WYMD Newsletter - February 2007

1) Student World Assembly "Accra 2007" (Ghana) March 8-11, 2007
The Student World Assembly International Annual Convention will take place at University of Ghana Legon on March 8-11, 2007 and will directly follow the 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations in Ghana. The topic for the Convention was voted on by the international student members of SWA from among nine others as the most pressing issue: human trafficking. This convention will consist of lectures, workshops and panels to be facilitated by experts in the field of human rights, and open to Civil Society Organizations, Academics, Scholars, Students and the general public in Ghana and abroad.

2) Children for Peace 2007 - Indo-Pak Youth Peace Camp (Pakistan) March 26, 2007
This is a continuation of Children for Peace 2006 (Indo-Pak Peace Camp) held in Chandigarh on October 2-6, 2006. The event will be held in Peace-city Sadikabad in March/April 2007. Find out more, and keep up to date with changes to programming at takingITglobal.org

3) National and Global Youth service Day (USA and worldwide) April 20-22, 2007
Millions of youth will participate in National & Global Youth Service Day, the largest service event in the world, on April 20-22, 2007. They will tutor young children, engage in disaster relief, register new voters, educate their communities about good nutrition, distribute HIV/AIDs prevention materials and meet many more community needs through their service. National & Global Youth Service Day supports youth on a life-long path of service and civic engagement, and educates the public, the media, and elected officials about the role of youth as community leaders. To read about last year's day, to register your participation, or to find about grants for projects, visit the website - here

4) EU Summit of Young Leaders (Russia) April 22-29, 2007
The Summit goal is to elaborate distinct projects for 2007 - 2011 (Program 2007 - 2011) between Russia and EU non-governmental organizations within the implementation of the Road Map on the Common Space of Research and Education, including Cultural Aspects approved on May 10, 2005 in Moscow. The program will cover: Political Engagement; Common Cohesion; Informal Education and Volunteering; Health; and Environment. Following the summit the elaborated Program 2007 - 2011 will be presented to the European Commission and Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to submit it for consideration and possible financing during the next EU-Russia Summit. The Program will then be implemented in 5-year period, from 2007 to 2011. The Summit will bring together heads or deputy - heads of the NGOs of the EU member-states, Russia and, as observers, of the NIS and European states, non-EU members. During the Summit all the participants of each working group will discuss the proposed proposals and draw up the final versions of approved projects that constitute the Program 2007 - 2011 for their common implementation. There will be a total of 100 participants, and the following criteria will be taken into consideration: Motivation of the participant; Proposals for the possible projects; Practical project experience of the organization; Competence and professionalism of the organization in abovementioned fields; Good command of English language.

5) TUNZA International Youth Conference (Germany) August 26 – 30, 2007
Formerly the UNEP Global Youth Forum, the TUNZA International Youth Conference is one of the main platforms for cooperation and interaction between UNEP and its youth partners. It is the vision of the organization to "foster a generation of environmentally conscious citizens who will better influence decision-making processes and act responsibly to create a sustainable world". Organized for young people (15-24 years), the Conferences provides opportunities for young people to learn from one another, share experiences and ideas on community-based environmental actions and develop joint strategies on promoting environmental protection. A number of workshops, plenary sessions, focused group discussions, field trips as well as panel discussions will take place. Furthermore, a new TUNZA Youth Advisory Council with two advisors for each of the six UNEP regions and two advisors representing indigenous youth organizations will be elected by the participants. The TUNZA conference 2007 follows in the footsteps of the 2005 TUNZA conference in Bangalore, India. Before the adoption of the TUNZA strategy by the UNEP Governing Council in 2003, UNEP had been organizing Global Youth Forums for young people from 15 to 24 years since 1986. These gatherings of environmentally active youth are an important element in realizing the "vision of the organization to foster a