Global Education Magazine: International Youth Day by Global Education Magazine

Con el apoyo de la

Oficina de Santiago

Nº 12 ISSN 2255-033X

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY AUGUST 12, 2015

Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura

THIS EDITION AIMS TO GIVE YOUTH A PROPER ENVIRONMENT

“A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present?”

Confucius

Sustainable Development Goals for 2030:   The Land Beyond Borders for our Planetary Youth A

round the world, young people of both sexes look to the future, and ques-

tion current socio-economic models that are based on the irrational exploitation of natural resources. While it is true that capitalist systems have brought enormous material benefits, their functionalist view subordinates everything to the maximum economic profit; promoting indiscriminate consumption at the expense of nature. The urgent commitment to comply with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 implies the emergence of a new paradigmatic scenario; one that is characterized by transnational co-evolution between the peoples of the Earth. A planetary consciousness whereby all cultural worldviews live together in peace and harmony with the environment. SDGs pursue an ecological sustainability that requires deep and paradigmatic changes in the interdependent relationships that humans have with natural ecosystems. We need a global insight to awaken our consciences; and to cause a metamorphosis in the DNA intrinsic in the epistemological meta- paradigm of the current global civilization. There is an urgent need to strengthen transnational cooperation and intergenerational solidarity with the youth of the world, to go beyond the SDGs. Our actions have to walk in unison towards a new horizon, a sustainable civilization at one with the environment: the land beyond the borders. The current economic and ecological crises are a historic opportunity to reshape our value systems towards a true culture of peace, and one that results in sustainable development processes. The World We Want requires youth civic engagement to develop an overview of the interconnectivity of the ecological problems affecting global citizenship. For the first time since the emergence of mankind on Earth, we have the opportunity to be informed of everything that happens in other parts of the world through the Internet. This makes us conscious and responsible; we cannot look away. The cyberspace-time continuum is considered the propitious level of reality in which to gradually participate in making decisions that affect us as a species on our planet. Global Citizenship Education (GCED) as proposed by UNESCO needs to use this virtual world to promote understanding of our human identity/condition in its planetary and cosmic context. Knowing that the emergence of life on our planet is a cosmic miracle, is critical to transgressing the epistemic paradigm box that sees nature as a mere

object to be exploited. It is important to include the transdisciplinary perspective of Big History in the SDGs and GCED because it integrates the origins of the universe, the emergence of life on Earth and the birth of mankind. This is an indivisible and coherent perspective of all the processes of co-evolution that are establishing networks of living and non-living organisms in Gaia over the last 4.6 billion years. Life has spent about 3.8 billion years on Earth, and its ecosystems are organized through strategies based on constant trial and error, hence we can learn many lessons for the building of a new human evolutionary phase capable of ending poverty, hunger, inequality between countries, gender inequality, irresponsible consumption, unsustainable industrialization, pollution of the seas and oceans, and so on. To avoid an ecological disaster that we, as a global society are heading towards, requires a ‘civilization metamorphosis,’ one that reinvents the relationships between production and consumption, and their effects on the ecosystems of nature. As is well known to be the spiritual belief of many ancient, native and indigenous peoples, nature is a civilizational meeting-point that serves as model, measure, and mentor for the creation of new civilizational horizons, whose socio-economic systems are in harmony with natural ecosystems and therefore sustainable. Biomimicry is a strategy of harmonious reinsertion of human systems into natural systems, integrating the technosphere into the biosphere as it were. It is urgent that today’s youth reinvent democracy and promote the art of co-evolving as an individual society/species in a common and sacred natural space. We must restate our civilizational values in the short term: just one generation. The political framework for action of the SDGs are the last chance to ease the effects of a climate change that is already underway and could cost the lives of millions of young people, the future basis of humanity. Youth that are not just numbers or statistical data, but people with their own names: Paula, Elena, Irene, Benjamin, Damianos, Pyrros, Maximos, Alkmini...

Javier Collado Ruano Director of Edition

Los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de 2030: una tierra más allá de las fronteras para nuestra juventud planetaria En todo el mundo, los jóvenes de ambos sexos miramos hacia el futuro y nos cuestionamos los modelos socio-económicos actuales que se basan en la explotación irracional de recursos naturales. Si bien es cierto que el sistema capitalista ha traído enormes beneficios materiales, su visión funcionalista subordina todo al máximo beneficio económico y al consumo indiscriminado en detrimento de la naturaleza. El inaplazable compromiso de cumplir con los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) para 2030 conlleva la emergencia de un nuevo escenario paradigmático que se caracterice por la co-evolución transnacional entre los pueblos de la Tierra a través de una consciencia planetaria donde todas las cosmovisiones culturales convivan en paz y armonía con el medio ambiente. La sostenibilidad ecológica que persiguen los ODS nos exige cambios profundos y paradigmáticos en las relaciones interdependientes que los humanos tenemos con los ecosistemas naturales. Necesitamos un insight global que despierte nuestras consciencias y provoque una metamorfosis en el ADN intrínseco del meta-paradigma epistémico de la civilización planetaria actual. Es urgente consolidar la cooperación transnacional y la solidaridad intergeneracional con los jóvenes de todo el mundo para ir más allá de los ODS. Nuestras acciones tienen que caminar juntas hacia un nuevo horizonte civilizatorio sostenible con el medio ambiente: la tierra más allá de las fronteras. La crisis económica y ecológica actual es una oportunidad histórica para reformular nuestros sistemas de valores en una auténtica cultura de paz que origine procesos de desarrollo sostenible. El Mundo que Queremos requiere un compromiso cívico juvenil que desarrolle una visión global sobre la interconectividad de los problemas ecológicos que afectan a la ciudadanía mundial. Por primera vez desde la emergencia del ser humano en la Tierra tenemos la oportunidad de estar informados de todo lo que ocurre en otras partes del planeta a través de internet. Esto nos hace conscientes y responsables. No podemos mirar para otro lado. El espacio-tiempo-cibernético se constituye como el nivel de realidad propicio para intervenir gradualmente en la toma de decisiones que nos afectan como especie en nuestro planeta Tierra. La Educación para la ciudadanía mundial (ECM) propuesta por la UNESCO tiene que usar este medio virtual para promover la comprensión de nuestra identidad/condición humana en su contexto planetario y cósmico.

Conocer el milagro cósmico que representa la emergencia de la vida en nuestro planeta es fundamental para transgredir el cuadro epistémico paradigmático que concibe a la naturaleza como un mero objeto de explotación. Es importante incluir la perspectiva transdisciplinar de la Gran Historia en los ODS y la ECM para integrar el origen del universo, la aparición de la vida en la Tierra y la emergencia del género humano de un modo indisociable y coherente con todos los procesos de co-evolución que vienen estableciendo las redes de organismos vivos y no vivos de Gaia durante los últimos 4.600 millones de años. La vida tiene unos 3.800 millones de años en nuestro planeta y sus ecosistemas se organizan a través de estrategias fundadas en constante ensayo y error, de ahí que podamos aprender muchas lecciones de ella para construir una nueva fase evolutiva humana que consiga acabar con la pobreza, el hambre, la desigualdad entre países, la desigualdad de género, el consumo irresponsable, la industrialización insostenible, la contaminación de los mares y océanos, etc. Evitar el desastre ecológico al que vamos encaminados como sociedadmundo requiere una metamorfosis civilizatoria que reinvente las relaciones de producción y consumo que los sistemas culturales humanos ejercemos sobre los ecosistemas de la naturaleza. Como bien es sabido por las creencias espirituales milenarias de los pueblos originarios e indígenas, la naturaleza es un meta-punto de encuentro civilizatorio que nos sirve como modelo, medida y mentor para la creación de nuevos horizontes civilizatorios cuyos sistemas socio-económicos sean sostenibles con los ecosistemas naturales. La biomímesis es una estrategia de reinserción armónica de los sistemas humanos dentro de los sistemas naturales para reintegrar la tecnoesfera en la biosfera. Es urgente que la juventud actual reinvente la democracia y promueva el arte de co-evolucionar como individuo-sociedad-especie en un espacio natural común y sagrado. Debemos reformular nuestros valores civilizatorios en un espacio corto de tiempo: en apenas una generación. El marco político de acción de los ODS constituyen la última oportunidad para apaciguar los efectos de un cambio climático que ya está en marcha y que podrían costarle la vida a millones de jóvenes, la base futura de la humanidad. Una juventud que no son apenas unos datos estadísticos, sino que tienen nombre propio: Paula, Elena, Irene, Benjamin, Damianos, Pyrros, Maximos, Alkmini… Javier Collado Ruano Director de Edición

Ms. Akke M. Draijer-de Jong 6.- International Youth

Day

2015

– Youth

Civic

Engagement 10. Interview with K ailash Satyarthi, 2014 Nobel Peace Price

18. Interview with Aya Chebbi, African Youth Movement Founder

Research Papers: 25.Millennium Development Goals 45. Global Citizenship Education 68. Transversal Studies

Editada en Almansa, España, por ONGD Educar para Vivir

83. Letters to the Editor

15.World Education Forum 2015

23. Justicia en Ayotzinapa, México

Incheon Declaration

Jorge Alberto Ramos Guerrero

e com a parceria do DMMDC (Salvador, BA, Brasil)

Share GEM to raise awareness!

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International Youth Day

International Youth Day 2015 – Youth Civic Engagement The International Youth Day 2015 is focused on stimulating and encouraging young people around the world to be involved in local and international public offices. This article reviews the IYD events and agenda over the past five years of activities and topics that the UN resolution A/RES/64/134 was committed to support the ongoing development and education of young people around the globe, in order to raise awareness to unite. From 2010 the topics seemed to concentrate on bridging gaps in terms of economic inequalitities, religious biases and war affected peoples, cultures and countries. The main concern this article tries to reveal is to what extent modern technology can assist in raising this awareness, promote access to eduction and information and what needs to be instilled in people's minds to ensure the ongoing process and progress to realise the aims the various topics have suggested.

Ms. Akke M. Draijer-de Jong is initiator and co-founder of the Foundation Kebon Sepatu Indonesia-Netherlands. She leads a team of experts in the field of Educational Projects in Indonesia and is the liaison officer and spokesperson for the Team of Directors in the Netherlands. amdraijerdejong@yahoo.com http://www.socialpsychology.org/member/draijer-de-jong

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In 1999 the UN general assembly determined that the 12th of August should focus its attention on the needs and experiences of young people all over the world. Like any resolution made by the UN – specifically those promoting cooperation amongst youth organisations – all stands or falls with the theme chosen for this group, and presently it seems that very little attention is given to what youngsters feel to be given priority in terms of counteracting the present globally acknowledged challenges. I have taken the last five years to give closer attention to all the themes that have been taken on board to see to what extent the Voice of the Young is actually heard and understood. From 2010 the list below show the focal points and its subsequent summaries: By resolution A/RES/64/134 it was decided that also 2010 was the International Year of Youth; a very special event indeed, and proclaimed that the theme should be “Dialogue and Mutual Understanding”. The need to stimulate a greater effort to familiarize young people worldwide with each other’s culture, believes, attitudes and social backgrounds was acknowledged by the International Community, but is just as important today, as it was five years ago. The events included a photo exhibition with the title “Visual Voices – Youth perspectives on Global Issues”, which was a great achievement. However, can we ensure that the dialogue in is continuing, and how can we reach out to those youngsters who are at risk in drowning in a sea of madness in war-striken countries like Syria and Libya? How can we stimulate the dialogue when so much noise is being made in focusing on the terrors of extreme religion activists? In 2011 the theme “Change our World”, was meant to be a call to inspire youth initiatives at all levels…. The social awareness in showing that by means of small and individual initiatives possibilities are created to change – on local level – attitudes that can eventually lead to major changes in communities all over the globe has been proven. The long term effects will need to be monitored, and even though these initiatives may seem like a single drop on a hotplate, eventually they will prove their worth. Sustainability is however predominantly seen in educational projects; http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves?langua ge=en It should be noted that we need to continue our combined efforts to offer our support to enable youngsters to provide their input in setting up these projects. It is one of my major concerns that in the various educational projects our Foundation1 needs to be constantly aware of when we set up our yearly reports to integrate the trends that young people feel that they want to develop in determining their own future. IT and

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computer sciences are way behind in areas of the world, where it is so important to open up information and innovation. On the other hand there should also be openness and awareness in what areas certain knowledge should be made accessible and available. Another angle is to be aware what talents are available, and integrate those in the way certain educational projects can be established; i.e. the professional group on the island Cemara (Indonesia), consists predominantly out of Fishermen. Subsequently the ability to maneuver sailing boats (prows), is a given attribute as fishing is a continuum in the generations. Building, maintaining and designing boats is therefore a tangible progress to an already established and familiar way of life and livelihood. It was an astute statement that the Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki-moon, sent out to the community, expressing his hope for the younger generation; “Far too many of the world’s more than one billion young people lack the education, freedom and opportunities they deserve. Yet despite these constraints – and in some cases because of them – young people are mobilizing in growing numbers to build a better future. Over the past year, they have achieved stunning results, overturning dictatorships and sending waves of hope across regions and around the world. Young people are gifted with open minds and a keen awareness of emerging trends, and are bringing their energy, ideas and courage to some of the most complex and important challenges facing the human family. They often understand better than older generations that we can transcend our religious and cultural differences in order to reach our shared goals…..” The major concern here, in conclusion of this specific theme, deserves our constant attention and efforts to eradicate: make education accessible for everyone around the world! International Youth Day 2012 tended to continue the theme of 2011 from another perspective and carried the subtitle: “Building a better world, partnering with Youth”. To be quite frank, I would not be able to foresee the option of even an attempt to build a better world without the participation, input, inspiration of the young generation… For the first time the UN organizational body of the International Youth Day made use of Social Media and Google Hang-outs to involve and stimulate discussions, brainstorming sessions etc. on an interactive scale. The theme included “Employment; Entrepreneurship; Education, including items on sexual and reproductive health; Political Inclusion; Citizenship and Protection of Rights. It is important to involve the future generation in these areas of attention. However, it should be understood that those who can participate in these discussions are those who have access to computers, internet etc. and we need to be aware that these are not the vast majority of the world; concentrated access to internet and ownership of IT equipment are generally located in China, The US and Europe2 (2013-2014), by which I would like to remark that these overview entail the world population and China (included in Asia in this overview) have a population of

www.globaleducationmagazine.com 1.369 billion estimated in 2014, and is the largest in the world. The hang-outs were the basis of a survey by which the continued development of these topics would be reviewed and integrated in a five-year Agenda, requested by the Secretary General of the UN. Although the IYD 2013 found a promising title to concentrate their awareness program on, it seemed somewhat cynical to see that its commemoration did not achieve and fulfill its promise: “Youth Migration; Moving Development Forward”. When examining this premise, what is exactly meant by Youth Migration… The summary on the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs3, notes that the focal point was the platform offered to the youthful participants to voice their opinions on issues related to youth migration and development. The event was co-organised with the International Labour Organisation with support from the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Funds. Again, we should consider carefully, who would take place in this forum of young and upcoming promising candidates, who were acting as representatives of the future of this planet? They were, of course joined by State representatives and experts, but the interactive panel discussion formed the basis on which young migrants and activists could share experiences. “….The panel featured distinguished …” (read educated and privileged) “youth speakers, including a young refugee, an undocumented young migrant”. Voices of Youth formed a specific segment of the event and showed videos of stories of youth migration, showed “Akhter’s Story”4, dealing with a refugee girl from Afghanistan, the winning video of the International Labour Organisation’s context on youth labour migration. Very few of those, privileged to live in the safety of NorthWestern Europe, who never experienced the horrors of war, persecution and exile, will never understand the trauma, migrants have to go through…. It is quite obvious from the documentary that won an award during the IYD event “Akhter’s Story” that some of the EU countries, faced with these problems (i.e. Greece) are unable to cope with the incredible diversity of problems forced migration imposes on resources, intelligence and flexibility. Whilst writing this article the fugitives from Syria and Libya pose a myriad of issues for France and the UK, and requires the member states of the EU to act diligently to assist in order to prevent a further escalation for the countries involved, but also to prosecute those who see fit to make a huge profit out of the fugitive’s miserable circumstances. Having worked for an organisation that dealt with integration of non-nationals and disadvantaged5 children in Dutch society and the educational system for primary school children specifically, there was heartbreaking evidence and examples that those who needed to assess the environmental conditions young children were catapulted into, could not – and will never – understand the extent of trauma these

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children and their parents had been exposed to; subsequently, unable to realistically assess the cause of underachievement and trauma, nor adequate measures could be taken to equip fugitives with sufficient resources to overcome this disadvantaged position. Certain migrants of nationalities would overcome the “settlement” problems quite easily; Iran, Turkish, and Egyptian nationals somehow adapted well to their new environments, whilst children and youngsters from Moroccan background would not adapt to the school system and consequently chose the path of least resistance, resorting to gang-like behaviour and petty crime. The situation is being taken as a negative issue for some Dutch politicians, who would like to accentuate the “dangers and threats” of the Islam in Europe and will go to the limit in order to antagonize and intentionally offend a specific ethnic group. International Youth Day 2014 moved its theme to a topic that needs our immediate attention, as it is evident that the loud and clear signal of our society simply screams out for action; Major Depression and Mental Health Condition is a direct result of the frightening course our modern way of life takes its toll on the younger generation specifically. Research and my own studies have lead to a staggering amount of data to why young people find it so very difficult to find and maintain a harmonious way of life in our present day society; to stay focused, to entertain good relationships and find and have a worthwhile career or even a steady job. One of the main reasons they seem unable to deal with the demands of our society and the way life seem to dictate and direct them in a certain harness could be found in the predictability in which the older generation has managed or ordered their lives, whilst it has become clearer that the “regular” way of planning one’s life – go to school, attend church, listen to your elders; get you diploma/degree, find a job, take the career ladder, find a partner, get married and have children, go through the paces and if you are lucky you can retire by the age of 65…. – is definitely not the way young people envisage their future. Through the blundering and unreliable economic system resulting in the World’s economic recession these past years - caused by the unsavory role played by the banks - it has also become blatantly obvious that this way of planning one’s life is definitely not going to work for the young generation. They will need to find or make their own set of guiding principles to see a way through this jungle of surviving the challenges that life will throw at them. When young people have set their example to how the older generation has tried to create assurances that are based on illusions, then it is not surprising that they stand powerless in this new development of nonguaranteed guidelines to life….. As the poster states; 20% of youngsters between the age of 15-24 suffer from mental health disorders. In my small personal environment, being familiar with the circle of friends of my children two youngsters have recently experienced Burn-Outs, and at least three in my direct working environment suffer from Major Depression Syndrome. The people I refer to are under 35 years of age. It should not be forgotten that the majority from these disorder stem from stress, in fact research has shown that stressful living conditions also trigger Diabetes2 and auto-immune diseases. During my final studies relating to personality and social psychology6 I sug-

www.globaleducationmagazine.com gested that where there hardly seems to be a need for a Survival of the Fittest-mode, we now are confronted within the conditions of Western society by a change to Psychological Survival, and our brain attributes and functions need to be adjusted as such. It is a daunting prospect when we need the input and energy that the younger generation can offer, is curtailed by a huge amount of what appears to be an epidemic outbreak of Mental Health impairments. What will hopefully give them another scope of creative tools, is their ability to take advantage of the progressing technology and a broader access to information like the Social Media and other means to gain knowledge like MOOC’s (Massive Open Online Courses). The awareness and deeper understanding by which other cultures can be identified and appreciated, must come with a greater tolerance and a nonbias attitude in order to live in a relative equilibrium of peace. In a growing sense of being manipulated by those who pull the strings of economic power7 - apparently the entire World’s capital is in possession of less than 1% of the World’s population, this means that our actual input in any democratic system, is almost negligible. I can assure you that my generation has only recently woken up – probably rudely shaken to reality by the fact that our struggles to plan for a carefree “after work” life, has not and will not materialize, and most of us finding that the efforts to ensure a good pension plan, has largely been based on illusions, dished out by the insurance companies, which ultimately are not much better than the banks that have brought on the economic demise, but for their part will still continue their self-enriching bonus system. Even though young people nowadays are aware of their limited locus of control, moving forward caught up in a dubious and uncertain interim phase, they realise that this planet has given them ample scope for work, but very few jobs are offered. Their conclusion is that they will take the opportunities to create those jobs themselves, and an increase of budding entrepreneurs emerge; exploiting, developing and enhancing their talents. By the same token they find that the political manipulations where it concerns the stimulation of racial, religious and gender biases, are not matters they choose to be overly concerned with and more inter-racial, and inter-religious partnerships/marriages are being embarked on. Division of home related tasks, including parenting, may still be more accepted in Western society, but will progressively be commonly seen in various levels of different cultures as well. A greater awareness regarding world food and energy resources is being instilled by and for young people; it is good to see that there are organisations driven by young innovative minds, that will embark on environmental stimulus in sustainable agriculture, green energy and bio-dynamic building resources; making us all aware that if we do not stop and treat our planet with respect, we will ultimately kill everything worthwhile preserving. International Youth Day 2015 has chosen the theme “Youth Civic Engagement”, and I would like to stress the importance of such a premise. At the same time, I also feel that it isn’t only up to them to pick up the gauntlet and watch them struggle with the mess that we, the older generations, have created for them. Too

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often we face the indifference of powers that be when issues are discussed relating to a “better” environment; the awareness is still lacking that we – all of us – constitute the environment; the human race is an integral part of it! To ask and call for the engagement and participation of youth and stipulate that they should pick up the tab where sustainable human development is concerned, seems a bit off; we need to live the right example and show that it takes effort and commitment in making sure that we work together; young and older, to make this work. Active involvement in political and public life means that young people will not be constantly dealing with bad-mouthed politicians and newspaper headlines denouncing the credibility of our Prime Ministers, being caught either with their hand in the till, or in some ridiculous bedroom farce. It will also mean a closer and more critical look at the media, like TV and newspapers; reporters and journalists. Who pays their salaries and what are the interests that they serve…. Leading by example takes me to the essence of our responsibility as adults toward our fellow human beings and youngster in particular; offering and creating opportunities to enhance and discover strengths and talents, already naturally present in an individual – nurture, shelter and encourage what be an asset and one’s unique contribution to society at a later stage. Foremost we must consider that “… we have not just inherited this great planet from our fore-fathers, but we have only borrowed it from our children…” Bibliography

1. Observations and reports of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the U N  http://undesadspd.org/Youth/OurWork/HistoryofUNPY.aspx

2. TedTalk of Sugata Mitra : https://www.ted.com/speakers/sugata_mitra

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Biography Akke Myrielle Draijer-de Jong was born in Indonesia8, a former colony of the Dutch East Indies, in 1956. She was raised in the Netherlands and completed her studies in Dramatic Arts in London. Presently, working in an International judicial environment, she has focused her professional life on International Criminal Law, European Law and International Human Rights, combining her favourite field of interests of Social- and Forensic Psychology, and Neuro-pharmacology and Neurobiology. She has raised three children by herself and enjoys the input from her three stepsons of her husband; they share an adopted son in Indonesia.

NOTES Photomaterials used in this article : http://undesadspd.org/Youth.aspx [1]Yayasan Kebon Septau – Netherlands/Indonesia: http://sks-yks.webs.com/ [ 2 ] h t t p : / / w w w. i n t e r n e t l i v e s t a t s . c o m / i n t e r n e t - u s e r s / # b y r e g i o n a n d http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm [3]http://undesadspd.org/ [4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OQpTk6fQjA [5]GOA-Gemeentelijk Onderwijs Achterstanden beleid (Municipal Educational Policy Executive Board) – these children in the primary school age-group, deal with foreign and Dutch national children who – through circumstance, i.e. fugitive status, or children whose parents were from specific educational backward milieus, could be eligible to receive educational program support and schools received extra funds in order to get expert assistance in order to diminish the gap in educational impairment.

3. A Broader Horizon: Yayasan Kebon Septau – Netherlands/Indonesia:

[6]https://www.academia.edu/6766186/The_Human_Spark_and_overruling_feature s_of_self-deception_as_part_of_our_evolutionary_development

4. C o m p a r a t i v e S t a t i s t i c s t a k e n f r o m :

[7]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fbvquHSPJU

http://sks-yks.webs.com/

h t t p : / / w w w. i n t e r n e t l i v e s t a t s . c o m / i n t e r n e t - u s e r s / # b y r e g i o n http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm

5. “Akther’s Story”, a documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OQpTk6fQjA

[8]https://nl.linkedin.com/in/amdraijerdejong http://www.socialpsychology.org/member/draijer-de-jong

6. W. Boskiljon - 2004: Educational organisations in the Netherlands – GOA Delft :

Major changes in organizational structure to stimulate programs for primary education on municipality level: http://raad.delft.nl/commissies/werk_zorg_onderwijs/2004/nota/w_2004_004_n.html

7. Akke M. Draijer-de Jong – The Human Spark and overruling features of Self-

deception as part of our evolutionary development: https://www.academia.edu/6766186/The_Human_Spark_and_overruling_features_of _self-deception_as_part_of_our_evolutionary_development

8. Renegade Economist – 2013 ; “The four Horsemen” documentary in view of the misleading and fraudulent role of our banking system : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fbvquHSPJU

INTERVIEW'WITH'KAILASH'SAT YARTHI' 2014'NOBEL'PEACE'PRIZE AUGUST'12'—INTERNATIONAL'YOUTH'DAY

“YOUNG'PEOPLE,'AND'THE'YOUNG' PEOPLE'LIKE'YOU'AND'THE'OFFICER,' CAN'BUILD'HOPE.” 10

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Before the open ceremony of the World Education Forum with all participants, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and Peace Nobel Award Kailash Satyarthi demanded efforts to achieve global partnership to all civil society in the NGO Forum. The 2015 NGO Forum finished with the Declaration “Towards the Righy to Inclusive Quality Education and Lifelong Learning Beyond 2015.”

