Dear friends,

The UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) seeks to reduce tensions across cultural divides that threaten stability and peace among and between communities and societies. The Alliance welcomes efforts by states, civil society, and other actors to build trust and respect among diverse communities – including among religions.
We therefore welcome the UN General Assembly’s unanimous adoption on October 20th, 2010, of a Resolution establishing the World Interfaith Harmony Week, upon an initial proposal by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan on September 23rd 2010.
We note that the intent of the resolution is to be broad and inclusive, bringing together people of all religions, faiths, and beliefs.

We urge members of the Alliance of Civilizations, partners, civil society organizations, faith communities, universities, youth, and other sectors to visit the website established by the Jordanian government at www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com to learn more about the initiative and investigate ways in which they may promote the initiative, support it or get involved.

Furthermore, you will find below two notes prepared by the Secretariat of the Alliance that provides you with an overview of the initiative – please disseminate them to your own constituencies and partners. I thank you in advance for your kind collaboration.

Sincerely,

H.E. Mr. Jorge Sampaio, Former President of Portugal, United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations

Note 1: Background

World Interfaith Harmony Week, from 1 to 7 February 2012

On October the 20th 2010, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously established the World Interfaith Harmony Week through the adoption of a Resolution upon an initial proposal by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan on September 23rd 2010.

The UNGA Resolution on “World Interfaith Harmony Week” reaffirms that mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace and it proclaims the first week of February of every year the World Interfaith Harmony Week between all religions, faiths and beliefs.

Therefore, it encourages all States to support, on a voluntary basis, the spread of the message of interfaith harmony and goodwill in the world’s Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, Temples and other places of Worship during that week based on Love of God and Love of the Neighbor, or based on Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbor, each according to their own religious traditions or convictions.

“The World Interfaith Week Harmony” is underpinned by the idea that there is a lot to be done by:
(1) ‘Co-ordinating and uniting the efforts of all the interfaith groups doing positive work with one focused theme at one specific time annually, thereby increasing their collective momentum and eliminating redundancy.
(2) Harnessing and utilizing the collective might of the world’s second-largest infrastructure (that of places of worship — the largest being that of education) specifically for peace and harmony in the world: inserting, as it were, the right ‘software’ into the world’s religious ‘hardware’.
(3) Permanently and regularly encouraging the silent majority of preachers to declare themselves for peace and harmony and providing a ready-made vehicle for them to do so. Moreover, if preachers and teachers commit themselves on the record once a year to peace and harmony, this means that when the next inter-religious crisis or provocation occurs, they cannot then relapse into parochial fear and mistrust, and will be more likely to resist the winds of popular demagoguery.’

Your help is very much needed. Specifically, we need and gratefully ask you to:
(1) Write a personal email or letter of support for this initiative and post it at www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com at the appropriate place.
(2) Forwarding an email to all those on your email list who you think might be interested in it and them to their friends and so on as much as possible.
(3) Posting any resources you think would be important to the theme of the World Interfaith Harmony Week at www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com at the appropriate place.
(4) Organizing an event as simple as a sermon or a lecture or an event on the first week of next February on the theme of Interfaith Harmony.
(5) Recording your event at www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com at the appropriate place according to your own country.
(6) Consult the United Nations’ Alliance of Civilizations website (www.unaoc.org) to find inspiration to develop your own project for the 2012 world interfaith harmony week.

Note 2: Get involved!

The World Interfaith week Harmony between all religions, faiths and beliefs aims at celebrating Love of God and Love of the Neighbor or Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbor, each according to the various religious traditions or convictions.

By uniting all interfaith groups and faith communities — those consisting of hundreds of members as well as those of very few — but also by binding together all the world’s citizens of good will and by uniting our efforts between East and West, North and South, our combined efforts will have a greater impact for good.

