INSPIRE CONNECT EQUIP A NEW GENERATION OF GLOBAL2014 PEACE BUILDERS PROSPECTUS Contact Esther Ntoto esther@africanewday.org Prashan DeVisser prashandevisser@srilankaunites.org 1
Contents Vision & Overview (3) Why Global Unites (4) Youth in Conflict Zone (5) Building a Global Alliance (6) Summit Overview (7-8) Summit Delegates (10-11) Five-Year Plan & Outcomes (12-13) Summit and Post-Summit Budget (14-15) 2
Vision & Overview The world is getting younger. Today, one of every four people on Earth is below the age of 25. From the Arab Spring to the 2008 elections in the United States, youth are active and engaged change makers. Yet, in D.R. Congo, Myanmar, Pakistan and elsewhere, youth are being coopted to tear their communities apart. In many of these same communities ridden with strife there are young leaders seeking a different path. They are mobilizing their communities to change mindsets and take actions to prevent conflict. Youth peacebuilders also face many barriers to scaling-up their efforts. They are often isolated, lack technical skills, have weak global connections, and work with limited resources. In some cases, their lives are under threat from autocrats, gangs and armed groups. Global Unites seeks to inspire, connect, and equip youth leaders to start and grow movements for conflict transformation. This initiative was born out of one of the world s longest and bloodiest civil wars in Sri Lanka. Today, Global Unites has member organizations in D.R. Congo and Sri Lanka that have successfully launched and grown local youth movements for conflict transformation, a process that addresses the root causes of extremism. On 5th - 9th of January, 2015, Global Unites is planning to convene over 30 youth peacebuilders (age 19 to 35) from across 15 countries for an intensive summit in Sri Lanka. Global Unites will identify local youth leaders from highrisk zones that are committed to conflict transformation through non-violent advocacy and social action. The summit will be an intensive training camp for delegates to become more effective at conflict transformation, and create national-level movements. Each delegate will be selected based on a proven record of youth leadership, innovation, and commitment to non-violent social action. Post-summit, Global Unites will serve as a backbone to support the local peacebuilding activities of the summit delegates. Global Unites will help connect its member movements to funding, training, and technical assistance that helps them launch or scale-up their local movements. By 2017, Global Unites aims to facilitate and support the launch of at least 4 new youth movements for conflict transformation from the countries represented, and help scale-up an additional 7 existing movements to a national level. The Global Unites executive committee will conduct follow-up visits to evaluate and document the progress of these movement-building efforts. The committee will also be a partnerships platform between grassroots movements and global NGOs, foundations and the private sector. It will continue to convene the delegates through regional gatherings and theme-based virtual events. Global Unites is seeking additional partnerships and support for the summit and beyond. 3
Why Support Global Unites? 1. Experience Building Movements: The founders of Global Unites have successfully launched and scaled nationallevel movements for conflict transformation. The idea of Global Unites began as a bottom-up conflict transformation process in Sri Lanka. Global Unites understands the pulse, the drive, and the challenges that grassroots peace activists face. The founders of Global Unites have established the strongest peace movement in Sri Lanka with 10,000 members and received visits from 3 heads of state. 2. Focus on Local Leadership: Local issues need local solutions. Global Unites will work alongside youth in conflict zones to facilitate and support their efforts for conflict transformation. Global Unites will assist and support its member movements as they see appropriate using the principles of servant leadership. 3. Positioned for Counter-Radicalization: Global Unites members will position themselves to give youth alternative options to becoming radicalized or extremist. Global Unites will select conflict hot-zones around the world and identify youth leaders who can create counter-movements to extremist causes. Global Unites members will equip youth to express their aspirations and frustrations through non-violent and constructive means. 4. Connecting Isolated Peacemakers and Movements: Many emerging youth leaders and movements in conflictprone communities are isolated. This isolation is a hurdle to growing their ideas and projects to a national level. At worst, isolation can leave them vulnerable to intimidation, arrest, or violence by governments and extremist groups. Global Unites will engage and connect youth leaders and movements to build solidarity between like-minded organizations. 5. Open to Partnerships: Global Unites will help facilitate partnerships and fill the gap between cutting edge, innovative grassroots movements and global organizations. Global Unites intermediation will help small grassroots movements gain credibility on a global level, and will assist global organizations to gain a local and in-depth perspective on local movements. 