From left to right: Refaat Sabbah, Irina Bokova, Monique Fouilhoux, Kailash Satyarthi, and Qian Tang. Javier Collado Ruano: Dear Kailash Satyarthi, my name is Javier ColladoRuano. I am working in Brazil as a professor in the University, and we have followed an approach with the nattier, indigenous people, and with poor people living in the favelas. I think there are different kinds and levels of poverty. There is not the same poverty that there is in Bolivia, that in Brazil, that in India. Also if there are no magical solutions of course, they all are interconnected. What has to be done as professor, as researcher, and as journalist to show this kind of child labor programs and poverty? Kailash Satyarthi: Absolutely. One thing is very clear that the Eastern education cannot be solved in isolation; it is interconnected with the human rights and development. And that means that it is interconnected with the poverty and other sort of problems, including the money like this, on our children and so on. So, what I have been propagating to many is this triangu-

lar pattern, you understand, poverty, child labor, and literacy are interconnected. So we have to find solutions and holistic windows, not just opening up schools and hiring teachers – that is important – but also we have to withdraw the children from exploitism, exploitive labor, we have to see that how it can link with the poverty and literacy programs and the different programs. So that’s one area. But everybody now has some sort of connectivity with the Internet or with young people in schools, colleges, universities, and the professors, activists, everybody has some sort of connectivity with the ultimate knowledge to Internet. We live in a cyber-world. We have to see how the power of cyber works, how the power of information technology, how the power of social media, could be generalized for good, for making this world better – especially for children. So when we come to any area where there are exploitation, then I love education, then I love childhood, child abuse, child rape, and things like that, we can get to respond to it, be the partner in 11

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change, through the social media. We can also encourage some of the good practices, which are coming from, which is coming from, the civil society, from the government, from the international organizations, corporate world, and from anywhere.

KS: Good. I understood your question, that’s why I said that Korea and countries who are much well off have to build more child friendly education where the children should feel less pressurized and more interested, interest for education. Let me underline one principle, which satisfaction does not lie only in value and prosperity. Satisfaction does not lie only in knowledge. We have to promote them through social media to generate Satisfaction lies in something else. Happiness and satisfaction does not lie in what we gain, it lies in what we hope, because hope is the give. Not just in Korea, the Korean spark. Hope is the fire; hope is businesses, the Korean corporations, the power to change the world. © GEM are clearly from all across the world. Frustration and hopelessness is May it be automobiles, may it be teleno answer. Young people, and phones, may it be other kinds of electhe young people like you and tronic goods, or electric goods, Korea is the officer, can build hope. a brand. Everybody is using it. But the more important thing is that how you JCR: I believe this is also the theme of these gains to the rest of the world. And World Education Forum, however to when you start giving it back to the rest countries like Korea where the of the world, then it will make you much economic development has already more satisfied and happy. One thing, been reached to its own level, if we left that no society in the world whatever more on children’s education, then there rich they are, they must not feel that will be a lot of side effects caused by it. they can live in isolation. They cannot There have been numerous reports saylive in the island of prosperity. The world ing that Korean students are the unhapis so interconnected, that all the piest students in the world. Their problems, all the tricks, all the satisfaction level on education is very challenges, and the solutions are low. So I believe UNESCO and all the interconnected. Our vision has to be other related international organizations globalized. Our action has to be globalshould find a way to maybe redistribute ized. I offer all of my support to the education, or investment on education, young people of Korea. I want to be just like how they do with economies. In their friends. And I want to make them that sense, how do you think this should friends to raise their level of happiness. be and what kind of rules or And I call upon them to connect with the responsibilities do you think the other rest of the world’s children. To learn developed countries that should on the more about their issues, and to respond UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova along Kailash Satyarthi, 2014 Nobel Peace Prize distribution of education? how they can. Then they will feel 12

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connected. They will also feel, the young people in Korea then feel connected with the rest of the world, and also feel happy that at least they are supporting some good cause. At least they are raising some motions against something that’s going on in the world, so they should not remain confined to themselves. They should open and break the cells of individualism. Go out. You are hopes for the world. Identify yourself and really play your role. Hatred, frustration, ostracized, are no answers. Answer lies in discovering your inner power: your economic power, your knowledge power. And help others in the world. And then your satisfaction level will go severely high.

Nepal who has been facing so much problems and poverty, the many © GEM countries in the world, also in south Asia, where the happiness level is high, I think the social fabrics, connectivity among the people, brings them more sense of security, more sense of cooperation, and eventually leads to the level of happiness. The people are much more open. They can cry. They can fight. They can love. Freely. And that brings them much more closer and open, in a way. Closer in the sense that close to each other, open advantage. So that is, some of those things are very vital. Some of those very poor people. They can laugh; they can JCR: And what do you think should be the dance together every evening, or every fundamental goal of education for children? morning. Even in the schools they can Javier Collado Ruano along Kailash Satyarthi, 2014 Nobel Peace Prize make fun, they can make noise, they KS: The objective of education is basically to are naughty children, but their level of happiness is high. Some sort of mental discover the human qualities and potential of every single human being, every openness and freedom, some sort of connectivity and social fabrics, and single community, and in the world. Eventually this potential should be transsocial connect makes them happy. Then one can learn from them. lated for the betterment of the world, for creating a world where everybody is happy and helping each other. So education is a connector, education is not JCR: During your speech you have considered Korean economy and Korean only for economic return. Education is for empowerment. Education is for education as a good example case. What are the factors that you’ve exploration of inner strength and inner humanity, and then uses it for the betconsidered to call Korea the good education example? I was wondering if you terment of the world. So education has many objectives like one has to think there should be any principles, or any conscious factors that we should become more rational through education. Education helps in reasoning, consider when utilizing Information Technology on education? increasing reasoning of individuals. It helps in social gestures, equality in society, and so many things. But the most important is education should evenKS: In Korea, one can definitely learn that how education has advanced, the tually explore the humanity from inside and multiply, translating it into society. new developments and technology, information technology is one of them, but all kind of technology, and translated into the massive industry ligation. So it JCR: What is the role of happiness here? helped in getting rid of poverty, and build the prosperity, brought the prosperity to the nation, that one can learn, that how to translate the power of knowledge KS: Good. In many of those countries which are comparatively poor, but the into the economy. happiness level is high, Bhutan is one of them, Sweden, Bangladesh, even 13

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A kind of double-edged sword. It is very important to connect the world. It is very important to advance the searches and development and technology, and for the progress. In solving many of the social and humanitarian problems, including health issues, including hunger issues, including ecological issues, ITT is very important. But ITT is also being misused, for pornographic, for different kind of sexual abuse, for violence, spreading violence, almost all terror groups in the world are very advanced in ITT. They are misusing the power of ITT. So these are dangers involved in it.

something, an element, which is inside each one of us. And if we try to connect through compassion, we will be happier. We will make this world more simpler and better.

JCR: Do you think we could promote peacebuilding by reducing competiveness?

KS: Best quality education and child friendly education are the more important challenges. There’s no clear data involved how many children are working with child laborers, but there are children that will be not in school and some of them must be working somewhere and they’re able to feed or somewhere, but it’s not such a big problem in comparison to starvation, for instance. That education systems everywhere have to be more conducive for children, more child friendly for children, and young people, so that the children and young people should not feel too much pressure off education. It should be easy and friendly.

KS: I think these two things should be complimentary. Competitions should go for better achievement and being more creative in finding solution to the problem. But if the competition becomes to go alone and push back others, then it is wrong. JCR: In the group in which I am working in Brazil, we have many contacts with Indian professors, as for example the theosophist Professor P. Krishna, a wellknown researcher for his work in the Rajghat Education Center and the Krishnamurti Foundations in India. In harmony with the interconnectivity you were talking about before, he told me “global violence is an individual responsibility.” So what is the role of arts, indigenous knowledge, spiritual approach, culture and science to build a global citizenship education to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals? KS: It is a proven fact and I can reiterate our culture, music, dance, all forms of ours are very powerful in spreading messages, in building awareness, increasing consciousness and inner conscience. So they have to blame either role and while achieving Sustainable Development Goals or the fight to educate all children, all people in the world, these modes of communication and the power of art, must be used, utilized properly. One thing I would say about the connectedness, as you have asked about it, it is that we are living in the world of high-speed Internet, connectivity, but unfortunately every day we are losing the connect of our souls. And the most important connect in the world is the connect to compassion. Compassion is

JCR: Also if child laborers have been reduced in the last years, and millions of child deaths have been prevented, great challenges are still remaining. In abstract, what are the main challenges to face the situations of children and young labor?

JCR: Finally, what message would you like to send to all our readers in the celebration of the International Youth Day? How could we motivate them to improve our common planet?

KS: So I call for three things. And the last word is that, and that is my call also, three things that really going to make this world better: the first thing is democratize knowledge. Knowledge should not remain in a few hands, it should be democratized. The second call is universalize justice, everybody must have justice in the world. And the third and most important thing is globalize compassion. We are globalizing markets and economies, we are globalizing knowledge and technology, we are globalizing information, but this is a time when we should globalize compassion. JCR: Thank you very much for your time and inspiring words, dear Kailash. I am looking forward to see you again in India to learn more about your rich experiences. 14

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Incheon Declaration Education 2030: Towards inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all PREAMBLE 1. We, Ministers, heads and members of delegations, heads of agencies and officials of multilateral and bilateral organizations, and representatives of civil society, the teaching profession, youth and the private sector, have gathered in May 2015 at the invitation of the Director-General of UNESCO in Incheon, Republic of Korea, for the World Education Forum 2015 (WEF 2015). We thank the Government and the people of the Republic of Korea for having hosted this important event as well as UNICEF, the World Bank, UNFPA, UNDP, UN Women and UNHCR, as the co-convenors of this meeting, for their contributions. We express our sincere appreciation to UNESCO for having initiated and led the convening of this milestone event for Education 2030. 2. On this historic occasion, we reaffirm the vision of the worldwide movement for Education for All initiated in Jomtien in 1990 and reiterated in Dakar in 2000 — the most important commitment to education in recent decades and which has helped drive significant progress in education. We also reaffirm the vision and political will reflected in numerous international and regional human rights treaties that stipulate the right to education and its interrelation with other human rights. We acknowledge the efforts made; however, we recognize with great concern that we are far from having reached education for all. 3. We recall the Muscat Agreement developed through broad consultations and adopted at the Global Education for All (EFA) Meeting 2014, and which successfully informed the

proposed education targets of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We further recall the outcomes of the regional ministerial conferences on education post-2015 and take note of the findings of the 2015 EFA Global Monitoring Report and the Regional EFA Synthesis Reports. We recognize the important contribution of the Global Education First Initiative as well as the role of governments and regional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in galvanizing political commitment for education. 4. Having taken stock of progress made towards the EFA goals since 2000 and the educationrelated Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as the lessons learned, and having examined the remaining challenges and deliberated on the proposed 2030 education agenda and the Framework for Action as well as on future priorities and strategies for its achievement, we adopt this Declaration. TOWARDS 2030: A NEW VISION FOR EDUCATION 5. Our vision is to transform lives through education, recognizing the important role of education as a main driver of development and in achieving the other proposed SDGs. We commit with a sense of urgency to a single, renewed education agenda that is holistic, ambitious and aspirational, leaving no one behind. This new vision is fully captured by the proposed SDG 4_“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” and its corresponding targets. It is transformative and universal, attends to the ‘unfinished_business‘ of the EF agenda and the education-related MDGs, and addresses global and national education challenges. It is inspired by a humanistic vision of education and development based on human rights and dignity; social justice; inclusion; protection; cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity; and shared responsibility and accountability. We reaffirm that education is a public good, a fundamental human right and a basis for guaranteeing the realization of other rights. It is essential for peace, tolerance, human fulfilment and sustainable development. We recognize education as key to achieving full employment and poverty eradication. We will focus our efforts on access, equity and inclusion, quality and learning outcomes, within a lifelong learning approach. 6. Motivated by our significant achievements in expanding access to education over the last 15 years, we will ensure the provision of 12 years of free, publicly funded, equitable quality primary and secondary education, of which at least nine years are compulsory, leading to relevant learning outcomes. We also encourage the provision of at least one year of free and compulsory quality pre-primary education and that all children have access to

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quality early childhood development, care and education. We also commit to providing meaningful education and training opportunities for the large population of out-of-school children and adolescents, who require immediate, targeted and sustained action ensuring that all children are in school and are learning. 7. Inclusion and equity in and through education is the cornerstone of a transformative education agenda, and we therefore commit to addressing all forms of exclusion and marginalization, disparities and inequalities in access, participation and learning outcomes. No education target should be considered met unless met by all. We therefore commit to making the necessary changes in education policies and focusing our efforts on the most disadvantaged, especially those with disabilities, to ensure that no one is left behind. 8. We recognize the importance of gender equality in achieving the right to education for all. We are therefore committed to supporting gender-sensitive policies, planning and learning environments; mainstreaming gender issues in teacher training and curricula; and eliminating gender-based discrimination and violence in schools. 9. We commit to quality education and to improving learning outcomes, which requires strengthening inputs, processes and evaluation of outcomes and mechanisms to measure progress. We will ensure that teachers and educators are empowered, adequately recruited, well-trained, professionally qualified, motivated and supported within well-resourced, efficient and effectively governed systems. Quality education fosters creativity and knowledge, and ensures the acquisition of the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy as well as analytical, problem-solving and other high-level cognitive, interpersonal and social skills. It also develops the skills, values and attitudes that enable citizens to lead healthy and fulfilled lives, make informed decisions, and respond to local and global challenges through education for sustainable development (ESD) and global citizenship education (GCED). In this regard, we strongly support the implementation of the Global Action Programme on ESD launched at the UNESCO World Conference on ESD in AichiNagoya in 2014. We also stress the importance of human rights education and training in order to achieve the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. 10. We commit to promoting quality lifelong learning opportunities for all, in all settings and at all levels of education. This includes equitable and increased access to quality technical and vocational education and training and higher education and research, with due attention to quality assurance. In addition, the provision of flexible learning pathways, as well as the recognition, validation and accreditation of the knowledge, skills and competencies acquired through non-formal and informal education, is important. We

www.globaleducationmagazine.com further commit to ensuring that all youth and adults, especially girls and women, achieve relevant and recognized functional literacy and numeracy proficiency levels and acquire life skills, and that they are provided with adult learning, education and training opportunities. We are also committed to strengthening science, technology and innovation. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) must be harnessed to strengthen education systems, knowledge dissemination, information access, quality and effective learning, and more effective service provision. 11. Furthermore, we note with serious concern that, today, a large proportion of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s out-of-school population lives in conflict-affected areas, and that crises, violence and attacks on education institutions, natural disasters and pandemics continue to disrupt education and development globally. We commit to developing more inclusive, responsive and resilient education systems to meet the needs of children, youth and adults in these contexts, including internally displaced persons and refugees. We highlight the need for education to be delivered in safe, supportive and secure learning environments free from violence. We recommend a sufficient crisis response, from emergency response through to recovery and rebuilding; better coordinated national, regional and global responses; and capacity development for comprehensive risk reduction and mitigation to ensure that education is maintained during situations of conflict, emergency, post-conflict and early recovery. IMPLEMENTING OUR COMMON AGENDA 12. We reaffirm that the fundamental responsibility for successfully implementing this agenda lies with governments. We are determined to establish legal and policy frameworks that promote accountability and transparency as well as participatory governance and coordinated partnerships at all levels and across sectors, and to uphold the right to participation of all stakeholders. 13. We call for strong global and regional collaboration, cooperation, coordination and monitoring of the implementation of the education agenda based on data collection, analysis and reporting at the country level, within the framework of regional entities, mechanisms and strategies. 14. We recognize that the success of the 2030 education agenda requires sound policies and planning as well as efficient implementation arrangements. It is also clear that the aspirations encompassed in the proposed SDG 4 cannot be realized without a significant and well-targeted increase in financing, particularly in those countries furthest from achieving quality education for all at all levels. We therefore are determined to increase

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public spending on education in accordance with country context, and urge adherence to the international and regional benchmarks of allocating efficiently at least 4 - 6% of Gross Domestic Product and/or at least 15 - 20% of total public expenditure to education. 15. Noting the importance of development cooperation in complementing investments by governments, we call upon developed countries, traditional and emerging donors, middle income countries and international financing mechanisms to increase funding to education and to support the implementation of the agenda according to countriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;_needs and priorities. We recognize that the fulfilment of all commitments related to official development assistance (ODA) is crucial, including the commitments by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product (GNP) for ODA to developing countries. In accordance with their commitments, we urge those developed countries that have not yet done so to make additional concrete efforts towards the target of 0.7 per cent of GNP for ODA to developing countries. We also commit to increase our support to the least developed countries. We further recognize the importance of unlocking all potential resources to support the right to education. We recommend improving aid effectiveness through better coordination and harmonization, and prioritizing financing and aid to neglected sub-sectors and low income countries. We also recommend significantly increasing support for education in humanitarian and protracted crises. We welcome the Oslo Summit on Education for Development (July 2015) and call on the Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa to support the proposed SDG 4. 16. We call on the WEF 2015 co-convenors, and in particular UNESCO, as well as on all partners, to individually and collectively support countries in implementing the 2030 education agenda, by providing technical advice, national capacity development and financial support based on their respective mandates and comparative advantages, and building on complementarity. To this end, we entrust UNESCO, in consultation with Member States, the WEF 2015 co-convenors and other partners, to develop an appropriate global coordination mechanism. Recognizing the Global Partnership for Education as a multi-stakeholder financing platform for education to support the implementation of the agenda according to the needs and priorities of the countries, we recommend that it be part of this future global coordination mechanism. 17. We further entrust UNESCO, as the United Nationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; specialized agency for education, to continue its mandated role to lead and coordinate the 2030 education agenda, in particular

www.globaleducationmagazine.com by: undertaking advocacy to sustain political commitment; facilitating policy dialogue, knowledge sharing and standard setting; monitoring progress towards the education targets; convening global, regional and national stakeholders to guide the implementation of the agenda; and functioning as a focal point for education within the overall SDG coordination architecture. 18. We resolve to develop comprehensive national monitoring and evaluation systems in order to generate sound evidence for policy formulation and the management of education systems as well as to ensure accountability. We further request the WEF 2015 coconvenors and partners to support capacity development in data collection, analysis and reporting at the country level. Countries should seek to improve the quality, levels of disaggregation and timeliness of reporting to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. We also request that the Education for All Global Monitoring Report be continued as an independent Global Education Monitoring Report (GEMR), hosted and published by UNESCO, as the mechanism for monitoring and reporting on the proposed SDG 4 and on education in the other proposed SDGs, within the mechanism to be established to monitor and review the implementation of the proposed SDGs. 19. We have discussed and agreed upon the essential elements of the Education 2030 Framework for Action. Taking into account the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda (New York, September 2015) and the outcomes of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development (Addis Ababa, July 2015), a final version will be presented for adoption and launched at a special high-level meeting to be organized alongside the 38th session of the General Conference of UNESCO in November 2015. We are fully committed to its implementation after its adoption, to inspire and guide countries and partners to ensure that our agenda is achieved. 20. Building on the legacy of Jomtien and Dakar, this Incheon Declaration is an historic commitment by all of us to transform lives through a new vision for education, with bold and innovative actions, to reach our ambitious goal by 2030.

2015 NGO Forum Declaration: Towards the Right to Inclusive Quality Public Education and Lifelong Learning Beyond 2015

INTERVIEW WITH AYA CHEBBI

AFRIC AN YOU TH MOVEMENT FOUNDER AUGUST 12 —INTERNATIONAL YOU TH DAY

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Javier Collado Ruano: Dear readers, it is a pleasure for me to introduce my friend Aya Chebbi, a well-known Pan-African Tunisian blogger and activist. I met her during the Global Citizens Movement of CIVICUS World Alliance, which took place in Johannesburg late in the year 2013, and I am still impressed with all her achievements. She is the founder and chair of the African Youth Movement and the co-founder of the Voice of Women Initiative. She was named as one of Africa´s most Outstanding Young Women leaders in 2013 and she has recently won the Young Achiever of the Year Award of the African Achievers Awards recognized by the Forbes. She previously worked at the refugee camps during Libya’s civil war, at Bureau de Cooperation Tunisie-Denmark on youth development projects in Tunis, and at the Carter Center monitoring 2012 Egyptian Presidential Elections, in Cairo. However, she was unfortunately blacklisted and banned from entering Egypt since March 2014. Ma chère amie, merci beaucoup pour partager votre temps et expérience à la Journée Internationale de la Jeunesse.

Aya Chebbi: I think my inspiration is my commitment to change the narrative about Tunisia, Africa and the Middle East through people’s stories… to challenge the misrepresentation and misinformation on the mainstream media that eventually shape the incomplete perceptions of others about these regions…to challenge that simply with real stories by offering another definition, logic, image or narrative...

My first question is obvious: Where does all your transformative energy come from? What is the secret to become a world-renowned blogger?

AC: As a Tunisian traveling around the continent, I am usually perceived as an outsider of the continent’s common struggles and history. My mission has become

I use my blog Proudly Tunisian as a medium. Blogging for me is thinking out loud, telling the other missing side of the story and exercising one’s freedom of expression. JCR: I am in Salvador de Bahía finishing my PhD research focused on Global Citizenship Education and I have to confess you I am a big fan of the African philosophy “Ubuntu” because it inspires me to understand better the co-evolution between living beings and our environment. How has Pan-Africanism encouraged you to become an international socio-political activist?

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to re-define Pan-Africanism through bridging North Africa with the rest of the continent beyond colonialism and post- colonialism. I want to bring together and connect African youth who will be taking over the leadership of their nations in few years, and restore indeed our values of African humanism Ubuntu and togetherness so that together we can develop Africa as a continent and not as separate nations. JCR: When and why was the idea of African Youth Movement (AYM) born? AC: I started the AYM about two years ago just as a Facebook Group that brought together all the inspiring Africans I met in different parts of the world, inside and outside the continent from all walks of life. After I attended the Intergenerational Dialogue with African Heads of states, which was an event organized within the auspices of the 50th Anniversary of the African Union, I discovered that youth marginalization in Africa is a real issue. I have had this vision that, in our shared marginalization as young Africans, we could develop a sense of common identity and a critical consciousness that would enable us to challenge the status quo. That is how AYM was born. A few months ago, I decided to take AYM to the next level and nurture a movement that would grow this common identity with strategic collective response to our problems. The first step was to come together as Africans instead of working in silos, express our concerns and discuss viable solutions. The idea was not to create something new but rather "to connect the dots", to connect all the existing movements, formal and informal groups and networks around the continent and join forces in creating a new action-oriented movement. I organized a series of Google Hangouts through which we shaped together our shared vision, values and objectives. Many inspiring young Africans availed themselves to working with me to make this vision a concrete reality. AYM has become a movement of young thinkers and visionaries, trying a different approach towards the realization of Africa’s economic, social and political prosperity.