From 1 to 7 February 2012, let us
- Use the second largest historical infrastructure on earth – places of worship – to help cement religious leaders in promoting interfaith harmony.
- Use schools – all kinds and levels – and classrooms to help disseminate among youth a culture of peace, respect, tolerance, harmony and human dignity.
- Use public zones of encounter – market places, parks, libraries, museums, community centers – to celebrate interfaith harmony and world peace.
- Use the workplace to organize a common event to enhance people’s knowledge, more tolerant attitudes and mutual respect.
- Use new technologies of information and communication, media and new media to help disseminate stories on the implementation of this initiative and make the headlines.
- Use this week to demonstrate that people from different communities can come together in harmony to serve a common humanity
- Use any other opportunities to implement this initiative and contribute to enlarge its scope.

Plan and organize your event and register it on the website
www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com

For additional information, please contact Helena Barroco, High Representative for UNAOC’ office in Lisbon, hbarroco@netcabo.pt

A number of concrete projects, partnerships and policy recommendations have been developed at the Forum, including several under the Youth Program of the UNAOC. Specifically, during the Youth Preparatory Event, young leaders met to debate on key aspects of cross-cultural and interreligious understanding. Several concrete projects were developed as an outcome, including an on-line youth-lead campaign against the use of xenophobic rhetoric in political discourse, an on-line global dialogue with Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, etc. Also, Youth Recommendations were drafted and then shared with world leaders during the Forum Opening Ceremony on December 11. More information on these initiatives will soon be posted on the UNAOC Youth Website.

The Youth Preparatory Event was an integral part of the UNAOC Forum and a vital opportunity for youth to meet and interact with decision-makers from various fields, including politics, civil society, media and religious institutions. The Doha Youth Preparatory Event counted on the support of the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation and the International Youth Council, which were also the organizers of this large gathering of youth at the United Nations.

For more information about the UNAOC Youth Program, please contact Ms. Isabelle Legare, Youth Program Manager at isabellel@unops.org.

(Photograph by Amrita Jayakumar)

This Program is designed for people who have the potential, interest and determination to exercise leadership to the highest standards of civic and corporate responsibility and according to the ethical values on which Aspen is based. For this reason we offer a program which challenges people to think about the fundamental concepts on which our society is founded. It also makes participants reflect to the challenges and conflicts that leaders must face in deciding polices and strategies for their organizations and their communities in today’s world.

The Program addresses people between the ages of 25 and 35 having achieved significant professional positions and accomplished results within their area of activity. Candidates should have demonstrated leadership potential, a record of initiative and entrepreneurship and a proven civic interest. Candidates can come from: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.

The program consists of four modules in Romania. Participants are required to have a high level of English fluency, as it is the working language of the program; the Institute will cover accommodation, meals, moderation costs and reading materials, leaving participants to only cover their transportation expenses.

Therefore, if you consider the program could add real value to young people with leadership qualities and initiative within your environment, we would appreciate your nomination (or candidacy) for one or more individuals you believe qualify. Also, we kindly ask your support you to spread the Young Leaders Program idea where you find it suitable, looking forward for other possible nominations from interesting professional or social backgrounds.

Nominations can be made by submitting the following documentation in English: the Nomination Form, a letter of recommendation and the candidate’s CV together with a letter of intention. The file is to be sent to Ms. Sorina Campean, Program Officer with the Leadership Programs Department at sorina.campean@aspeninstitute.ro. by 15th February 2012. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. You may find additional information on the program, its agenda and the Nomination Form here: http://www.aspeninstitute.ro/articole/572/Call-for-Nominations-Young-Leaders-Program-2012.html

The main objective of the Forum is to provide a platform for leaders such as heads of states, members of the media, representatives from NGOs, as well as multilateral, civil society and youth organizations, etc. to meet and have constructive discussions on the priorities of the UNAOC, i.e. intercultural dialogue and understanding and promotion of peaceful coexistence.

A total of 400 youth from over 100 countries took part in the Forum. On December 10, during the Youth Preparatory Event, this diverse group of 400 young leaders met to debate key aspects of cross-cultural and interreligious understanding.

The main outcome of the discussions was the drafting of Youth Recommendations to world leaders on specific policies that affect the lives of young people, and on ways to enhance and build on the achievement of young people in bridging cultural divides. These recommendations were presented on December 11, during a plenary with an audience of world leaders and other forum participants.

