peace walks or holding concerts are typical examples. In 2009, International Junior Branch (IJB) wanted to stand together as an international Peace Education organization focusing on just one conflict. We wanted to do this by literally forming arrows of humans pointing at that conflict, all around the world, all together, all at the same time! The conflict we chose was one of diversity and human rights: a law in Lithuania, which was discriminating against homosexuals and other minorities.
This idea was first mentioned by a Junior at the International Junior Branch Conference (IJBC) in 2008. However, it wasn’t until IJBC 2009 that we actually took the idea to the next level. As dedicated and motivated Juniors, with the dream of empowering others to act upon the issues we face in the world, we decided to make this more than just an idea. With no central command line or formal system of how to work, everyone just grabbed a task and told the others what we were doing. By using social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube we were able to refer people to another site on JBPedia, which contained all the information about the project. In just four weeks we managed to promote this idea on a global level and far beyond CISV’s usual networks. IJB was contacted by individuals who are non-CISV members from all around the world who wanted to take part in this project. This also led other NGOs who had never heard about CISV to be curious about who we are and what
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“We always look forward to hearing about all your plans for Peace Day and thinking of how we could work with CISV to help CISV Chapters around the world participate. We really count on CISV’s brilliant support for Peace One Day and look forward to working with you more closely in the future.” Fernanda Rodrigues Balata, Global Communications Manager, Peace One Day
we do. For instance, through Twitter we got connected to addictlab.com, which is a Think Tank that supported the project and placed our information on the home page of their website. Also, Facebook helped us attract the organization Stand out Youth from Savannah, USA to get involved in the project.
SPREADING THE WORD
On the actual day, September 21st, we were able to mobilise individuals from 35 cities in 21 different countries, to get together as groups and point towards the conflict in Lithuania. Over 1000 people got involved and our message went out to an even larger number of people. At this point you might think how huge this project got to be, and how much awareness was raised about CISV. But it doesn’t end here.
HAVING AN IMPACT: A GLOBAL MOVEMENT
By choosing a conflict that wasn’t given enough attention in the media, and that had a common community interest, it was possible to find many NGOs wanting to cooperate with us. This, with the promotion through social networks, made it quite easy for Junior Branches all around the world to get together with an NGO and develop an activity or discussion highlighting the topic as well as making the Human Arrow. Furthermore, we were able to connect the conflict with the theme of Identity, (the International IJB and Youth Meeting theme for 2010), as well as with Conflict Resolution (the IJB theme for 2009). To wrap up, imagine this: In just four weeks, 1000 CISVers managed to raise awareness about a conflict happening in Lithuania in 21 countries, 35 cities, attract NGOs to work with us, between us promoting our shared vision that together we can create a more just and peaceful world.
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NGO COLLABORATIONS
CISV LEBANON LAUNCHES INTO THE COMMUNITY
One Day One Goal On September 21st 2010, several of Lebanon’s NGOs gathered on the football field of the American University of Beirut to get the One Day One Goal match underway. The players arrived, fuelled by excitement and enthusiasm. But before the match began, all the players took seats in the bleachers. Before the game could begin, it was necessary to recognise why it was taking place at all, and what significance it held. After all, this was no ordinary match.
Hussein Khalil, CISV Lebanon
One Day One Goal is a global Peace event, led by the organization Peace One Day. The idea is simple: to see football matches played on the same day in every member state of the United Nations and beyond. The matches aspire to unite people from different communities and different cultures who would never normally play together. All it takes to participate is a ball and a pitch.
SCORING POINTS FOR PEACE
In the bleachers at the American University of Beirut, the players heard a short introduction about Peace One Day and the International Day of Peace. Then, each player introduced him or herself, explaining which NGO they work for and how its work contributes to a more just and peaceful world. Soon the match was underway.
THE PARTNERSHIP CISV Lebanon engaged with a number of partners for their One Day One Goal soccer game. You can read more about these partner organizations on the next page. Peace One Day created One Day One Goal to see soccer matches played in every country on Peace Day as a simple way of raising awareness B for their part, CISVers organized matches in 26 countries across 5 continents. Peace One Day recognised their efforts as ‘outstanding’.
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Supporters cheered for their respective teams. In the spirit of friendly competition, the younger members of CISV sang familiar CISV songs when their players scored goals. It was an evening of laughter, friendship and solidarity. The games served as a reminder of the power of sport to bring people together. The collaboration between our NGOs reinforced the importance of working together to tackle challenges in our communities and in our world.
IndyAct won the tournament. But the real victors were all those who participated — all those who cheered and played for Peace. The day was considered a great accomplishment for the NGOs. We had raised awareness for the International Day of Peace, new bonds were created between individuals and organizations, and new doors had opened for future cooperation. At the end of the event, team photos were taken. All the participants gathered to form a human peace symbol; a final way of marking the day. Ultimately, a goal was
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“By hosting a successful event, CISV Beirut had brought people together, launched itself into the community in a new way, and had a great time doing it.”
met: by hosting a successful event, CISV Beirut had brought people together, launched itself into the community in a new way, and had a great time doing it.