generation of environmentally conscious citizens who will better influence decision-making processes and act responsibly to create a sustainable world". Nomination Criteria * For candidates to be considered their birthdates must fall strictly between 8 September 1984 and 8 September 1992. * Candidates must be nominated by their organizations and must be active members. * Only nominations from organizations working on or interested in environmental and sustainable development issues will be considered. * Each nomination must have two candidates - one female and one male. But only one of them will be elected (Please note that applications will not be considered unless the above is fulfilled). * All nominations must reach UNEP on or before 28 February 2007. For more details and to apply visit the website and complete the application form - here

February 2007 Newsletter
DEMOCRACY ALERTS/APPEALS from WMD 1) Democracy Alert Update: Campaigns Launched in Defense of Imprisoned Environmentalist Andrey Zatoka 2) Russian-Chechen Friendship Society forced to close 3) Campaign for Belarusian Prisoner of Conscience Alyaksandr Kazulin 4) Government Agents Raid Offices of Russian Political Organization, United Civil Front HIGHLIGHTED ARTICLES, NEWS AND REPORTS FROM PARTICIPANTS 1) Article: est du Congo Kinshasa: La Democratie au Coeur de Tempetes (East Congo Kinshasa: Democracy at the Heart of the Storm) - by Guelord B. Mbaenda, October 2006 (DR Congo) - French 2) Report: MAAPSI seminar (Bangladesh) 3) Project: Punjab Lok Rahs (Pakistan) HIGHLIGHTED NEWS FROM INTERNATIONAL PRESS 1) Afghanistan: Afghan Parliament Grants Immunity To War Criminals 2) USA: War objector's freedom of conscience must be respected 3) China: New Appeal of Mrs. Yang Zili for the "New Youth Study Group" was rejected by the Court HIGHLIGHTED FORTHCOMING EVENTS 1) Student World Assembly "Accra 2007" (Ghana) March 8-11, 2007 2) Children for Peace 2007 - Indo-Pak Youth Peace Camp (Pakistan) March 26, 2007 3) National and Global Youth service Day (USA and worldwide) April 20-22, 2007 4) EU Summit of Young Leaders (Russia) April 22-29, 2007 5) TUNZA International Youth Conference (Germany) August 26 - 30, 2007 OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRANTS, FUNDING AND PARTICIPATION 1) J8 Contest for Youth (International/Germany) 2) UNICEF Call for videos (International) 3) IIE Scholar Rescue Fund Fellowships (International)
Democracy alerts/appeals (from WMD)
1) Democracy Alert Update: Campaigns Launched in Defense of Imprisoned Environmentalist Andrey Zatoka Environmental activist Andrey Zatoka, who holds citizenship from both Russia and Turkmenistan, was detained at the airport in Dashauz while preparing to go to Moscow. Zatoka has since been charged with two criminal violations: Article 287 of the Criminal Code of Turkmenistan - illegal acquisition, sale, storage, transportation, delivery or possession of weapons, ammunition, explosive substances or devices, and Article 302 - illegal transactions with strong or poisonous substances. Many believe that these charges are likely a fabrication to keep the environmental activist under arrest. Zatoka kept a small amount of snake poison in his apartment because he is a herpetologist and uses such poison to develop immunity against the poisonous snakes he works with. The weapon found was only an air-rifle, and possession of it does not require special permission. It should be noted that Zatoka's defense attorney is apparently also being pressured by the Prosecutor's office, thereby preventing him and the family from being fully inf ormed about Zatoka's situation. Many campaigns have now been established to support Zatoka. For the WMD alert 2) Russian-Chechen Friendship Society forced to close The Federal Supreme Court in Russia has rejected an appeal over the closure of the RCFS. The RCFS - one of a few remaining organizations in Russia reporting on the human rights situation in Chechnya and the North Caucasus - was closed in October, 2006 due largely to the introduction of new Anti-Extremism and NGO laws that make it illegal for an organization to be headed by someone convicted of "extremist" activities. In February, Stanislav Dmitrievskii, the Executive Director of the RCFS, was convicted on racial hatred charges following the publication of non-violent articles by Chechen separatist leaders. Human Rights First claims that Russian authorities have manipulated the law to force the organization to close. The organisation has endured repeated difficulties, including the persecution, beating and killing of employees, volunteers, and journalists associated with the RCFS as well as legal proceedings by both the tax authorities and the registration department of the Ministry of Justice. Stanislav Dmitrievskii