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JCR: What kind of activities are you developing at AYM currently? AC: 2015 for AYM is its foundation year to gather as many young Africans around its vision. We are not an NGO that implements projects, we are a movement that provides the support, mentorship, networks and empowerment of ideas and solutions. We aspire to be the vision that connects the struggles and unites the voices of African youth. We have 7 committees at AYM centered around, Education, Employment and Entrepreneurship, G e n d e r, E n v i r o n m e n t a n d S u s t a i n a b l e Development, Governance and Transparency, A g r i c u l t u r e , P e a c e a n d S e c u r i t y. T h e s e committees are opening critical conversational spaces for African youth. We are also working on establishing AYM Hubs in all the African countries to connect more with young Africans at the grassroots. During this year’s Africa Day, we flagged off a campaign dubbed #AfricaSmile which allowed Africans to celebrate their diversity and positive stories. The Campaign was very successful and featured on various channels such as Kenya’s Capital. We will be soon launching another campaign with the theme of anti- corruption in Africa. It will be very unique and creative so watch out for it. JCR: So, I guess those activities have many links with the Voice of Women Initiative (VOW) programs, right? How many people are involved at VOW initiative? AC: Indeed many of VOW supporters are AYMers. Both VOW and AYM work on changing the narratives but VOW is more about changing the feminist narrative. Beyond the clustering of gender identities as either poor, wealthy, widowed, healthy or abused, we aspire to empower women to give their deep personal perspectives no matter how unpopular. We break the editorial gate-keeping for women to share stories that evoke selfunderstanding of the other, stories about what should be done to shape thought and

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action for women. VOW has become a platform to empower women and girls to tell their own stories in their own words. We have 35 outstanding correspondents from all around the world, passionate women about reporting under-reported issues in their communities. This year we want to grow our project to reach 50 correspondents and provide them with online and face-to-face trainings and mentorship in reporting and digital storytelling. In the quest to solidify the project and ensure that it is sustainable and able to meet its objectives, we rebranded, under the immense support of the Digital Participation Camp 2015. We will now have a secure website and better tools to promote this mini-narrative about women and our personal identities. JCR: I remember during your speech at the CIVICUS, Concord, DEEEP, and GCAP Forum in South Africa you said, “the Arab Spring was a media construct. In Tunisia we call it the Revolution of Dignity”. What is the role of the Internet in the twenty first century to empower youth generations? AC: I have been saying this since 2011, the “Arab Spring” is a Western narrative. Tunisia’s revolution is different from Egypt, Libya, Syria and other countries. Putting all countries under one basket called the “Arab Spring” is not innocent. It’s part of the media propaganda to draw attention to a region where people’s lives started to matter. There was even a book called The Arab Awakening. As if we were sleeping and suddenly startled awake! undermining the entire social justice struggle in Tunisia which started with the revolt of the Gafsa Mining basin in 2008 and every other conscious political revolt in North Africa and the Middle East. The Western media wants to write and recreate our own history in their own words creating a false public memory. All these names don’t represent us and what we call it is not featured in the media. In Tunisia, we call it “The Revolution of Dignity.” JCR: I have read that you and your team have received the support of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and the European Union to record the documentary “Kenya´s

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conscious transformation”, where you gave visibility to African youth and women leadership solving problems that mainstream media doesn´t feature. How long did it take you to record it? AC: “Africa Inspire” project was indeed supported by the North South Centre to produce a long documentary called “Kenya’s Conscious Transformation,” which highlights the role of women and young people in Kenya’s post election peace process. I ventured into an unforgettable journey in Kenya, where I recorded the footage for one month with a great Kenyan team of two, Rose Wachuka who is also a VOW cofounder and on AYM’s Advisory Board and Joshua Ogure who is a UNAOC-EF Summer School alumni and was recently selected to take part at the IREX community Solution Program. The project was inspired by an innate need to showcase positive attributes about the continent, one country at a time. Kenya at that time had concluded its 2013 General elections which though challenged before the Supreme Court, had been peaceful. Mainstream, foreign Media however seemed fixated on the unfortunate 2007/2008 post-election violence and completely under reported the 2013 peaceful process. My larger aspirations of which the documentary has been the first step, is to change the narrative about Africa… the Africa I see from the lens of inspiration not desperation. Besides, coming from the region where we have been going through a lot of hard times… where everyone around me seems to have lost hope in peace because of the rise of terrorism on a precedential scale… where young activists are falling into desperation, breakdowns, and many times are completely burned-out… It was not a surprise that some of them turned to the usage of violence as the only language that could be heard and perhaps understood. And I thought that young people need to see successful models and positive stories to reflect on their understanding of violence and its dreadful impacts.

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JCR: Do you have in mind to record new ones in the future?

written on papers. But how far they have gone in the implementation of these commitments?

AC: Absolutely! Rose and I are thinking about shooting other documentaries in Cameroon or DRC. Two countries that we don’t hear much about their inspirational success stories but we know of amazing people doing extraordinary things there. I also see Africa Inspire, as a project that is owned by African youth across the continent to produce documentaries in their own countries and tell their stories from their own lenses.

I urge young people around the world to focus on this phase.

JCR: After your long experience travelling over 20 African countries and many more others around the world, what does global citizenship means to you? AC: Traveling with a Tunisian passport is not easy. Most of the time, the bureaucracies are very humiliating. I used to say it’s sad that we have these geographical boundaries. I think now that it’s annoying and humiliating. It is part of the world system of social injustice. So I cannot associate global citizenship with borders but I see it more as a belonging to a community of global diversity from around the world without borders. The more you meet and connect with people from other parts of the world, the more you realize how similar you are, how much in common you have, how many common struggles you share and how much you can do together and learn from each other. Global citizenship for me also comes with shared responsibility. If we are to belong to a global community, then we need to act together for the protection and betterment of that community. JCR: How do you think all youth leaders around the world could contribute to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals lead by the United Nations in the post-2015 agenda? AC: Young people are doing a great job in lobbying for priority issues to be on the post-2015 development agenda. The next most important step for young people, I think, is holding the world leaders accountable to their commitments. This is not the first historical moment where world leaders gather to decide amazing things perfectly

JCR: “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” is the fifth goal of the post-2015 agenda. You were invited from UN Women to speak at the commemorative event of the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Tell us more about such experience, what kind of people did you meet there? What were the greatest challenges discussed to face gender inequalities by 2030? AC: Unlike some of the events where I leave very frustrated from the slow process of the UN, perfect program for the perfect audience, and unsatisfying outcomes, this was one where my voice was heard and hopefully carried many of the concerns of my generation especially of Africa and the Middle East. I was inspired, agreed with some statements and criticized others, met with Ban ki Moon, Hillary Clinton, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and other influential figures. But the one speaker whom I think stood out was Maysoon Zayid. She was on the stage a few minutes after I presented my speech and she said “don’t leave women with disabilities behind”. I was so proud of her and the different image she represents for Arabs and people living with disabilities. JCR: What is your message to young people at the International Youth Day? AC: We will be in those leadership positions sooner or later as those in power will not last forever so let’s all get well prepared. Small or big, make an impact in your community, while aware that we have the power and duty to positively change our societies and advance our nations. Let’s harness our energy, passion and creativity in bettering humanity not destroying it. JCR: Merci beaucoup. I am very happy to have shared your worldview with thousand of our readers Chebbi. Your youth activism is a necessary energy to shift the paradigm that global citizens are demanding to achieve the SDGs. I hope this interview has inspired and motivated all of them.

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JUSTICIA EN AYOTZINAPA, MÉXICO A los jóvenes normalistas de Ayotzinapa, a los sobrevivientes, a los desaparecidos, a los masacrados... A sus familias y comunidades que hoy sufren incertidumbre e impotencia. Al pueblo hermano de México. A todos los afectados por la violencia y la violación de los derechos humanos. A todas las personas de todas las naciones que creen y construyen paz y justicia:

La vinculación de autoridades con grupos delincuentes, la omisión, tardanza y la irresponsabilidad del aparato gubernamental para prevenir y resolver demandas sociales como esta, los casi 50,000 desparecidos en los últimos años según la presidencia mexicana y los cadáveres humanos que se descubren constantemente en fosas... claman a gritos en busca de justicia. En varias ciudades mexicanas la sociedad civil se moviliza. Se leen y escuchan consignas que hablan de ello: !Vivos se los llevaron, vivos los queremos!...; ¿Que cosecha un país que siembra cuerpos?...; ¡Quisieron enterrarnos pero olvidaron que somos semillas!...; Pienso luego me desaparecen...; ¡Nos han quitado tanto, que nos quitaron el miedo!...; “¿Cuál es el futuro de un país que mata a sus estudiantes?” Un reclamo por Ayotzinapa se esparce por todo el mundo, en Europa, América, Asia, África, y Oceanía, hay voces que

piden la aparición con vida de estos jóvenes, el respeto por la dignidad humana y la construcción de un clima real de paz y desarrollo. Parafraseando a Elena Poniatowska: “Queremos un mundo donde no haya asesinatos, donde toda la gente tenga las mismas oportunidades. No podemos seguir así, sentados sobre huesos, sobre fosas. Tenemos una causa común, la causa del amor que le tenemos al ser humano y a nosotros mismos y el cuidado de los que vienen después, no sólo de los hijos propios, sino de todos los niños del mundo: ¿Qué les estamos dejando, qué les vamos a decir cuando nos pregunten y tú qué estabas haciendo?” Unidos a ellos, esta comunidad se solidariza. Por ello les invito a que nombremos a estos jóvenes que sufrieron una desaparición forzada, dejando un lugar en las aulas de clases, un sitio que nada llena en sus familias, un hueco en el corazón de un pueblo lastimado como es México. Y les acompañemos en el deseo de que regresen pronto. Jorge Alberto Ramos-Guerrero

En la comunidad de Ayotzinapa, en el estado mexicano de Guerrero, el 26 y 27 de Septiembre de 2014, estudiantes de la Escuela Normal Rural “Raul Isidro Vargas” fueron atacados por la policía municipal y presuntos grupos criminales. Tres normalistas y otras seis personas murieron. Cuarenta y tres jóvenes fueron detenidos y transportados por patrullas y hasta el momento se desconoce su condición y paradero. El proceso de investigación iniciado ha sido lento, plagado de omisiones, coacciones y silencios que atentan contra la transparencia y la confianza institucional.

Estas violaciones graves a los derechos humanos no se dan en contexto aislado. Según evaluaciones de organismos internacionales, en el país de México, es frecuente la vulneración de las garantías individuales y la violencia. El temor se esparce, es sabida la crisis de seguridad y de credibilidad institucional.

Con el apoyo de la

Oficina de Santiago Organizaci贸n de las Naciones Unidas para la Educaci贸n, la Ciencia y la Cultura

December'5

Submission Deadline November 1 24

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Compromiso cívico de la juventud y centros de información juvenil Gabriel Navarro Carretero Licenciado en Psicología y Máster en Psicología de la Intervención Social. Jefe del Centro Informajoven del Servicio de Juventud del Ayuntamiento de Murcia gnc@gabrielnavarro.es / www.gabrielnavarro.es

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GMB and YLI: The Real Contribution of Indonesian Young Leaders Janu Muhammad is the initiator of Karung Goni Learning Center in Ngemplak, Caturharjo, Sleman, Indonesia. He was graduated from Yogyakarta State University. He is a member of Gerakan Mari Berbagi (GMB) and Young Leaders for Indonesia (YLI) that supported by McKinsey&Company. Email

: janu.muhammad2@gmail.com

Web

: www.muhammadjanu.blogspot.com

http://uny.academia.edu/JanuMuhammad

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Juventude e tecnologias: Experiências de projetos sociais no Rio de Janeiro Gianne Neves é Mestre em Ciências Sociais pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, coordena projetos com jovens no CECIP – Centro de Criação de Imagem Popular – Rio de Janeiro, Brasil e é pesquisadora na área de juventude. E-mail: gianneneves@cecip.org.br

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El empleo juvenil como eje de desarrollo de los países: el sueño de la Fundación Novia Salcedo Laura Simón Marón Área de Innovación social en la Fundación Novia Salcedo laura@noviasalcedo.es / www.noviasalcedo.es

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Compromiso cívico de la juventud y centros de información juvenil

Youth Civic Commitments and Youth Information Centers

RESUMEN: A raíz del lema que se propone en 2015 para la celebración del Día Internacional de la Juventud convocado por la ONU: "Compromiso Cívico de la Juventud", se tratan los condicionantes principales que influyen en la participación social de los jóvenes. Así mismo, trata los aspectos que facilitan o dificultan su realización. Se expone las principales declaraciones de organismos internacionales en favor del impulso de la participación real de los jóvenes en la sociedad. El papel de los Centros de Información Juvenil es considerado fundamental en favor de la participación juvenil. Se destaca las recomendaciones y medidas propuestas por la Unión Europea vinculando las acciones desde los Centros de Información Juvenil y la participación de los jóvenes en los procesos de difusión y de elaboración de la información. En estos procesos de participación de los jóvenes en la elaboración y difusión de información, son relevantes las experiencias de los corresponsales juveniles, y la función de "conectores" en el escenario de las redes sociales y Tecnologías de la Información.

ABSTRACT: Following the theme proposed in 2015 to celebrate the International Youth Day organized by the UN, "Civic Engagement of Youth", the main factors contributing to the social participation of young people are treated. It also discusses the aspects that facilitate or hinder implementation. Major statements international organizations in order to boost the effective participation of youth in society are exposed. The role of Youth Information Centres is considered crucial for youth participation. The recommendations and measures proposed by the European Union by linking the actions from the Youth Information Centres and youth participation in the processes of dissemination and processing of information stands. In these processes of youth participation in the development and dissemination of information, relevant experiences of the "youth correspondents" and the role of "connectors" on the stage of social networks and Information Technology.

Palabras clave: Juventud, Día Internacional de la Juventud, redes sociales, centros de información juvenil, Unión Europea, Naciones Unidas.

Keywords: Youth, International Youth Day, social networks, Youth Information Centres, European Union, United Nations,

Gabriel Navarro Carretero es Licenciado en Psicología y Máster en Psicología de la Intervención Social. Jefe del Centro Informajoven del Servicio de Juventud del Ayuntamiento de Murcia. Desarrolla su actividad en los Servicios públicos de Juventud desde 1982, ha sido miembro del Grupo de Trabajo de Juventud de la Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias y colaborador habitual del INJUVE. Ha participado en diversos proyectos y como formador en materia de servicios y políticas de juventud con varias administraciones públicas y en colaboración con organismos de Francia, Bélgica, Italia, Finlandia, Chile, Bolivia y Uruguay gnc@gabrielnavarro.es / www.gabrielnavarro.es

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El lema del Día Internacional de la Juventud 2015 es "Compromiso Cívico de la Juventud", pues se considera un componente esencial de toda la sociedad para lograr el desarrollo humano sostenible. Y este tema aparece ante la evidencia de que las oportunidades para los jóvenes para participar políticamente, económicamente y socialmente son muy deficientes o nulas. Esta campaña tiene como objetivo promover el compromiso y la participación de los jóvenes en la política y la vida pública cívica, ya que los mismos jóvenes pueden llevar a cabo una contribución plena a la sociedad, el desarrollo y la paz. La participación emerge como un nuevo paradigma pedagógico y de intervención social derivado de estudios científicos, informes y, entre otros, de grandes acuerdos internacionales como la Convención sobre los derechos del niño, aprobada por la Asamblea General de Naciones Unidas el 20 de noviembre de 1989. En este nuevo paradigma se destaca el hecho de que los niños y jóvenes son ciudadanos que necesitan respeto, compromiso, y que detentan derechos y deberes. Protagonizan un nuevo rol como agentes sociales, capaces de expresar necesidades, opiniones y soluciones, que necesitan a los adultos no para pensar o hacer por ellos, sino con ellos, mediante el diálogo. Y este paradigma se enfrenta, en la práctica diaria, con una concepción tradicional de lo que se considera “ciudadanía”. La ciudadanía es aquél conjunto de prácticas que definen a una persona como miembro de pleno derecho dentro de una sociedad. La ciudadanía formal implica la posesión de un pasaporte, mientras que la sustantiva define el conjunto de derechos y obligaciones que tienen los miembros de una comunidad. La ciudadanía implica obligaciones a cargo de las instituciones públicas para responder a los compromisos de participación de los derechos conferidos (Giner, y ot. 1998).1 A lo largo de nuestra historia, esta idea generalizada de ciudadanía ha estado circunscrita a un conjunto de derechos ejercidos fundamentalmente por los adultos. Y aún hoy día es el modelo social imperante, a pesar de las grandes declaraciones de los poderes públicos que intentan mostrar unos principios éticos de convivencia distintos a los establecidos. La participación de los jóvenes es un proceso en el que, niños y jóvenes tienen el reto de aprender a tomar parte activa en el proceso de toma de decisiones dentro del entorno que les rodea. Y este proceso, que también afecta al conjunto de sectores de la sociedad, no resulta fácil de implementar. a) No vamos a entrar en este artículo a describir las diversas formas y mecanismos factibles de participación ciudadana (cuyas características pueden variar sustancialmente de un continente a otro), pero si debemos destacar cuatro elementos clave para garantizar la participación de cualquier

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i n d i v i d u o o c o l e c t i v o d e c i u d a d a n o s :  a) Información, sin la cual difícilmente podremos saber qué recursos tanto físicos (infraestructuras, espacios, etc.) como virtuales y sociales (redes sociales de colaboración, recursos de apoyo mutuo, herramientas de trabajo o formación colaborativas, etc.) y cognitivas o de aprendizaje, existen en nuestro entorno para desarrollar acciones participativas, o bien, conocer el marco legal que articule las diversas vías de participación social y/o política; b) Comunicación, vías de contacto, interlocución y experiencias prácticas de interacción con otras personas y colectivos con necesidades e intereses similares, que permitan la puesta en común de actuaciones colectivas en beneficio de la comunidad; c) Toma de decisiones, se trata de una conducta tanto individual, como colectiva, que implica un aprendizaje, la puesta en práctica de habilidades sociales y un contexto facilitador, la cual depende directamente de los dos elementos anteriores; d) Implicación y compromiso, una actitud y un comportamiento social de los sujetos en relación a los otros que afectará el grado de continuidad y consolidación de su participación ciudadana, y que están determinados por el grado de motivación de los individuos, por el carácter de la necesidad común que los convoque, y por las experiencias positivas de acción común que refuercen su vinculación con la causa o asunto que defiendan. Según la opinión de expertos, los jóvenes participan por diversas razones y motivos diferentes que en ocasiones pueden coincidir entre sí y, en otras, apoyarse en argumentos muy dispares y distintos en su sentido. Así pues, nos encontramos con que la juventud puede participar por reconocimiento social, o por modas momentáneas, para satisfacer necesidades personales o sociales, para conseguir y/o compartir recursos y experiencias con expectativas satisfactorias. para formar redes ciudadanas para afrontar un problema común, para expresar opiniones y modos diferentes de ver las cosas, para tomar decisiones y poder ejercitar cuotas de poder en su entorno, para ejercer presión ante las instituciones públicas, para transformar la realidad, etc. Entre los diferentes factores que dificultan o bien posibilitan la participación ciudadana de los jóvenes, encontramos: El marco legal que regula los procesos de participación ciudadana y política, la falta de educación y formación en y para la participación, la motivación o desafección que se produce ante una falta de credibilidad de la participación colectiva o ante bajas expectativas de cambio social, la rigidez en el funcionamiento de las instituciones y en su marco de relaciones con los ciudadanos, la falta de espacios disponibles y de tiempo para ejercitar la

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participación, la existencia de pocos instrumentos y vías de participación, o bien su desconocimiento o su infrautilización, el tipo de uso y acceso a las Tecnologías de la información y la comunicación, (Internet, redes sociales, nuevas vías de comunicaciones móviles, etc.), la existencia o no por parte de las instituciones públicas de políticas de fomento de la participación ciudadana, y el contexto de valores sociales predominantes confrontados con la acción colectiva como: individualismo, competitividad, consumismo, comodidad, conformismo, etc.

La participación y el compromiso cívico es difícil que se desempeñe por un sujeto si no dispone de los mecanismos para ejercer la libertad de acción, lo que significa la capacidad de aplicar un plan. Y para tal fin, informarse consiste en combinar la visión poco definida que uno posea sobre algo con una atención continua y centrada en objetos o asuntos delimitados al objeto de entender, situar, prever y saber dónde, cuando y cómo actuar de acuerdo a sus propios intereses (Fayard, P. cit. por Navarro, G. 1998). Esta definición, aparentemente compleja a primera vista, comprende conductas ineludibles para poder participar adecuadamente, y su consolidación exitosa dependerá de las oportunidades reales de participación y de los procesos de aprendizaje participativo que consiga un individuo, además de una información pertinente y eficaz.

Las referencias y declaraciones públicas respecto a la importancia y trascendencia social que posee la participación y el compromiso cívico de la juventud con el conjunto de la sociedad ha tenido varios hitos importantes. El más reciente lo observamos en el documento: Empoderamiento de la Juventud para la participación política, que se elaboró en la Novena Conferencia sobre Juventud de la Unión Europea, organizada por el Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia de la República de Letonia, en marzo de 20152, en la cual se analizó el tema “Capacitar a los jóvenes para la participación política en la vida democrática de Europa” y cuyas propuestas se encuadran en los siguientes grandes apartados:

La vinculación tradicional entre los C.I.J. y los procesos de integración social del joven siempre han estado presentes en el panorama español y en la práctica totalidad de los países europeos, y este aspecto ha marcado significativamente el sentido de nuestra labor social, elaborando y difundiendo información o documentación que consideramos pertinente de cara a sus procesos de inserción4. (Navarro, G. 2002)

! Crear una cultura de participación en la escuela

En la Resolución del Consejo de la Unión Europea de 25 de noviembre de 2003, en materia de objetivos comunes relativos a la participación y la información de los jóvenes (D.O.C.E. de 5 de diciembre de 2003), se comprende un Informe de Síntesis elevado a la Unión Europea donde se recomienda a todos los países miembros lo siguiente:

! Involucrar a los jóvenes en la toma de decisiones políticas ! Mejorar la implicación de los responsables políticos y el compromiso con los jóvenes !

Fortalecer el papel del trabajo juvenil para el empoderamiento político de todos los jóvenes

1.- Mejorar el acceso de los jóvenes a los servicios de información juvenil. 2.- Ofrecer información de calidad

! Desarrollar instrumentos adaptados a los jóvenes para la participación política

3.- Reforzar la Participación de los jóvenes en la elaboración y la difusión de la información:

! Desarrollar la democracia local y directa

1) Involucrar a las organización juveniles en la elaboración y aplicación de las estrategias de información de los jóvenes. 2) Implicar a los jóvenes en la puesta a disposición de la información relativa a la juventud. Destinar la información a grupos particulares de jóvenes, en particular a desfavorecidos. 3) Reforzar la participación de los jóvenes en la difusión de información y en el asesoramiento de otros jóvenes, en particular los que tienen dificultad para obtener información y consejos.

! Aumentar las sinergias y la cooperación entre los diferentes actores A la hora de impulsar todas estas acciones de cara a favorecer la participación y el compromiso social de los jóvenes, la información constituye una herramienta primordial. Desde los Centros de Información Juvenil (C.I.J.), el sentido de nuestro trabajo viene dado por la oportunidad de facilitar con la información que ofrecemos el ejercicio de la toma de decisiones de cara a algún propósito que, en mayor o menor medida, amplíe el horizonte de autonomía personal de un joven, o de un colectivo de jóvenes3, afrontando los cambios que les exigen diferentes papeles e identidades a desempeñar junto con el resto de jóvenes, y frente al resto de la sociedad, y que les deben encaminar hacia sujetos adultos. (Navarro, G. 1998)

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La necesaria implicación de los jóvenes, tal y como se expresa en la anterior Resolución, viene determinada por el papel de “mediación social” que los jóvenes

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cumplen en su entorno. Uno de los mecanismos que se ha articulado en varios casos (no con la continuidad deseable) ha sido la incorporación progresiva de las asociaciones y colectivos juveniles en los procesos de difundir y generar información de interés para ellos mismos y otros jóvenes de su entorno. Aquí el uso y expansión de las Tecnologías de la Información, pueden y deben cumplir un rol esencial, al agilizar y ampliar las potencialidades comunicativas de los propios colectivos juveniles. (Navarro, G. 1998) En la Carta Europea de Información Juvenil, aprobada en Bratislava (República Eslovaca) el 19 de noviembre de 2004 por la 15ª Asamblea General de la Agencia Europea de Información y Asesoramiento para los Jóvenes (ERYICA), documento que enmarca la misión, los objetivos y las características que deben cumplir los CIJ en Europa, se expresa esta misma directriz en los siguientes puntos: 12. Los centros y servicios de información juvenil se esforzarán por alcanzar al mayor número posible de jóvenes, con procedimientos que resulten eficaces y adecuados para los distintos grupos y necesidades, y serán creativos e innovadores a la hora de elegir sus estrategias, métodos y herramientas. 13. Las y los jóvenes deberán tener la oportunidad de participar de modo apropiado en las distintas etapas del trabajo de información juvenil, a nivel local, regional, nacional e internacional. Dichas etapas podrán incluir, entre otras: la identificación de la demanda de información, la elaboración y difusión de la misma, la gestión y evaluación de los servicios y proyectos informativos, y las actividades de los grupos paritarios. 15. Los centros y servicios de información juvenil ayudarán a las y los jóvenes, tanto en el acceso a la información facilitada a través de las modernas tecnologías de información y comunicación, como en el desarrollo de sus aptitudes de utilización de las mismas. En la Resolución del Consejo y de los Representantes de los Gobiernos de los Estados miembros reunidos en Consejo, de 24 de mayo de 2005, relativa a la aplicación de los objetivos comunes en materia de información de los jóvenes (DO C 141 de 10.6.2005, p. 5/6), se recuerda: -

que la información de la juventud es importante para cada Estado miembro y que la aplicación de objetivos comunes sólo puede realizarse en observancia del principio de subsidiariedad;

que el fomento de servicios de información adaptados a las necesidades particulares de los jóvenes desempeña un papel primordial en el acceso de los jóvenes a la información;

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que los jóvenes constituyen un grupo heterogéneo, de necesidades distintas en función de la edad, el sexo y el contexto socioeconómico y geográfico;

que la información de la juventud constituye por su propia naturaleza un ámbito muy diversificado que afecta a muchos jóvenes en contextos distintos;

que la participación de los jóvenes en la producción y divulgación de información sigue siendo un elemento clave de una información adaptada a las necesidades de los jóvenes;

que la aplicación del objeto común «información» ha hecho posible realizar el portal de Internet creado por la Comisión en colaboración con las redes Eurodesk, ERYICA (Agencia Europea de Información y Asesoramiento para los Jóvenes) y EYCA (Asociación Europea de Carnet Joven).

