UNESCO Americas Youth Forum

"Young People and the

Dialog among Civilizations, Cultures and Peoples"

From 9 to 15 September 2007, young people from 36 countries from North, Central and South America will meet in Mexico City and Acapulco to share experiences, consolidate their enthusiasm and propose new initiatives to tackle the regional youth issues.

This Forum will bring together young delegates from each participating country (nominated by the country’s National Commission for UNESCO and National Youth Council), facilitators and experts on the issues to be discussed, and observers from a wide range of youth NGOs and networks.

It is being co-organixed by UNESCO and the Mexican National Commission for UNESCO, in cooperation with the Estate of Guerrero (Youth Secretary and Secretary for Rural Development), the Mexican Institute of Youth and two NGOs, on behalf of the government of Mexico.

Through workshops, plenary sessions and meetings, the young leaders are to have the opportunity to discuss new strategies to promote cooperation amongst youth networks in the Americas, to strengthen youth participation in the regional community by engaging UNESCO and its partners, to develop tangible projects for the empowerment of young people in society, and to prepare for the upcoming 2007 UNESCO Youth Forum.

The Americas Youth Forum is part of the series of Regional UNESCO Youth Forums, focused on the theme of "Young People and the Dialog among Civilizations, Cultures and Peoples", which is to form the basis of discussion for the UNESCO Youth Forum, to be held on 12 and 13 October 2007 in the Paris Headquarters.

Apparently it is not all work!

UNESCO Americas Youth Forum

"Young People and the

Dialog among Civilizations, Cultures and Peoples"

From 9 to 15 September 2007, young people from 36 countries from North, Central and South America will meet in Mexico City and Acapulco to share experiences, consolidate their enthusiasm and propose new initiatives to tackle the regional youth issues.

This Forum will bring together young delegates from each participating country (nominated by the country’s National Commission for UNESCO and National Youth Council), facilitators and experts on the issues to be discussed, and observers from a wide range of youth NGOs and networks.

It is being co-organixed by UNESCO and the Mexican National Commission for UNESCO, in cooperation with the Estate of Guerrero (Youth Secretary and Secretary for Rural Development), the Mexican Institute of Youth and two NGOs, on behalf of the government of Mexico.

Through workshops, plenary sessions and meetings, the young leaders are to have the opportunity to discuss new strategies to promote cooperation amongst youth networks in the Americas, to strengthen youth participation in the regional community by engaging UNESCO and its partners, to develop tangible projects for the empowerment of young people in society, and to prepare for the upcoming 2007 UNESCO Youth Forum.

The Americas Youth Forum is part of the series of Regional UNESCO Youth Forums, focused on the theme of "Young People and the Dialog among Civilizations, Cultures and Peoples", which is to form the basis of discussion for the UNESCO Youth Forum, to be held on 12 and 13 October 2007 in the Paris Headquarters.

Apparently it is not all work!

International Literacy Day -- September 8

International Literacy Day has been celebrated every September since 1965, when it was first established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Many organizations and governments throughout the world take advantage of the day to consider the status of adult and child literacy, note progress, and identify work still to be done.

Click here to go to UNESCO's Literacy website.

Click here to National Institute for Literacy
Literacy Day Resources


Click here to go to the United Nations
International Literacy Day website.

International Literacy Day -- September 8

International Literacy Day has been celebrated every September since 1965, when it was first established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Many organizations and governments throughout the world take advantage of the day to consider the status of adult and child literacy, note progress, and identify work still to be done.

Click here to go to UNESCO's Literacy website.

Click here to National Institute for Literacy
Literacy Day Resources


Click here to go to the United Nations
International Literacy Day website.

What does the U.S. owe to developing nations?

The San Francisco Chronicle published comments from a number of people who were responding to an article from a couple of Peace Corps Volunteers in Kenya. The PCVs said, as most of us concluded in the Peace Corps, that poor people have to change if they want to escape poverty. They said:

we were there to share our skills. Kenya - Africa - needs modern skills far more than it needs Western cash.

