The training program emphasized the theme “Togetherness: Building Teams and Leaders for a New Africa”, designed to reinforce leadership attitudes and civic participation through a blend of local training activities and international exchange. Lecturers, facilitators, and participants from European countries expanded the participants’ perspectives from both continents on common challenges and diverse cultural viewpoints regarding the topics discussed. 

Enhancing Peer-to-Peer Learning 

In response to participant feedback from the Summer School in 2023, the 2024 program focused on increasing opportunities for exchange among participants. The structure included fewer lectures and more collaborative sessions, allowing attendees to share their insights and best practices on leadership. Discussions were facilitated in English, French, and Portuguese, accommodating the diverse linguistic backgrounds of participants. 

A notable new feature was the peer-to-peer moments, where participants from different countries, but sharing a common language, engaged in meaningful conversations about their reflections and proposals based on the lectures. Feedback indicated that these moments were highly appreciated and contributed significantly to the learning experience. 

Opening Session and Key Themes 

The event began with a powerful address from Prof. Justus Mbae, former Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and Chairperson of T4NA. He emphasized the crucial role of individual passion, energy, and curiosity in driving meaningful change. Prof. Mbae’s message resonated with participants, motivating them to embrace their potential as agents of transformation. 

Dr. Melchior Nsavyimana, the project manager of T4NA, expressed his gratitude for the commitment shown by all involved in making the training a reality. His acknowledgment of the collaborative efforts among participants from various regions underscored the essence of teamwork in achieving common goals. 

The first day featured a reflective session led by Professor Declan O’Byrne, Rector of Sophia Institute University, who engaged participants in discussing the challenges and opportunities of leadership in today’s world. This segment proved impactful, as participants reflected on their own leadership journeys and the wisdom required to navigate complex environments. 

Throughout the week, various crucial themes were explored, including: 

1. Collaboration and Complex Issues: A session on “Hard Problems & Contextual Factors,” moderated by Annette Pelkmans, Professor of International Economics at Sophia University Institute, highlighted the importance of collective action in solving complex challenges. The introduction of the “6 by 1 methodology” provided a structured framework for participants to navigate these difficulties, encouraging them to reflect on the challenges of fraternity, love, and globalization. 
2. Conflict Management: Raphaël Takougang, a lawyer at the Cameroon Bar Association, led discussions on conflict transformation and peacebuilding, reinforcing the idea that everyone plays a role in fostering peace through daily actions and commitments. 
3. Gender Inequality: Geneviève Sanze highlighted the vital role of women in socio-economic development, stressing the importance of recognizing unpaid labor and advocating for balanced partnerships between men and women. Her insights on mutual societies and initiatives focused on women’s development underscored the potential for creating more equitable communities.

In addition to thematic discussions, time was allocated for national group exchanges, allowing participants to delve deeper into the content and develop action plans tailored to their local contexts. These collaborative sessions fostered a sense of community and mutual support, essential elements for effective leadership. 

A Collaborative Closure 

As the training concluded, Melchior Nsavyimana, Project Manager of Together for a New Africa, encouraged participants to become active citizens and implement the lessons learned in their communities. The event wrapped up by reaffirming the significance of collaborative leadership in building a stronger, more equitable, and united Africa. 

The T4NA Summer School 2024 not only equipped young leaders with essential skills and knowledge but also created a vibrant network of individuals committed to driving positive change. As they return to their communities, these leaders carry with them a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to fostering unity and collaboration across the continent. 

To access all the materials and lectures from the Summer School, visit AFR.E.S.H. Project. 

For more information on the Together for a New Africa project, visit the website. 

L'articolo Togetherness in Action: Strengthening Leadership at the T4NA Summer School proviene da New Humanity.

Sign Up Now! Register here. 

Starting in September 2024, the Online Training Course: “Project Design and Strategic Planning” invites youth and professionals to participate in an enriching experience aimed at promoting social inclusion in the Mediterranean region and fostering exchanges between Africa and Europe. This innovative initiative, powered by the M.E.D.I.T.erraNEW and AFR.E.S.H projects, seeks to equip participants with essential skills to design impactful and sustainable social projects.

ACCESS THE CALENDAR

Who Can Join?