Recientemente, en las Conclusiones del Consejo sobre el fomento del acceso a los derechos por parte de los jóvenes, con el fin de propiciar su autonomía y su participación en la sociedad civil (2015/C 18/01), se indica que la UE y los Estados miembros, podrían promover medidas para abordar las siguientes cuestiones (cito solamente algunas), en donde los C.I.J. desempeñamos una labor fundamental: — promover la sensibilización de los jóvenes respecto a sus derechos y al modo de ejercerlos, — apoyar la participación de los jóvenes en el proceso de toma de decisiones a todos los niveles, y también a través del reconocimiento de las organizaciones juveniles como un importante canal para la participación y el desarrollo de la ciudadanía activa, — continuar el camino emprendido hacia el reconocimiento del trabajo juvenil como instrumento para fomentar la participación y la adquisición de destrezas y competencias importantes para lograr la autonomía, — impulsar las oportunidades de participación en la vida de la comunidad y de contribución a la misma, también a través de los medios de comunicación y la tecnología de la información, en particular con respecto a decisiones que afectan a los jóvenes directamente, — apoyar el desarrollo de los medios de comunicación y de la alfabetización digital como medio para convertir a los jóvenes en ciudadanos críticos y activos,

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En este mismo documento, entre las medidas y actuaciones a las que se invita realizar a los estados miembros, destacamos las siguientes: 17. Fomenten el trabajo en el ámbito de la juventud, teniendo en cuenta las conclusiones del «estudio sobre el valor del trabajo en el ámbito de la juventud», como instrumento fundamental para permitir que los jóvenes desarrollen sus propias iniciativas y apoyar su transición a la vida adulta. 20. Apoyen la creación de servicios de información juvenil que puedan ayudar a informar a los jóvenes acerca de su acceso a los derechos. Existen varias experiencias muy interesantes encuadradas en estas acciones de mediación social y de implicación de los jóvenes en los procesos de difusión e interacción de la información juvenil, entre las que podemos citar a los Corresponsales Juveniles en los centros de Enseñanza Secundaria, un proyecto que hemos venido desarrollando en el Informajoven de Murcia a lo largo de casi 15 años y que, después de un periodo de impasse, se pretende retomar para este próximo curso escolar. Esta experiencia ha tenido mucho éxito en varios municipios de España, destacando, principalmente, la realizada en el CIPAJ de Zaragoza, donde se denominan “Antenas Informativas”. En este contexto, debemos afrontar, además varios retos ineludibles, pero que no son fáciles de incorporar en nuestra labor cotidiana: Por un lado, la necesidad de involucrar a los jóvenes en la elaboración de las informaciones y las noticias. Ya sea contando con ellos como blogueros, escritores, editores de contenidos, irradiando en nuestros sitios web y nuestras redes sociales sus propios contenidos, como, colocando a los jóvenes como protagonistas de las noticias que divulguemos en nuestros medios. Es sabido que los jóvenes dicen sentirse incomprendidos o menospreciados por la mayoría de los medios de comunicación en lo que respecta a ellos y sobre las cuestiones que les afectan. Y nosotros, desde los servicios públicos, tenemos la obligación de otorgarles un rol diferente y más activo de su imagen social habitualmente sesgada. Por otra parte, debemos mejorar las funciones para compartir y ampliar el contenido informativo que elaboramos desde los C.I.J., para potenciar la interacción, las conversaciones y la difusión a través de las redes sociales y aplicaciones en dispositivos móviles. El contenido informativo debe estar dotado de los elementos que hagan fácil y sencilla su distribución más allá de la web del medio en cuestión, ofreciendo otro papel a la audiencia, fomentando la conversación de dos vías y estando abiertos y flexibles ante sus críticas y propuestas.5 (Navarro, G. 2010)

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Hoy día tenemos la posibilidad de diseminar información hacia otros jóvenes mediante la función intermediaria de usuarios que adoptan el rol de "conectores” emergiendo, en el entorno de las redes sociales, nuevos comportamientos en el uso de la información. La clave reside en identificar los comportamientos que los jóvenes ejecutan en los procesos de acceso, uso e intercambio de la información. Y aquí surge lo que denominamos "comportamiento informacional colaborativo" que se refiere a la conducta manifiesta por las personas al trabajar conjuntamente para identificar una necesidad de información, recuperar, buscar y compartir información, evaluar, sintetizar y dar sentido a la información que se localiza, y luego utilizar la información que se encuentra. Este es, probablemente, uno de los escenarios más interesantes en los que debemos intervenir con nuestros jóvenes.6 (Navarro, G. 2014).

REFERENCIAS: 1 Salvador Giner, Emilio Lamo de Espinosa y Cristóbal Torres (eds.) Diccionario de Sociología. (Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 1998). 2 CONFERENCIA SOBRE JUVENTUD DE LA UNIÓN EUROPEA en RIGA. Conclusiones sobre *“Empoderamiento de la Juventud para la participación política”* Riga, 23-26 marzo 2015. Accesible en: http://www.gabrielnavarro.es/2015/04/07/empoderamiento-de-lajuventud-para-la-participacion-politica/ 3 Gabriel Navarro (1998) Juventud, Información e Imágenes Sociales. Elementos para un debate desde los Centros de Información Juvenil. En FORO JOVEN '98. "Medios de Comunicación por y para los jóvenes" Salamanca. Noviembre 1998. INJUVE. MTAS. Accesible e n : h t t p s : / / w w w. a c a d e m i a . e d u / 11 9 2 8 4 1 2 / J u v e n t u d _ I n f o r m a c i % C 3 % B 3 n _ e _ I m %C3%A1genes_Sociales._Elementos_para_un_debate_desde_los_Centros_de_Informaci %C3%B3n_Juvenil 4 Gabriel Navarro. (2002) Los centros de información juvenil en el medio urbano. Retos en el ámbito local. En: II Jornadas sobre las Políticas de Juventud y las Corporaciones Locales. B a r c e l o n a 2 0 0 2 . F E M P. A c c e s i b l e e n : h t t p s : / / w w w. a c a d e m i a . e d u / 11 9 2 9 0 8 7 / Los_Centros_de_Informaci%C3%B3n_Juvenil_en_el_medio_urbano._Retos_en_el_ %C3%A1mbito_local 5 Gabriel Navarro (2010) Comunicación presentada en el Congreso Internacional “Jóvenes Construyendo Mundos. Capacidades y Límites de una Acción Transformadora”. 14 y 15 octubre 2010 | Círculo de Bellas Artes. Madrid. Accesible en: http://www.gabrielnavarro.es/2011/04/13/ estrategias-para-acercar-a-los-jovenes-a-las-politicas-de-juventud/ Navarro, Gabriel (2014). “Tras el comportamiento informacional colaborativo”. Anuario ThinkEPI, 2014, v. 8, pp. 173-182. Accesible en: https://www.academia.edu/11929147/ Tras_el_comportamiento_informacional_colaborativo

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GMB and YLI: The Real Contribution of Indonesian Young Leaders

Abstract: This article reflect about an amazing experience on Gerakan Mari Berbagi (GMB) and Young Leaders for Indonesia (YLI) during 2014-2015. The author would like to express the magnitude of the potential of Indonesian youth due to demographic bonus which led youth organizations to grow well. One of the innovations in education is carried out after joining GMB and the YLI is the establishment of Omah Baca Karung Goni which has developed into Karung Goni Learning Center in Ngemplak, Caturharjo, Sleman. The main goal is to motivate the children for reading books and pursue to college level. Also in generally, it would be useful to foster the interest of Indonesia young leaders in setting up a library community.

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A Wonderful Indonesia Indonesia, a wonderful country on the equator that holds many natural and cultural resources. Volcanoes, white sandy beaches, coral reefs, until the karst hills easily found in every corner of this country. There are 34 provinces that save a million diversities, race, ethnicity, language, or culture. Indonesia is a heaven for those who love adventure, for those who love travelling. One of the provinces that has excellent tourism spots is Yogyakarta. Yes, Yogyakarta is a famous for its special regions. Inherent designation is City of Education, City of Tourism, City of Culture, City of Culinary, and much more. Every corner is make the newcomers will feel the longing and well memories. The people are friendly and courteous to make tourists comfortable to visit Yogyakarta. People said that a single visit to Jogja is never enough.(1) The list of things you can experience in Jogja may seem overwhelming, ranging from natural splendors, art and tradition and heritages to culinary adventure. However, behind the natural beauty of Indonesia there are serious problems about the poor quality of human resources. Human Development Index released that Indonesia was ranked 108 in 2013.(2) This ranking is far below neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. One factor is the low quality of education in Indonesia. With a total population of 250 million, the government has sought to improve educational services for every citizen, even for young generation.

Keywords: GMB, YLI, Indonesia, Young Leaders, Library, Omah Baca Karung Goni, Youth

Janu Muhammad is the initiator of Karung Goni Learning Center in Ngemplak, Caturharjo, Sleman, Indonesia. He was graduated from Yogyakarta State University. He is a member of Gerakan Mari Berbagi (GMB) and Young Leaders for Indonesia (YLI) that supported by McKinsey&Company. Email : janu.muhammad2@gmail.com Web : www.muhammadjanu.blogspot.com http://uny.academia.edu/JanuMuhammad

Picture 1. Indonesia Age Structure 2014 Source : http://www.indexmundi.com/indonesia/age_structure.html

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This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest. However, very unfortunate that remote areas are still difficult to access decent education facilities. Including that also occurred in Yogyakarta, precisely in Ngemplak, Caturharjo, Sleman. The problem faced in this village is the limited economic impact on the population's lack of interest in reading books. Low interest in reading books result in low participation of children to learn and pursue college. As a result, many of them which eventually went to work and got married. In fact, if they go to college then there will be hope of getting a better job. Seeing these conditions, I have an intention to change this situation by empowering the youth in Ngemplak. At the end of 2014, I have a desire to establish a community library. It is my dream since childhood along IRENG youth organizations (Youth Association of Ngemplak). Through the library, I will learn with children. I want once they have high dreams to go to college. Early 2015, there was a meeting which I and some board of IRENG invited by Gadjah Mada University students who would hold social events in Ngemplak. It was great, they will help us to establish a community library. Exactly on January 19, 2015 stood "Omah Baca Karung Goni" that become a home for reading, home to the public in improving the literacy movement.(3) We call it OBKG, so simple. The public and local governments gave a good appreciation. OBKG is became a new initiation to empower the youth through activities in the library. The vision and mission of OBKG among others, as a forum to learn and increase the interest in reading for the community and is expected to contribute to enhancing education quality at Ngemplak in particular and Indonesia in general. I am grateful for this extraordinary gift and being the young librarian. Gerakan Mari Berbagi (GMB) In February 2014, I participated in the Youth Adventure and Youth Leaders Forum (YA & YLF) held by Gerakan Mari Berbagi (GMB) or Sharing Movement, an NGO that focused on the formation of the youth to become future leaders.(4) This is the first time I know GMB initiated by Azwar Hasan, a graduate of Harvard University. YA & YLF 2014 which supported by Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sport held on 1 to 9 February 2014, with the route of Yogyakarta to Jakarta. There

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are 47 participants were chosen after a competitive selection, ranging from administrative selection, interview and physical tests. They are 'youth above average' which come from various backgrounds such as students, journalists, doctors, and soon. We arrived in Yogyakarta and stayed for the night at the camp area. The next day, we traveled as a team. A team of three people. I get a friend from Sulawesi and Aceh. Each participant was given a 10 dollar to live for two nights. This money should be enough to eat, transportation, and the need for the trip. We were forbidden to call a parent, a friend to borrow money, or using private money. We must survive until Jakarta. What is unique, we have to stop in the two cities. The first city has a mission 'hands on under' or we accept help from others. The second city is the mission of 'hands on the top' or give help to others. My team arrived in Magelang and finally stayed at home Mrs. Iyah, rice seller in Magelang terminal. She was very kind and helped us, providing a place and food for free. This was the challenge, we must continue to run for help. The people whom we encountered many who give money. They appreciate this activity because to prepare the next Indonesian leaders. We were taught to be independent, willing to t a k e r i s k s , a n d r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s i n l e a d i n g t h e t e a m .â&#x20AC;¨ The next day, we arrived in the second city that is Banjarnegara. There we were assisted by the police. We stayed at the police station because it was night. The second city is our mission to share. It's very challenging, our mental test. During the three-day trip was to make us understand that as a Indonesian young leaders should be aware for the community. That form of togetherness and the meaning of "Unity in Diversity" as our national motto. Finally, we have arrived safely in Jakarta. Pleasure and pride is a certain satisfaction over this spiritual journey. Furthermore, the participants attended leadership training at Cibubur Jakarta. The speakers came from NGO activists, ministers, both from within and outside the country. They are very inspiring and remarkable. There is great strength that I feel at the GMB. Until finally, on February 10, 2014 we have returned to their respective provinces. Then, I created a project that focused on education. I initiated GMB 1000 Books with the main aim to collect 1000 books that will be donated to OBKG.(5) Yes, this is the project as a real dedication in the GMB. With the assistance of volunteers, we managed to collect about 1100 books from donors in Indonesia. Their response was very positive because it will be useful for the development OBKG.

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me a lesson, that tolerance exists.(7) As the youth should be productive in the work. It was great when approaching home, I got a surprise as the best participant in writing articles and the most productive participant. After go home from Australia, I am trying to share the stories. I have a duty as an ambassador of GMB to share kindness to everyone. I am more motivated to move and continue Omah Baca Karung Goni.(8) Yes, I began to open up a lot of cooperation to collaboration project. Beginning in 2015, the challenge for me more and more. On the one hand, I should soon complete my studies and on the other hand I am very busy to develop OBKG. In late January 2015, I attended the ASEAN University Youth Summit at Universiti Utara Malaysia.(9) The activity aims to bring together the youth in ASEAN to express ideas, as well as volunteerism activities of their respective countries. Each country is entitled to delegate one participant to be the speaker. I represent Indonesia to deliver activities in OBKG. I get a valuable lesson from these activities.

Picture 2. Youth Adventure & Youth Leaders Forum 2014 Source : http://www.g-mb.org/gallery.html

A Young Librarian Goes to Australia In July 2014, I and the alumni of GMB reported the results of our project in front of the nine judges. After a fairly lengthy assessment, finally announced the participants who received the prize for homestay in Australia and Japan. “Thank God, I officially get the chance homestay in Australia along with eight other delegates,” said me. For three weeks in November, I stayed at Elgata Street 22, Brisbane, Queensland. This was my second experience abroad after the year 2013 I attended Utrecht Summer School in the Netherlands. I get a new family, they are Gwenda, Tom, and Alex. They welcome me with a pleasure. We talk to each other, about the life of each country. I also took time to teach Indonesian language (Bahasa Indonesia) in Ferny Grove State High School.(6) Since it was summer, I am very happy to tour, even to New South Wales! Indeed, an unforgettable experience. I also learned, how Australia can be a big country with rapid progress. I also learned, how the role of young people in the organization and community. But, I am 100% still love and proud to live in Indonesia, the homeland which is always missed. GMB has given

Picture 3. I and Omah Baca Karung Goni (OBKG) Source : Author’s Documentation

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The Young Leaders for Indonesia (YLI) On May 2015, I get a chance as 60 participants selected to join the Young Leaders for Indonesia (YLI) 2015 organized by McKinsey & Company. To become a participant at this program is not easy. At least there are more than 1,300 people who signed up this year. Selected participants are those who have the ability above average. The Young Leaders for Indonesia was Launched in 2008 and continues today under the name of YLI National.(10) Since its inception, the National program has developed a pool of 280 top talents. YLI National is an annual program conducted in Jakarta with Indonesian top students Chosen to Participate through a rigorous selection process. The program's of participants are represented by 30 universities from across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Over the course of the six-month program, the YLI National of participants attended the three forums with Lead Self, Team Lead and Lead Change as the respective themes, and with the PLP and BLP assignments in between forums. Besides engaging of participants in the training modules and project development and management experiences, we also invite prominent Indonesian leaders to share leadership Reviews their personal paths. Speakers in the YLI National included: Mrs. Tri Mumpuni (Director of IBEKA), Mr Anies Baswedan (President of Paramadina University), Mr Alexander Rusli (President Director and CEO of Indosat), Mr. Handry Satriago (CEO of GE Indonesia), Mr. Fuad Rahmany (Director General of Tax, Ministry of Finance), Mr. Basuki T. Purnama (Vice Governor of DKI Jakarta), Mr Kuntoro (Head of UKP4), Mr Gita Wirjawan (Minister of Trade), Mrs. Martha Tilaar (Founder and Owner of Martha Tilaar Group) and others. The YLI program is designed to enhance the of participants' leadership skills, equip them with unique problem solving skills and build a network among the highperforming students across Indonesia. To achieve this, the work of participants through three forums over 6 months; Them Reviews These provide the conceptual framework and practical skills to lead self (Forum 1), leads others (Forum 2) and lead change (Forum 3). During the program, the of participants are exposed to a network of high-performing, inspirational leaders who are invited as speakers and facilitators. Between forums, the of participants are required to work on real-life projects in order to apply and practice the skills and frameworks learned during the forums. The Young Leaders for Indonesia Foundation was established in 2010. The Foundation is funded in part by McKinsey & Company, roomates also serves as the knowledge partner, and Indonesian companies as program partners. All believe in the values of the YLI program and share the vision of future leaders' development as a critical component underlying supporting the growth of Indonesia. Indonesia is a

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member of the G20, ranks as the 3rd reviews largest democracy in the world, with 240 million people and rich natural resources; it has increasingly played an important role in the global stage. According to the report by the McKinsey Global Institute (The archipelago economy: Unleashing Indonesia's potential) Indonesia could Become the 7th Reviews largest economy in the world by 2030. To realize Indonesia's economic potential, the country has to address critical challenges Including the projected shortage of 60 million skilled and semi-skilled workers in its labor force. The YLI Foundation Believes that to help Unleash Indonesia's potential will require a growing cadre of world-class leaders with strong leadership skills, a global mindset, and knowledge of local culture and traditions. The Foundation is fully committed to address the need of talent and leadership development in Indonesia.

Picture 4. Attending the YLI Forum 1 Source : Author’s Documentation

The YLI Foundation has expanded the program in order to deliver a scalable impact; it offers 2 programs which are run in a parallel annually: the YLI National Program and the YLI Satellite Program. These programs support and develop the participants’ personal and professional skills over the course of 6-months. After graduating from the program, the participants become members of the YLI Community as they launch their respective personal leadership paths. A key component in the continued development of these young leaders arises from the creation of a vibrant network across three generations of Indonesian leaders encompassing the Foundation patrons, board members, established leaders and the YLI program graduates. In addition, the Foundation has now initiated the YLI Faculty Network enabling select program graduates to participate directly in program delivery. This functions as a capacity building program for the alumni to be part of the YLI faculty, enabling them to give back to future program participants, and creating another leadership development opportunity for them. The YLI Forum 1 for 2015 was held on 23-24 May 2015 with full of leadership training. For two days, all participants joined the discussion to train the critical thinking as a youth and agent of change. After completion of the event, each participant is obliged to do Personal leadership Project (PLP) for two monts. I just continued and

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developed Omah Baca Karung Goni to be Karung Goni Learning Center (KGLC). It has three focuses such as Library Service, Non Formal Education, and Youth Empowerment. We invited some organizations and local government (Sleman Regency) to make collaboration. I empower the youth from Ngemplak, also from others partnership (Nanyang Technological University’s Students) who had a social activities in the end of May 2015 in KGLC. On June 2015, I and KGLC received an award as the 1st winner of Youth Initiator Competition in Sleman Regency held by Ministry of Youth and Sport Republic Indonesia.(11) Reflection : The Real Contribution of Indonesian Young Leaders My reflection which I could do so far is about how to create a positive impact on youth activities to create a better Indonesia. I am aware that Indonesia will become a great country with the role of youth. From the GMB and YLI, I learned, that there must be a real contribution made by the youth where they lived as a good step to be Indonesian young leaders. There must be a dedication that should given before working in company or somewhere else. I am convinced that the struggle of Indonesian youth today will bring positive change to Indonesia in the future. Through my role and all volunteers in Karung Goni Learning Center, there will be concrete results where children can reach of college level and achieve their dreams. “Good Habits Formed at Youth Make All The Difference” by Aristotle

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References :

(1) D . I . Y o g y a k a r t a . 2 0 1 5 . http://www.indonesia.travel/en/discover-indonesia/region-detail/33/di-yogyakarta accessed on 26 July 2015. (2) H u m a n D e v e l o p m e n t I n d e x a n d i t s c o m p o n e n t s . 2 0 1 3 . http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-1-human-development-index-and-its-components accessed on 26 July 2015. (3) Mahasiswa Asrama UGM Dirikan ‘Omah Baca Karung Goni’. 2014. https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/8602-mahasiswa.asrama.ugm.dirikan.%E2%80%98omah. baca .karung.goni%E2%80%99 accessed on 26 July 2015. (4) Gerakan Mari Berbagi. 2014. http://www.g-mb.org/ accessed on 26 July 2015. (5) G e r a k a n M a r i B e r b a g i 1 0 0 0 B u k u . 2 0 1 4 . http://gmb1000buku.blogspot.com/2014/02/gmb-1000-buku-untuk-perpustakaan-dus un.html accessed on 26 July 2015. (6) P r o u d t o L e a r n B a h a s a I n d o n e s i a . 2 0 1 5 . http://www.aiya.org.au/2015/06/proud-to-learn-bahasa-indonesia/ accessed on 26 July 2015. (7) R e l i g i o n i s T h e H u m a n R i g h t : C h o o s e i t O r S k i p i t . 2 0 1 4 4 . http://www.g-mb.org/homestay-stories/religion-is-the-human-right-choose-it-or-skip-it accessed on 26 July 2015. (8) M a h a s i s w a U N Y I k u t i H o m e s t a y d i A u s t r a l i a . 2 0 1 4 . http://uny.ac.id/berita/mahasiswa-pendidikan-geografi-uny-ikuti-homestay-di-australia .html (9) ASEAN University Youth Summit. 2015. http://aseanyouths.net/ accessed on 26 July 2015. (10)Young Leaders for Indonesia. 2015. http://yli.or.id/programs/yli-national/ accessed on 26 July 2015. (11) Seleksi Pemuda Pelopor: Dedikasi untuk Kabupaten Sleman. 2015. http://muhammadjanu.blogspot.com/2015/06/seleksi-pemuda-pelopor-dedikasi-untuk .html accessed on 26 July 2015.

Picture 5. A Collaboration With NTU Singapore Source : Author’s Documentation

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Juventude e tecnologias: Experiências de projetos sociais no Rio de Janeiro

Resumo: Este artigo é um relato de como jovens moradores da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, por meio de projetos sociais, estão fazendo uso das TIC´s – Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação e uma reflexão sobre como esses jovens estão se apropriando das tecnologias produzindo cultura. Dois projetos sociais nas áreas de educação e comunicação, realizados pelo CECIP – Centro de Criação de Imagem Popular1, são inspiração neste artigo. Palavras chave: Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, CECIP, crianças, juventude, tecnologias.

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Youth and Technologies: Experiences of Social Projects in Rio de Janeiro

Abstract: This article is an account of how young residents of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, through social projects, are making use of ICT - Information and Communication Technologies and a reflection on how these young people are grabbing technologies producing culture. Two social projects in education and communication, conducted by CECIP - Creation of Popular Imaging Center, are inspiration in this article. Keywords: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, CECIP, children, youth, technologies.