These 400 young leader represent a variety of youth-led organization such as national youth councils, NGOs, youth networks and youth media that are active in their communities and are committed to the UNAOC principle. Travelling from as far afield as Senegal, Zimbabwe, Fiji, Kyrgyzstan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Yemen, Ecuador, they will contribute to the discussion at the Doha Forum through their own unique experience, expertise and thoughts on the various themes to be discussed.

His Excellency Dr. Jorge Sampaio, United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations first addressed the audience: “We have all witnessed a turning point that will forever change the way that young people shape their societies. You are finding new ways to ensure that your desires and efforts to achieve positive social change are recognized. Your presence here is a sign of that and I can very much appreciate this, including from a personal point of view”.

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon came to congratulate “the young leaders of today and tomorrow”, for their efforts to advance the objectives of the Alliance of Civilizations. He underlined the “necessity to fight over religious and cultural differences in this unique moment we are living.” He also added that “no nations can be on its own to face humanity’s challenges”.

Eventually, as a leading advocate of youth empowerment, Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser started by designating the audience as “the true model of the Alliance”. Then, she encouraged them to “seize the opportunities of the Forum to start fresh, revisit history, speak out and redesign their future by creating a right environment to be flourished through education and knowledge”.

The youth event is an integral part of the UN Alliance of Civilizations Forum and a vital opportunity for youth to meet and interact with decision-makers from various fields, including politics, civil society, media and religious institutions. The Doha youth event was organized in collaboration with the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, the International Youth Council and the World in Conversation Project.

The organizers are inviting submissions for panels or individual papers from graduate students at all levels of study. Proposals may cover all fields and approaches of historical scholarship and span all chronological and geographical boundaries.

PAPER PROPOSALS MUST BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 1, 2011

Please limit proposals to 300 words. Paper submissions should include a working title and brief description of the central argument, as well as a copy of the scholar’s curriculum vita. For panel proposals, please include a 200-word description of the panel topic in addition to the individual paper abstracts and vitae. If selected, participants must submit a final paper by February 1, 2012.

Please send proposals and questions to hgsa@tigers.lsu.edu or visit the website at http://www.lsu.edu/student_organizations/hgsa/conference.html.

Now, the Gülen Institute is organizing a second International Essay Contest for all high school students in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in public or private schools from all over the world. This year’s topic is “Creating solutions for the challenges faced by children today”. Based on research, students will address challenges such as violence, poverty, lack of access to education, child neglect, child labor, trafficking and slavery, drug abuse, health and nutrition, and gender inequality. Their essays will follow a discussion around possible causes of these challenges, how they interact and how they affect children’s life, and potential means that realistically overcome these challenges.

All winning students and their supervisors will participate in an award ceremony that will take place in Washington, D.C. in May 2012, tentatively. During their 4-day stay in Washington, D.C. and New York City, students will present their essays in discussion sessions; meet U.S. Congress members, the United Nations headquarters, visit local universities, think-tank institutions and tourist attractions. The Gülen Institute will sponsor winning students’ and their supervisors’ travel, accommodations and meal expenses.

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations is supporting this essay contest since they share common goals such as connecting “youth interested in advancing cross-cultural understanding” and “connecting youth across borders”.

You can find more information and see the pictures from the last event by visiting the contest website, http://www.gulenyouthplatform.org/

Further details are also available at GI_YouthPlatform2012_Flyer

This conference will present, a policy review on the topic of ‘more opportunities, better access, and higher solidarity for youth on the margins of society’ under the initiative of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. The review will summarise the research findings and policy orientations arising from a cluster of five complementary and interrelated Seventh Framework Research Programme (FP7) research projects on socially excluded youth (such as young migrants, long-term unemployed or homeless youth, those in public care).

