60 youth leaders from the Middle East, South Asia, and US to meet in Dublin; Sen. George Mitchell to serve as conference’s honorary chairman
NEW YORK | In July 2012, approximately 60 youth leaders from the Middle East, South Asia, and the United States will come together in Ireland to explore the lessons of past peace processes and consider practical steps that could move their communities toward peace. The program represents the first collaboration between the Irish American Peace Foundation and Seeds of Peace.
The week-long international conference will focus on the people, events, and ideas that lead to a ‘game-change’ in situations of conflict and war. Ireland is an ideal setting, offering invaluable access to local groups and practitioners engaged in conflict transformation.
Game Changers will enable these youth leaders to learn about past approaches to international conflicts, with emphasis on peace-building processes between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland, and to consider practical ways to apply these lessons to their own regions. Delegates will gain insight from Nobel Peace Laureates and others who have significantly helped to shift the landscape of conflict.
PARTNERS: We are currently seeking funding and programming partners. If you are interested, please contact Eva Armour, Director of Global Programs and Strategy for Seeds of Peace, at eva@seedsofpeace.org, or Elizabeth Garrahy, Founder and Executive Director of the Irish American Peace Foundation (formerly Arts for Peace), at elizabeth@artsforpeace.ie.
Recognition and Support
The Irish American Peace Foundation/Arts for Peace and Seeds of Peace work at the intersection of the best in theory and practice in international peace-building.
Both organizations have earned the support of world leaders and the international peace-building community. Nobel Peace Laureate John Hume has been the Patron of Arts for Peace since its founding in 2004. Arts for Peace is a Founding Member of Eurochild and the European Commission Forum for Child Welfare, and is supported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
A new generation of leaders meeting on common ground for peacebuilding policies which reflects the intention of peace is possible through education. Game-changers could break ground with international communities, and policy makers. This program inspires me as I pursue a Masters in Public Policy. I aspire to work with groups like Seeds of Peace in practice of dialogue and writing policies that promote virtue vs greed.
I would love to work on this project!