In collaboration with the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand and sponsored by the Newman’s Own Foundation, the UNESCO Chair International Leadership Training Programme is organizing the Asia Regional Forum in Thailand from November 1-10, 2012 for “Empowering Young Leaders to Agents of Positive Change.”

The main objectives of the Forum are to:

involve young leaders in finding solutions to emerging human rights problems;
nurture individuals to be effective leaders in the field of human rights;
promote the sharing of experiences and understanding;
provide an impetus for, and the empowerment of, youth leaders that will enable them to play a crucial and constructive role in the development of human rights in their communities;
build a network of solidarity among future leaders in the field of human rights;
hone the skills and expand the knowledge relevant to human rights practice; and
provide tools and a platform for open debates about policies, programmes, activities and processes necessary for human rights leadership.

Participants at the conference should be individuals (ages 18-35) from all over the world who have been involved in some capacity in human rights work in their communities. During the Forum, various lectures, workshops and panel presentations are planned in areas such as grassroots organizing, building coalitions, effective communication, use of media for human rights education, and understanding of the processes and relevance of restorative justice. It is planned that discussions would be conducted under the rubric of the following principal areas: namely, poverty, education, health, conflict resolution and/or transformation, the rights and plight of children, refugees and war, hunger, HIV/AIDS, gender discrimination, peace education, environmental concerns, racism, xenophobia and other intolerances. Discussions of these topics should be informed by understanding of the principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Millennium Development Goals.

Application submission deadline is July 13, 2012.

Source Link: http://www.fundsforngos.org/conferences/unesco-chair-international-leadership-training-programme-asia-regional-forum-thailand/#ixzz1wRnKvPn6