Gianne Neves é Mestre em Ciências Sociais pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, coordena projetos com jovens no CECIP – Centro de Criação de Imagem Popular – Rio de Janeiro, Brasil e é pesquisadora na área de juventude. E-mail: gianneneves@cecip.org.br

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No Brasil, são aproximadamente 50 milhões de pessoas com idades entre 15 e 29 anos, o que representa mais de 25% da população total (2013). Os estudos e a produção de conhecimento no campo da juventude são cada vez mais crescentes e diversos, por isso faz-se necessário uma breve contextualização, apresentando como temas relacionados à condição juvenil vêm sendo abordados em pesquisas acadêmicas. Estudos da década de 1960 tendiam a ver os jovens como segmento de forte participação nas práticas da vida cotidiana, fazendo uma associação entre a noção de juventude e a condição de estudante, eram referência na realização ações culturais e considerados como um segmento crítico, ativo e organizado. Já na década de 70, muitos estudos consideraram que a juventude estava vivendo um vazio político e cultural, como consequência da ditadura militar. Em 80, algumas pesquisas buscavam as razões pelas quais a juventude não tinha mais a mesma participação identificada na década de sessenta. Neste período o sentido da prática juvenil, assim como a participação política, começavam a ser repensados. Nos anos 90 buscou-se, entre tantas outras condições, identificar comportamentos e estilos juvenis, entender as resistências, valorizar as micropolíticas e considerar a juventude no plural. Nos anos 2000, muitos trabalhos se concentraram nas novas redes sociais, atuação cultural e micropolíticas cotidianas (Borelli, Rocha, Oliveira, Rangel e Lara 2010). Hoje a busca pelas singularidades da juventude brasileira está cada vez mais presente nos estudos realizados por diversas áreas do conhecimento, assim como o tema da interface juventude e tecnologia, onde seus usos e apropriações são algumas das reflexões mais contemporâneas de pesquisa. Em um contexto mais geral, vale destacar que, na década de 1990, quando a juventude brasileira passou a ser vista com esta certa pluralidade, os jovens de periferia passaram a “existir”, geralmente associados a problemas sociais. Sob essa perspectiva, para esse grupo de jovens, tornava-se necessário o desenvolvimento de ações de controle social e que pudessem “prepará-los” para o mercado de trabalho. Tornaram-se um dos principais públicos de projetos e programas sociais de diferentes naturezas.

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Criadas nesse contexto, as iniciativas que envolviam organismos internacionais, ONGs, organizações empresariais, entre outros, consideraram os jovens como criminalizados, como ameaçados ou ameaçadores e ou como objetos, públicos-alvo de políticas puramente assistencialistas. Somente no final dos anos 1990, a juventude passa a ser uma questão social com mais relevância, como dito anteriormente. O jovem começa a ser visto como sujeito de direitos, que necessita de políticas públicas que atendam às suas especificidades e que considerem seu desenvolvimento e formação. Os projetos de educação e comunicação: reflexões sobre tecnologia e cultura Foi em 1994, na região metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro, que o CECIP iniciou suas atividades voltadas para o público juvenil. O projeto Repórter de Bairro2 foi um dos primeiros projetos realizados pela ONG, envolvendo jovens, adolescentes e tecnologias de informação e comunicação. Em quase 30 anos de experiência o CECIP desenvolveu cerca de 30 projetos, envolvendo diretamente mais de 2500 jovens e adolescentes, com idades entre 13 e 21 anos, estudantes de escolas públicas do Rio de Janeiro e de outros estados. Nessas iniciativas, as TIC’s são vistas como aliadas, pois se transformam em instrumentos de estímulo à participação no espaço escolar e na comunidade, onde os jovens podem experimentar ser protagonistas de suas ideias e disseminá-las para públicos mais amplos, assim como discutir temas como valores, identidade e o seu lugar no mundo. A experiência de trabalho com jovens continua a ser desenvolvida. Atualmente, nesta área, estão em curso, no CECIP, dois grandes projetos envolvendo diretamente o público jovem: A Oi Kabum! Escola de Arte e Tecnologia, programa do Instituto Oi Futuro, coordenado pelo CECIP. A Escola oferece, a cerca de 60 adolescentes e jovens de escolas públicas, no período de 9 meses, com aulas diárias, formação em áreas estratégicas para o mercado da comunicação: fotografia, vídeo, design gráfico e motion design, onde os jovens têm acesso à tecnologia de ponta. Para complementar a formação, os jovens têm aulas de design sonoro, história da arte e tecnologia, oficina da palavra, web design e arte digital. A Escola tem como objetivos preparar para o mercado de trabalho nas áreas de arte e tecnologia,

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assim como contribuir para que os jovens ampliem a capacidade de refletir e atuar sobre o universo em que vivem. Esse modelo de escola tem sede em outros três estados, Belo Horizonte, Recife e Salvador. A Nave do Conhecimento, localizada em Nova Brasília, no Complexo 3 do Alemão, é um projeto realizado pela Secretaria Especial de Ciência e Tecnologia do Município do Rio de Janeiro, no qual o CECIP é responsável pela gestão do espaço, que oferece cursos e atividades de formação em novas tecnologias, disponibilizando livre acesso à internet e a recursos de multimídia, além de investir na produção e difusão de conhecimento, cultura e arte. Essa política pública, da forma como foi implementada em Nova Brasília, foi desenhada baseada na longa experiência do CECIP no desenvolvimento de projetos nas áreas de educação e comunicação. Nesses projetos realizados pelo CECIP, as TIC´s têm papel chave na formulação de novas demandas sociais. Na Oi Kabum, os jovens produzem diferentes peças de comunicação e campanhas, que se transformam em instrumentos para interferir em suas realidades, mobilizando coletivos culturais, disseminando por meio da arte a sua visão sobre o mundo. As formas de participação social e política estão sendo modificadas pelas formas inovadoras de uso das tecnológicas, por um lado fazendo uma descentralização radical, dotando grande parte dos indivíduos e os grupos de uma capacidade de resposta, empurrando a interação e a possibilidade de intervir nas tomadas de decisão, renovando a sociedade civil e a participação democrática; por outro lado é uma forma mais sofisticada de centralização e de controle social, onde os usos da virtualidade da tecnologia são acompanhados de “manuais de uso” que servem para materializar hábitos e tendências da sociedade. A cultura também é afetada pelas novas tecnologias. Na Nave do Conhecimento de Nova Brasília, a cultura local tem sido contada e recontada por meio da valorização da experiência de moradores antigos que contribuíram para a construção e resistência do local. Suas histórias e memórias estão registradas em vídeos e fotografias, feitas por jovens moradores, e são apresentadas para o público

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mais amplo na própria comunidade criando novos espaços para reflexão sobre o lugar onde vivem. Para compreender essa relação entre a tecnologia e a cultura, Edgar Morin (1986) trás importantes contribuições. Segundo ele o capital de cultura não é dado pela classe social; a cultura não está condicionada ao acesso aos bens materiais. Cultura é uma projeção, concepção imaginária que é constituída pela vida real e não de classe, e assim a cultura é concebida a partir da forma como as pessoas se apropriam de determinada dimensão cultural. Sendo a cultura uma concepção imaginária constituída pela vida real, a tecnologia conseqüentemente impactará na cultura, porém a conseqüência será uma ampliação da comunicação entre os indivíduos.Nos contextos desses projetos, a tecnologia não pode ser considerada somente enquanto produto, ela ganha diferentes sentidos, um deles é a possibilidade de mediar a produção cultural de e por jovens e fazer com que eles se apropriem dessa cultura. Pode ter também o sentido de possibilitar diferentes formas de comunicação e intervenção no local onde vivem bem como na sociedade mais ampla.

Dona Sebastiana sendo entrevista ao lado de seu totem criado para umas das Exposições de resul-tados montada na Nave do Conhecimento, localizada numa praça central do Complexo do Alemão.

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Para finalizar... De uma maneira geral, os projetos com jovens desenvolvidos pelo CECIP têm como principal objetivo a formação do ser humano e sua preparação para a vida. O conceito ensino educativo, de acordo com Morin (2011), expressa adequadamente esse sentido, pois este tem a missão de transmitir não só o mero saber, mas uma cultura que permita compreender nossa condição de ser humano e nos ajude a viver, e que favoreça, ao mesmo tempo, um modo de pensar aberto e livre. A tecnologia e a cultura fazem parte de um processo de aprendizagem, contribuindo para reflexão crítica da realidade, estimulando novas formas de inserção social dos jovens. A maneira como os jovens estão utilizando a tecnologia nestes projetos, revela como a identidade da juventude está sendo modificada. Em Martín-Barbero (1987), o modo como os jovens se relacionam com as tecnologias, principalmente a internet, não é como uma máquina, mas sim como uma mediação. Nesta relação considera-se o papel político do jovem enquanto receptor e produtor de culturas, mobilizador e capaz de transformar sua realidade. A utilização da tecnologia tem potencializado e diferenciado as formas de participação juvenil. De acordo com Morin, há uma mudança na ordem de expressão; não se escreve e não se lê da mesma forma que antes, assim como o ver e o ouvir são diferentes. Para o autor, houve uma ruptura espacial e temporal, que transforma a sensibilidade, a maneira de perceber o mundo e, consequentemente, a maneira de participar do mundo. Mesmo considerando estas mudanças e o lugar da tecnologia quando se discute a condição juvenil, é preciso considerar que a juventude brasileira tem acessos à tecnologia de modos muito diferenciados. As experiências nos projetos demonstram que o acesso às tecnologias por si só não garante a inclusão social, não basta ser só conectado, mas é preciso se conectar com um repertório cultural que dê condições ao jovem de se incluir socialmente.

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NOTAS [1] O Centro de Criação de Imagem Popular – CECIP, fundado em 1986 no Rio de Janeiro/ Brasil, é uma organização da sociedade civil sem fins lucrativos, criada por um grupo de profissionais de diversas áreas, visando democratizar a informação para amplas camadas da população. Após 29 anos de existência e conhecimento acumulado, sua missão é contribuir para o fortalecimento da cidadania, produzindo informações e metodologias que influenciem políticas públicas promotoras de direitos fundamentais. www.cecip.org.br [2]Os Repórteres de Bairro eram grupos de moradores de bairros da Baixada Fluminense que criavam vídeos sobre temas de seus interesses e sobre os locais onde moravam. Essas produções eram exibidas em praça pública. [3]Conjunto de treze favelas, localizadas na Zona Norte do Rio de Janeiro, considerada uma das regiões mais violentas da cidade. Foi ocupada pelo Exército em 2011 e, em 2012, recebeu a UPP – Unidade de Polícia Pacificadora, modelo de segurança pública adotado pelo Governo do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, desde 2008.

Referências Bibliográficas • BORELLI, S. H. S.; LARA, M. R.; OLIVEIRA, R. A.; RANGEL, L. H. V.; ROCHA, R. M. Jovens urbanos, ações estético-culturais e novas práticas políticas: estado da arte (1960-2000). In: Jóvenes, cultura y política en América Latina: algunos trayectos de sus relaciones, experiencias y lecturas (1960-2000). Sara Victoria Alvarado y Pablo A. Vommaro (org). Buenos Aires: Homo Sapiens/CLACSO-Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales, 2010. • MARTÍN-BARBERO, Jesús. Cultura, hegemonia e cotidianidade. Dos meios às medições. Comunicação, cultura e hegemonia. Barcelona, Gustavo Gil, 1987. • MARTÍN-BARBERO, Jesús. Tecnologias: inovações culturais e usos sociais. In: Ofício do Cartógrafo. Travessias latino-americanas da comunicação na cultura. São Paulo: Loyola, 2004. • MORIN, Edgar. A cultura; In: Cultura de massa no século XX. Espírito do Tempo 2. Necrose. Rio de Janeiro. Forense Universitária, 1986. • SECRETARIA NACIONAL DE JUVENTUDE. Políticas Públicas de Juventude. Secretaria geral da Presidência da República. Brasília, 2013.

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El empleo juvenil como eje de desarrollo de los países: el sueño de la Fundación Novia Salcedo

Resumen: Durante más de tres décadas la Fundación Novia Salcedo (FNS) ha estado ayudando a los jóvenes a cerrar la brecha entre el mundo de la educación y el mundo del trabajo a través de diferentes programas: orientación profesional, pasantías, el espíritu empresarial, la investigación, la innovación social, foros y seminarios internacionales. Como resultado de todo este trabajo, y profundamente preocupados por la situación de empleo de los jóvenes de todo el mundo, hace ocho meses hemos creado un nuevo proyecto en nuestra agenda: La Campaña Internacional para el Decenio de Empleo Juvenil. Lo que proponemos en la Campaña Internacional tiene como objetivo crear un movimiento internacional de pensamiento, el debate, la reflexión y la acción liderada por la sociedad civil, con la finalidad de proporcionar contenidos, crear conciencia, definir las prioridades y líneas de acción, las buenas prácticas y encontrar soluciones a estos puntos. En definitiva, el objetivo es colocar el empleo juvenil en la AGENDA GLOBAL PARA EL DESARROLLO HUMANO POST 2015 a través de la declaración de la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas de la década EMPLEO JUVENIL 2016-2025.

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Yo u t h E m p l o y m e n t a s a P i l l a r o f C o u n t r i e s Development: The Novia Salcedo Foundation Dream.

Abstract: For over three decades Novia Salcedo Foundation (NSF) has been helping young people to bridge the gap between the world of education and the world of work through different programs: professional guidance, internships, entrepreneurship, social innovation research, international forums and seminars. As a result of all this work, and deeply worried about young employment situation around the world, eight months ago we set up a new project in our agenda: The International Campaign for the Youth Employment Decade. What we propose in the International Campaign aims to create an international movement of thought, discussion, reflection, and action led by civil society, in order to provide contents, raise awareness, define priorities and lines of action, good practices, and find solutions to those points. Definitely, the goal is to place Youth Employment on the GLOBAL AGENDA FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT POST 2015 through the declaration by the United Nations General Assembly of the YOUTH EMPLOYMENT DECADE 2016-2025. Keywords: employment, youth, labour market.

Palabras clave: empleo, jóvenes, mercado laboral.

Laura Simón Marón Área de Innovación social en la Fundación Novia Salcedo laura@noviasalcedo.es / www.noviasalcedo.es

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Origen de nuestra historia Fundación Novia Salcedo (NSF) somos una organización de 32 personas que llevamos 35 años trabajando en la integración socioprofesional de las personas jóvenes. Nace en el año 1980 en el País Vasco (España) en un contexto similar al actual. En aquél momento nuestro pequeño país atravesaba una crisis industrial muy fuerte y compartía con el día de hoy dos características fundamentales: era y somos una de las regiones europeas con una tasa más alta de titulados/as superiores en la población, al mismo tiempo que tenemos una de las tasas más altas de desempleo entre las personas jóvenes. En esta realidad un grupo de personas voluntarias lideradas por el sacerdote diocesano Txomin Bereciartua, forman una asociación con el objetivo de proveer de información sobre ofertas de empleo, becas y cursos de formación para ayudar a las personas jóvenes a encontrar un camino profesional en el difícil horizonte que planteaba la situación económica. A medida que la actividad de la asociación fue creciendo y especializando se planteó la necesidad de profesionalización y es en la década de los noventa cuando pasa a transformarse en una Fundación con la misión (tal y como se recoge en los objetivos fundacionales) de colaborar en la tarea de promoción de la juventud y dotar a la Sociedad de los recursos necesarios para ello a través de: - Promover la convergencia de iniciativas de personas o entidades públicas o privadas cuyas actividades se relacionen con el fin social de la Fundación. - Orientar a los jóvenes tanto en la vida profesional como universitaria. Formar seminarios, coloquios, programas de investigación, campañas, exposiciones, etc. - Gestionar convocatorias de Becas y Ayudas, así como programas cuyo ámbito de actuación sea la juventud. - Realizar tareas de recopilación, documentación y catalogación de información en materias de juventud. - Editar y distribuir publicaciones y medios audiovisuales, y otras actividades de información y divulgación, promoción y organización de intercambios y cooperaciones a nivel nacional e internacional.

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Innovación Social y la concienciación en la sociedad tal y como se explica a continuación: Con jóvenes y empresas: Nuestras actividades en este campo pretenden dar respuesta a los cambios complejos de un mercado de trabajo en el que las empresas necesitan cada vez más personas con capacidades, competencias, valores y comportamientos, que el mundo académico sólo no puede proporcionar. Así mismo las personas jóvenes además cuentan con sus propios problemas añadidos tal como ha sido definidos por la Organización Internacional del Trabajo: Desajuste de competencias técnicas y transversales, falta de experiencia laboral, falta de acceso a redes y contactos, baja tasa de emprendimiento, deficiencias en los servicios de intermediación y baja creación de empleo en la economía. Tradicionalmente desde NSF hemos venido centrando nuestra atención en añadir valor a la formación recibida por las personas jóvenes en entornos académicos, a través de experiencia práctica de mano de las empresas. . Sin embargo a pesar del éxito del camino trazado hasta el momento nuestros programas están en constante revisión para adaptarnos a una sociedad cambiante. Ello es debido a que estamos ante un cambio en el mercado laboral sin precedentes que, si bien en nuestro contexto local (País Vasco) adquiere unas características concretas, también compartimos con otras regiones del mundo. Y es que la escasez del empleo digno se dibuja como uno de los grandes retos de la humanidad de los próximos años. En el actual contexto de globalización la economía se ha hiperacelerado y las demandas de las empresas a las y los trabajadores aumentado. Así mismo en el mundo que viene el empleo por cuenta ajena parece convertirse en un bien escaso que pone a las personas en una suerte de carrera a contrarreloj por hacerse con un puesto de trabajo. Por todo ello estamos desarrollando programas que impactan no sólo en la falta de experiencia profesional de las personas jóvenes sino impactando en todas las barreras de entrada al empleo de la OIT mencionadas. Vamos a ver dos ejemplos: el nuevo modelo de generación de empleo y Lanaldi.

Toda esta labor ha sido articulada en 3 campos de actividad: nuestros programas de empleabilidad para jóvenes y el trabajo con las organizaciones, la Investigación en

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NMGE

LANALDI

Como hemos mencionado el empleo por cuenta ajena parece un bien escaso, lo que lleva a explorar vías para movilizar todos los puestos de trabajo disponibles, aun si estos ni siquiera han sido visualizados por las empresas

Fruto de nuestra actividad observábamos que las personas jóvenes que acababan sus estudios superiores y acudían a nuestros servicios tenían un profundo desconocimiento de la realidad laboral del entorno, de los requerimientos de las organizaciones y los nichos de empleo del futuro.

Hasta el momento, las organizaciones que trabajamos para lograr mejores oportunidades para las personas jóvenes en el mercado laboral nos habíamos centrado en las cinco primeras barreras señaladas. Sin embargo, la situación de emergencia social que suponen las altas tasas de desempleo juvenil nos lleva a explorar nuevas vías para movilizar todos los puestos de trabajo disponibles que aún ni siquiera han sido visualizados por las propias empresas. Así hemos ideado el Nuevo Modelo de Generación de Empleo con un doble objetivo: por una parte movilizar a jóvenes con capacidades emprendedoras y ponerlas al servicio de las empresas para que analicen las necesidades de las mismas y puedan proponer proyectos de mejora que a la larga puedan convertirse en empleos. Por otra parte, movilizar a organizaciones altamente comprometidas con su entorno a acoger a equipos de jóvenes y dotarles de herramientas para realizar esta tarea. Todo ello con el objetivo de destapar oportunidades de emprendimiento de generación de nueva actividad económica desde el corazón de las empresas. ¿Cómo funciona este programa para los/as jóvenes? por un lado su trabajo está tutelado por la empresa que les acoge en su seno favoreciendo los conocimientos de gestión desde la vivencia práctica, mejorando su empleabilidad en la propia organización o en futuras oportunidades laborales. El trabajo de exploración de nuevas oportunidades se realiza en un equipo multidisciplinar, mucho menos árido que el emprendimiento en solitario ya que favorece el intercambio de conocimiento entre los/as participantes. Por otra parte la proximidad a una organización productiva, que a su vez se encuentra en relación directa con mercado y cliente, ayuda a destapar oportunidades más sólidas que la generación de ideas emprendedoras en contextos aislados. Las empresas también se ven beneficiadas de este programa: obtienen una visión externa a la organización, y por tanto, unos ojos que pueden destapar oportunidades allí donde la actividad diaria, para cumplir con los requerimientos del corto plazo que nos marca la economía actual, no da opción a ver. De esta manera se mejora desde las necesidades reales de las empresas, para fortalecerlas y hacerlas más competitivas.

Y vinos la necesidad de acudir “aguas arriba” en la orientación profesional de las personas jóvenes con unos contenidos más actualizados a la realidad de lo que se está produciendo en los mercados laborales, de la mano de los/as que saben: los/as profesionales en activo. Así Lanaldi es un programa orientado tanto a la participación de alumnado de educación secundaria y centros educativos, como de profesionales, empresas y organizaciones por medio del voluntariado corporativo. Su misión es la de proveer de una orientación profesional innovadora al alumnado de educación secundaria antes de la elección de sus estudios superiores, a través de una serie de talleres y una experiencia práctica con un profesional en activo. La segunda de las áreas de referencia de nuestra actividad se engloba en el Laboratorio de Investigación en Innovación Social. NSF siempre ha sido consciente de que el entorno en el que se desarrolla su actividad está en constante cambio y que, para adaptarse a los retos y ser lo más innovador posible en el campo de la inserción socioprofesional de las personas jóvenes, necesitaba dotarse de un mecanismo que le permitiera estar alerta sobre los distintos factores que afectan a la evolución de la juventud. Por ello en 2000 creó la Comunidad Internacional de Expertos (CIE), un grupo de expertos/as provenientes de diversos ámbitos del mundo académico, empresarial e institucional, que definieron las variables y los indicadores a vigilar, con el objetivo de contribuir a una NSF cada vez más preparada, no solamente para los retos del presente sino también para los que se avecinan. Durante 10 años la CIE y sus seminarios anuales (el primero realizado en el 2004) sirvieron a este objetivo de ser fuente de conocimiento para los proyectos que NSF realiza con las personas jóvenes. Tras los primeros años de andadura, conscientes de la necesidad de revisar periódicamente la idoneidad de las variables a vigilar y el compromiso de las personas jóvenes al proyecto, se trasformó la CIE en el Ícaro Think Tank (2010) con el objetivo de trabajar un modelo propio de Innovación Social

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que respondiera a los retos del entorno. Así desde el Ícaro Think Tank se ha definido la Innovación Social como nuevos modos de intercambio de valor entre personas, organizaciones y sociedad. Así hemos desarrollado Seminarios Ícaro anuales trayendo a figuras tan relevantes como la filósofa Victoria Camps o el profesor García- Echevarría, que nos han ayudado a configurar las variables de nuestro modelo de Innovación Social y que ha cristalizado en la publicación de nuestros cuadernos Ícaro. En la actualidad los Seminarios Ícaro han dado paso al Bilbao Youth Employment Forum, ampliando nuestro radio de acción en el campo de la investigación- acción. Nuestra tercera rama de acción gira en torno a acciones en el campo de la CONCIENCIACIÓN EN LA SOCIEDAD: Las acciones de concienciación de la Sociedad buscan influir, provocar y movilizar a los/as miembros de la sociedad así como a los actores relevantes del ámbito político, socioeconómico y cultural. Buscando la adhesión y la colaboración activa a los programas y campañas de NSF para hacer realidad la innovación social. De entre todas las acciones cabe destacar el Premio Internacional Novia Salcedo a la Excelencia en la Integración Profesional del los Jóvenes. Su objetivo es premiar a personas empresas (grandes y pequeñas) y organizaciones que más se han destacado en el campo de la inserción socioprofesional de las personas jóvenes. El futuro de NSF: PEGASUS

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Por ello el objetivo de esta Campaña Internacional, a la que hemos bautizado con el inspirador nombre de Pegasus es crear un movimiento internacional de pensamiento, discusión reflexión, acción,…, liderado por la sociedad civil, que provea de contenidos, despierte el interés, defina políticas y líneas de acción, buenas prácticas y encuentre soluciones a este problema. Definitivamente, situar el Empleo Joven en la Agenda Global para el Desarrollo Humano Post 2015 a través de la declaración por parte de la Asamblea General de Naciones Unidas de la Década del Empleo Juvenil 2016-2025. Por supuesto para conseguir esta meta requerimos de muchos aliados/as, redes y cooperación con otros/as. Por el momento, hemos mantenido reuniones con más de 20 Gobiernos, ILO, OIJ, SEGIB, OEDC, UNESCO, BM, BID,OEA, Partidos políticos, sindicatos, organizaciones juveniles, instituciones educativas y académicas, empresas y organizaciones de la sociedad civil. Así mismo hemos recibido las adhesiones de 261 organizaciones en 55 países así como más de 2250 firmas ciudadanas a través de la plataforma Change.org y apoyo a través de los perfiles de Twitter, Facebook y LinkedIN. Así mismo hemos logrado el hito del apoyo del Gobierno Vasco y del Gobierno de España. Por supuesto invitamos a todos/as los/as lectores/as a sumarse a esta ilusionante iniciativa!

Vinculada a la tercera de las áreas de trabajo de la Fundación (la concienciación de la sociedad), como resultado de nuestro trabajo de 35 años y profundamente preocupados/as por la situación del empleo juvenil a lo largo del mundo, hace casi 2 años lanzamos un nuevo proyecto: La Campaña Internacional para la Declaración de la Década del Empleo Juvenil. ¿Cuál es la situación de emergencia mundial de la que hablamos? En el mundo en la actualidad hay 75 millones de jóvenes en el mundo según datos de la Organización Internacional del Trabajo, y cada año 5 millones más salen al mercado laboral a la búsqueda de una oportunidad. Esta situación nos hace pensar en una generación perdida, con importantes consecuencias sociales y económicas pero también humanas. Por eso, la grave crisis del desempleo de los jóvenes hay que mirarla como una oportunidad de transformación económica y social de las organizaciones y de los países.