6. Diverse Expertise: The Global Unites Executive Committee consists of 40 young professionals with a broad range of highly accomplished entrepreneurs, peace activists, nonprofit managers and other young professionals that will be available as resources to its members. 7. Diverse Perspective: Many of the Founders and Executive Committee members of Global Unites have worked in every continent or are from conflict-prone countries or regions. Global Unites also has a great diversity of genders, nationalities, and expertise that will contribute both a global and culturally appropriate response to its members needs. 8. Share Knowledge: Global Unites will help gather best practices on youth movement building for conflict transformation from around the world and serve as a platform to share knowledge across its membership and externally. 4
Youth in Conflict Zones Political instability and conflict leave youth vulnerable to violence, disrupt their education, and divide them from their peers. In many conflict-prone countries, the total population under the age of 30 is over sixty percent. Some of these countries include Afghanistan, Syria, and South Sudan. Highly organized political and armed groups brainwash and coopt youth to become frontline soldiers in ethnic, religious and civil-conflicts. Even after peace treaties are signed or conflicts are resolved, the seeds of hatred and intolerance poison entire generations. Many youth who grow up in conflict zones also lose educational and employment opportunities. Despite good intentions and aspirations, youth peacebuilders face many challenges and spoiler elements when trying to build movements to counter and pre-empt conflict. Many youth peacebuilders work in isolation on small projects that reach a limited scale. They are constrained by lack of resources and technical expertise. They may require mentorship and advice on team building, fundraising skills or strategic planning; and have limited connections to national, regional or global organizations with similar missions and goals. Youth and Conflict Transformation Global Unites believes that inclusive grassroots movements led by youth are an effective inoculation to the disease of perpetual violence and conflict. Youth are a powerful force to change misperceptions and heal the divides created by previous generations that led to armed conflict. Grassroots movements provide a base for youth to make social and political changes in their communities and nationally. It is a holistic process of addressing the root-causes and recurring issues of conflict. Conflict transformation is a process that continues beyond the ending of a conflict through peace treaties, disarmament, or use of force. It takes a long-view of how to change the cultural, political and social causes of conflict such as discrimination, resource depletion, inequality or other issues. By combining a conflict transformation process with youth-led movements, Global Unites members seek to achieve lasting peace and reconciliation in their home countries. 5
Building a Global Alliance for Youth Conflict Transformation Global Unites seeks to create alliances with youth movements across the world committed to conflict transformation, reconciliation, and nonviolence. The founders of Global Unites consist of youth peacebuilders who grew a small volunteer project into Sri Lanka Unites, a national youth-led movement for hope and reconciliation with over 10,000 members. Over SLU s seven year history, it connected with other like-minded movements in Africa and Asia. This informal network came together to share experiences and learn from each other s successes and struggles. Global Unites is currently expanding and formalizing its alliances, and will serve as a backbone to support the local peacebuilding activities of new members by: Mapping conflict zones to identify youth peacebuilders that are aspiring to prevent conflict in their communities. Connecting isolated youth peacebuilders to financial resources, training, and technical assistance that helps them launch or scale-up their local movements. Facilitating partnerships between local grassroots movements and global organizations. The Global Unites organization is a U.S. based 501c3 nonprofit, incorporated in the state of California. Global Unites has formed a dedicated and diverse team of professionals to plan and organize the summit and post-summit activities. This volunteer committee provides leadership and implementation for Global Unites 2015 summit and follow-on activities. Global Unites also has mentors and advisors form an eminent Board of Advisors drawn from various fields - from senior diplomats, to private sector leaders and development and peace-building advocates. Global Unites is also forming a five member Board of Directors that oversees its governance (with three members already in-place). Global Unites will also seek guidance from its members to determine its priorities and ensure its services are demand-driven. During the next 15 months Global Unites seeks to hire four full-time staff to sustain its operations post-summit. 6
