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Dear Friends,
Welcome to the 12th issue of the ICYE Federation’s Newsletter,
dedicated to “Youth and Community Service”.
Long-term Voluntary Service is often defined as learning and working for
the common good. It is carried out : without a profit-making motive;
without compulsion by the state; following an agreement between the
volunteer and the service organisations involved, and most importantly,
from a personal motivation to serve.
Volunteer Voices features experiences of long-term ICYE and EVS
volunteers, which well illustrate how working with local communities
enhances their sense of responsibility, the recognition of their
contributions, and their understanding of local realities. It is very
encouraging to note that, regardless of what they do, and with whom
they work, young people of all walks of life, are eager to engage in true
encounters, to appreciate and value differences, and to develop as
individuals.
Although their period of service started a few months ago, the notion of
“making a difference”and feelings of gratification are very much present,
and are manifested in different ways. It can be a simple thank you for a
young Bolivian working with children and families in Switzerland.; the
possibility to show how different and yet similar people are for a German
volunteer in a community centre in Brazil; the appreciation of the unique
culture of indigenous people for a French volunteer in Bolivia; or the
importance to feel confident and supportive to make a difference in the
life of older persons in Iceland for a German and an English volunteer;
or understanding the predicaments of the homeless for a Serbian
volunteer in Germany.
News from International Organisations features, among others: the
World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty; the World Aware Education
Award to promote global education; the Culture of Peace Report, and the
UNESCO study on "Innovative Practices of Youth Participation in
Media". NGOs News reports on the Stand Up Against Poverty - Appeal
for Action; the Oxfam International Youth Partnerships 2007-2010; and
an initiative to compensate costs for greenhouse gas emissions.
ICYE news starts with a tribute to the late Jun Maruyama-Pirotta and
Seth Boama, ICYE leaders in Asia and Africa. It’s followed by notes on
ICYE’s participation at two major events organised by the European
Commission, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the EVS programme,
and the flagging of projects of excellence promoting Intercultural
Dialogue. After brief reports on internships and visits by representatives
of new ICYE partners in Moldova, China and Vietnam, it ends with the
launching of the web site of new ICYE short term volunteering
programmes.
Wishing you an interesting reading, please note that the next issue of
“Worlds of Experience”, to be published at the end of February 2007,
will focus on ”Youth Volunteering and Intercultural Dialogue”. Please
email your contributions, in form of articles/pictures, to icye@icye.org
before 31 January 2007.
Warmest regards!
ICYE International Office
"Worlds of Experience" can be viewed and downloaded as a
PDF
file.
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