The conference will bring together researchers, stakeholders and policymakers to discuss the potential for inclusive educational and labour market policies, civil society, and social intervention programmes carried out in cooperation and partnerships of public and private sectors supported by social protection measures.

http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/events-189_en.html

The Peacemakers in Action award supports religious peacemakers with the following benefits:
1. Membership in Tanenbaum’s Peacemakers in Action Network
2. Increased public recognition for their efforts and achievements
3. $15,000 to reinforce their work
4. Expert training
5. An in-depth case study describing their life and work in religious peacemaking

All nominations should be received by November 30, 2011. More detailed information is available at https://www.tanenbaum.org/2011-2012-peacemaker-nominations, along with our online application, which will also allow you to upload supporting documents. If you prefer a hard copy application, download the materials here. Please email completed forms to conflictres@tanenbaum.org or mail all materials to:

Attn: Nominations Committee
Peacemakers in Action Award
Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding
254 West 31st Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10001

Forcier Consulting is a research firm based in South Sudan conducting short-term research projects for various UN agencies and NGOs working in the field of development in addition to the Government of Southern Sudan. We conduct needs assessments, impact evaluations, mid-term project evaluations, and recommendations for program development for organizations such as the ILO, Save the Children, Marie Stopes International, the NGO Forum, Norwegian People’s Aid, Population Council, Handicap International, Mercy Corps, UNDP, UNESCO, UNHCR, and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). As the demand for high – quality research in South Sudan increases, Forcier Consulting aims to increase its capacity through employing two additional full-time research assistants to be based in South Sudan.

Job Description

The Research Assistant will report to the Research Coordinator and work on a portfolio of projects currently being undertaken by the firm. Specifically, the tasks of the Research Assistant are as follows:
 Assist and coordinate quantitative and qualitative data collection and report writing of various projects and consultancies.
 Mentor and train Southern Sudanese staff on various research techniques.
 Assist in the development of Forcier Consulting as a research firm, including compiling data bases of potential consultants, proposal writing, and other administrative tasks.
 Manage local data collectors, drivers, and assistants as needed.
 Provide logistical support in managing contracts.
 Other tasks as agreed between the Managing Director, Research Coordinator, and Research Assistant.

The position requires approximately 75% of the time spent outside of Juba in locations throughout South Sudan, all of which are considered to be hardship posts.

Benefits

Forcier Consulting will cover the cost of one round-trip ticket to Juba, South Sudan from a gateway city in Africa (Cairo, Entebbe, Kampala, Nairobi, etc.), as well as costs associated with obtaining the necessary travel documents for entry into South Sudan. Tent accommodation will be provided in Juba. Housing while outside of Juba will depend on the facilities furnished by the client (normally either a tent or tukul). A stipend of 300 USD will be provided to cover cost of food while in Juba, all meals are provided when traveling outside of Juba. The Research Assistant will have access to company vehicles for local transportation. It is the responsibility of the Research Assistant to have emergency medical coverage for the time of stay in South Sudan, although Forcier Consulting can facilitate acquisition of such coverage.

Salary

Candidates are asked to provide monthly salary requirements. Forcier Consulting issues substantial performance bonuses every three months for exemplary work.

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:
 M.A. in Sociology, Anthropology, or other discipline with extensive research training.
 Experience working or living in Africa required, East Africa preferred.
 Experience conducting research and/or monitoring and evaluation projects.
 Above average proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
 Above average writing skills.
 Knowledge of Arabic will be considered an asset.
 Knowledge of STATA or SPSS will be a significant advantage.

Please note that the duration of the contract is six months with the position to begin with staff in country no later than 13 November. Working hours are 9:00am – 6:00pm six days a week (Monday – Saturday), although with travel and project requirements there will be circumstances where weekends are not guaranteed.

To be considered for this position, please send a letter of interest, CV, writing sample (preferably of previously conducted research), and salary requirements no later than 31 October to natalie@forcierconsulting.com and alexandra@forcierconsulting.com. Applications will be reviewed and hiring decisions made on a rolling basis. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Theme: Alliance of Civilizations and Serbia – “Embracing Civilizations’’

The contest opens on Monday, 03 October 2011, at 00:00:01 and closes on Thursday, 20 October 2011, 11:59:00

Only images not yet published may be submitted

Eligibility: 18 years and older

Award: attending the 4th Global Forum of the Alliance in Doha (Qatar) and taking part in an amazing event in December 2011

Submit your photo via http://www.unphotocontest.rs