Happy Easter
Dear reader,
Here is the April edition of the Youth enews. Please feel free to forward it to anyone you think may be interested in any of the information.
If you have anything in future you think would be appropriate for our enews then please email me.
Now that both the Eastern and Western traditions have celebrated it we here at the WCC Youth Desk would like to wish all of you a Happy Easter.
Cheers,
Mark
Global - News
The role of science in building a better world - Essay competition
Scientific progress has brought many benefits to humanity, while some applications of science have had adverse impacts. What kind of science and technology do you think is needed for realizing a more equitable, prosperous and sustainable world for all?
The Goi Peace Foundation is offering cash prizes and a trip to Tokyo, Japan as possible awards to the top essay's submitted on the above theme.
The deadline is the 30 June 2009 and you must be aged 25 or under to enter.
For more information visit goipeace.com
WSCF internship opportunity
The World Student Christian Federation is looking for a motivated person for the position of Office and Publications Intern. The post is based in Budapest, Hungary and lasts for two years beginning in September 2009.
A monthly stipend will be paid and the deadline for applications is 31 May 2009.
Find out more and get an application pack from wscf-europe.org
Global - Events
Living together is possible - NCCI seminar
The Youth Commission of the National Council of Churches in India is organizing an Interfaith Seminar on the theme, "Living Together is Possible", at Pilar Retreat Center, Goa from 15- 22 June 2009.
Anyone interested should email Vineeth Koshy at vineethkoshy@gmail.com for more information.
32nd Protestant Kirchentag set for Bremen
- Hannover Kirchentag, 2005
The Kirchentag or 'day of the Church' is an international faith and arts festival held every two years in Germany. Over five days there are 2500 events, 100 000 full-time visitors, 30 000 active participants and a whole lot more. It runs from 20-24 May 2009 and will be attended by WCC interns and staff.
Kirchentag has been described as, "a mixture of a university summer school, a Bible convention, Taizé, a synod meeting, the Edinburgh Festival, a brass band festival, an Ideal Homes exhibition and a cup final - all rolled into one and all going on at the same time ".
To find out more please visit kirchentag.de
Bossey seminar - Building an interfaith community
- Students debate at the Château de Bossey
Multi-faith and multicultural contexts have become the evident marks of our time all over the world. People of different faiths, cultures and races live side by side and struggle together with the many challenges.
The Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland is hosting this inter-faith seminar from 6-31 July 2009. The goals of the seminar are: learning about each other; and to challenge and overcome stereotypes, while fully respecting and affirming each particular faith identity.
For more information and to apply please visit the Bossey website
World leadership conference - Singapore 2009
- Polluted sunset: beautiful or ugly?
The World leadership Conference is for young people to discuss the ethos of leadership and current affairs. It will be held from 8-12 June 2009 in Singapore.
This year the theme will be, 'Environment and Economics', focusing on relevant issues and resolutions.
Participants must be aged between 16-25 and the deadline for applications is 25 May 2009. Sponsorhips are available.
To apply and for more information visit worldleadershipconference.org
Asia - News
Taize prints 1 million Bibles for China
At the European meeting which brought together 40,000 young people in Brussels, Brother Alois announced that, to respond to the needs of the Christians of China, the Taizé Community will print one million Bibles in China200,000 complete Bibles and 800,000 New Testaments with Psalms.
This action is a part of the Taizé Communities Operation Hope programme.
Read more at taize.fr
Europe - News
ECY - Funding opportunity
The European Commision on Youth is offering the opportunity for European charities and NGO's that are concerned with youth volunteering to apply for funding for a specific project.
The scheme is called the Amicus Preparatory Action and it aims to:
- promote the transnational character of youth placements in civic service and volunteering activities;
- promote the development of a European framework to facilitate the interoperability of existing civic service and volunteering opportunities for young people in the Member States;
- allow a testing and evaluation phase by way of specific European cooperation projects in the field of youth transnational civic service and volunteering.
For more information please visit ec.europa.eu
CEC vacancy - Communications executive
The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is seeking a new Executive Secretary for Communications in succession to the Revd Luca Negro, who has taken up other responsibilities within his own church.
The post is based in Geneva and is offers an initial contract of two years.
For the speficics and to apply visit cec-kek.org
Europe - Events
Salto Youth - Roma youth seminar
There will be a contact making seminar for European organisations working with Roma youth. The seminar will be held in Smolenice, Slovakia from the 24-28 June 2009 and will be hosted by SALTO-Youth.
SALTO-Youth is part of a network of 8 resource centres working on European priority areas within the youth field. It provides youth work and training resources and organises training and contact-making activities to support organisations and National Agencies within EU member states.
For more information please visit salto-youth.net
Latin America - News
FUMEC - New website up and running
The Federation of Christian Student Movements in Latin America or, Federación Universal de Movimentos Estudiantiles Cristianos (FUMEC) have recently produced a website.
The website is in Spanish and we encourage you to visit it at fumec-alc.org
Middle East - News
Religions for Peace: "Restart Middle East peace process"
The Religions for Peace Middle East/North Africa Council has called for a re-starting of the peace process in the Holy Land, including: encouraging the engagement of senior religious leaders in the search for peace; providing humanitarian aid to Gaza; ensuring respect for democratic elections in the region; and preserving Jerusalem as a holy city that should be accessible to all believers.
Twenty members of the Council, Muslim, Christian and Jewish, met on 2-3 April 2009 in Istanbul, Turkey. Participants requested that Dr. William F. Vendley, Secretary General of Religions for Peace, send letters of appeal to a host of politicians and political organisations.
To read more please visit religionsforpeace.org
EAPPI update - Israel/Palestine
"Since 1967 when the Jerusalem municipality approved a plan to designate Al-Bustan neighbourhood in Silwan, as 'green land' and demolish 88 homes in the area, residents have been fighting for their right to keep their homes and land... UNOCHA estimates that the demolitions would affect 88 homes with some 140 families and 1300-1500 people...this is a very sensitive issue within the wider Palestinian community and one that deserves greater understanding and advocacy." (excerpt from an article by Ecumenical Accompaniers in Jerusalem)
The Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel has released its latest update. To read the full article about Al-Bustan and other reports please visit eappi.org
Middle East - Events
JAI journey for justice program
The Joint Advocacy Initiative is inviting YMCA and YWCA youth leaders from around the world to join the annual Journey for Justice Program in Palestine and Israel.
The challenging program aims to witness and accompany Palestinian youth in their daily life, which includes:
- Stories / experiences / dreams and daily life sharing
- Devotions and reflections
- Home stays with Palestinian host families
- Passing through checkpoints and roadblocks together
- Visiting their universities and realize Palestinian students' difficulties
For more information and to apply please visit jai-pal.org
North America - News
NCCCUSA - Leaders Easter Message
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us." - I John 4:18-19
Vicken Aykazian and Michael Kinnamon, respectively the President and General Secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, have puplished an Easter message.
The message reflects on the above passage from the book of John and can be found at ncccusa.org