Summit Overview: A Catalyst for Peacebuilding Movements On 5th - 9th of January, 2015, Global Unites is planning to convene over 30 youth peacebuilders from 15 countries in Sri Lanka for an intensive five-day summit. The summit will be an intensive training-camp for movement builders and include interactive workshops, activities, and keynote lectures. It will also serve as the formal launch of the Global Unites movement. By the summit s conclusion, the delegates will be inspired, connected and equipped to be more effective in youth-ed conflict transformation, and create national level movements. Delegates will also learn first-hand the success, challenges and struggles of Sri Lanka Unites, an independent and youth-led reconciliation movement that has grown from a few dozen volunteers to over 10,000 active members in under seven years. SLU has representatives in all of Sri Lanka s 25 districts and from every ethic and religious group. Summit Team The summit organizing team will bring together leading experts in the fields of conflict transformation, movement building, communications, leadership and management to share their insights with the delegates. Some of the key lecturers confirmed for the summit include: Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Laureate and Global Activist Jayantha Dhanapala, Former UN Under Secretary General for Disarmament John Paul Lederach, Director of the Peace Accords Matrix Global Unites member organization Sri Lanka Unites will assist with implementation of the inaugural summit. The SLU organization has 12 staff and numerous local volunteers. SLU has organizations and implemented large-scale summits and conferences funded by various international donors and hosted foreign guests. 7
Agenda The summit agenda and program will be divided by the three main goals of inspiring, connecting and equipping the youth delegates. Goal 1 - Be Inspired Delegates will see the value of grassroots movements and potential of youth-led movements. Learn about the conflict transformation process. Share and learn from peers and colleagues around the world who face similar challenges and yet persevere. Learn insights from keynote speakers who developed globally recognized peacebuilding movements. Become part of an international movement for youth-led conflict reconciliation and transformation. Goal 2 Be Connected Make new links to like-minded leaders of youth movements in conflict-ridden countries around the world. Share best practices and experiences. Meet and network with leaders from their home regions. Meet the Global Unites Executive Committee and develop a plan for assistance in specific areas. Develop links to global partners for recognition, funding, and technical assistance. Create an online forum that makes grassroots work visible to the international community. Goal 3 Be Equipped Develop a clear strategic layout of the expansion and creation of national level movements. Create sustainable grassroots movements. Practice and understand the concepts of culture transformation. Understand the international strategy of Global Unites and how they are linked to the network. Enhance their individual communications and networking skills. 8
5th - 9th January Post-Summit Knowledge Sharing The summit s learning sessions and workshops will also be webcast and recorded to share with a global audience, and ensure that the summit lessons last beyond this gathering. These videos and other materials will be hosted on the Global Unites website that is currently being developed. 9
Summit Delegates Global Unites will select local youth leaders from 15 regional gateway countries to participate in the summit and Global Unites network. Each delegate will be committed to conflict transformation through non-violent advocacy and social action. These youth peace builders will have a track record of successful local leadership and addressing reconciliation and peace building efforts in their community on a smallscale. The summit delegates will have to meet the following eight criteria to participate in the summit: 1. Between the ages 19 to 35. 2. Citizen and resident of the country they are representing at the summit. 3. Proven track record of leadership and innovation. 4. Experience and commitment to work with youth. 5. Shown potential to lead national movement. 6. Track record of long-term commitment to their work. 7. Strong local recommendations. 8. Affiliated or recognized by existing movement or established movements in their countries. Selection Process The Global Unites Executive Committee will manage the selection process for summit delegates. Based on the criteria the committee will select two delegates from 15 gateway countries for a total of 30 delegates. These delegates will be identified by a country analysis conducted by the committee, through an open and online call for applications, and through recommendations from local and global peacebuilding organizations. In addition to the selection criteria the committee will ensure that the delegates will be balanced by gender, cultural, social, and ethnic diversity. 10
