Global Friendships

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GYV Youth9-day Indonesia-US Exchange Program

June 24-July 3

Have you ever met an Indonesian? If not, meet several passionate and dynamic ones this summer and discover what you have in common with people from halfway around the world. Share what is important to you and what you do for fun. In morning workshops, explore global environmental issues, discuss the basic principles of different faiths, and determine ways to encourage community involvement through volunteerism. An American and an Indonesian

  • Dates: June 24-July 3
  • Youth: 16 Indonesian youth and 20 American youth
  • Age: For those entering 9th-12th grade (ages 13-18)
  • Scholarship: Indonesian teens sponsored by US Department of State
  • Tuition: $1000  for all youths APPLY NOW

Building global peace through friendship11-day Peace-Building programs

July 6-July 16 & July 19-29

Join young Iraqis intent on re-building their futures for this unique program.  Gain skills in listening, prejudice reduction, conflict management, creative thinking and problem solving during the peace-building/dialogue workshop.   Choose a second morning workshop focused on the arts or environmental action.   Enjoy soccer,  pottery, yoga, badminton, volleyball, swimming, basketball, ping-pong, rock climbing and many other activities and bond through afternoon and evening events.  American and Iraqi youth gather before lunch

  • Dates: July 6-16 and July 19-29
  • Youth: 30 Iraqi youth, 20 US  and other internationals
  • Age: For those entering 10th-12th grade (ages 14-18)
  • Scholarship: Iraqi teens sponsored by US Department of State
  • Tuition: $1,200  for all youths APPLY NOW

Interested in our longer in-depth programs?   Learn more about our Crossing Cultures Programs,  June 24-July 16 and July 19-August 4.


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7 comments:

jafar08/05/2009 at 1:47 amReply

I think it would be O.K. to manage some Iranian youth to be attended in GYV. You know these days Iranian youth need more sympathy and solidarity from the World.

admin08/05/2009 at 9:14 amReply

Yes of course we agree; having Iranian youth particpate in GYV would be a great addition to the program. If you have questions please contact Mary Helmig.

James11/10/2009 at 7:14 amReply

Not long ago, I emailed to many world key bodies to support the reinstatement of Iraqi currency for more justifiable reasons I presented. If you read on, you would understand why.

My name is James and I believe in humanitarianism and human rights. I would like to email you as a kind of an anticipatory feedback with a hope that the Iraqi government can decide the best course of actions to take in a situation like rebuilding its economy. Before you download all the attached files to provide you a comprehensive guide of something very useful, it is necessary to read my email first to allow you to clearly see things in perspective and from all angles as to why revaluation or reinstatement of the new Iraqi Dinars is so important as an alternative to regain a better buying power for both the working population in the private and government sectors equally fair.

Not long ago, US President Barack Obama persuaded China to revalue its RMB currency again to improve the weakened US economy but China is still reluctant to revalue it for its own numerous justifiable reasons. Whilst China can afford not to revalue its undervalued RMB currency, Iraq cannot afford to do likewise against global economy at all. Let me elaborate further in the next paragraph right below.

When global economy was climbing towards economic success about more than two decades back, China was in one good piece without being torn by any war and it opened its gateways in all directions without one single threat of terrorism to welcome business opportunities worldwide together with its cheaper manpower systems provided for further economic expansion in many foreign nations including the United States as well. From the very first day China’s communism started to fade away to invite more democratic moves for the sake of co-operating with international demands, the percentage of its domestic production is still remaining above 90% whilst its imports and food aid, perhaps below 5% to date. Licensed money-changers all over the world do recognize RMB as a good foreign currency to be exchanged with. In Singapore, only two licensed money-changers possess new Iraqi Dinars for their own good reasons.

Let us talk about the important matters of present Iraq. The return of depression economics seems to be equally bad in this decade almost as similar to what we have witnessed the catastrophic failures in the industrialized economies of Asia and Latin America throughout the 1990s. Between 1991 and 1998, severe financial crisis struck Japan, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, and Indonesia. Despite the fact that such crisis was so foreseeable, how come so few people foresaw it? Was it the syndrome of the frog in the well, again? I hope Iraqi government wouldn’t have such a tunnel vision of many foreseeable economic crises coming towards the future world which can also badly affect Iraq economy. When Iraq has regained its freedom in 2003 after the fall of Saddam Hussein, was it really as excellent as China that I’ve mentioned earlier in my third paragraph? Apparently, Iraq’s percentage of domestic production is below 33% whilst its percentage of imports and food aid is above 67% to date. Please accept my sincere apology if I am wrong in hearing it from some online sources.

With a clearer picture of how New Iraq is standing right now facing a lot of economic changes in this decade which have resulted an even lesser buying power for its younger generations as well, are you not seriously worried about how long your appointment as a parliamentarian will remain in time to fulfill all your dreams of rebuilding its economic power? You won’t want to be replaced by incompetent parliamentarians who would only care for themselves leaving you feeling totally hopeless or competent parliamentarians who may want to accuse you in future for being a corrupted governor who loved to keep procrastinating against revaluing its new Iraqi currency to rebuild its economic power, correct? Will it be an honour written in the archive concerning the rise and fall of your present Iraqi government by then?