The Volunteers also wrote:

Education is the key, and the Kenyans know it. In 2002, the government agreed to provide free primary schooling for all. Secondary schools, however, charge a fee, often beyond the reach of many students, even when the family pulls together to send them. This is indeed one area where Western donations can do the most good, because it gives young people hope.

The folk who responded to the Chronicle gave a full spectrum of replies:

Tina Martin, San Francisco
Considering that the United States makes up less than 5 percent of the world population but uses more than 25 percent of the world's resources, I think it owes developing nations the chance to benefit from what they have before we liberate them from it.

Marcy Orosco, Guerneville
Nothing. Let's start with the United States first.

Bill Krumbein, Santa Rosa
We owe them fairness. We owe them a level playing field. Expecting them to play in the same league as our economic standards is impossible. We need to stop taking advantage of them.

Mike Haworth, Vallejo
It's not a matter of owing, it's more a matter of redemption. We need to redeem ourselves in the eyes of the world. Thanks to the current administration, the term "Ugly American" has been revived and multiplied a hundred times over. Repairing the damage will take decades, and every opportunity to do so should be acted upon immediately -- and we will, just as soon as all our resources stop funding this unwinnable war.

The website also generated a number of online comments.

UNESCO is deeply involved in the efforts to help Kenya and all of Africa to help itself. It is the lead agency in the global effort to provide Education for All. It is also the key agency in the United Nations system seeking to promote culturally sensitive approaches to the changes that poor people and poor nations must make to climb out of the poverty trap.

Read the full article by Daniel Kohanski and Jean Dahlstrom Marcucci.

Read the responses from the public.

Visit the UNESCO Nairobi Office website.

Leave us a comment below. What do you think America owes to developing nations? Do you think UNESCO is a good way to pay some of that debt?

What does the U.S. owe to developing nations?

The San Francisco Chronicle published comments from a number of people who were responding to an article from a couple of Peace Corps Volunteers in Kenya. The PCVs said, as most of us concluded in the Peace Corps, that poor people have to change if they want to escape poverty. They said:

we were there to share our skills. Kenya - Africa - needs modern skills far more than it needs Western cash.

The Volunteers also wrote:

Education is the key, and the Kenyans know it. In 2002, the government agreed to provide free primary schooling for all. Secondary schools, however, charge a fee, often beyond the reach of many students, even when the family pulls together to send them. This is indeed one area where Western donations can do the most good, because it gives young people hope.

The folk who responded to the Chronicle gave a full spectrum of replies:

Tina Martin, San Francisco
Considering that the United States makes up less than 5 percent of the world population but uses more than 25 percent of the world's resources, I think it owes developing nations the chance to benefit from what they have before we liberate them from it.

Marcy Orosco, Guerneville
Nothing. Let's start with the United States first.

Bill Krumbein, Santa Rosa
We owe them fairness. We owe them a level playing field. Expecting them to play in the same league as our economic standards is impossible. We need to stop taking advantage of them.

Mike Haworth, Vallejo
It's not a matter of owing, it's more a matter of redemption. We need to redeem ourselves in the eyes of the world. Thanks to the current administration, the term "Ugly American" has been revived and multiplied a hundred times over. Repairing the damage will take decades, and every opportunity to do so should be acted upon immediately -- and we will, just as soon as all our resources stop funding this unwinnable war.

The website also generated a number of online comments.

UNESCO is deeply involved in the efforts to help Kenya and all of Africa to help itself. It is the lead agency in the global effort to provide Education for All. It is also the key agency in the United Nations system seeking to promote culturally sensitive approaches to the changes that poor people and poor nations must make to climb out of the poverty trap.

Read the full article by Daniel Kohanski and Jean Dahlstrom Marcucci.

Read the responses from the public.

Visit the UNESCO Nairobi Office website.

Leave us a comment below. What do you think America owes to developing nations? Do you think UNESCO is a good way to pay some of that debt?

UNESCO Slideshow