Sahar El Choufi (Rotaract): “It’s astounding how much we have in common with CISV, from Structure to Goals – which is why we were extremely happy to collaborate with them, and all the other NGOs on such an amazing project. I really hope that the International Day of Peace is a memorable one here in Lebanon. It’s something that we all really need – it brings people together, regardless of differences and personal values.” Basma Barakat (Volta ao Mundo): “One of our organization’s projects is “Jogo de Paz” (Play for Peace), which is why we were so excited about One Day One Goal – similarly to Capoeira, football is a sport that brings people together.”
THE PARTNERSHIPS
Rotaract an international youth NGO and offshoot of Rotary International. Members address physical and social needs in their local communities while promoting international understanding and peace through a framework of friendship and service. www.rotary.org IndyAct is a Lebanese-founded League of independent environmental, social and cultural activists working to achieve an active, healthy, peaceful, equitable and beautiful planet by supporting similar activists to achieve their goals. www.indyact.org
Red Cross Youth is the youth branch of Red Cross Lebanon. They work on a diversity of projects, mostly focused on issues facing the youth of Lebanon. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a global humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers worldwide. www.redcross.org.lb
Red Cross EMTs are Red Cross Lebanon Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). They are are a group of volunteers who work as paramedics saving lives in emergency situations. Volta ao Mundo (VAM) aims to promote Brazilian arts and culture in Lebanon through a number of cultural and social activities including Capoeira, the Portuguese language and Brazilian music, dance, cuisine and films. They use these arts and activities as tools to build bridges of understanding and tolerance among divided communities. www.volta-lb.org
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INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR BRANCH
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN BUENOS AIRES
Waves of Change In 2005, CISV Buenos Aires did not have a strong Junior Branch. The group was small, inactive, and had almost no working relationship with the Board that managed the local Chapter.
This small group of youth felt disconnected and disempowered. They organized some regular activities, but they did not feel like leaders or active global citizens. In fact, they felt a bit bored.
Cande Lucero, CISV Argentina and Alex Neuman, CISV Canada
But, in February of 2008, things slowly started to change. What began as a small initiative, taken by a few youth, turned into a wave of positive change for the Chapter. They decided that they did not want to feel bored anymore. They dreamed of an active and engaged Junior Branch; one that inspired the community and fuelled the Chapter. They sat down and began to organize. They analysed their strengths and weaknesses and imagined new ways they could engage with the Chapter Board and develop more meaningful, more inclusive local activities.
LEARNING TO COMMUNICATE, LEARNING TO COLLABORATE “We faced a big challenge because it wasn't easy to present new ideas to a group that had been working the same way for ten years,” explains Cande Lucero, one of the youth involved in the revitalization. “But, the main idea we all shared was that cooperation would help both the Chapter and the Junior Branch work in ways we had never thought of before.”
Over the months and years that followed, a new relationship emerged between the youth of the Chapter and its Board. It was a relationship built on trust and on a shared vision of active global citizenship at the local level. The Junior Branch was given new freedom to create ambitious projects and programmes. Over a short period of time they proved just how capable they were.
In 2008, they hosted a training forum called JB South, which brought together participants from Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Australia. The Junior Branch of Buenos Aires coordinated all aspects of the training, which focused on active global citizenship and Junior Branch Development.
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“They dreamed of an active and engaged Junior Branch; one that inspired the community and fueled the Chapter.”
In 2009, the Junior Branch continued to grow and thrive. They organized regular activities, putting a special focus on the educational theme of “Identity”, which Junior Branches worldwide were working with that year. In 2010, the Junior Branch led a Mosaic project that explored the theme of recycling with kids in local schools, by using recycled materials to make art projects.
BRIDGING THE GAP: BUILDING A STRONGER CHAPTER
Meanwhile, the relationship between the Junior Branch and the Chapter Board was repairing itself. Over time, the divide between “youth” and “adults” began to dissolve and the Chapter began to feel like a more unified community. So what happened? What caused Buenos Aires to gain such momentum? Cande Lucero has an idea: “What I think makes JB Buenos Aires such a powerful force is the constant educational content we include in our activities,” she says. “In everything we do we are constantly seeking new ways to learn and new themes to explore.”
She says she has seen the profound impact Junior Branch has had on local youth. She mentions two individuals in particular, whom she has watched develop over the past few years. “Seeing them evolve from being shy and reserved to taking on major leadership positions was really inspiring,” she explains. For these youth, Junior Branch was a safe and creative space, where they were able to build attitudes, skills and knowledge that they will take beyond CISV, into their lives and into their communities. In 2010, CISV Buenos Aires continues to grow and thrive, and it shows no sign of slowing down. One of the goals of the International Junior Branch is to empower individuals to reflect and act. The case of Buenos Aires proves that it only takes a few empowered individuals to create a wave of positive change. This wave has empowered many more individuals along its way, and will continue to do so for many years to come.