and Oksana Chelysheva, another staff member, suffered constant harassment and received death threats. The closure has been widely criticised by human rights groups. For the WMD alert and RCFS press release For the statement made by Amnesty International 3) Campaign for Belarusian Prisoner of Conscience Alyaksandr Kazulin Alyaksandr Kazulin, a former presidential candidate and the leader of the Belarusian Socialist Democratic Party, who has been in prison since June 2006, ended a 53-day hunger strike on December 11. The hunger strike was an act of protest against Alyaksandr Lukashenka's leadership and a demand for help from the UN Security Council. Amnesty International has launched a campaign for Kazulin's immediate release, believing him to be a prisoner of conscience, and that he is being detained unlawfully following an unfair trial. - Here 4) Government Agents Raid Offices of Russian Political Organization, United Civil Front On December 12, about 20 Russian Government agents, both police and FSB (the successor to the KGB), raided the offices of the political organization United Civil Front headed by Garry Kasparov. The officers had an order to search the premises because the office is suspected of "extremist activity." The agents seized books and material promoting the "March of the Unwilling" - a demonstration planned for December 16 against President Vladimir Putin's government. According to Kasparov, the officers demanded that those present turn off their computers and mobile phones while they searched the offices for 2 1/2 hours. The officers made copies of all the documents they found of interest, including the passports of staffers. Kasparov views the search as an example of how the Russian government is using the new law on extremism against dissidents, and the search has been deemed illegal by United Civil Front lawyer, Yuri Schmidt. - Here
Highlighted Contributions from Youth and Democracy Groups
News on projects, issues and experiences; articles and reports; news of events and information on groups and organizations, from people working on youth activism and democracy issues 1) Article: est du Congo Kinshasa : La Democratie au Coeur de Tempetes (East Congo Kinshasa: Democracy at the Heart of the Storm) - by Guelord B. Mbaenda, October 2006 (DR Congo) - French This article discusses issues of peace and democracy promotion in DR Congo, and the role of the Congolese people and the international community in those areas. The development and consolidation of democracy, which according to the author is largely contributable to Congolese citizens, faces many threats, many of which are attributable to a complicated and painful past. "Can one consider a true democracy in the absence of harmonious relations between the diverse communities of the area?" "Can this democracy truly be apprehended in a context of total negation of human rights and recurring problems?" Questions asked here. Read the full article - here 2) Report: MAAPSI seminar (Bangladesh) During the month of January Motivation, Awareness, Advocacy Programme on Social Issues (MAAPSI) organized two seminars on the role of young people in the promotion of democracy. those attending expressed a desire for young people to become more involved in information-sharing and dissemination. Read the press release - here For more information on MAAPSI, email: wymd[at]youthlink.org 3) Project: Punjab Lok Rahs (Pakistan) Punjab Lok Rahs is made up of a group of enlightened young men and women that desires a society based on gender equality and democratic values, with respect for all human beings and which offers equal economic opportunities to all. Rahs believes in organized and conscious efforts to realize this dream. Theater is its working medium. Rahs has in its 18 years history Prepared 41 plays and held some 450 performances. On average the group since its inception has performed a play every fortnight. Rahs' work is broad-ranging. Through its varied work, from staging classical epics to quick response street skits and from producing adaptations of foreign works to improvising ones from within the community, as well as performing both at overseas festivals and to local villages and urban areas, Rahs has touched upon a host of issues. Rahs has dealt with subjects like child marriage and women's right to marry of their free will and staged plays against the arms race and military dictatorship. In 2007 we plan to work on our mission and this year plan to perform dramas on democracy and political education for those of poorer backgrounds, and the middle classes. 2007 is also election year in Pakistan. If you would like to know more about Punjab Lok Rahs, please email: wymd[at]youthlink.org Check out WYMD's Resource Page for toolkits, guides, and more articles.
