School of Peace

Last Updated (Monday, 07 June 2010 17:31)

SCHOOL OF PEACE for YMCAs AND ECUMENICAL ORGANIZATIONS

RATIONALE

The quadrennial thrust of the APAY Peace with Justice challenges us to respond to the vast socio-cultural, religious, economic and political diversities that can lead to discrimination, human rights violations, violence and conflicts. The Colombo Declaration of the APAY on Peace and Security also encourages YMCAs in the region to develop effective strategies for building peace with justice and to sharpen the skills of the staff and volunteers to strengthen our civic engagements in the community to ensure peaceful coexistence. Since 2003, Interfaith Cooperation Forum (ICF), a joint initiative of the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs and Christian Conference of Asia, has sought to promote justpeace actions through conducting its 14-week School of Peace (SOP) and accompanying and mentoring the local actions of the SOP alumni through the ICF network.

The YMCA Subregional Peace Forums of South Asia and Southeast Asia held last year proposed to have a short-term School of Peace for the YMCA staff and volunteers. It aims to develop a deeper awareness and appreciation of the justpeace visions and values of our faiths in Asia, to become more perceptive of our identity and the identities of others and to understand some of the roots of conflicts. It will also help the participants to develop their peace-building skills and strategies to promote justpeace actions through their own YMCAs and a network of ecumenical NGOs as well as the ICF network.

 

OBJECTIVES

• To provide a training opportunity for YMCA staff and active youth volunteers from YMCAs (10 staff/volunteers) in the region and 10 representatives from CCA and the ICF network who have the potential for initiating peace-building activities in their YMCAs
• To share and learn good practices of peace-building and to develop a deeper awareness and understanding of interfaith cooperation that is rooted within the context of South and Southeast Asia
• To assist and equip the staff and volunteers of South and Southeast Asia YMCAs in developing local justpeace actions in their communities through interfaith cooperation and to build links with the regional ICF network

PARTICIPATION CRITERIA

• Interested and dedicated to grassroots-level peace-building activities and a commitment to work for justpeace through interfaith cooperation after the training
• Commitment from the sending organization to utilize the new knowledge and skills of the participant for the benefit of others
• Age between 20 and 40 years old
• Recommendation of the local YMCA and endorsement of the national YMCA
• Different faith background
• Good English communication skills

DATE: OCTOBER 22 TO NOVEMBER 11, 2010

VENUE: YMCA INTERNATIONAL HOTEL, No. 1374 Negombo Road
Kurana, Katunayake. Tel: 011 533 4096, 011 533 4097

REGISTRATION FEE: US$100 per participant

SUBSIDIES: Limited travel subsidies are available for YMCAs that have financial constraints for sending participants.
The registration fee payment is compulsory for all participants.

COURSE CONTENTS

A: Understanding Peace

• Introduction to justpeace
• Analyzing the root causes of violence
• Perceiving the role and importance of identity in our relationships
• Understanding justpeace from a faith perspective

B: Encounter with the Sri Lankan Context and Peace Initiatives

• Community immersion/field visits
• Visiting IDP camps
• Witnessing peace-building initiatives

C : Capacity-Building for Transformation

• Developing skills for actions
• Building communities of justpeace
• Action planning/networking

DEADLINE OF APPLICATION: 31 AUGUST 2010

SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS: 10 SEPTEMBER 2010

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The YMCAs that are interested in sending participants should send their application to the APAY secretariat ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) through the National General Secretary with a CV of the applicant. A brief note (maximum of one page) on the participant’s vision and perspective on justpeace and their reason for participating in the School of Peace also should be attached.

CONTACT DETAILS

APAY Mr. Jose Varghese : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ICF: Mr. Bruce Van Voorhis : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sri Lanka YMCA: Mr. T. C. Brownson : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it