While the primary participants include staff and volunteers from partner organizations, the training is open to a wider audience, including:

• Staff from the International Focolare Movement Center (MdF)
• Regional project development offices
• Youth centers and dialogue coordinators
• Educators, young professionals, and staff from other social organizations interested in enhancing their skills.

Training Goals

• Learn how to enhance the sustainability of their organizations and improve youth inclusion.
• Develop a strategic mindset for project design.
• Strengthen their ability to prepare high-quality project proposals.
• Gain skills to act as multipliers, sharing knowledge within their networks.
• Identify additional training needs for future learning opportunities.
• Build capacity for effective networking and collaboration.

Course Structure

• Phase 1 (2 sessions): An introduction to strategic planning and project design, exploring the general concepts and their interconnection.
• Phase 2 (4 sessions): A deep dive into project evaluation, impact assessment, and advocacy, focusing on how to influence local and international institutions.
• Phase 3 (5 sessions): Detailed analysis of individual project phases, providing hands-on learning opportunities.

Language and Accessibility

While the training will primarily be conducted in Italian, modules will be available in English, French, Spanish, Croatian, Portuguese and Arabic. 

Course Logistics

• Schedule: The first two phases will take place in the evenings from 7:15 PM to 9:15 PM (CET), while the third phase will be held in the afternoons from 1:45 PM to 3:45 PM (CET).
• Platform: Sessions will be conducted via Zoom, with materials and recordings available on a shared Drive.

Costs and Registration

The training is free for staff and volunteers from partner organizations in the M.E.D.I.T.erraNEW and AFR.E.S.H projects. It is also free for participants from non-EU countries. For other European participants not affiliated with partner organizations, there is a nominal fee of €15. Registration and payment details will be provided upon sign-up.

Certification

Participants who attend at least 80% of the sessions will receive a certificate of participation from New Humanity. Additionally, participants under 30 years old will receive a Youthpass certificate, validated by the European Union.

Sign Up Now! Register here. 

Join us in shaping a brighter future for youth across the Mediterranean through the Online Training Course: “Project Design and Strategic Planning”!

L'articolo Introducing the Online Training Course: “Project Design and Strategic Planning” proviene da New Humanity.

AFR.E.S.H. representatives played a pivotal role in the event, contributing to inspiring experiences and insights. Check the videos below:

Learn more: https://www.new-humanity.org/en/project/afr-e-s-h/

L'articolo AFR.E.S.H. participants are protagonists of global event to foster peace and unity proviene da New Humanity.

Abandoned nuclear power plants evoke images of desolation, with Chernobyl standing as a haunting reminder of the potential consequences. Ignalina, another nuclear center located in Lithuania, shares the same landscape with a troubled history. Notably, it served also as the backdrop for the HBO TV series Chernobyl.  

Reaching out to the excluded and planting seeds of hope are part of the mission of the Greenclusive project. The participants decided to act locally at Visaginas, the youngest city in Lithuania, and is primarily known for the nearby Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, construction of which began in 1978. 

Scoping out the territory, investigating the challenges 

Ignalina’s struggles are deeply rooted, and the nearby city of Visaginas bears the burden of an aging nuclear infrastructure. Although the nuclear power plant has been closed, the burial and storage of radioactive waste remain a significant problem and has caused significant damage to Lithuania’s largest lake, Lake Drūkšiai, and its flora and fauna.  

The city faces a number of socio-environmental challenges, such as low birth rate, aging population, disabilities, substance addiction, and psychological, physical, or sexual abuse. Additionally, there are challenges such as unemployment and migration. The environmental quality in the municipality is deemed inadequate due to escalating air and water pollution, an underdeveloped waste management system, reliance on diesel for heat, slow housing modernization with reliance on diesel for heat, and a high motorization rate with a dated vehicle fleet and a shortage of electric vehicles. 

In a place where abandoned buildings dot the landscape and waste mars the natural beauty, the question arises: Can ecology and inclusion find a foothold here? 

In Action: Greenclusive Youth’s Bold Initiative 

A group of 9 young people from Lithuania and Estonia embarked on a journey to Visaginas, confronting the complexities of this nuclear-tinged environment. At first, the goal was to observe what is happening in the city, what positive initiatives have been implemented or are in progress, and what problems the city is facing. 