Now, you may download all the attached files relating to the most revised version of our CPF system which is implemented to meet the current needs and necessary changes of our national demographics. In the attached file of ERC_CPF_MainReport2.pdf, the contents are self-explanatory. Do you now fully understand why is revaluation or reinstatement of the new Iraqi currency so important? Without revaluing your money, you can’t have better buying power. Without better buying power, you can’t force your fellow countrymen to contribute any money to CPF. Without CPF, your social welfare will have to solve more foreseeable future problems of financial hardships of many older generations and younger generations alike. If Iraq still remains as an asset-rich but penny-poor nation, how to provide hardship allowance so continuously for the many poor and needy who really live a long life? CPF system is not the right system for the second and third worlds but Iraq can adopt it only after revaluation or reinstatement of its currency rate is confirmed and legally approved by the whole world; and vice versa i.e. implementation of CPF system prior to revaluation or reinstatement of its currency rate is definitely impossible because there may be more armed uprisings emerging against it with certainty. Singapore’s CPF system is politically- and economically-proven since 1955 which in other words, it has been established for 54 years to date. Our CPF is another kind of a back-up to stabilize our economy in case numerous global economic changes which may try to shake us up. Moreover, our CPF has an economic preparation for almost all other contingencies within Singapore.

Recent news media reported that about more than 22 millions of fellow countrymen in China were jobless because many US giants locating some of their business in China have given up probably due to weakened US economy happening for so long. Singapore has finally agreed to reduce the growing number of economic migrants from squeezing into our limited housing facilities as their rented accommodation in our small nation. Malaysia is our closest neighbouring country and its government has better reasons to reduce the same to protect their own Malay community from facing too many unemployment problems and to stop many so-called foreign visitors particularly prostitutes from overstaying as well. Australia and New Zealand would definitely not be so willing to invite newer economic migrants anymore from now onwards because most of the previous ones came as prostitutes with their so-called “husbands”.

Not long ago, I had numerous nightmarish visions in bed of some coming new fatal plagues affecting the whole world. Hadiths of the Muslims and the Holy Bible did mention the future world would suffer more newer fatal plagues than before. That is why I need to share my justifiable opinions with the foreign talents of all world key bodies to fully understand why we should first revalue the new currency of Iraq asap to rebuild its economy. International co-operation is indispensable to resolving the problem of Iraq economic power first as a new form of business strategy to help buffer US economy against inflation and China’s frequent economic attacks.

By strengthening Iraq economic power, we are also improving the welfare and healthcare of all Iraqi people as well, right? If we don’t immediately improve the living standards of their working population and solve their unemployment problems, a divine retribution is bound to happen in a matter of time, right? Let me elaborate further why is it absolutely right.

Apparently, with online complaints of so many corruptions still happening in Iraq, how would the busy Minister for Health in Iraq have the same numerous nightmarish visions I had? In my younger days for 4 solid years, I had lived together with the poorer people and shared their floor as bed. When some had no money to eat I cooked for them what I could afford to buy. On one occasion someone there was sick and as a pity, I gave him money to visit a doctor but when he refused my donation I then bought some clinically-proven herbal medicines to suppress his sickness, temporarily. Others around me loved me so much as their temporary companions within the same free accommodation but however, they never took advantage of my generosity. These are my friends indeed!

Sometimes, I had to miss a lot of breakfast meals to save money to indirectly help the poor. God has really shown me how to empathize with others who suffer in silence. Do you now fully understand why I need to raise my voice to the whole world to first help the poorer and the needy ones in Iraq soonest possible?

Terrorism is a peanut compared to the greater possibilities of the more coming fatal pandemics. Therefore, we shouldn’t focus too much on terrorism and totally forget about other important matters which may really worsen global economy permanently this time. Without healthcare adequacy and retirement adequacy planned ahead, not to precisely mention whether the Human Rights Watch has frequently investigated their national demographics to ensure that Iraqi people below poverty line are eating enough of the right foods to improve their immune system against all future diseases, most Iraqi people will suffer future financial hardships without a penny to their medical rescue. Someone may protest: “Iraq has oil and oil is money. So, why fear?” Without revaluing or reinstating its currency rate, oil prices cannot be genuinely revalued to improve Iraq economic power permanently. And oil reserves can totally disappear tomorrow if God wishes to do so. How? Iraq is a country vulnerable to frequent natural disasters, namely earthquake, famine, drought, flood, and epidemic. Earthquakes can destroy oil reserves, right? Just fancy with my rhetorical query what if somewhere in the Holy Bible mentioned that the future Babylon might be the first nation to spread a newer fatal pandemic worldwide due to its endemic poverty unsolved for years? Please rethink about how and why newer virus of The Black Death can also come as the future fatal pandemics. For those who don’t understand, please download the attached file of Black Death – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for your perusal.

