Youth Promoting Peace: Difference between revisions

From Future Worlds Center Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
No edit summary
Line 29: Line 29:
Y2P played an important role not only for its members but also for the whole community.  This youth group has created new and exciting pathways to facilitate the cooperation of all bicommunal youth groups of Cyprus and to elevat their various activities to a community level thus preparing them to act and behave as active citizens in the emerging civil society of Cyprus. Their activites have enchanced cooporation, interaction and teamwork between existing bicommunal youth groups, have attracted people from various ethnic groups to participate and deepen their understanding of the notion of communication, solidarity, human rights, democracy and the role of the active citizen. Y2P has managed to change the society’s attitudes. It brought not only teenagers of the two comminities together but also adults. The group promotes principles of tolerance through conferences and events of undertsanding. The existance of the group itself in a small society like Cyprus has a great impact to the community since it has raised questions regarding education, forgiveness, history etc.  
Y2P played an important role not only for its members but also for the whole community.  This youth group has created new and exciting pathways to facilitate the cooperation of all bicommunal youth groups of Cyprus and to elevat their various activities to a community level thus preparing them to act and behave as active citizens in the emerging civil society of Cyprus. Their activites have enchanced cooporation, interaction and teamwork between existing bicommunal youth groups, have attracted people from various ethnic groups to participate and deepen their understanding of the notion of communication, solidarity, human rights, democracy and the role of the active citizen. Y2P has managed to change the society’s attitudes. It brought not only teenagers of the two comminities together but also adults. The group promotes principles of tolerance through conferences and events of undertsanding. The existance of the group itself in a small society like Cyprus has a great impact to the community since it has raised questions regarding education, forgiveness, history etc.  
However, most of all Y2P has given hope to the small society of Cyprus. It gives hope to those who believe that Cyprus doesn’t have a peacful future. It makes people understand that young people have voice, have ideas, have beliefs and can make a difference. The youth is the future and it is necessary to build on them. If the society does not give them a chance to express their ideas and hear their opinions then, they will loose hope and they will stop believing that chances are possible. If the young generation looses hope, then who will challenge system, who will challenge the political parties, who will challenge world ideas, who will love this world? The youth of today have realized that it is their responsibility to halt the conflict, which perpetuates from the past and that it is they who will shape their future through promising initiatives, which will set the beginning of a new era for Cyprus.
However, most of all Y2P has given hope to the small society of Cyprus. It gives hope to those who believe that Cyprus doesn’t have a peacful future. It makes people understand that young people have voice, have ideas, have beliefs and can make a difference. The youth is the future and it is necessary to build on them. If the society does not give them a chance to express their ideas and hear their opinions then, they will loose hope and they will stop believing that chances are possible. If the young generation looses hope, then who will challenge system, who will challenge the political parties, who will challenge world ideas, who will love this world? The youth of today have realized that it is their responsibility to halt the conflict, which perpetuates from the past and that it is they who will shape their future through promising initiatives, which will set the beginning of a new era for Cyprus.
==Young Facilitators who served as Coordinators==
The Y2P pioneers started meeting at Oktana cafe from mid 1999 where [[Yiannis Laouris]], and periodically the father of [[Daphne Anastasiades]]] were facilitating the sessions and provided inspiration. [[CYBER KIDS]] provided logistical support in the early phases. When the young pioneers were awarded their first grant, another young person was hired to serve as Assistant Coordinator, [[Xenia Constantinou]]. The following have served as coordinators for the funded projects:
* [[Xenia Constantinou]]
* [[Synthia Pavlou]]
* [[Natasa Xenophontos]]


==International interns working on Y2P==
==International interns working on Y2P==