Highlighted News from International Press

1) Afghanistan: Afghan Parliament Grants Immunity To War Criminals (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) February 2, 2007 On January 31 a bill was passed by the lower chamber of Afghanistan's parliament that if passed by the upper chamber and approved by President Hamid Karzai, would grant an amnesty for Afghans involved in the conflicts in Afghansitan, from charges of war crimes spanning the past 25 years of war. The legislation has been criticised by human rights groups, who have been involved in campaigns calling for the trial of alleged war criminals. Critics have also shown concern that the law will be used to grant amnesty to warlords now working in the political sphere. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has warned that the legislation, following approval, could impede and even halt the national reconciliation process, while it is feared by some that the legistation could result in a loss of faith in the fragile Afghan democracy for many Afghan people. Read the report 2) USA: War objector’s freedom of conscience must be respected (Amnesty International) February 2, 2007 28-year old Ehren Watada faces a possible four-year prison sentence for his refusal to participate in the war in Iraq, on charges of "missing movement" and "conduct unbecoming to an officer". The move to bring the case to trial has encouraged criticism from human rights groups, with Amnesty stating that a guilty verdict would be a "violation of internationally recognised rights" and that Watada would then be considered a prisoner of conscience by the group. The accusations against Watada stem from his refusal to participate in the war, and also for comments made publicly expressing his objections to the war, stating that he believed it to be immoral and illegal. While he has been told in a pre-court hearing that he cannot use the legality of the war as a basis for defence, reasons of conscience, thought or religion are protected rights under international human rights law ratified by the US. In a letter provided by Ehren Watada following an order for his deployment, he wrote: "I believe so strongly in this cause that I would sit in prison or die for that belief. I would accept any punishment and take solace in a clean and clear conscience..." Read the report 3) China: New Appeal of Mrs. Yang Zili for the "New Youth Study Group" was rejected by the Court (Laogai Research Foundation and China Information Center) (Amnesty International) January 24, 2007 The "New Youth Study Group" case from 2003 remains one of the most severe political persecution cases in China in recent years. In the summer of 2000, eight Chinese students formed an informal study group to discuss the possibility of democratic reforms in China. Today four of them - Jin Haike, Xu Wei, Yang Zili and Zhang Honghai - are serving sentences of eight to ten years on subversion charges after Li Yuzhou, a group member and a State Security Bureau spy, submitted reports of the group's activities to the authorities. Six years have passed and one of the victims' wives, Lu Kun, wife of Mr. Yang Zili, has collected new testimonies from the witnesses to prove the group's innocence. Lu Kun has submitted two appeals, on August 28 and November 22, 2006, requesting that the case be reinvestigated. Yet, the Beijing People's Higher Court rejected her first appeals and new evidence on September 20, 2006. The second re-appeal is still on pending. Now Yang Zili, Xu Wei and Jin Haike are imprisoned in the Beijing No. 2 Prison. Yang is expected to be released on March 13, 2009 while Xu Wei and Jin Haike on March 13, 2011. Zhang Honghai is imprisoned in Lishui, Zhejiang Province and will be set free on March 13, 2009. After long years' of torture Yang, Xu and Zhang are physically and emotionally weak. Zhang's health is failing because there is no adequate medical treatment available for prisoners. Read the report
Highlighted Forthcoming Events
1) Student World Assembly "Accra 2007" (Ghana) March 8-11, 2007 The Student World Assembly International Annual Convention will take place at University of Ghana Legon on March 8-11, 2007 and will directly follow the 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations in Ghana. The topic for the Convention was voted on by the international student members of SWA from among nine others as the most pressing issue: human trafficking. This convention will consist of lectures, workshops and panels to be facilitated by experts in the field of human rights, and open to Civil Society Organizations, Academics, Scholars, Students and the general public in Ghana and abroad. 2) Children for Peace 2007 - Indo-Pak Youth Peace Camp (Pakistan) March 26, 2007 This is a continuation of Children for Peace 2006 (Indo-Pak Peace Camp) held in Chandigarh on October 2-6, 2006. The event will be held in Peace-city Sadikabad in March/April 2007. Find out more, and keep up to date with changes to programming at takingITglobal.org 3) National and Global Youth service Day (USA and worldwide) April 20-22, 2007 Millions of youth will participate in National & Global Youth Service Day, the largest service event in the world, on April 20-22, 2007. They will tutor young children, engage in disaster relief, register new voters, educate their communities about good nutrition, distribute HIV/AIDs prevention materials and meet many more community needs through their service. National & Global Youth Service Day supports youth on a life-long path of service and civic engagement, and educates the public, the media, and elected officials about the role of youth as community leaders. To read about last year's day, to register your participation, or to find about grants for projects, visit the website - here 4) EU Summit of Young Leaders (Russia) April 22-29, 2007 The Summit goal is to elaborate distinct projects for 2007 - 2011 (Program 2007 - 2011) between Russia and EU non-governmental organizations within the implementation of the Road Map on the Common Space of Research and Education, including Cultural Aspects approved on May 10, 2005 in Moscow. The program will cover: Political Engagement; Common Cohesion; Informal Education and Volunteering; Health; and Environment. Following the summit the elaborated Program 2007 - 2011 will be presented to the European Commission and Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to submit it for consideration and possible financing during the next EU-Russia Summit. The Program will then be implemented in 5-year period, from 2007 to 2011. The Summit will bring together heads or deputy - heads of the NGOs of the EU member-states, Russia and, as observers, of the NIS and European states, non-EU members. During the Summit all the participants of each working group will discuss the proposed proposals and draw up the final versions of approved projects that constitute the Program 2007 - 2011 for their common implementation. There will be a total of 100 participants, and the following criteria will be taken into consideration: Motivation of the participant; Proposals for the possible projects; Practical project experience of the organization; Competence and professionalism of the organization in abovementioned fields; Good command of English language. 