7th International Youth Peace Fest

Our Vision:

We envision a world where all people are equally respected, fully protected and universally realized.  Included in this vision is a world where all young people – regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, class, gender or other differences – are encouraged and empowered to non-violently claim their own rights and serve as advocates for the rights of others.

MISSION:

We believe there are capable young leaders in every global community, who can become catalyst or ‘Agents of Change’. Bringing those leaders together to inspire change is the mission of the International Youth Peace Fest.

Our Inspiration:

IYPF is organized in sacred memory of Late Didi Nirmala Deshpande, a former Member Parliament, Rajya Sabha and senior Gandhian Peace Activist whose relentless struggles for peace among people of this region was witnessed by a whole generation in Asia, particularly in Pakistan and India. Her commitment to all sections of the society for national integration and communal harmony remained paramount throughout her life. In reality she was a crusader and a great peace icon who believed in building stronger and durable relations among Asian countries.

MAJOR ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED DURING IYPF 2012

Volunteering & nonviolence for promoting;

1. RESPECT OF OTHERS

2. CLIMATE CHANGE & YOUTH ACTIVISM

3. COMBATING INEQUALITIES

Major Objectives:

• To promote peace, equality and living in harmony with nature.
• To provide challenging intercultural learning experiences for young people.
• To promote their social and personal development through participation in various multi-cultural, academic, sports & service initiatives.
• Explore ways of understanding peace and conflict.
• Connect youth-based social change efforts across issues, geography, and all lines of difference, unleashing the collaborative power and collective action of today’s younger generations.
• To encourage dialogue amongst young leaders, and strive to create the next generation of nonviolent peacemakers. As the mission of Peace Festival is to ignite a generation-wide movement of young people helping to bring forth a thriving, just, sustainable world.

PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES

In IYPF 2012, participants from almost all SAARC countries i.e. India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Bhutan are expected to participate, besides these, participant’s will also be joining from Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, China, Mauritius, Sudan, Congo, Kenya, Uganda, S. Africa, Russia, Ukraine, USA, Poland, Kazakhstan, Brunei, Yemen, UAE, Iran, Span, France, Norway, Turkey etc. In all we expect young change makers from over 30 countries to join in the conclave towards a  positive change.

Methodology:

IYPF is an amalgam of a week of inspirational peace-talks, creative workshops, cooperative-games, action based activities, volunteer action, building cross-cultural relationships, cultural festivities and neigbourhood walks. 

Beyond friendships, IYPF is also breeding grounds for inspiring new ideas. Brainstorming new ideas was not limited to discussion forums. Young people also channel their creativity into posters, pot painting, comics and collages to fully emphasize the issues. As these artistic outlet makes a bold statement.

For registration: www.peacefest.in