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INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE’S PROJECT
WORKING WITH THE RED CROSS IN SPAIN
Poverty and exclusion Last year, two British CISVers met for the first time at a training weekend to begin planning their participation in an International People’s Project (IPP) in Almeira, Spain. Anya Stephenson and Mike Anstis, both 21 year-old students, used their training to research the issues related to illegal immigration in Spain and in their own communities. What was your IPP all about?
interview by Nic Hargreaves, CISV Great Britain
Anya: We got some great practical training and experience working with the Red Cross and first-hand experience of the topic, which was illegal immigration in Spain. We had the chance to meet so many people who had risked their lives to get to Europe and hear their stories. We were also able to be involved in all the Red Cross programmes in Almeria, from visiting the illegal immigrant settlements to hand out food parcels, to running a kindergarten at the ferry port for the children of legal immigrants traveling back to Africa to visit family, to being present at the actual arrivals of the small boats from Africa. Why this IPP?
The Spanish Red Cross is a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; the world's largest humanitarian organization, with 186 member National Societies. The work of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is guided by their seven fundamental principles: humanity; impartiality; neutrality; independence; voluntary service; unity, and universality. For more information about this partner organization, visit: www.cruzroja.es
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Mike: I had studied the situation with immigrants in the south of Spain in my Spanish class and I wanted to learn more about it. I expected to learn a lot about the situation, the work of the Red Cross, to share opinions on immigration and to help the immigrants, although I did not know before I got there in which way. Can you describe part of your IPP that had a big impact on your understanding of the theme?
Anya: The Red Cross medical officer assessed each patient and took details of name, age and nationality, giving a green wristband to those deemed "healthy", with the option of a red band for those needing the attention of a doctor. Meanwhile, we distributed dry clothes and shoes, water and hot drinks, and food to the immigrants. They seemed very grateful for everything and we were proud of the work we did as Red Cross volunteers.
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“The educational/practical aspect of the IPP gave the CISV experience a whole new dimension, and having a focus meant we worked hard but also had so much fun.�
The whole experience really put into context the process set in motion when a Patera (illegal immigrant) arrives. Although we had it explained to us several times in the training, until I saw and felt the futility of the immigrants' journeys, I could not empathise fully with their situation. I can now relate the arrival to the immigrant settlements we see inland. These people risk their lives for the chance of a better life, but when they arrive they are greeted by even further poverty, unemployment and exclusion from society. What did you gain from the experience?
Mike: This IPP has opened my eyes to the level of inequality and suffering that still exists in Europe, which was especially shocking, as it does not get much international press. It has inspired me to work on similar projects in the future. I am going to work with the Red Cross in Madrid, probably with immigrants, at Christmas this year.
Anya: This was a unique chance to meet so many like-minded people yet with so many different ideas. For me it was important to do something to really help out, as well as getting a real insight into the issue. The educational/practical aspect of the IPP gave the CISV experience a whole new dimension, and having a focus meant we worked hard but also had so much fun. It's easy to get frustrated with not being able to 'do' enough on IPP but for me the biggest achievement was the education and insight we all received on our theme.
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Junior Branch Chapters The CISV Programmes featured in International People’s Project Mosaic 19+years / 14 – 23 days All ages / Any length 11 – 25 year olds / ongoing All ages Activate are Mosaic, International People’s Project (IPP) along with a IPPs are innovative learning programmes Mosaic offers our Chapters a model for Junior Branch is an international network CISV has Chapters in over 200 towns and that contribute actively towards identified community-based Peace Education. Each of young people taking local action, while cities worldwide. While each is very number of Junior Branch and needs within a community. In partnership project responds to local needs and inspiring and enabling others to do the different, they are all communities of Chapter projects. For full with a local organization, a group of interests in meaningful ways. Most of the same. Based in our Chapters, Junior active global citizens. Chapters are Branches are self-governing groups that locally organized and open to anyone who descriptions of all CISV programmes participants from different countries work projects are planned and delivered in together on community projects related to cooperation with partner organizations organize activities throughout the year. would like to join. please visit www.cisv.org a specific theme.
Activate Magazine
Published by CISV International Registered Office: CISV International, MEA House, Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NEI 8XS, England Registered Charity 1073308 Company Limited by Guarantee, Company Registration no. 3672838 © 2011 – CISV International
Editors
Alex Neuman CISV Canada Denise Farrar CISV International
Design and Production: George Brown Illustrations: Chris Stokes, CISV Australia
and come in many shapes and sizes.
We want to hear from you
Share your experiences of partnership working in the next issue of Activate! We are looking for good examples of working in partnership with other organizations, whether this was as a CISV Programme, Chapter or Junior Branch. It could be a small one-time local co-operation or a larger, on-going project – we are interested in them all! For more details of how to contribute, please contact Alex altchair.imc@cisv.org or Denise denise.farrar@cisv.org
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