5) TUNZA International Youth Conference (Germany) August 26 – 30, 2007 Formerly the UNEP Global Youth Forum, the TUNZA International Youth Conference is one of the main platforms for cooperation and interaction between UNEP and its youth partners. It is the vision of the organization to "foster a generation of environmentally conscious citizens who will better influence decision-making processes and act responsibly to create a sustainable world". Organized for young people (15-24 years), the Conferences provides opportunities for young people to learn from one another, share experiences and ideas on community-based environmental actions and develop joint strategies on promoting environmental protection. A number of workshops, plenary sessions, focused group discussions, field trips as well as panel discussions will take place. Furthermore, a new TUNZA Youth Advisory Council with two advisors for each of the six UNEP regions and two advisors representing indigenous youth organizations will be elected by the participants. The TUNZA conference 2007 follows in the footsteps of the 2005 TUNZA conference in Bangalore, India. Before the adoption of the TUNZA strategy by the UNEP Governing Council in 2003, UNEP had been organizing Global Youth Forums for young people from 15 to 24 years since 1986. These gatherings of environmentally active youth are an important element in realizing the "vision of the organization to foster a generation of environmentally conscious citizens who will better influence decision-making processes and act responsibly to create a sustainable world". Nomination Criteria * For candidates to be considered their birthdates must fall strictly between 8 September 1984 and 8 September 1992. * Candidates must be nominated by their organizations and must be active members. * Only nominations from organizations working on or interested in environmental and sustainable development issues will be considered. * Each nomination must have two candidates - one female and one male. But only one of them will be elected (Please note that applications will not be considered unless the above is fulfilled). * All nominations must reach UNEP on or before 28 February 2007. For more details and to apply visit the website and complete the application form - here
Opportunities for Grants, Funding and Participation
1) J8 Contest for Youth (International/Germany) June, 2007 Could you come up with a new way of approaching the most important global issues of our time? Do you think your ideas could help to fight climate change, poverty and diseases? Enter the Junior 8 Competition now! By entering the J8 Competition, you could win the chance to represent your country at the J8 Summit to present your ideas to eight of the most powerful leaders in the world. To enter the competition, teams work together to come up with their own ideas on how to tackle the key issues being discussed by the G8. They submit these ideas in an online communiqué. The entries are then judged by a specially selected panel in each country. The team with the best communiqué from each country is chosen to take part in the J8 Summit. Deadline for applications: 30 March, 2007 2) UNICEF Call for Videos (International) Looking for a way to make a difference? Create a one-minute video telling the world what young people think about the world they live in and how they're making a difference. In honor of the 5th Anniversary of the Special Session for Children, UNICEF asks youth to look at the four priorities of the session's adopted agenda: Building a World Fit for Children: Promoting healthy lives; Providing quality education; Protecting children against abuse, exploitation and violence; Combating HIV/AIDS. How have these goals been achieved in your community? What problems still exist in your communities? What suggestions do you have to fix these issues? What can be done to make the world better for children? Videos will be reviewed by a global panel of media professionals and displayed on the main UNICEF website. The winning video will be made available for broadcast around the world on The International Children's Day of Broadcasting, vodcast by UNICEF, featured on the UNICEF and Voices of Youth websites and honored at the PROMAX/BDA Conference in New York. Deadline: March 30, 2007 3) IIE Scholar Rescue Fund Fellowships (International) Application Deadline: April 1, 2007 The Institute of International Education's Scholar Rescue Fund provides fellowships for scholars whose lives and work are threatened in their home countries. These fellowships permit scholars to find temporary refuge at universities and colleges anywhere in the world, enabling them to pursue their academic work and to continue to share their knowledge with students, colleagues, and the community at large. When conditions improve, these scholars will return home to help rebuild universities and societies ravaged by fear, conflict and repression. Deadline: April 1, 2007
Your voice
Contribute to WYMD's Newsletter! We would love to hear more from WYMD members, and develop this newsletter as a forum for you to share stories, experiences, news of events etc. So please, if you have any stories to share, know of any events that might be of interest (international or national), or just want to share an experience of activism or participation, please send us an update so we can share this information with the other members! Please send any news, articles etc to wymd[at]youthlink.org or using our online feedback form