Con el apoyo de la

Oficina de Santiago Organizaci贸n de las Naciones Unidas para la Educaci贸n, la Ciencia y la Cultura

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International Youth Day www.globaleducationmagazine.com

Global Citizenship Education Section PAGE 46

EducaMoMo. Betting on Emotional Education for Social Change Cristina Fernández Pérez Laura Ciudad Aguadero Psicóloga y educadora social. Monitora de ocio y tiempo libre con larga experiencia en el campo de la infancia.

Psicóloga y futura educadora social. Monitora de ocio y tiempo libre, fiel convencida de que la mejora social es posible, para que todos seamos un poco más felices.

Lciudadag@gmail.com/http://educamomo.weebly.com/

crisfe.cf@gmail.com/ http://educamomo.weebly.com/

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Youth, Stand up for Economic Citizenship! Eva Lestant Child and Youth Finance International e.lestant@outlook.com

Jared Penner Child and Youth Finance International Jared@childfinance.org / web: www.childfinance.org

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LA COSMOVISIÓN MAYA EN LA INTERPRETACIÓN DEL FIN DE UNA ERA: OXLAJUJ B’AQTUN Víctor Cristales Colectivo de Educación para todas y todos de Guatemala. Directivo Campaña Latinoamericana por el Derecho a la Educación CLADE victorcr53@gmail.com

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Youthful – The Mindful Natural Way for Each Life Rashmi Chandran

Natural'Health'and'Environmental'Research rashmichandran@gmail.com/////h1p://drrashminaturallife.blogspot.in/

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EducaMoMo. Betting on Emotional Education for Social Change Abstract: In this article the EducaMoMo project is explained. EducaMoMo is the proposal to bring the emotional education to the greatest number of people, without socioeconomic distinction, through complementary workshops based on non-formal education methods. In workshops we pretend to learn about our emotions and work on them, in order to have results in life transversely, and trying to sculpt more human personalities, more adaptive, to generate social change in builders and developers of the future. It shows in detail the methodology and instruments used in the project, and theoretical reasons that lead to the conclusion that investment in emotional education is a sure bet to ensure personal and social wellness of people. A bet that claims to be driving a quality change in long-term. This article is a call to action for every teacher or everyone interested in the topic, it invite to dump all efforts to increase the quality of education paying special attention in not to forget any aspect of the person. Education itself is emotional, because the human being is too: Why not learn from this ability to feel? Keywords: Education, emotional intelligence, emotions, future.

Laura Ciudad Aguadero Psicóloga y educadora social. Monitora de ocio y tiempo libre con larga experiencia en el campo de la infancia. Lciudadag@gmail.com/http://educamomo.weebly.com/

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EducaMoMo. Apostar por la educación emocional para el cambio social Resumen: En el presente artículo se explica el proyecto EducaMoMo. EducaMoMo es la propuesta de llevar la educación emocional al mayor número posible de personas, sin distinción socioeconómica, a través de talleres complementarios basados en métodos de educación no formal; talleres donde aprender acerca de nuestras emociones y trabajar sobre ellas para que tenga un resultado en la vida de manera transversal e intentemos esculpir personalidades más humanas, más adaptativas, para poder generar un cambio social en los constructores y constructoras del futuro. Se muestra con detenimiento la metodología e instrumentos que se utilizan en el desarrollo del proyecto y las razones teóricas que nos llevan a concluir que la inversión en educación emocional es un apuesta segura para garantizar el bienestar personal y social de las personas. Una apuesta que pretende ser impulsora de un cambio de calidad a largo plazo. Este artículo es una llamada a la acción a todo educador o persona interesada en el tema, que invita a volcar todos los esfuerzos en aumentar la calidad de la educación sin olvidar ninguno de los aspectos de la persona. La educación en sí misma es emocional, porque el ser humano también lo es. Entonces, ¿por qué no aprender de esa capacidad para sentir? Palabras clave: Educación, inteligencia emocional, emociones, futuro.

Cristina Fernández Pérez Psicóloga y futura educadora social. Monitora de ocio y tiempo libre, fiel convencida de que la mejora social es posible, para que todos seamos un poco más felices. crisfe.cf@gmail.com/ http://educamomo.weebly.com/

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Introduction

Methodology

As Aristotle said, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is not education at all.” This sentence of the well-known Greek philosopher bases the last sense of the emotional education and is the base of our project EducaMoMo. The emotional education is a permanent educative process that seeks to promote the development of emotional abilities and competences, with the objective of increasing the personal and social wellness. According to Rafael Bisquerra, the emotional education must help the people to discover, know and regulate their emotions and incorporate them as competences. In that way, the emotional education arises as a way of recovering an emotional management that would allow the people to increase its levels of psychological wellness. Jonathan Cohen affirms that an effective emotional and social education develops the ability for the resolution of conflicts “and implies the learning of abilities, knowledge and values that increase our capacity ‘to read’ in ourselves and in the others with the purpose of using that information to solve problems with flexibility and creativity.” Current educational system does not offer any answer to personal emotional needs, because it prioritizes academic contents dictated every year with the same methodology, while leaving in background the emotional area, without considering that the person is a human being who must be developed in all his scopes. Working from a perspective in which reason and emotion meet in a common point is the best way to approach a more complete development of people. It will certify the prevention of future psychological problems and an adapted development from the emotional competitions. The education by itself is emotional, because the human being itself also is.So, why not to learn of that emotional ability? Delors Report (UNESCO 1998) says that the emotional education is an essential complement in the cognitive development and a good tool of prevention, because many problems have their origin in the emotional scope. On the other hand, the World Happiness Report 2015 –ordered by the United Nations (the UN) to a group of experts of the Network of Solutions for the Sustainable Development- dedicates its sixth chapter to the happiness of the children. There, it exposes that the studies that make a pursuit to the children from the birth to the adult age show that, among the three characteristic keys of infantile development (academic, emotional or behavior), the emotional development is the best of the three predicting ones, and the academic field the worst one. After studying and analyzing this information, EducaMoMo was born. It is a project that arises the illusion of generating a change, making visible the need of emotional education and giving answer to that need in the childhood. EducaMoMo bets on the knowledge of the emotions, their identification in ourselves and the people around us, and an education that teaches our children how to manage their emotions to become happy kids and healthy adults.

The development of this project is going to be carried out through weekly workshops in different groups according on the age. We separate the children by grades or groups of ages not because starting from different levels of formation in each segment, but because in this way it is possible to adapt the workshops in an attractive way for the people and in order to make them feel comfortable among their equals. The methodology that we use in the workshops will be governed by the following principles: • Formative: Using methods in which children have a significant learning of the emotions and managing of these emotions like the most important target. • Flexible: Modifiable depending on the motivation and interests that the different points of the contents wake up in children. • Adaptive and integrating: It takes care of the interests and worries of the target group so in that way everything we worked can be applied transversely to all the scopes of their lives, and it helps to confront the changes that they produce in their surroundings. • Participative: Everybody contributes and learns with the process. In this way, nobody is or feels excluded and everyone receives the same importance. • Positive: Methodology that promotes a pleasant atmosphere, where the children enjoy learning. • Dynamic: Always using games as agents of learning.

Addressees The target group of EducaMoMo is children of our action area. Why children? Because the idea that makes this project arise is to generate a change, a real and quality progress. So, we understand the most important necessity to accomplish that is to educate from the childhood in order to internalize everything we work and learn in the process of building the personality of the people. Child psychology explains that at early ages the brain has good plasticity, i.e. better willingness to acquire new knowledge and new skills that can be organized and solidify for years; and, due to the fact that what comprises the basic skills of emotional education are the skills and competencies, they can be learned. There are certain discrepancies in terms of the right age to start working the emotions. On the basis that the emotional stimulation is useful and influencing the individual from the birth, there is people that contend that from three years old is possible to start with the processes of emotional education. However, the closest consensus is around five years old like starting point and is particularly effective in preadolescence and adolescence stages to get maturity, coinciding with the end of formal education. Based on these studies, our educational proposal focuses in its initial stage, children in school age.

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Instruments In EducaMoMo, the development and planification of the sessions is adapted according to the characteristics the context of the group that will participate in workshops, and the main aim that is intended to achieve. In order to get a quality education program, we base on already scientifically proven programs and we inspire ourselves in activities that were previously studied and checked to generate positive results. Thus, the theoretical basis is supported by the model of emotional education and emotional competencies of Rafael Bisquerra, and the jobs of GROP, continuously updated and dynamic content generation. In terms of practical applications we nourish the most in RULER program, which has the support of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and is widespread around the world with very good results. RULER is an acronym for the words recognize, understand, label, express and regulate emotions. It is a program that uses the academic context to develop emotional ability, giving value to words, working from a practical methodology embedded in the school environment. And finally, for some activities we use sporadically Happy Classrooms, program fully available publicly.

Expect results From EducaMoMo, we conducted a study with a small sample about what is the knowledge of emotional education, the importance that is given to it and the perception the need of this type of education. The results that we can derive from the widespread survey are to analyse the current opinion about emotional education and the possibilities of working in that market, indicate that a large majority (78.6%) knows correctly defining the concept of emotional education, 94.2% would like extending the provision of emotional education in their environment, and a high percentage (95.6%) would take their children to a program of development of emotional education. Finally, we realize that the adult audience is a segment that can be potential customers, 87% of the total sample says that they would be an emotional education service consumer. EducaMoMo does not rule that one day may open its target to the adult level, because it is very important that all human beings develop this abilities and skills to cope with different life situations and because it is essential in the education of the children due to the fact that parents are the first examples of emotional intelligence to their children.

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With all these data obtained from our job and gathering information from the multitude of studies on this issue nowadays, we can expect that in the future the emotional education will be part of our lives, so daily common as sport, reading or calculation; and it will generate a positive impact in the future society, building from the human personalities.

Conclusion Emotions are at the centre of our lives. Nowadays, teaching children how to manage their emotions is a efficient way to provide them a better psychological wellness, a more efficient management of the reality and a better sense of satisfaction with themselves. Promoting an emotional education would mean a real investment in life satisfaction and wellness for everybody. That is what we want to generate from EducaMoMo: a place where listening with the heart would be outstanding; a place where it would be possible to think about what we feel and feel what we think. By putting all our cards on the quality of the education of those children who will be the builders of the future society, our bet has a secured winning game. Now, we just need that everybody would use their own emotional cards to reach a global victory. If you read this article and you want to know more about the project, we invite you to contact and follow us through our social networks: h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / e d u c a m o m o a n d http://educamomo.weebly.com/

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References Bisquerra, R. (Coord) (2012). ¿Cómo educar las emociones? La inteligencia emocional en la infancia y la adolescencia. Barcelona. Ed. Faros

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Cohen, J. (2005). Emotional intelligence in the classroom: Proyects, strategies and ideas. Buenos Aires. Ed. Troquel

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Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. Ed. Kairós. Red de soluciones para el desarrollo sostenible. (2015). World Happines Report. Retrieved in http://www.infocop.es/pdf/InfFelicidad2015.pdf

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Introducción Tal y como dijo Aristóteles, “Educar la mente sin educar el corazón no es educar en absoluto”. Esta frase del conocido filósofo griego fundamenta el sentido último de la educación emocional y es la base de nuestro proyecto EducaMoMo. La educación emocional es un proceso educativo permanente que busca fomentar el desarrollo de las habilidades y competencias emocionales con el objetivo de aumentar el bienestar personal y social del individuo. Según Rafael Bisquerra, la educación emocional tiene como objetivo principal ayudar a las personas a descubrir, conocer y regular sus emociones e incorporarlas como competencias. Siendo así, la educación emocional surge como un camino para recuperar un manejo emocional que permita a las personas aumentar sus niveles de bienestar psicológico. Jonathan Cohen, afirma que una Educación emocional y social eficaz desarrolla la capacidad para la resolución de conflictos “e implica el aprendizaje de habilidades, conocimientos y valores que aumentan nuestra capacidad de ‘leer’ en nosotros mismos y en los demás con el fin de usar esa información para resolver problemas con flexibilidad y creatividad”. Nos encontramos con que en la actualidad el sistema educativo no ofrece respuesta a las necesidades emocionales personales, sino que priman los contenidos académicos dictados año tras año con la misma metodología, dejando en un segundo plano el campo emocional, sin tener en cuenta que el individuo es un ser que debe desarrollarse en todos sus ámbitos. Trabajar desde una perspectiva en la que la razón y la emoción se encuentren es la forma de acercarse a un desarrollo más completo de los individuos, asegurándose así la prevención de distintos problemas psicológicos futuros y un adecuado desarrollo de las competencias emocionales. La educación en sí misma es emocional, porque el ser humano en sí mismo también lo es. ¿Porque no aprender de esa capacidad emocional? El Informe Delors (UNESCO 1998) afirma que la educación emocional es un complemento indispensable en el desarrollo cognitivo y una herramienta fundamental de prevención, ya que muchos problemas tienen su origen en el ámbito emocional. Por otro lado, el Informe de la Felicidad 2015 (World Happiness Report 2015), trabajo encargado por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) a un grupo de expertos de la Red de Soluciones para el Desarrollo Sostenible, dedica el capítulo 6 a la felicidad de los niños, y expone que los estudios que hacen un seguimiento a los niños desde el nacimiento hasta la edad adulta muestran que, de las tres características clave de desarrollo infantil (académica, de comportamiento o emocional), el desarrollo emocional es el mejor de los tres predictores, y el rendimiento académico el peor. Ante estos datos nace EducaMoMo, un proyecto que surge con la ilusión de generar un cambio, de hacer visible la necesidad de este tipo de educación y de dar respuesta a esa

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necesidad desde edades tempranas. EducaMoMo apuesta por el conocimiento de las emociones, su identificación en uno mismo y en los demás, apuesta por una educación que enseña a gestionar las emociones en los más pequeños para tener niños felices y adultos saludables.

Metodología El desarrollo de este proyecto se llevará a cabo mediante talleres semanales con los distintos grupos de edad. Separamos por cursos o por grupos de edades cercanas, no porque partamos de niveles diferentes para la formación con cada segmento de edad sino para que sea posible adaptar los talleres de una manera atractiva para los usuarios y con el fin de que se encuentren cómodos entre sus iguales. La metodología empleada en el desarrollo de los talleres se regirá por lo siguientes principios: • Formativa: Utilizando unos métodos mediante los cuales los niños/as tengan, como objetivo principal, un aprendizaje significativo de las emociones y el manejo de estas. • Flexible: Modificable en cuanto la motivación e intereses que los diferentes aspectos a tratar despierten en los niños/as. • Adaptativa e integradora: Que atienda los intereses y preocupaciones del colectivo destinatario para que lo trabajado se pueda aplicar de manera transversal a todos los ámbitos de su vida, y ayude a afrontar los cambios que se producen en su entorno. • Participativa: Que seamos todos/as los que aportemos y aprendemos del proceso, sin que nadie quede excluido o se sienta de tal manera y todos/as cobremos la misma importancia. • Positiva: Metodología promotora de un ambiente agradable, donde los niños y niñas disfruten aprendiendo. • Dinámica: Siempre utilizando el juego y la diversión como promotores del aprendizaje.

Destinatarios Los individuos objeto de EducaMoMo, son los niños y niñas de nuestro ámbito de acción. ¿Por qué infancia? La idea con la que surge este proyecto es generar un cambio, un progreso real y de calidad, por lo que entendemos que lo primordial es educar desde edades tempranas para que lo trabajado y lo aprendido se interiorice en la construcción de la personalidad del individuo. Ya que, como se explica desde la psicología infantil, en edades tempranas el cerebro posee mayor plasticidad, es decir, mayor predisposición a adquirir nuevos conocimientos y nuevas destrezas que se organicen y solidifiquen con el paso de los años. Y puesto que lo que compone las destrezas básicas de la educación emocional son habilidades y competencias, como tal pueden ser aprendidas.

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Existen ciertas discrepancias en cuanto a la edad más acertada para comenzar a trabajar las emociones. Partiendo de la base de que la estimulación emocional es útil e influye en el individuo desde el mismo nacimiento, hay quien argumenta que desde los tres años se puede comenzar con los procesos de educación emocional. Sin embargo, el consenso más cercano se sitúa alrededor de los cinco años como punto de partida, siendo especialmente efectiva en estadios preadolescentes y adolescentes, hasta alcanzar la madurez, haciéndola coincidir con el fin de la educación formal. Basándonos en estos estudios, nuestra propuesta educativa se centra, en su etapa inicial, en menores en edad de escolarización.

Instrumentos En EducaMoMo, el desarrollo y planificación de las sesiones se realiza en función de las características del grupo que va a participar en los talleres, el contexto y el fin principal que se pretende alcanzar. Para ello, nos basamos en programas ya probados científicamente y nos inspiramos en actividades, que previamente estudiadas, se comprueba que generan resultados positivos hacia la meta que se pretende conseguir. De esta manera, la base teórica se sustenta en el modelo de educación emocional y competencias emocionales de Rafael Bisquerra, y de los trabajos del GROP, actualizados y en continuo dinamismo de generación de contenido. En cuanto a aplicaciones prácticas nos nutrimos en su mayor medida del programa RULER del Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, muy extendido y con muy buenos resultados. RULER es un acrónimo de las palabras recognize, understand, label, express y regulate emotions: reconocer, comprender, rotular, expresar y regular las emociones. Es un programa que utiliza el medio académico para desarrollar la capacidad emocional otorgando valor a las palabras, trabajando desde una metodología práctica insertada en el entorno escolar. Y, por último, de forma esporádica para alguna actividad del programa Aulas Felices, disponible de manera totalmente pública.

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educación emocional. Por último, observamos que el público adulto es un segmento con posibilidades de ser potenciales clientes, ya que un 87% del total de la muestra afirma que sería consumidor de un servicio de educación emocional. EducaMoMo no descarta algún día abrir su campo de intervención al ámbito adulto, ya que es esencial que todo ser humano desarrolle este tipo de capacidades y de habilidades para enfrentarse a las distintas situaciones vitales, así como es primordial en la educación de lo niños que los padres sean los primeros ejemplos de inteligencia emocional ante sus hijos. Con todos estos datos obtenidos desde nuestro trabajo y recabando información de la multitud de estudios en este tema actualmente, podemos esperar que en el futuro la educación emocional sea parte de nuestras vidas, de forma tan cotidiana como el deporte, la lectura o el cálculo y que genere un impacto positivo en las personalidades de la sociedad futura, construida desde lo humano.

Conclusión Las emociones están en el centro de nuestra vida. Hoy en día enseñar a los niños cómo manejar sus emociones es un camino seguro para ofrecerles un mayor bienestar psicológico, un manejo de la realidad más eficiente y una mayor sensación de satisfacción consigo mismos. Promover una educación emocional significaría una verdadera inversión en satisfacción vital y bienestar para todos. Desde EducaMoMo es lo que pretendemos, generar un espacio donde escuchar con corazón sea matrícula de honor. Pensar en los que sentimos y sentir en los que pensamos. Poniendo todas nuestras cartas en la calidad de la educación de los que serán los constructores de la sociedad del futuro nuestra apuesto tiene asegurada el juego ganador. Ahora solo hace falta que todos y todas usemos las cartas que tenemos en la mano para que la victoria sea global. Si al leer el artículo quieres saber más sobre el proyecto te invitamos a que nos contactes y a que nos sigas a través de nuestras redes sociales. https://www.facebook.com/educamomo http://educamomo.weebly.com/

Resultados esperados Desde EducaMoMo, realizamos un estudio con una pequeña muestra sobre qué conocimiento se tiene sobre la educación emocional, la importancia que se le da y la percepción de necesidad de este tipo de educación. Los resultados obtenidos que podemos derivar de la encuesta difundida para analizar la opinión actual sobre la educación emocional y las posibilidades de trabajar en ese mercado, nos indican que una amplia mayoría (78,6%) sabe definir de forma correcta el concepto de educación emocional, a un 94,2% le gustaría que se ampliara la oferta de educación emocional en su entorno, y un alto porcentaje (95,6%) llevaría a sus hijos a un programa de desarrollo de

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Referencias bibliográficas Bisquerra, R. (Coord) (2012). ¿Cómo educar las emociones? La inteligencia emocional en la infancia y la adolescencia. Barcelona. Ed. Faros Cohen, J. (2005). Inteligencia emocional en las aulas: Proyectos, estrategias e ideas. Buenos Aires. Ed. Troquel Goleman, D. (1995). Inteligencia emocional. Ed. Kairós. Red de soluciones para el desarrollo sostenible. (2015). Informe mundial de la felicidad. Recuperado de http://www.infocop.es/pdf/InfFelicidad2015.pdf

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Youth, Stand up for Economic Citizenship! Abstract: The 2008 economic crisis of 2008 brought awareness to stakeholders around the world that the lack of financial literacy, combined with financial deregulation, has brought many households to bankruptcy and poverty. Over the long term, the economic crisis had a considerable impact on the current generation of children and youth, and on how they earning, save and spend money. In order not to undergo the same scenario, it is evident that young people should be armed with the skills needed to secure employment and capitalize on livelihood opportunities, all in a socially and ethically responsible manner. Despite the innovative education concepts of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) and Education for Sustainable Development, Economic Citizenship Education (ECE) has not yet been considered as a key component within the discussions on the UN Post 2015 Development Agenda. However, by comparing both topics and learning objectives, much common ground and shared values between ECE and GCE can be found. The complementary contents based on social and life skills education should be expanded in order to raise awareness among national states, especially the ones expected to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. It is time to emphasize the outcomes and added-value of financial and livelihoods education to the present GCE topics and learning objectives. The Theory of Change, presented by Child and Youth Finance International, proposes that financial, social and livelihoods education, combined with access to appropriate financial services, increases financial capability and social empowerment, ultimately leading to greater economic citizenship. International actors should understand the importance of raising a financially literate and socially responsible generation, giving them the tool to become empowered economic citizens. Global Citizenship Education, and especially Economic Citizenship Education, can play an important role in making this happen. Key words: Economic Citizenship, Education, Global Citizenship, finance literacy, social education.

Eva Lestant

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The 2008 economic crisis placed greater attention on the need for individuals and community representatives to build a more solid asset base, increase their financial capability and follow more prudent financial management. The crisis called for increased financial responsibility and a greater sense of economic citizenship which is achievable through the expansion of financial inclusion and quality financial, social and livelihoods education around the world. A greater entrepreneurial spirit was needed to promote the economic growth required to enrich the lives of individuals and provide them with opportunities to secure a livelihoods for themselves and their families. Investing in quality education that equips people with the entrepreneurial and employability skills needed to succeed in the 21st century, while ensuring that they are grounded in financial and ethical responsibility, should be a top priority for policy makers and decision makers around the world. This was supported by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon during the opening of the World Education Forum in Incheon Korea in May 2015 when he argued that every dollar invested in education would generate $10 to $15 in returns. The social, political and economic challenges of the 21st century are calling for greater global citizenship and this has important economic dimension related to financial inclusion and Economic Citizenship Education (ECE). A lack of education and meaningful livelihood opportunities creates a negative situation where young people can be forced into hazardous work, get dragged into criminal activity or become enrolled in armed forces or violent insurgencies, especially in conflict zones. There are still 168 million children engaged in child labor, with 85 million involved in hazardous work. This need for money amongst young people and their families paves the way to youth delinquency and crime, creating a spiral of poverty and illicit activity that many youth find incredibly difficult to escape.

Jared Penner

Child and Youth Finance International

e.lestant@outlook.com

Jared@childfinance.org / web: www.childfinance.org

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Global Citizenship Education Section

While primary schools can provide basic literacy and numeracy skills, many children and youth, especially those in less developed countries, fail to complete secondary education and do not receive essential employability or functional literacy skills to allow them to successfully secure a meaningful and sustainable livelihood. Once they leave formal educational centers, these children and young adults are more likely to find work exclusively in the informal sector. A survey conducted by the International Labor Organization (ILO) showed that in countries such as Cambodia, Liberia, Malawi and Peru, more than 80% of youth are working in the informal economy, often leading to underemployment or exploitation. Working in such conditions is more likely to perpetuate poverty, financial instability and shortened life expectancy rather than develop sustainable and meaningful livelihoods. However, providing access to appropriate financial services, combined with quality social, financial and livelihoods education can encourage young entrepreneurs to achieve their economic potential and succeed in the formal economy. It also fosters a greater respect for asset building and social, financial and ethical responsibility, which are integral to developing the next generation of global economic citizens.

Full concept of Economic Citizenship Child and Youth Finance International (CYFI) is a global network of government authorities, financial service providers, civil society organizations, multilateral institutions and academics who are all working to advance economic citizenship for young people around the world. CYFI’s mission is to expand a combination of financial access and education to 100 million children and youth in 100 countries by the end of 2015. CYFI’s Theory of Change proposes that, to achieve full economic citizenship, young people need to be financial capable and socially and economically empowered. This is achieved through financial inclusion combined

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with Economic Citizenship Education, a framework that integrates the three components of financial, social and livelihoods education. A diagram of the CYFI Theory of Change can be found below.

