Youth For Peace Columbia May 2010

Youth for Peace is an overseas exposure experience for young adults ages 18 - 30. See information about the purpose and goals of this program below and visit the National United Church website for links to applications and more information. Call Sandra at the Conference office if you need support with this.

Hosted by the Methodist Church of Colombia, 10 participants will live, study, worship, and reflect with United Church partners in Colombia. They will learn about the particular peace and conflict issues facing the region through first-hand experience. Before and after the trip, participants will engage in an orientation, study, and debriefing process. Candidates must be prepared to widely share their experiences when they return home. A personal contribution of $750.00 is required.

Apply now: the deadline is December 1, 2009. No late applications will be accepted.

The Purpose: is to provide an opportunity for a group of young adults aged 18–30 from The United Church of Canada to participate in God’s mission through engagement in a learning experience related to peace in the global context.

As an integral element of the United for Peace campaign, participants will be challenged to:

• faithfully bear witness to the ongoing peace ministry of global partners
• reflect on the personal and systemic barriers facing those working for peace
• contribute their own perspectives as The United Church of Canada works to develop and understand its role and relationship with people living with injustice and violence
• learn about the particular challenges facing refugees in the context being visited

This experience includes a travel component to visit United Church partners in regions experiencing violence and conflict, and will be facilitated by United Church global partners.

The Goals are:

• To introduce participants to the work of United Church global partners whose ministries are affected by issues related to violence and conflict
• To grow in community, providing support and challenge to one another before, during, and after the travel experience
• To provide an “empire lens” through which participants may reflect on peace and conflict issues both globally and in their own community contexts
• To empower and equip participants with necessary resources to take leadership roles in educating their home communities about issues of conflict and violence
• To personally experience the relationship of solidarity between the United Church and its global partners