International Association for Human Values, UK - Irish youth and peace child projects


IRISH YOUTH PROJECTS Ireland Youth Projects in collaboration with Peace Child Ireland IAHV has worked in collaboration with the Irish branch of the international youth Organisation Peace Child International to promote youth based and focused projects across Ireland. Glencree Youth Peace Summit During the Glencree Youth Summit in January 2005 a group of enthusiastic youth gathered to "be the change" they want to see in their world. This group divided their time between addressing their various concerns for the world in a very practical way, whilst also participating in the Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES course) promoted by IAHV. They experienced for themselves the energising, liberating and empowering processes of the YES course. This was the first step in an ongoing programme where both organisations can work together to bring positive change and encouragement to the Youth of Ireland. Often the headlines depict the youth as "the problem." Almost two million of the Irish population are under 25 and are viewed as a generation fraught by drink, drugs, suicide and violence. The Peace Child Ireland Glencree Youth Summit 2005 showed that the youth are part of the solution; that they can mobilise to affect positive change in their society by working locally and thinking globally. The Youth Empowerment Seminar addresses education in the essential subjects entirely overlooked by 'main stream' education: How to handle the everyday challenges of life; how to successfully handle one's emotions without resorting to anger, violence or despair; how to relate and deal with other people successfully. It helps young people to be strong, relaxed and motivated. Status Peace Child Ireland Limited was incorporated in Ireland, as a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital and is registered Educational charity. (387040) (/p) The International Association for Human Values is an international non governmental association (NGO) and works in collaboration with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. This project is being conducted through the UK branch of the same name which is a registered charity number 1103261. For further information contact: PCI: Bernice Paolozzi : ( bernicepaolozzi@peacechild.ie Tel: 00 353 872964980) Paul Kennedy: (paulkennedy@peacechild.ie Tel: 00 353 868116116) 3 East Hill, Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow. IAHV: Sue Hindle, 25 Aveley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8PR sue.hindle@iahv.org 00 44 1252 721883 Peace Child gets its name from a tradition in Papua New Guinea. When warring tribes of head-hunters made peace they each exchanged a child. The children would grow up with the other's tribe and if future conflict threatened between the tribes again those children would be sent to negotiate. Such a child was called a Peace Child. This practice represents the important role we believe youth play in changing the world.
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