Young people bring new energy, ideas and a commitment to moving beyond dialogue into real action. Statistically, young people make up the majority of the population in many countries. At the same time, they are also one of the least represented groups at the level of decision-making and policy-setting in politics, religion and other sectors. The field of interfaith cooperation is no exception. It is time for young people’s voices to be heard, to engage young leaders at all levels of URI as key stakeholders and agenda-setters, and to empower this NOW generation of young leaders to work together to make a powerful impact on the world.

Young leaders, ages 18 – 35, will be recruited from URI’s network of nearly 400 Cooperation Circles, grassroots inter-faith groups that are working on issues of violence prevention, education, environmental and cultural sustainability and inter-faith peacebuilding in 60 countries. They will be selected for their leadership skills, their active participation in URI activities, and their capacity and enthusiasm to apply what they learn and initiate inter-faith activities in their communities.

URI is committed to having 200 young leaders participate in the Global Assembly.  Our goal is to provide the necessary scholarships to make this happen, and also to encourage these young leaders to raise funds for their own or others’ participation. They will be full participants in the Global Assembly and also have the opportunity to participate in a five-day youth program before the Assembly, designed especially for and by young leaders.

The goals of the Young Leaders Program are:

1. •To share best practices and model projects that have been initiated by young leaders throughout URI’s network;
   

2. •To provide the opportunity for young people to design and co-create new interfaith initiatives they will enact in their communities when they return;
   

3. •To offer workshops in relevant topics such as interfaith peacebuilding; Non Violent Communication; artistic expression; virtual networking and connectivity;
   

4. •To tell the stories of URI’s young leaders to members of the assembly and the broader public through dialogue, plenary presentations, podcasts and other venues;
   

5. •To produce and distribute a video, made by the youth participants themselves, of the Global Assembly as seen through their eyes;
   

6. •To launch an online network for young people throughout URI to be able to stay connected and network effectively with each other after the assembly;
   

7. •To catalyze a minimum of 50 new inter-faith initiatives in the world, through the efforts of these young people who are inspired to go home and take action!
   

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Talcott, Coordinator

URI Global Assembly Young Leaders Program

Email: stalcott@uri.org

Skype name: sarita817