Summit Delegates Eligible Countries The Global Unites Executive Committee has chosen 18 countries from which delegates may apply to participate in the 2015 summit ( 5th - 9th of January ). These countries were chosen based on four key factors that include: Recent history of extreme conflict, or deep political divisions: The selected countries have a propensity for high sectarian, ethnic, or political tensions that have lead to violence, extreme partisanship, or dysfunction. Entering election cycles: Each of the chosen countries are moving towards national elections or major political transitions in 2015 to 2016. Regional Trendsetter: The eligible countries have significant regional political, cultural and historical influence in their respective geographic region. These countries can act as leaders for non-violent conflict resolution within their regions. Existing Membership in Global Unites: Of these eligible countries, five have been selected to automatically have representation at the Global Unites Summit due to their urgent need for grassroots conflict transformation and existing membership in Global Unites. These countries include: D.R. Congo, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, and Pakistan. The field of 18 eligible gateway countries includes: Africa: D.R. Congo, Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Rwanda Asia: Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan Europe: Serbia Middle East: Palestinian Territories, Israel, and Egypt Western Hemisphere: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador The summit will also include three OECD industrialized countries to the eligible list that include: Japan, South Korea, and the United States. Although these nations enjoy relative peace and security as compared to the other eligible countries they each have their social and political divides at home and within their borders. By adding these additional countries, Global Unites seeks to build youth-lead nonviolent movements that are an effective force for change across social and economic conditions. 11
Five-Year Plan & Outcomes Post-summit, Global Unites will serve as a backbone to support the local peacebuilding activities of the summit delegates and continue to inspire, connect, and equip its members. The goal is for each member movement to create sustainable conflict transformation in their nation by serving as platforms for locally driven policy, cultural, or societal changes. During the next five years, Global Unites aims to: Facilitate the launch and expansion of 10 youth movements across a set of special focus countries: Support the creation of 4 new movements in 4 countries represented at the 2015 Summit. Help scale-up 7 existing movements from 7 countries represented at the summit. Create a network of activist and movements in 25 conflict-impacted countries. Build strong alliances and networks between all Global Unites member movements and INGOs, key policy makers, civil society, and the private sector. Develop partnerships with key international and regional organizations, movements and foundations that focus on peacebuilding or youth. Grow international awareness and recognition for youth-led conflict transformation. Inspire New Movements: The inception and assist of the launch of 4 youth-led movements for conflict transformation from 4 countries represented at the Global Summit. Each movement s membership to be inclusive of all ethnicities, genders, religions, and rural and urban communities. Movements to have a bottom up approach that enhances conflict transformation in the grassroots, civil society, and policy in their nations. Inspire Existing Movements: Scale-up in 7 existing youth movements to a national level in 7 countries represented at the global summit. Expansion of existing youth movements to cover at least two thirds of municipalities in their nations (or cover a majority of regions directly affected by conflict). 12
Five-Year Plan & Outcomes Equip All Movements: Develop an online learning platform to share experiences and technical knowledge about movement building and conflict transformation. Provide mentoring, strategic planning, technical expertise, and fundraising services through the Global Unites Executive Committee or outside partner organizations to 10 core movements (4 new movements and 7 existing movements). Grow the number of members at each of the 10 core movements to at least 5,000 by 2017. Provide a global forum for all 30 Global Unites member movements to share knowledge, challenges, and concerns through in-person and virtual events, access trainings, and technical expertise. Plan and organize regional and thematic mini-summits to address specific issues (e.g. restorative justice, child soldiers in conflict, gender and conflict) for all member movements. Organize a Global Unites Summit every four years with a mix of new delegates and current members. Connect All Movements: Conduct follow-up visits to each delegate s country by executive committee members within two years of the summit to research and learn best practices and evaluate the effectiveness of the global summit. Develop partnership opportunities between all member movements and global NGOs, donor agencies, foundations, and the private sector. Facilitate networking opportunities and partnership forums to match all members with appropriate funders and technical assistance. Be a bridge to global and national level policy makers on the ground realities of conflict transformation at the grassroots level by arranging meetings and gatherings with Global Unites members. Global Unites will also work with its local member movements to define, track, and measure their performance based on context specific goals and objectives. 13
THANK YOU! Contact Prashan DeVisser prashan@globalunites.org www.globalunites.org 16