Global Citizenship Education In an effort to educate the next generation of leaders, workers and inventors, education, both its pedagogy and its learning outcomes, must be adapted to tackle the new challenges faced by children and youth in the 21st century. Global Citizenship Education (GCE) represents a comprehensive move in this direction, emphasizing human rights, conflict resolution, ethical responsibility, creative problem solving and global connectedness. ECE, by extension, represents the economic dimension of global citizenship, ensuring that young people develop financial responsibility and essential life skills to secure ethical and sustainable livelihoods. Although the concept of global citizenship is not new, GCE has only been explicitly named since the launch of the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) in 2012. This was part of a three pronged educational priority from the UN Secretary-General stating that “education is much more than an entry to the job market. It has the power to shape a sustainable future and better world. Education policies should promote peace, mutual respect and environmental care.” With a large range of partners and advocates, GEFI created a political profile for education in order to mobilize stakeholders and funding to achieve the Education For All Goals. Global Citizenship refers to a “sense of belonging to a broader community and common humanity. It emphasizes political, economic, social and cultural interdependency and interconnectedness between the local, the national and the global”. As broad as it can be, GCE includes all the knowledge, skills and values that promote a peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable world. GCE enables students to develop values through critical thinking, problem solving, team work, and solidarity, in an effort to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. The concept covers all three domains of learning: cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral. To each component, it affects key learning outcomes, and addresses topics to be discussed according to various age-groups.

GCE values related to ECE The GCE and the ECE frameworks share a common ground when it comes to learning outcomes and core topics. Both share values such as diversity, social justice, human rights, self-engagement and responsibility. Indeed, ECE pushes for social and life skills education to complement financial literacy and entrepreneurship, ensuring that financial capability and

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enterprise ventures are developed in an ethically and socially responsible manner. The learning inputs will not only help them to better understand economic citizenship but also help them to interact effectively in their community. GCE recognizes the concept of uniqueness and diversity of people. With unique needs, education should be for all, but even more “for each”. Respect for diversity is also part of core components of Social/Life skills Education within the ECE framework. This ensures that young people receive services customized to his/her needs and are accepted without any form of discrimination. Economic justice, included in social justice, can be defined as the moral principles which design economic institutions. In the context of ECE, it gives every child equitable opportunities, especially when it comes to economic opportunities. Furthermore, both GCE and ECE call for education at all stages to respect and uphold gender equality and all forms minority rights. More than teaching fundamental values, ECE shared key learning outcomes of GCE’s behavioral learning component. Bridging ECE’s Social and Livelihood Education, GCE states that “Learners act effectively and responsibly at local, national and global levels for a more peaceful and sustainable world.” This reflects ECE’s values such as Employer/Employee Responsibility and Community Engagement. Making a sustainable and peaceful world requires that a globalized youth generation be actively engaged in different communities and take the necessary actions to affect positive change. Another key GCE learning outcome that bridges social and livelihoods education states that “Learners develop motivation and willingness to take necessary actions” which recalls ECE’s Leadership skills and Active Citizenship. ECE, as a complement to GCE, provides solutions on how to tackle rising youth population growth and unemployment rates. The ILO predicts that “280 million jobs will need to be created over the coming five years to close the crisis-related global jobs gap.”'It is estimated that 1 million Indians alone will join the workforce every month for the next 20 years. Through investment in educational programs, public authorities working with the private sector and NGOs have the responsibility to efficiently utilize its workforce to generate even more economic opportunities. Economic citizenship is reflected in many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and their associated targets, with the exception of SDG4 on education. GCE and Education for Sustainable Development are mentioned within SDG4 but there is no explicit mention of financial or entrepreneurship education. ECE provides a cornerstone for lifelong learning opportunities, financial capability and sustainable livelihoods, not to mention providing a foundation for financial and social inclusion. A combination of financial, social and livelihoods education should be an integral part of any education strategy that aims to achieve the ambitious goals and targets of the UN post 2015 development agenda. Economies are

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increasingly becoming knowledge-based, requiring skills and competencies to be updated regularly. Therefore, ECE and GCE should be combined under one target for education under the SDGs as this would allow educational stakeholders to create a new model for Global Economic Citizenship Education, respecting human diversity along with human rights and dignity. The latest agreement that emerged from the Global Education Forum, the Incheon Declaration, has given a new approach to education for the post-2015 agenda. Rather than assessing the quantity of education, they decided to focus on classroom experience, and evaluate the learning outcomes. This new step shows that stakeholder have recognized the need for life-long learning to cope with the ongoing challenges of the 21st Century Economy. Quality education refers to skills, knowledge, values and attitudes but also proper information to enable children and youth to tackle basic socio-economic needs in order to participate effectively in the sustainable development of their communities. Financial, social and livelihoods education are two pillars through which critical thinking and problem solving can be understood. Furthermore, youth activism seems to be placed in the center of these concerns. The provision of quality learning is central to a nation’s democratic stability, and an individual’s orientation towards legal behavior and global citizenship.

The Role of CYFI in promoting ECE CYFI has developed curriculum assessment tools to identify how educational materials or national curriculum frameworks are aligned with the core content components of the ECE learning framework. The curriculum mapping tools are used to improve existing programming and to profile exemplary programs that are providing a comprehensive coverage of the financial, social and livelihoods components. These tools can be used by both ECE and GCE education providers to provide an overview of their content coverage, which can provide valuable insight into programs that aim to achieve targets under the new Sustainable Development Goals. CYFI continues to support government authorities and youth serving organizations that offer integrated financial, social and livelihoods education through both formal and non-formal channels. Turkey, Uganda, Macedonia and Nepal are all countries that are piloting integrated financial and social education through schools in the country along with CYFI’s sister organization Aflatoun and the UNICEF Child-Friendly Schools initiative. CYFI also promotes ECE through global advocacy and knowledge sharing efforts is a global youth money awareness campaign which CYFI coordinates each year. During this week, activities and events are held worldwide to engage children, youth and their communities to learn how money works, including saving, creating livelihoods, gaining employment, and becoming an entrepreneur. More than 5.6 million children and youth in 124 countries took

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part in 2015 Global Money Week this past March. Hundreds of organizations showed their support for children and youth and arranged thousands of fun and interesting activities. Finally, SchoolBank is a core CYFI concept that aims to increase financial inclusion and financial education of children and young people, through schools and other educational centers. It ensures that all children that are part of SchoolBank get a formal savings account and the appropriate education to know why and how to save. The project uses innovative distribution channels (schools) and technology (e.g. mobile banking and online banking) with the goal of financially empowering children and youth in a cost efficient way.

Conclusion Generation Y, aged between 20 and 38 years old, has become the first generation to experience the advantages and risks associated with financial technologies during an economic crisis. However, the more technologically connected generation Z is advocating for change in their education. Thanks to the MDGs, more children have attended school and there is a greater demand for quality education. It is not only in terms of educational level, but a real concern about the remaining gap between the education delivered and the skills required for employability at the local, national, and international level. Therefore, there is a real need for economic citizenship that takes root in the sustainable development of our environment and global economy. This involves a financial, social and livelihoods dimension to engage citizens in the long term. However, in defining the upcoming Sustainable Development Goals, CYFI is willing to leave its mark on Global Citizenship Education; thus, sharing a common ground composed of financial responsibility, social values and sustainable livelihoods. All national stakeholders should be involved, including financial institutions and civil society. Economic citizenship must be considered as a tangible way of boosting long-term economic growth and establishing life-long returns. The Sustainable Development Goals should not focus only on global citizenship, but also Global Economic Citizenship, particularly through Economic Citizenship Education. This will help young people and their families prevent poverty, nurture strong communities and secure a sustainable economic future.

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References • Child and Youth Finance International. (2013). Conceptual Development of Children and Youth as Economic Citizens. Retrieved in http://issuu.com/childfinanceinternational/docs/conceptual-cyfi-model-economic-citizens • CYFI. (2013). A Guide to Economic Citizenship Education. Retrieved in http://issuu.com/childfinanceinternational/docs/a-guide-to-economic-citizenship-education-cyf i • CYFI. (2013) ECE Content Mapping. Retrieved in h9p://childﬁnanceinterna>onal.org/resources/programs/eceArapidAassessmentAexample.pdf • CYFI. (2013). Economic Citizenship Education Curriculum Assessment – Sample Curriculum. Retrieved in http://issuu.com/childfinanceinternational/docs/economic_citizenship_education_curr • Heyneman, S. (2003). Education, social cohesion, and the future role of international organizations. Peabody Journal of Education. 78 (3). pp. 25 – 38 • International Labor Organization. (2013). Marking progress against child labour. Retrieved in http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---ipec/documents/publication/wcms_22 1513.pdf • ILO. (2013). Informal, poorly paid and unemployed: The reality of work for most youth in developing countries. Retrieved in http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_212917/lang--en/index.htm • ILO. (2015).'World&Employment&Social&Outlook,'p.16,'Retrieved in h9p://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/AAAdgreports/AAAdcomm/AAApubl/documents/public a>on/wcms_337069.pdf • KPMG. (2013) Future State 2030: The global megatrend shaping governments, Mowat Center http://www.kpmg.com/ID/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/Future-State2030.pdf • Tawil, S. (2013). Education for ‘Global Citizenship’: A framework for discussion. UNESCO Education Research and Foresight, Paris. [ERF Working Papers Series, No. 7]. http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/ED/pdf/PaperN7EducforGlobalCiti zenship.pdf • United Nation. (2012). “Education First” - United Nation Secretary-General’s video message Youtube video, 1:22. September 6, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psMktIIHqEg • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2015). “UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaks at the World Education Forum (2015), Incheon, Korea” Youtube video, 7:05. May 21, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWdwlS5FMsc • UNESCO. (2015). Global Citizenship Education: Topic and learning Objectives p.14 http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002329/232993e.pdf • UNESCO, Global Citizenship is… , Youtube video, 3:28. January 30, 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVSgbU6WVSk • UNESCO, Global Citizenship Education (GCED) UNESCO’s approach, January 2015 http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/ED/pdf/questions-answers-21jan-E N.pdf • UNESCO. Global Citizenship Education: Topic and learning Objectives (2015), p.22 http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002329/232993e.pdf • UNESCO, The Global Learning Crisis, Paris: UNESCO. http://www.globaleducationfirst.org/css/Global_Learning_final_web_single.pdf

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LA COSMOVISIÓN MAYA EN LA INTERPRETACIÓN DEL FIN DE UNA ERA: OXLAJUJ B’AQTUN Resumen: Nos está tocando vivir el final de un gran ciclo de tiempo marcado por nuestras Abuelas y nuestros Abuelos, conformado por Oxlajuj B’aqtun llamada Era Maya, que en el calendario gregoriano equivalen a 5,200 años. De acuerdo con el calendario gregoriano el conteo de esta cuenta larga Maya culmina el 21 de Diciembre de 2012, para dar paso a una nueva Era Maya. Es en este contexto, que líderes, investigadores, académicos, ONGs, universidades, centros de investigación, iglesias, gobiernos, cooperación internacional, entre otros, están haciendo uso y muchas veces irresponsable del significado del Oxlajuj B’aqtun. Es preocupante ver cómo las posiciones apocalípticas pretenden impactar la psicología social de grandes sectores sociales que basándose en dos ideas básicas logran infundir inseguridad y temor en sus potenciales seguidores: primero, la notable precisión de muchas de las predicciones mayas y segundo, el hecho de que el calendario Maya de la cuenta larga culmina el 21 de diciembre de 2012. Estos dos elementos, matizados y estructurados con la ideología del racismo histórico hacia los pueblos indígenas, permitió la creación de una visión fantasiosa de los calendarios mayas y con ella, con sutileza, la renovación de la ideología racista hacia el Pueblo Maya. Es que políticamente, no les es posible asumir y aceptar el impresionante nivel de desarrollo científico, sin parangón en el mundo, de la gran Civilización Maya. En ese sentido, la salida más fácil en la interpretación del Oxlajuj B’aqtun era la de darle una connotación de fantasía esotérica. Es decir, en vez de reconocer que los Antiguos Mayas fueron grandes científicos, prefieren divulgar que fueron grandes adivinos. Además ese racismo exacerbado no puede soportar que a partir de la reivindicación de la cultura de la gran civilización Maya, pudiera reivindicarse el Pueblo Maya actual, aún atrapado en las estructuras coloniales que duran más de 500 años. Las posiciones apocalípticas además, reflejan la ideología de dominación del sistema capitalista hacia los pueblos indígenas ya que las mismas sirven de distractor social que favorece la no identificación de las causas históricas del racismo, la pobreza, la dominación, la explotación y la exclusión social de nuestros pueblos. Este efecto le permite al sistema capitalista ganar tiempo para reconfigurar sus planes y estrategias de recuperación ante la crisis en que se encuentra. Lo anterior es parte de la estrategia histórica del sistema capitalista de negación del Pueblo Maya, de negar su historia, de negar su presente, para garantizar la negación de su futuro como pueblo. Mientras que por otro lado, en diversas partes del mundo están haciendo uso de los conocimientos técnicos y científicos mayas en función a la acumulación del capital. Ante esta situación se hace urgente y necesaria la socialización del posicionamiento Maya al respecto, en las redes sociales y en todos los medios posibles para reivindicar el profundo pensamiento científico y humano de la gran Civilización Maya y a la vez ir socializando el posicionamiento político del Pueblo Maya. Palabras clave: Educación para Todos, Guatemala, Cosmovisión Maya, futuro, pueblos indígenas, capitalismo, Madre Tierra, desarrollo sostenible.

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1. DESDE LA COSMOVISIÓN MAYA 1.1. OXLAJUJ B’AQTUN La pasión y el interés científico de nuestras Abuelas y Abuelos Mayas por comprender, qué es la vida, su origen, su proceso evolutivo y su razón de ser, y la interacción de los elementos a lo largo y ancho del infinito cosmos, los llevó a desarrollar diversas ciencias como la matemática, la física, la astronomía entre otras, con las que lograron construir una combinación sofisticada de calendarios para el control del tiempo, el movimiento de los astros, así como para el manejo de los ciclos naturales, en función de la vida. Cada calendario marcaba un ciclo determinado de tiempo. Una de las singularidades de la cronología Maya, es que se basa en un método que permite fusionar el tiempo con todo lo que existe, permitiendo a la vez, entender los diversos procesos cíclicos y en espiral evolutivo de la propia existencia. Guorón, lo define bien cuando dice, que no solo se dedica a medir el tiempo, sino además lo relaciona con la naturaleza (personas, plantas, animales, fuego, aire, suelo, etc.), con el cosmos, con el movimiento relativo de los cuerpos celestes, y con “lo trascendente”, es decir, con Juraqän, las Fuerzas Creadoras, y hasta con el Espíritu de los Abuelos y las Abuelas. (2011:09). Además la cronología Maya es cosmocéntrica, lo que sitúa al cosmos como el centro del surgimiento y evolución de la vida. Desde esta perspectiva, la historia Maya (de la humanidad) sólo se puede entender a partir de la historia, origen y evolución cíclica del Cosmos. Entre los variados ciclos de tiempo, el que nos interesa desarrollar en este caso es el gran Ciclo de la Cuenta Larga, que es un sistema para registrar el tiempo en

Víctor Cristales Colectivo de Educación para todas y todos de Guatemala. Directivo Campaña Latinoamericana por el Derecho a la Educación CLADE victorcr53@gmail.com

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forma lineal, combinado con el ritmo cíclico. Expresa el cómputo del número de días transcurridos a partir de la mística fecha 4 Ahaw 8 K’umku’, desde la cual nuestras Abuelas y Abuelos Mayas comenzaron a contar la Cuarta Era del mundo, que finaliza el 21 de diciembre de 2012, al terminar el recorrido completo de un ciclo de Oxlajuj B’aqtun. Oxlajuj B’aqtun significa: Oxlajuj = trece y B’aqtun = período de 400 años, donde B’aqtun = 20 K’atun, K’atun = 20 Tun, Tun = un año de cómputo = 360 días y Q’ij= 1 día. Oxlajuj B’aqtun entonces son trece períodos de 400 años que dan un total de 5,200 años, que es la duración de una Era Maya (Ibid:11) Vale aclarar que en el Ciclo de la Cuenta Larga, los años Tun, son de 360 días y no como en el cómputo del ciclo “HAAB” que registra un año de 365 días, dividido en 18 meses de 20 días, quedando 5 días fuera del sistema vigesimal llamados Wayeb’ que se le agregan para que el cómputo del año coincidiera con el año trópico de 365 días. (De Paz, 2010:110). Por referencias de De Paz, encontramos que nuestras Abuelas y Abuelos Mayas, en el período de apogeo de Quirigua (550- 850 d.c.) registraron los acontecimientos históricos más relevantes en la llamada “estela C”, precisando que los mismos habían acaecido en el primer momento de un 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ahaw – 8 Kamk’u, fecha de inicio de la Era actual. De la misma manera, en la “estela I de K’oba” de Yucatán México, erigida por los años 680-750 d.c., aparece que nuestro mundo actual fue creado en un 4 Ahaw 8 Kamk’u, momento en el que se habían completado un 13 Baqtun anterior. En el Códice Maya conservado en Dresden Alemania, también aparece la inscripción de la fecha de inicio de esta Era, en las páginas 24 y 62. El monumento 6 de Tortuguero, Tabasco México, es una de las fuentes que ha llamado mucho la atención, porque además de la inscripción del inicio de esta Era que coincide con el 11 de agosto de 3114 a.C., establece con precisión la fecha de su final, que también coincide con la fecha gregoriana del 21 de diciembre de 2012 (Orellana, Alfonso 2006) 1.2. ERAS MAYAS O GRANDES TIEMPOS En la concepción predominante del antiguo México, las Eras se denominaban “sol”, porque concebían que cada Era, tenía su propio “sol”. El pueblo Mexica, más conocido como Azteca, contaba con cinco “soles”, siendo la Era actual el quinto “sol”. Partiendo de la propia Cosmovisión Maya, diremos que Los Mayas en cambio, reconocen un ciclo de cuatro Eras, siendo la presente, la cuarta Era. Siguiendo esta metodología de pensamiento, nuestro análisis deberá partir necesariamente de los datos que nos ofrecen los documentos antiguos Mayas como el Popol Wuj, el libro de los libros de Chilam B’alam, la escritura jeroglífica en muros y piedras, los Códices Mayas que aún se conservan. Partiendo del Popol wuj podemos decir que éste, define las diferentes etapas de la “cimentación o fundación” del Universo como Eras, visualizadas a semejanza del día que comienza con la aurora y termina con el ocaso. Aunque en la mayoría de las traducciones se habla de “Creación”, esto se debe al contexto de la cultura cristiana en que se han realizado. El Popol Wuj, refiere a Tepew y Q’ukumatz, a Tz’aqol y a B’itol, Ajtz’aq y Ajb’it, como los escultores y constructores, mientras que Alom, K’ajolom significan Mujer que concibe y varón que engendra. Todos esos nombres expresan el concepto de “hacer algo nuevo, de generación”. En otras palabras, de fundar una nue-

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va Era. Y como dice Sam, “se menciona a la comadrona: Xpiyakok”...(2008:21-22) . En un sentido metafórico, hubo un “padre que engendra”, una “madre que concibe” y con la presencia de una “comadrona”. Si desde el concepto de Creación, la Biblia dice: “Al principio creó Dios el cielo y la tierra...dijo Dios: que exista la luz y la luz existió” (Gen. 1, 1-3), es decir, prácticamente de la nada la concepción Maya de los “orígenes” es diferente, es evolucionista, porque no parte de la nada al explicar el origen del mundo. En el principio se lee en el P.W.:”solo el cielo existía, todavía no había aparecido la faz de la tierra, solo estaba el mar en calma, al igual que toda la extensión del cielo”. Aquí se evidencia que el cosmos y el agua desde la cosmovisión Maya, constituyen el principio de todo.Para los Mayas entonces, no existió creación, sino solo fue un ordenamiento de lo que ya existía. De la visión que expresan el Chilam B’alam y el Popol wuj se deduce que las siguientes formaciones o Eras, los astros, las constelaciones surgen progresivamente y el ser humano se perfecciona poco a poco, mediante varias tentativas, sin la intervención de algún dios externo al mundo, sino a partir de las energías o principios generadores, llamados Ruk’u’xKaj, Ruk’u’xUlew, donde los nombres de Tepew, Q’ukumatz, y otros, no representan “personas”, sino fuerzas o energías cósmicas: fuego, luz, obscuridad, aire, agua, vida, muerte, entre otros. La información sobre las cuatro Eras, la encontramos en la primera parte del Popol Wuj así como en la información oral de los ajq’ija’ actuales. Se refiere a que cada una de las Eras parece corresponder a las cuatro dimensiones de energía tanto de nuestro universo galáctico como de nuestra madre tierra, simbolizadas con los cuatro colores: el rojo, el negro, el blanco y el amarillo y personificadas por nuestras y nuestros primeros Abuelos: Balam k’itze, Balam Aq’ab, Majuk’utaj e Ik’ B’alam.

a) Primera Era: Ésta, se puede definir con la formación del Universo material y la vida animal. Cuando Tz’aqol y B’itol se dieron cuenta que los animales no podían hablar, ni pronunciar sus nombres: “entonces les dijeron: serán cambiados, porque no resultaron bien, no hablaron...De esta manera, sus carnes fueron destinadas a ser comidas. Se decidió su oficio: ser comidos, ser muertos los animales que hay sobre la tierra” (P.W.). En esta primera tentativa, Kabawil, no logra la finalidad del Cosmos: formar seres conscientes. Entonces continúan las fases de formación del ser humano, a través de las siguientes Eras. “Entonces se manifestó con claridad, mientras meditaban (Tepew y Q’ukumatz), que cuando amaneciera debía aparecer el hombre”. “No habrá gloria ni riqueza en nuestra creación y formación, hasta que exista la criatura humana, el hombre formado, así dijeron”(P.W.). Con lo anterior se puede entender el interés de los Mayas por la evolución del ser humano hacia la perfección. b) Segunda Era: Ésta la constituye la primera tentativa de formar a los seres humanos. Se inicia con la formación de las mujeres y los hombres hechos de lodo y luego se termina con su destrucción porque no tenían entendimiento. c) Tercera Era: Es la segunda tentativa de la formación del ser humano. Se inicia con la formación de los hombres de madera y se termina con su destrucción, convirtiéndolos en monos. Pero Jun Raqän, Tepew y Q’ukumatz solicitaron a

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los adivinos Xpiyakok e Ixmukane, que consultaran con el loq’oläj Tzité, para ver qué clase de ser humano se haría. Se hicieron de madera. “parecían humanos en su hablado, parecían humanos en su conversación, fue la gente que pobló la Tierra...Pero no tenían espíritu y no tenían pensamiento...Una grande inundación se hizo, que cayó sobre los muñecos. Cayó una gran trementina del cielo...” De Paz, propone que el motivo de la destrucción de los seres humanos de madera “es explícito: los gigantes son culpables de orgullo, pretenden ser los dueños del Cosmos. Wuqub Kak’ix (Kaqix), sería el Sol del ocaso de la Era precedente, convertido en divinidad de la Tierra y del fuego y luego Venus, ¿acaso no se dice en el Popol Wuj, que cuando él aparecía “inmediatamente se iluminaba la faz de la tierra”? El viejo 7 Guacamaya fue vencido por la pareja primordial y por sus jóvenes gemelos, sol y luna de la nueva Era... Ellos, (los gigantes), son los civilizados, los sedentarios, los cultos, mientras que los gemelos son los advenedizos, nómados, cazadores, bárbaros.” (2010:58) Gonzáles, por su parte, afirma que lo que les pasó a los muñecos de madera, es similar a lo que ocurre en nuestro tiempo, que “Hemos evolucionado en cuanto a lo físico, pero estamos estancados en cuanto al crecimiento intelectual. El uso de nuestro cociente intelectual no ha pasado más allá de un nivel elemental según los expertos. Pero lo alarmante es que ese bajo porcentaje,nos hace ya capaces de autodestruir nuestra casa comunal, la tierra” ( 2006:53)

d) Cuarta Era: es la tercera tentativa de formación del humano, y los formaron de Maíz. Desde esta perspectiva, esta cuarta Era es la que inició en un B’aqtun 13.0.0.0.0. 4 Ajaw 8 K’amk’u y que terminará en un B’aqtun 13.0.0.0.0. 4 ajaw 3 K’ank’in, donde el cero, representa completamiento y no vacío, es el fin y es el principio. La inscripción de esta fecha aparece en la estela “C” de Quirigua-Guatemala y en la estela 1 de K’oba-Yucatán (De Paz, 2010: 60, 69) “llegaron para juntarse y celebraron consejo en la oscuridad de la noche... y discutieron; Reflexionaron, y mediaron aquí. De esta manera surgió la idea clara, diáfana; encontraron y decidieron qué se necesitaba para el cuerpo humano...De Paxil de K’ayala’, así llamados, vinieron las mazorcas amarillas, las mazorcas blancas.” (P.W.) Entonces convinieron la construcción de nuestros primeros padres y madres. Ellos fueron cuatro: Balam K’itze’, Balam Aq’ab, Majuk’utaj e Ik’ B’alam. Esta Cuarta Era representa la edad o sol del Hombre de maíz, lo que hace suponer que la fecha de inicio y fin de esta Era no es una fecha para limitar un tiempo, que esencialmente no tiene límites, sino una fecha para referirse a algún evento o acontecimiento especialmente significativo para los Mayas, tal como es “la última creación del mundo”, hasta ahora, a decir de Thompson, por referencias de De Paz. ( 2010:72) Si cuando fueron aniquilados “los hombres” de madera, además de la “lluvia de día y lluvia de noche”, sus animales y sus objetos de trabajo incitaron a una rebelión contra ellos y los comenzaron a aniquilar. González dice, “Podemos considerar que la humanidad actual por la libertad que se le ha dado por Ruk’u’x Kaj Ruk’u’x Ulew, sus inventos y descubrimientos se pueden trocar en sus propios verdugos para su autodestrucción. En esas piedras de moler, sus