I hope you would seriously consider about another important problem relating to the health of the future Iraqi people. Do we all know that almost all economic migrants with or without employment contracts with their overseas companies only in private sector (mind you, I am not mentioning the government sector) in any well-developed countries do not enjoy better medical benefits like surgical operations for illnesses even directly relating to occupational hazards. How do we accuse anyone without proofs of evidence? If they may work closely with poisonous chemicals for many months, can they contract future cancers? Cancer and heart diseases can happen to many night-shift workers whose body and brain should usually be rested in the night to balance their brain chemicals which are associated with their mood by the help of natural hormones of serotonin, catecholamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and endorphin. When in balance, these neurotransmitters help us in being alert, optimistic, calm and resourceful. When we are sound asleep in the proper night, melatonin as another natural hormone would be produced by the pineal gland in our brain. Serotonin is opposite of melatonin, of which the former keeps us wide awake like coffee whereas the latter keeps us feeling rather sleepy like prescribed sleeping pills. God has created the day and night not just for fun to our healthy bodily system.

You wouldn’t want more foreign bosses returning all your seriously-sick Iraqi fellow countrymen back home for you to take good care of them for whole life, would you? No government elsewhere wants all their taxpayers to pay medical expenses as a charity to economic migrants because taxes collected are meant to help their own community at large. They don’t owe any economic migrants a living at all. If they go to any nation for a temporary job assignment to earn money without any contribution as annual taxes, don’t expect to share equal human rights together with their legal citizens who contributed payments as annual taxes. This is a clear common sense!

Please revalue or reinstate your Iraqi currency as soon as possible.

To our greater economic success!

That’s all!

Muhammad11/10/2009 at 8:23 amReply

Let us hope Iraq will speedily become an independent democratic nation for as long as God permits. We must care for the young ones of Iraq, so that they will care for their parents when they grow older during their retirement age. Remember this: Nothing ventured nothing gained. It is the parents’ duty to nurture their children. But we need to guide their parents how to do it right.

Iraq on its part should speedily revalue Iraqi currency to improve its economy; and good economy means more money; and with more money, they can take good care of the mental and physical health of their younger generations as well.

We should help Iraq rebuild its economy fast because they are not Taliban terrorists. Talibans are people without a brain which can’t understand what are humanitarianism and human rights at all! Talibans are not Muslims, they are simply murderers. Their minds already couldn’t recognise children as children, women as women and innocent ones as innocent ones. They simply treat us like what the wicked jinns treat us, if you know about the reality of the invisible devils in this world is like. Talibans are really the Satan’s partner-in-crime.

The Glorious Qur’anic Chapter 4 Verse 29 forbids committing suicide whilst Chapter 4 Verse 92 forbids murdering innocent people who are Muslims and Muslims-to-be. Just convey this message to the Talibans and ask them why are they following the blind leaders of terrorism. The saying The blind leads the blind is very true about the Talibans! Talibans cannot calculate 1 + 1 = 2, if you know what I am saying.

Now do we see how God has confined them to mountains like mountain goats not worth to stay with us in a world of freedom? Talibans are perverts who love to do what we normal human beings don’t do at all – killing innocent people like devils.

Ali Husam HIkmat02/04/2010 at 2:23 pmReply

Hello ,
Thank you so much for that great Opportunity,
GYV made me feels stronger and it made me feels that i can be a Leader in the future ,
Also when i was at GYV i hoped that i can comeback to my Country and tell my family , friends what i had learned
I won’t forget the great days that i spent in GYV , maybe it was the Best days of my life …. ever .
It’s cool when you know a lot of people from different countries, Different backgrounds and communities .
First day at GYV i was feeling nervous BUT the last day i hoped That i won’t leave GYV ,, i really like it there .
Specially running in the morning , and the Up-Down , hills :) .
And ah i forget to say this, first day i was like what !! vegetarian food , BUT when the 10 days past , it was normal for me .
And the workshops were awesome too .
I hope that someday i can come to GYV again and i say it truly From my heart,,,, or i hope to RE-live that two weeks lol
So,all the 10 days at GYV is memorable and can’t forget it ,forever
Thanks Very Much ,,,,
Ali Husam Hikmat ,
16 Years ,
Iraq.

Alaa08/27/2011 at 12:53 pmReply

GYV, the window for a future full of peace and hope, I have been there as a chaperon only but I learnt many of things which I had missed in my previous life, it gave me a new way of thinking, I wish I have a time machine to take me back to the students age to attend it as a participant and live the GYV life, but it can’t be. so my advice to the young students is to get the chance and use your time learning and enjoying GYV.
my love and respect to everyone in there
Mr. Alaa
Iraq 2011

Haval Azad09/05/2011 at 6:10 pmReply

first when i was in GYV i didnt like much things about it…
when i started living in GYV, seeing the activities and the lessons i felt like i never want to leave GYV….
i was afraid if i stayed longer i would feel like only death can take my body out of GYV…

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