ANNOUNCEMENT: PARTICIPATION in Int. SUMMER SCHOOL, Sept. 2009

Beigefuegt findet bitte eine Ankuendigung ueber ein Trainingsseminar, dass unsere NGO im September in Georgien veranstaltet! Bitte leitet diese Information grossflaechig weiter, Details kann man – wie angegeben – bei mir einholen. Es ist praktisch fuer jede/n offen, der genug Interesse und Motivation hat, 3 Plaetze stehen zur Verfuegung. Falls jemand Tips fuer oesterreichische Webseiten/Portale/Foren hat, wo man das Event ankuendigen kann, waere ich fuer die Info dankbar.


Take part in a summer school on conflict management, human rights & youth cooperation in Georgia, South Caucasus, supported by the EU – Youth In Action Program, in Telavi, Kakheti, Georgia (South Caucasus), 19. – 25. September 2009

From Sept. 19th to 25th, the “Austrian Helsinki Association – For Human Rights and Int. Dialogue” - a Vienna based, internationally operating human rights NGO with a geographic focus on the Black Sea region – together with the local partner organization “Youth Association DRONI” will organize a EU-supported (Youth In Action) international summer school on conflict management, human rights and youth cooperation (details below).

The event will take place in Georgia, South Caucasus, and bring together about 30 young persons from Austria (3 participants), France, Germany, Latvia, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Also cultural activities and sightseeing are part of the program.

The organizers and its partners will arrange all logistics, accommodation and the program at the spot; participants are, as a rule of the program, requested to pay 30% of their travel costs, the other 70% as well as all other costs related to the training (food, accommodation) will be financed and full organizational support provided by the organizers. You will be guided by experienced trainers and experts of the region and learn together with other interesting students in a picturesque wine region of Georgia.

To apply, the following criteria should be fulfilled:
- Be a resident of Austria
- Good knowledge of the English language
- Travel experience
- Interest in political issues, peace/conflict, youth cooperation, EU, Eastern Europe/former Soviet Union
- Work experience as youth worker, social activist or related is an
advantage
- Be below 35 years old
- Motivation to actively participate in the training
- Willingness to learn, share and contribute in a multicultural
atmosphere

For EU citizens, no visa to enter Georgia is necessary. Austrian participants will furthermore receive an introductory session on the Caucasus and we willl seek joint ways to cover your 30% travel expenses (around 100 – 150 Euros).

Likewise, you will be asked to arrange for yourself the travel- and health insurance for the stay and hold a small presentation on the experiences made after the event in Vienna.

Please contact us to receive an application form or provide us directly with a short motivation letter and a CV. Applications have to be received until July 14th, one week later participants will be notified and travel arrangements made.

For the above, further detailed information as well as any other requests, please contact Siegfried Wöber under: woeber.siegfried@gmx.at, subject: Summer school in Georgia.

Short description of the training course:
This training course is dedicated to conflict prevention, promotion of peace and human rights, bringing together young leaders from Austria, France, Germany, Latvia as well as Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and the Russian Federation in order to engage youth activists into debate about recent conflicts and “cold relations” in and between the countries. The event aims at finding ways to keep and improve a constructive dialogue and mutual understanding by addressing relevant issues through cooperation in the youth field.

Participants will receive a mainly non-formal training on conflict transformation, among other featured topics will be European approaches to peace and human rights. Participants will be awarded a certificate of attendance and can add this training to their EU Youthpass.

The event takes place about 3 hours east of the capital Tbilisi, next to the Caucasus mountains in the famous wine region of Kakheti. Besides evening activities, a half-day excursion through the region as well as sightseeing in Tbilisi will be organized too.