Remembering Dr. King: Countering Racism and Intolerance
January 25, 2012
This month, we celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday and commemorate his legacy by doing service work. Although the civil rights movement Dr. King championed was ultimately effective, many would argue the fight against racism and intolerance is far from over.
friends from around the world at the GYV carnival
According to TIME magazine, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and other civil rights groups, there has been a dramatic rise in the increase of hate groups and militias in the past two years. Last month, the department store chain Lowe’s was came under fire for pulling ads from the popular TLC show “All-American Muslim”. The controversial immigration laws recently passed in Arizona and Alabama have created heated debates on issues of racial profiling. It seems as though everywhere we look, we can see flags of racism, intolerance and misunderstanding. But, pockets of tolerance and understanding do exist and one such place is our international summer camp in Virginia.
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains, Global Youth Village stands out as a place where racism and intolerance are openly discussed. These difficult and complex topics often come up during our peace building and dialogue workshops where young people are encouraged to confront their own stereotypes or racist attitudes; they are then equipped with the tools to constructively address their issues.
After being forced by the Serbs to flee his home in Kosovo in 1999, alum Kreshe Kacaniku P’03 says, “I had a lot of prejudice towards certain people groups before I came to GYV, but I changed. At GYV, I learned not to hate, not to be prejudiced. ” During the past 33 years, Global Youth Village has trained young people from conflict-ridden countries like Cambodia, Israel/Palestine, Iraq, and Ireland and provided them with tools to become more conscious, tolerant and compassionate peace builders.
Most recently in our 2011 program, the stereotypes that lead to ignorance, intolerance and racism were shattered once again. Participant Jacob Trump P’11 said, “In American culture, when we look at Iraqis or anyone from the Muslim religion or faith, we generally think about a head covering, a suicide bombing or war. I think I had that stereotype. I really did, but it has genuinely been torn down for me at Global Youth Village.”
Against the backdrop of an increasingly intolerant world, Global Youth Village continues to be place that creates common ground among people of different backgrounds. The program demonstrates that universal human values such as peace, justice, tolerance and understanding can be a reality. Our 2012 programs hope to continue this legacy.
I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality…. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.
— Martin Luther King, Jr
Workshops – Put knowledge into action!
January 3, 2012
Workshops meet every week day at our international summer camp. The instructors are gifted trainers with dynamic teaching approaches to get everyone participating. Our program also offers you the opportunity to get some valuable leadership training. Hearing everyone’s thoughts, building listening and assessment skills and developing techniques to convey your point of view and return to your own community with new abilities to promote change.
Summer 2012 offers:
- First Morning Workshop: everyone takes Dialogue and Peace Building
- Second Morning Workshop: you choose either Crossing Cultures Through the Arts or Green Your World.
GYV offers in-depth training. Instructors show the interdependence of topics, draw on successful models of problem solving from around the world and help you see how one person can make a difference.
Take all this new knowledge and create a plan of action to make a difference in your hometown!
Watch slides from recent workshops
Dialogue and Peace Building
Learn peace building skills and how to respond productively to conflict and prejudice. Understand conflict styles, learn mediation techniques, and how to create a better balance of power. Explore non-violence movements, and how to constructively deal with anger. Develop listening and feedback skills and study facilitation techniques.
“I have accomplished the goal of being able to speak in a large group. I learned about dialogue and conflict resolution.
Now I can go back home and resolve conflicts whether they are personal, family, or community conflicts. I can start to make change.”~ Philip Kane, Northern Ireland
Crossing Cultures through the Arts
The arts play an essential role in preserving and transmitting culture as well as commenting on the issues of the day. Work with Artists-in-Residence who have specific expertise in storytelling and music from around the world. Build writing and interviewing skills. Create stories, video blogs and more using the peers at GYV as your youth voices. Work with professional musicians and ethnomusicologists exploring different musical styles e.g. Middle East, American roots music, African influences in American music.
Green Your World
Explore the natural world and the complex issues facing our ecosystems. Learn how to be a friend to the environment through changing your every day habits to incorporate sustainable living practices. Discover the meanings behind concepts like eco-tourism, permaculture, fair trade, green building, organic agriculture and renewable energy.
Watch Video from workshops in the past:
Global Friendships
December 27, 2011
9-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. 
- 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
11-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. 
- 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.
A Typical Day at the Village!
December 26, 2011
It’s 7 AM and the birds have been singing outside the cabin window for a while now. You’re a bit tired because you’ve been up half the night cracking up about a funny performance you saw last night during the evening programs. Your friendly cabin counselor is already up and encourages everyone to start making their way to the bathhouse. Forty-five minutes later, you and your new Iraqi, Indonesian and German friends are heading down the hill for a tasty pancake breakfast. Yum!
In your peace-building workshop today, you are practicing mediation techniques and learning how to improve your listening skills. You are amazed at how much you learn each day. The facilitator is never boring and she is always using fun teaching methods like games and simulations.
You are beginning to understand what leadership is all about and you get lots of opportunities to practice being a leader.
Time flies when you’re having fun because it’s already lunchtime! A traditional Indonesian dish, gado gado, is being served for lunch. You’re still getting used to the vegetarian meals and discovering that they are pretty good.
After lunch, you unwind in your cabin and listen to your i-Pod for a bit. Next, it’s time for electives. This session, yoga, rock-climbing, African dance and pottery are some of the electives being offered. You can’t wait to try pottery for the first time!!! At 4:15, the camp store opens and everyone can help themselves to an organic cold drink, chips or an ice-cream. Just what you need to cool off on a hot summer day. You sit next to your new friend from France and ask him what typical school day is like and discover it’s a bit different from yours. It’s free-time now, so you choose to play ping-pong with another friend from Nigeria and you win! The daily schedule seems to offer a lot of variety.
At dinner time, you offer to teach the group how to say ‘Thank you’ in Chinese before the meal. You make it back up the hill for a rousing game of soccer before gathering time. 
This evening program is Wacky Olympics and the staff have put together a cool program: a watermelon eating contest, cracker-whistle game, bean-bag obstacle course and a dress-up relay! Your team loses the relay but wins the watermelon eating contest!! It’s already 11 PM and time to head back to the cabins. You’re tired but happy. It’s been another typical yet amazing day at the Global Youth Village!
Lessons on Listening
February 11, 2011
Developing good listening skills is something that you will learn at the Global Youth Village. Participants will discuss this topic in detail in your peace building workshop, but for now, here are a few tips on how to be a good listener. Effective dialogue creates a good foundation for peace and good listening skills are a part of that!
A good listener:
- Makes appropriate eye contact
- Remains reasonably still
- Nods, smiles, responds
- Leans toward speaker
- Sits alertly, attentively
- Facial expressions reflect interest
- Does not check the time often
- Takes notes
- Verifies information, asks appropriate questions
- Considers speakers points seriously
Make 2011 – a year to improve dialogue skills
September 10, 2010
Here are guidelines for effective dialogue that we practice during the Peacebuilding Workshop
1) Don’t ask a person to answer on behalf of an entire group/don’t attempt to speak for an entire group
2) Be aware of your mode of communication – timing, tone of voice, body language, privacy of conversation – all play an important role n how your conversation partner will feel in answering your questions. Remember their sense of timing; tone of voice etc may be different than your own.
3) Watch your assumptions – don’t assume you know the other’s motivations, rationale or opinion, ask for clarification.
4) Check yourself before speaking: is the question appropriate? Why do you want to ask it? Why do you want or need the information?
5) Respect the person’s choice to accept or decline to answer your question.
