16 June 2009 / 16:50

"Youth Inter-religious dialogue as a bridge to modern Europe"

1. Why this Training Course?

The Training Course is promoting the aim of the European Youth Campaign for Diversity, Human Rights and Participation - to encourage and enable young people to participate in building peaceful societies based on diversity and inclusion, in a spirit of respect, tolerance, and mutual understanding. It stresses the reciprocal interactions and influences between, on the one hand, religions, spiritual and humanistic traditions, and on the other, the need to promote understanding between them in order to challenge ignorance and prejudices and foster mutual respect. Thus the Training Course will tackle some key concepts as the meaning of religion, freedom of belief and freedom of worship, the individual choice not to follow any religion and not to believe in any god but also freedom of religion, religious toleration, separation of church and state or laïcité (secular state) and other notion necessary for a broad understanding of the major religious traditions that have influenced the development of the European space (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) as well as the ways in which church and state have related through history.

2. Aims and objectives of the course

• To identify and understand the role of young people and establish international network of young people in promotion of inter-religious dialogue;
• To develop a common understanding of the challenges and priorities for youth action in the fields of Inter-faith dialogue and inter-religious understanding;
• To identify the possible actions to be undertaken by young people in order to support and promote inter-religious dialogue in their countries/communities, from various perspectives;
• To develop participant’s personal skills, knowledge and attitudes to deal with culture, tradition and religious diversity;
• To make proposals for activities and approaches to be developed at international level.
• To contribute for practical and effective action in order to eradicate stereotypes and promote intercultural understanding, cultural rights, cultural diversity and universally shared values for peace and development;
• To mainstream principles of cultural diversity and involve youth into reflection of intercultural and interreligious dialogue.
• To identify the main trends of the development of interreligious and inter-confessional dialogue in the context of contemporary culture;
• To develop specific methods and necessary tools for better cooperation in the future.

3. Methodology

A team of experienced trainers organizes the learning process and provides guidance to the development and evaluation of the project work as well as other training inputs. Contributions from experts will help to create the theoretical and practical framework in which participants will reflect upon existing concepts and approaches. Production of a new specific training manual will be one of the outcomes of the course. This manual will document the different methods and educational approaches and practices used throughout the course. The previous experience of participants, in the formal and non formal sectors, will be the starting point of the programme, of the learning process and of the development of follow up quality value-based projects.

4. Language

English is the working language of the course.

5. Participants' Profile

The TC seeks to bring together young people and multipliers actively engaged in the field of belief and religious issues and experienced in interreligious dialogue — be this in the field of youth work, expert, research in the field of intercultural and interreligious dialogue and cooperation.

All participants must:

• Have high level of tolerance, respect, empathy and readiness to strong intercultural learning experience;
• Be highly motivated to participate and contribute to the event and to the implementation of its results, and have the capacity within their organization or work to do so;
• Have in-depth experience in working on preventing and responding to forms of discrimination based on religion or belief in the youth field;
• Be ready and able to work as multipliers;
• Be supported by their nominating organization;
• Be aged between 18 and 35 years (exceptions will be possible in duly justified cases);
• Be able to attend the full duration of the TC;
• Be able to work in English;
• Be resident in a member state of the Council of Europe + (Belarus).

6. Application procedure and selection of participants

All candidates must apply using the enclosed application form. Applications should be sent to Ulduz Youth Public Union e-mail address: ulduz_ypu@yahoo.com

During the selection process, criteria will be applied to ensure a balance between sexes, geographical regions, and the diversity of religions, cultures and organizations. The motivation and capacity for follow up through the individual participant will be taken into consideration.

Candidates will be informed by 2nd of July, 2009 whether they have been accepted, put on the waiting list or refused. Accepted candidates will receive the course documentation directly.

7. Deadline for applications

The deadline for submitting applications is 30th June, 2009

8. Financial conditions

Accommodation and Food will be provided for participants by the organizers. 70 % of your Travel expenses and visas will be reimbursed (upon presentation of the relevant receipts) according to European Youth Foundation rules. Participants have to attend the entire training course in order to be reimbursed.

9. Travel and visa reimbursement

Travel and visa costs of all participants will be reimbursed at 70% based on the original tickets, invoices and all travel related tickets. The 70% reimbursement of travel and visa costs should not exceed:

270 Euros for other COE Countries
230 Euros for United Kingdom, Italy, France, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania
180 Euros for Russia and Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Turkey
40 Euros for Georgia

There is no reimbursement for the local participants coming from different regions of Azerbaijan. Visa costs of foreign participants will be fully reimbursed by the hosted organization based on the original invoices that you get in the border of Baku airport.

Due to a low budget for transport, we encourage participants that come from a range of 1000 km to use bus or train as means of transport.

Before purchasing your tickets, please consult with the organizers upon the travel costs.

The meeting can take place when participants make an effort to contribute financially to their travel costs. Therefore, we kindly ask you to use any alternative possibilities of funding that can cover travel costs. Sometimes your sending organizations or structures would effort to cover the travel costs or you may identify small local grants to contribute for the travel cost. We would appreciate very much your help.

Further information and contacts:

Ulduz Youth Public Union

Mr. Raul Gulmammadov
Mr. Hasan Abdullayev
E-mail: ulduz_ypu@yahoo.com
Mobile: +994 55 629 28 21

Deadline 30th June 2009
E-mail: ulduz_ypu@yahoo.com

Source - unistudy.org.ua