From July 6th to 9th 2023, through the lens of the Greenclusive Project, these youngsters engaged in meaningful actions, such as getting to know the city and the nuclear center, meeting many residents, cleaning the lakeside and visiting the municipality. This collaborative spirit resonated as a testament to the potential for positive change, even in seemingly desolate places. 

The population of Visaginas is predominantly Russian (48%), followed by 20% Lithuanian, and the remainder includes Poles, Belarusians, Ukrainians, and other nationalities. The language barrier complicates communication among diverse communities and makes it harder to engage residents in activities together. Unfortunately, until today, the linguistic divide hinders diverse people and cultures from living in unity and harmony. 

In light of the above, the group had the opportunity to learn about the “Point” Youth Center and its activities. The center brings together young people from different language backgrounds and teaches them mutual tolerance. Those who come to the center can engage freely in various artistic activities, play, create costumes, pursue activities they enjoy, be accepted and respected—respecting each other. 

As a testament to the project’s impact, one of the participants returned to the city after some months for an annual festival. This not only symbolizes the lasting connections formed but also highlights the potential for ongoing positive change. The Greenclusive Project envisions a future where ecological sustainability and social inclusion thrive, especially in the most unexpected and excluded places.  

L'articolo Greenclusive: ecology and inclusion in abandoned nuclear power plant proviene da New Humanity.

Titled “Connecting with Others,” the workshop garnered 365 registrations from 21 European and 31 non-European countries, offering language options in English, Italian, German, and French.

The workshop content featured three main speakers, experts in the discussed themes, followed by six individuals who shared their Christian-Muslim interfaith experiences.

Luciano di Mele, an Italian communication scholar, was the first speaker, highlighting the manipulation of communication through disinformation and fake news. He emphasized the role of media education in countering misinformation.

Ramazan Özgü, a Swiss Muslim professor, stressed the importance of involving minority voices in major discussions, emphasizing dialogue as a platform for public discourse. Structural barriers hindering Muslim participation were addressed.

The significance of interreligious dialogue between Catholics and Muslims in breaking stereotypes and fostering inclusivity and strong democracy was underscored. The Focolare Movement’s dialogical approach was praised for improving relations and integrating Muslim refugees in Europe.

Ramazan supported the Swiss initiative “We Are Also Here,” empowering Muslim youth in media engagement and political involvement. The value of alliances between minority groups was emphasized, along with initiatives against online hate.

The European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) was lauded as a step towards a fairer digital landscape, promoting transparency and countering hate speech. The importance of regulating digital platforms to ensure equitable representation and combat misinformation was highlighted.

The essence of democratic societies lies in dialogue, transcending boundaries and understanding diverse perspectives. Interfaith dialogue was hailed as a valuable platform for sharing ideas, fostering mutual understanding, and cooperation among religious groups.

The third speaker, Michele Zanzucchi, addressed Islamophobia in Europe, highlighting the complex relationship between Europe and the Islamic world. He suggested mutual understanding and using religion to resolve conflicts as antidotes.

Various speakers shared initiatives promoting interfaith understanding, such as breakfast gatherings and cultural events. They stressed education, mutual respect, and acknowledging shared values to promote unity.

Participants identified two principles: reciprocity and dialogue, and fraternity. They proposed actions like fostering interaction, educating youth about human rights and dialogue, promoting good practices, and disseminating government initiatives supporting minorities.

Click HERE for a full description of the workshop

L'articolo Connecting with Others – Practising the Art of Dialogue proviene da New Humanity.

A couple of years ago, New Humanity youth launched a six-year global strategy called “Pathways for a United World” that aims to address the challenges facing our world today by placing human fraternity and reciprocity at the basis of every aspect of human life. This year, the focus is on the Pathway of Active Citizenship and Politics for Unity under the banner of #DareToCare which seems to be a suitable response to the theme of today’s celebration.

Care is the driving force that motivates young people who have initiated a call to action or involved themselves in advocacies over the years. We propose to encourage young people to engage themselves in active participation by daring them to care. It is a dare because to care means to go beyond one’s self. It calls for thinking of others and asking one’s self, “What can I do for them?” It is rooted in the recognition that each person is my brother or sister, thereby leading to the pursuit of the common good. A sense of care can go a long way and can make the world a better place to live in starting with the piece of the world where we are at. We have seen this in young people who recently called for climate action and for an end to racial injustice.

We call on the youth of the world to start looking at their surroundings and ask themselves, “What are the things that we should care about? How can we act on them?” Young people can also look at the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and examine at what aspect/s they would want to commit themselves to and contribute to achieve it by 2030 starting with where they are. Eventually, the youth will find themselves working on different aspects in various parts of the world, in the local, national or global scale but leading towards the same goal, a better world for everyone.

Join us as we take a step forward towards a more united world by accepting this invitation: #DareToCare!  To find out more, go to http://www.unitedworldproject.org/en/.

Gio Francisco

United World Ambassador, Manila

L'articolo 2020 U.N. International Youth Day proviene da New Humanity.

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L'articolo Partnership Agreement Signed Between New Humanity and FAO to Work Together for the Good of Humanity proviene da New Humanity.

16 young people from 4 continents attended the first school of formation for ambassadors for united world promoted by New Humanity.

School of formation and hands-on workshop. The 16 young people who qualified for the school came from Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, South Korea, Ecuador, Philippines, Iraq, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain and the United States. Due to their interest in the themes and principles of New Humanity, they were selected to be part of the “United World Ambassadors” program promoted by the same NGO. The school of formation focused on the role of international institutions and NGOs and the values of peace and universal fraternity that inspire New Humanity’s international action. The school offered the attendees plenty of opportunities to put into practice at UNESCO what they learned.

UNESCO Delegations. On September 5th, during the visit to UNESCO, the young people had the opportunity to meet with the representatives of the UNESCO delegations from their respective countries and to offer their vision, with respect to the current critical challenges of peace, ecology and fraternity.

Holy See and NGO-UNESCO Committee. The young people also met with Mons. Follo, Permanent Observer of the Holy See (read more) and with Marie Claude Machon, Philippe Beaussant and Patrick Gallaud, respectively President, Vice-President and former President of the NGO-UNESCO Liaison Committee.

New Humanity and the NGOs. The week included also a series of lectures, sharing of experiences and debates on topics facilitated by various representatives of New Humanity (including the main representatives of the NGO in Paris and Geneva) and other NGOs, such as MIEC, AISA and IDC.

Marco Desalvo, President of New Humanity, summed up the week as follows: “We talked about what we mean by ‘united world’, what peace and human rights are and, as a consequence, what we mean by ‘person’ … then together we worked on translating all the good practices that our young people promote daily in the world into a language that can inspire international institutions and promote, in all spheres of society and at every level, the spirit of universal brotherhood proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”.

Work plan for the future. At the end of the week, the young people worked on defining an action plan for the New Humanity “United World Ambassadors” program that will see them as protagonists in continuing to promote their shared ideal of universal fraternity both at an international level and in their respective countries.

Transformed and prepared. “We realized we lived a deeply transformational experience” — the young people wrote at the end of the week. “We leave from here full of hope and more prepared to face the challenges of today’s world”.

Photo Gallery:

{gallery}UNITED WORLD AMBASSADORS TRAINING SCHOOL – Paris – 2-7 September 2019{/gallery}

L'articolo The New Humanity’s young ambassadors of a United World are protagonists at UNESCO proviene da New Humanity.

17-20 January 2019, Mariapolis Center, Castelgandolfo (Rome)

Co-Governance: Mutual responsibility in cities today

From 17 to 20 January 2019, New Humanity, in partnerships with other organizations and associations, organized a three-day gathering to exchange projects and to network a style of governance and coexistence that is both shared and interdependent.
At the end of the meeting, the 400 participants signed the “Pact for a new Governance: networks of cities“.

Conference site

L'articolo New Humanity among the promoters of the Pact for a new Governance proviene da New Humanity.

From 23 to 26 May, the EU citizens are called to elect the new the European Parliament.

In such an important moment for the old continent, the Focolare Movement, of which New Humanity is an expression in international institutions, has launched the “Europe, time for dialogue” campaign to propose the reasons for unity and advance solidarity in the political debate in view of the future of Europe.

Follow the “Europe, time for dialogue” campaign

L'articolo The Focolare Movement launches the campaign “Europe, Time for Dialogue” in view of the 2019 European elections proviene da New Humanity.