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tinajas, sus platos, sus comales,sus ollas... sus perros, sus aves de corral están figurados en los grandes inventos de la humanidad de ahora: los armamentos de destrucción global, inventos químicos, inventos tecnológicos que distorsionan la vida misma, sus experimentos...se levantarán algún día contra los humanos y los golpearán y los destruirán...Me da miedo pensar que somos un peligro para la vida” (2006:66) “Ha llegado el tiempo del amanecer, de que se termine la obra y que aparezcan los hijos esclarecidos, los vasallos civilizados; que aparezca el hombre, la humanidad sobre la superficie de la tierra” (P.W.) así se dijo. Como nos damos cuenta, la visión del Popol Wuj sobre el surgimiento y fin de una Era, es una visión de evolución hacia el perfeccionamiento del ser humano, junto al proceso evolutivo del universo. Si eso es así, cabe preguntarnos si la generación actual, ¿Ha hecho mejor uso de esas facultades, superando a sus semejantes de otras generaciones anteriores?, ¿Ha cumplido con la misión asignada de ser “hijos esclarecidos” de ser “vasallos civilizados” y además “humanos” en el amplio sentido de la palabra?, ¿Qué decir del hambre y la pobreza que amenaza la vida de una gran mayoría en el planeta, mientras unos pocos han concentrado y siguen concentrando “riquezas” materiales sin saciedad?, ¿y la escalada militarista que ha alcanzado dimensiones globales, de la que nadie escapa, enfrentando pueblos contra pueblos, cegando millones de vidas, amenazando la existencia en el planeta con sus armas de destrucción mundial , en nombre de la “sacrosanta” acumulación individualista del capital?, Y en palabras de Gonzales, ¿Cómo, la humanidad hasta ahora, ha sido capaz de convertir el mundo en un gran basurero donde ha enterrado el espíritu y la conciencia, bajo los escombros de todo lo negativode su proceder?, ¿O es que nuestra civilización es un fracaso más, para decepción y amargura de Tz’aqol B’itol, de Ruk’u’x Kaj Ruk’u’x Ulew?

e) Quinta Era: González propone que la primera Era se inició con la primera tentativa de formar al ser humano, de lodo, por lo que estaríamos por concluir la tercera Era. La propuesta de De Paz dice que, la primera Era la constituyó la formación del Universo material, las plantas y los animales, por lo que estaríamos por concluir la cuarta Era. En ese sentido, Este último propone que la Era que comenzará en el año 2012, será la Era del Centro u Ombligo del Mundo. Será una Era de equilibrio, porque en el centro confluyen las cuatro direcciones del Universo. (2010:47) Algunos Ajq’ija’ consultados, divergen con el último autor sobre la visualización de la quinta Era, fijando una postura diferente: “la nueva Era tendría que seguir su curso cíclico, como el Cholq’ij, que sigue el movimiento rotatorio y cíclico de nuestra galaxia, lo que permitiría visualizar en el tiempo, la continuidad, no de una Era más, sino la continuidad de la existencia en el tiempo infinito”; pues ubicar la quinta Era en el centro “porque en el centro confluyen las cuatro direcciones del mundo”, sería contradecir esencialmente, la continuidad cíclica del tiempo: Vida-muerte- renacimiento. Porque además, ¿dónde se ubicaría la sexta y la séptima y las demás Eras? ¿O acaso se está pensando en que ya solo una Era pueda existir a futuro?

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1.3. ¿FIN DEL MUNDO O INICIO DE UNA NUEVA ERA? 1.3.1. Los Ciclos del tiempo: De Paz, nos dice que el concepto del “K’INH”-SOL- DÍATIEMPO- es el fundamento de la concepción cíclica del tiempo y de la vida. La observación de las revoluciones sinódicas de los astros, fundamentó la concepción cíclica de: vida-muerte-renacimiento, o sea principio-fin-principio. Este fenómeno se hace más evidente en el ciclo de la luna: aparece-crece-decrece- y se oculta durante tres noches, antes de volver a aparecer. Con sobrada razón que a las edades cósmicas que han existido, Eras o “soles” son precisamente los días grandes de K’inh. Se puede considerar entonces que El TIEMPO, es la sucesión sin límites de todos los ciclos del sol y de la luna. (2010:28) En la estela 10 de yaxchilan se observa la efigie de K’inh en el centro, Kinich Ajaw, el Señor del ojo solar. De esta cuenta, se puede observar que la serie de calendarios se basan en el ciclo solar o lunar. Refiriéndose al calendario Maya, De Paz refiere que para los Mayas, los Nahuas, los Zapotecas, los Mixtecas y otros varios pueblos del México antiguo, era como la espina dorsal que les permitía moverse, actuar y pensar dentro del tiempo. (2010:25) Se puede observar en el Popol Wuj que desde la formación del universo, hasta la formación del ser humano, todo fue realizada por etapas, se originó por medio de la lucha o choque violento entre las 13 divinidades celestiales y las 9 del mundo inferior, quienes destruyen y vuelven a modelar el universo a través de las Eras (o soles), que son también ciclos del tiempo, con el fin de lograr formar al ser humano inteligente y sensible. Cielo, tierra e inframundo: Chikaj, Ulew, Xibalba. También en el Chilam Balam de Chumayel, en la profecía de un Katún11 Ahaw,relata en forma simbólica la sucesión de Eras: “Al terminar el arrasamiento, se alzará Chac Imix Che, la ceiba roja primigenia, columna del cielo, señal del amanecer del mundo” Aquí se puede observar con claridad que los diversos ciclos registrados por las Abuelas y Abuelos Mayas, corresponden a realidades concretas de la historia de su pueblo, en un camino infinito del tiempo como un fluir sucesivo de ciclos de vida y muerte, de principio y fin, a similitud del curso del Sol-Ahaw: aurora-ocaso-aurora. Por tal motivo, para los Mayas antiguos, el final de cada período o Era de Oxlajuj B’aqtun, no significaba el final de la historia, porque calculaban esos períodos ininterrumpidamente, dentro de la concepción del tiempo que se extendía eternamente, hacia el pasado y hacia el futuro, como veremos más adelante, con datos en muros, estelas y códices. En síntesis, los Ciclos, se unían mediante sucesivas destrucciones y nuevas formaciones. 1.3.2 ¿Fin del mundo?: Se ha venido hablando de profecías múltiples, de profecías Mayas del fin del mundo, del fin de un calendario antiguo, de un cataclismo global, de un cambio de conciencia a nivel cósmico, del reciclaje de la humanidad, del regreso de Quetzalcóatl, entre muchas otras cosas. Mientras la fecha se acerca aumenta la especulación y el temor. El actual debate nacional y mundial sobre el 21 de diciembre de 2012, está plagado de suposiciones, malas interpretaciones, juicios y aseveraciones sobre predicciones apocalípticas Mayas sin fundamentos científicos, lo que indefectiblemente ha orillado a malos entendidos sobre la ciencia y las creencias Mayas, creando a la vez confusión y miedo. En mucho, la confusión deviene de la disparidad de la visión del mundo occidental de la del mundo Maya y sin embargo es aquella visión la que ha prevalecido hasta estos momentos para estudiar e “interpretar” la cien-

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cia y el conocimiento maya. Algo común, desde Ximénez, hasta la actualidad es que se ha pretendido interpretar la cosmovisión Maya desde parámetros de la cultura occidental cristiana, lo que ha permitido el desarrollo de un abismal distanciamiento con el conocimiento y pensamiento originales del Pueblo Maya antiguo. Entre los datos más importantes que han dado motivos a la especulación sobre un inminente fin del mundo el 21 de Diciembre de 2012, es la inscripción jeroglífica que aparece en el llamado muro 6 de Tortugueros de Tabasco, México, que junto a la inscripción del inicio de esta Era, aparentemente aparece una profecía apocalíptica del fin del mundo. Por su importancia trascribiremos fragmentos del estudio: “El análisis de todo el Monumento 6 muestra claramente que su objetivo principal es el relato sobre los sucesos que ocurrían mientras gobernaba B’ahlam Ahau, destacando la construcción y dedicación de una estructura ritual para la ceremonia de fuego (“el naah”) en la fecha de cuenta larga 9.11.16.8.18 (14 de enero de 669) Estas inscripciones ocupan la mayor parte de la estela. En el ala derecha se encuentran los glifos que algunos consideran apocalípticos, entre los que se conservan legibles se interpreta: El treceavo Baktun acabará en el 4 Ahau 3 Kankin (21 de diciembre de 2012) ¿? Sucederá (falta un fragmento) Será el descenso ¿? (falto otro fragmento) de Bolon Yookte Kuh para el ¿? (falta otro fragmento). Después de la fecha y antes de los glifos dañados, el glifo resaltado es el verbo uto- ma, la ortografía de utoom, participio futuro, “que va a suceder”. ¿Cuál es el sujeto de este verbo? Si correspondiera a los tres siguientes –y últimos- , entonces éstos describirían un suceso asociado al año 2012; pero si sigue la estructura narrativa de la inscripción, habría una ruptura importante después del utoom, por lo que podría referirse a que los sucesos narrados sucederían “antes de”. El monumento 6 no dice que se vaya a terminar el mundo, señala el fin de un ciclo y la llegada de otro. La nueva Era estaría a cargo de un nuevo Señor, Bolon Yookte – “Dios de los 9 pasos” o “Dios de los 9 árboles”... La expresión 9 Yookte (Bolon Yookte) es enigmática, al estar seguida de K’uh “Dios(es)”, podría identificar a un grupo, en este caso de nueve dioses. En conclusión, la mención de la fecha 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ahau 3 Kankin (21 de diciembre de 2012) en el monumento 6 de Tortugueros, es un ancla cronológica aislada dentro de un largo relato, proyectada hacia el futuro, para hacer un punto retórico acerca de la naturaleza del acontecimiento histórico principal. El gobernante B’ahlam Ahau, era tan poderoso que sería el anfitrión, cuando Bolon Yookte llegara, para su investidura... Bolon Yookte también es dios asociado con la guerra y la creación”(Arellano, 2006) Este último dato coincide con la visión cíclica del Popol Wuj: de la destrucción a la renovación, para dar paso a la continuidad de la vida y la evolución. Un segundo elemento que ha contribuido a la especulación es la mala interpretación que se hace de pasajes del Libro de los Libros de Chilam Balam. A) que

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los libros que contiene fueron redactados después de la invasión española, por lo que su escritura es la que los frailes españoles adaptaron a la fonología del idioma Maya en Yucatán. B) La traducción e interpretación del contenido de los relatos y los datos, se realizaron desde parámetros de la cultura occidental cristiana. C) Chilam B’alam, que eran los ajq’ija’ de entonces, desde la óptica occidental, se les denominó profetas; y lo que predecía según su observación sistemática del movimiento de los astros o según su consulta con el loq’oläj Tz’ite, se le llamó profecía, D) Lingüistas mayas dan fe de que en ningún idioma Maya existe el concepto de profeta o profecía, así como tampoco permiten una traducción lineal. E) Los datos vertidos en estos libros se manejan en el ciclo de 13 K’atun, equivalente a 260 años Tun, pero fuera del contexto cronológico de la cuenta larga actual, lo que hace difícil precisar fechas en su correlación con el calendario gregoriano, sobre todo cuando se hacen referencias a predicciones de cataclismos o eventos de destrucción. (ChilamB’alam 1996: 9, 10).

ta del capital; b) crisis financieras del sistema capitalista que provoca verdadera crisis social generalizada, c)hambruna globalizada que amenaza la vida de pueblos enteros en el mundo d) cambio climático, debido a la depredación de los bosques y la contaminación extrema que trae desolación y muerte e) la contaminación y el agotamiento del agua para consumo humano que se perfila como uno de los mayores problemas del futuro de la humanidad, f) la destrucción del ozono por la irresponsabilidad industrial del sistema, g) la contaminación de ríos y mares con químicos y desechos radiactivos, entre otros problemas.

Por el contrario, entre los datos que ayudan a entender el mensaje de fin de Era y no de fin del mundo, tenemos la página 62 del Códice de Dresden (llamada de los números de serpiente), abajo, en el ángulo derecho, está consignada la fecha inicial de 4 Ahaw 8 K’amk’u. Además, los números de distancia, entre anillos, en la parte de arriba, al restarlos a la fecha inicial, nos conduce a una fecha anterior de 37,000 años, lo que nos indica que existieron Eras anteriores.(De Paz, 2010:78)

Pero por otra parte, si para nuestras Abuelas y Abuelos, cada creación, era una mejora respecto a la de la Era anterior, que la existencia y la vida del ser humano se desarrolla en constante movimiento cíclico, hacia la perfección; el inicio de una nueva Era Maya implicaría para el Pueblo Maya actual, avanzar en la evolución humana hacia la preeminencia de la dimensión espiritual sobre lo material, donde el desarrollo espiritual habría de manifestarse en una conciencia colectiva, en decisiones en conjunto, en luchas globalizadas para construir un modelo de vida que no sólo responda a los anhelos e intereses históricos de nuestros pueblos, sino permita construir además un modelo de vida que funcione en equilibrio con la madre naturaleza, el cosmos, pues hemos aprendido que estamos en la antesala de una nueva Era para la humanidad y el cosmos.

En la estela I de K’oba, de Yucatán, (680- 750 d.c.) además de registrarse el inicio de esta Era, también se registra el mayor cómputo que se hay escrito, el 13 Baktun elevado a la 21 potencia. Este cómputo infinito demuestra que los astrónomos Mayas reconocían que existieron otras Eras anteriores al 4 Ahaw 8 K’umk’u. Un informe publicado por la revista Science, el 10 de mayo de este año, acerca del hallazgo del calendario Maya más antiguo encontrado, apunta que este hallazgo fue realizado en la selva del norte de Guatemala, en las paredes de un recinto oculto en la antigua ciudad de Xultún, cuya antigüedad data del siglo IX d.c. En ellos se observa los ciclos de la Luna, el Sol, Venus y Marte y las fases por las que pasarían en los próximos siete mil años.Los estudiosos reportan que estos calendarios encontrados son más antiguos que los códices Mayas que se fechan entre 1300 a 1521. En las tabletas se encuentra el calendario ceremonial de 260 días, el solar de 365 días, el calendario de Venus de 584 días, el de Marte de 780 días. La contundencia de los datos anteriores permite desmentir de tajo la pretendida “profecía Maya del fin del mundo en el 21 de diciembre de 2012. Para decirlo con simplicidad, Nuestras Abuelas y Abuelos Mayas, simplemente nos dirían: No es el fin del mundo. Es el inicio de una nueva Era. 1.4. ¿QUÉ PASARÁ ENTONCES? Si el principio de la vida, traducido en conocimiento, que nos heredaron nuestras Abuelas y Abuelos se basa en la lógica: vida-muerte-renacimiento, hemos de aceptar nuestra realidad actual, una realidad que está llegando al fin de esta Era, inmersa en un franco cataclismo propio de esta Era: a) Guerras globalizadas que amenazan con la extinción de la vida en la tierra, en nombre de la “sacrosanta” acumulación individualis-

Y aunque haya otros fenómenos naturales que amenazan nuestra existencia en el planeta como un posible impacto de algún meteoro de grandes proporciones, o la alineación planetaria y solar con el centro de nuestra Galaxia que podría afectar la vida en la tierra, los principales fenómenos que nos están orillando hacia la destrucción y muerte, es responsabilidad de la presente “civilización”.

El desarrollo de la conciencia colectiva, ya está viendo los primeros rayos de luz del nuevo amanecer. En Abya Yala, así como en el país más poderoso del mundo y en la otrora Europa esplendorosa, millones de personas y pueblo enteros ya están alzando su voz y su lucha contra las guerras, contra la destrucción de nuestra madre tierra, contra la pobreza y la hambruna generalizada en el mundo, por el reconocimiento de los derechos históricos de los pueblos y naciones oprimidos del mundo, contra el sistema capitalista e imperialista, por la expansión global de la conciencia colectiva para enfrentar que unos pocos líderes, tomen las decisiones por todos los pueblos del mundo. Por todo esto, los Mayas de hoy, tenemos la responsabilidad de ser actores decididos de ese “nuevo amanecer”, en la dirección anunciada por nuestras Abuelas y Abuelos. Ahora tenemos que participar enérgicamente en la conducción de la historia y lograr que desde el inicio del próximo ciclo de la cuenta larga de Oxlajuj B’aqtun, no sólo seamos un pueblo descolonizado, para “que nos amanezca y nos llegue la aurora”, sino que junto a los demás pueblos oprimidos del mundo, nos convirtamos en la materialización de la conciencia colectiva global, para construir una nueva Era de igualdad y Justicia social,donde ya no haya racismo y dominación, donde ya no haya explotación ni de individuos ni de naciones por otras, donde haya respeto y equilibrio, ya no solo entre los seres humanos, sino entre todos los seres que habitamos la tierra y el

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universo, donde el sentido de la existencia sea la vida misma, como nos enseñaron nuestras Abuelas y Abuelos. De esta manera estaríamos asumiendo nuestra misión legada por Tepew- Q’uq’umatz, Tz’aqol-B’itol, Ruk’u’x Kaj-Ruk’u’x Ulew; pues hacer lo contrario es aceptar la extinción. El mensaje del fin de esta Era Maya, más que de alerta y temor, sea de esperanza, sea de asumir compromisos comunes, de impulsar nosotros mismos los cambios hacia una conciencia colectiva para merecer el paso a una nueva Era. 1.5. RETOS Y DESAFÍOS DEL PUEBLO MAYA ANTE EL INICIO DE UNA NUEVA ERA Para el Pueblo Maya de hoy, el final y el inicio de una nueva Era Maya, implica tiempo de reflexión, análisis, y posicionamiento, tanto para avanzar en los cambios necesarios hacia el interior del ser humano, su desarrollo espiritual, su armonía con la naturaleza y el cosmos, que darán la pauta de la evolución del ser humano, en tanto se convierta en sintonía con el cosmos, así como para avanzar en los cambios políticos e ideológicos necesarios para transformar su realidad social aún entrampada en las estructuras coloniales impuestas desde hace más de quinientos años, a raíz de la invasión española, lo cual ha significado siglos de dominación, explotación, y exclusión social. El mensaje de nuestras y nuestros abuelos está claro, que nuestro origen es cósmico y que de forma permanente, estamos conectados con esa fuente central de energía e información, la cual nos muestra que en el cosmos (incluyendo al ser humano y la vida en general) existe un orden y una sincronía en el espacio y en el tiempo. Entonces el cambio de este gran ciclo astronómico, de esta Era Maya, implica cambios evolutivos del ser individual y de las colectividades humanas. Desde esta línea de pensamiento, podemos decir que como Pueblo Maya, estamos justo en el tiempo, en el momento histórico, para emprender un nuevo camino colectivo, una nueva ruta histórica, marcada por la liberación de nuestro pueblo de las garras de la colonización capitalista, su ruta histórica hacia su soberanía, hacia la construcción de un nuevo modelo de vida, basada en el bienestar colectivo, en armonía con la madre naturaleza y el cosmos. Es el tiempo de replicar lo que nuestras abuelas y abuelos nos enseñaron a decir: “que todos se levanten, que no se quede ni uno ni dos atrás de los demás”. Pero, para “que nos amanezca la aurora”, hemos de unirnos en un solo pensamiento, una sola voz, una sola lucha, porque una es nuestra realidad histórica y uno es nuestro destino común. Para lograr lo anterior, el Pueblo Maya se propone lograr que la Cosmovisión Maya vaya más allá de una forma de ver el mundo y la vida y se convierta en un método de pensamiento Maya para transformar su mundo, su realidad social oprobioso de más de 500 años. Esto permitirá la construcción del sujeto político Maya.(Ba Tiul, prensa) - La construcción de un proceso de descolonización, donde el conocimiento de la historia de nuestro pueblo Maya, la ubicación y el análisis de los diferentes contextos históricos que han derivado la realidad de dominación, explotación y exclusión social, sea la que defina nuestra ideología política, ya que el modelo neoliberal se sustenta en la coloniza-

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ción del pensamiento. - Lograr el reencuentro de los diversos sectores mayas y no mayas con las comunidades, ya que es aquí donde se resguarda la esencia de la Cultura Maya y es donde hemos de iniciar nuestro proceso de descolonización. - La apuesta por el liderazgo comunitario emergente, para la articulación de un movimiento político maya nacional, para la transformación social. - Hacer que de las demandas culturales y de derechos colectivos, se salte a demandas políticas, de derechos históricos del Pueblo Maya: derechos políticos, económicos y sociales. - Hacer que las luchas contra el racismo, incluya la lucha por la transformación estructural del país. - Lograr que en esta transición hacia una nueva Era Maya, se construya un proyecto político histórico del Pueblo Maya, donde se vea reflejado sus más caros anhelos de paz y libertad y la construcción de un modelo de vida justo y en sintonía con el equilibrio de la madre naturaleza y el cosmos. Pero además de sus desafíos políticos, el Pueblo Maya se propone la defensa de la madre naturaleza de forma contundente y efectiva, donde la estrategia de organización y movilización apuntaría a integrar a los cuatro pueblos del país y a todos los sectores sociales, buscando denunciar, detener y revertir los procesos de contaminación, depredación y destrucción de la madre naturaleza, en vez de las luchas aisladas de muchas comunidades al interior del país. - Luchar por la conservación del agua, donde se buscará en territorio indígena, tanto el impulso generalizado de la reforestación para la recuperación de fuentes de agua extintas, así como la defensa del territorio ante la contaminación industrial y no industrial del agua. - La defensa del territorio indígena de forma contundente y efectiva, ante los proyectos de minería a cielo abierto e hidroeléctricas, donde la organización y movilización social tendrá que ser a nivel regional y nacional. - Detener el uso de pesticidas contaminantes o nocivos para la salud humana, y en particular, los que atentan contra el nivel de la reproducción humana de las nuevas generaciones. - Recuperar e implementar en los territorios indígenas, las antiguas técnicas y métodos de producción agrícolas Mayas que además de rentables, corresponden al orden y equilibrio de la madre naturaleza. 2. OTROS ENFOQUES Si en términos generales, el mundo actual, no solo se identifica con las concepciones teológicas, sino en gran medida se base en ellas para interpretar el mundo y la vida, es fácil entender que el tema “profecía” logre un impacto sin precedentes en la mente humana, sobre todo cuando es vinculado a un “inminente” fin del mundo. El diccionario de la Lengua Española, define la profecía como “un don sobrenatural que consiste en conocer por inspiración divina las cosas distantes y/o futuras”. Entendiéndose el alcance que este tema pudiera tener en la mente y en la actitud de grandes sectores sociales, algunas élites políticas o económicas del país y del mundo han pretendido sacarle el mayor provecho al acercamiento del fin de esta Era Maya, vinculándola con presuntas profecías mayas de fin del mundo. El Estado Guatemalteco, a través del Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes y en particular a través del Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo, ha lanzado grandes programas de captación de turismo en las áreas Mayas, basándolos en el llamado “Cambio de Era Maya”. El objetivo fundamental, presentado en las inauguraciones de

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los programas en los principales centros arqueológicos Mayas como Iximché, Tikal, Uaxaktun, entre muchos más, es favorecer a la iniciativa privada orientada al turismo, más que el interés por rescatar el conocimiento Maya ancestral, tanto en función del desarrollo científico, así como para ir desarticulando el pensamiento aún colonizado del Estado Guatemalteco sobre el Pueblo Maya actual. Al igual que el Estado Guatemalteco, la mayorías de las producciones literarias, en particular las novelas sobre “las profecías Mayas” “2012 y el fin del mundo” y una variedad de títulos sugestivos e impactantes, buscan lograr el mayor provecho monetario, vendiendo fantasía, más que promoviendo el conocimiento científico Maya. La Industria cinematográfica que realizó películas como“Apocalipsis”, “2012,el fin del mundo”, y otras, buscó y logró las mejores ventas de taquilla, a pesar de constituirse en burla y en una falta de respeto a la gran civilización Maya. Los Medios masivos de comunicación, no se quedan a la deriva para prestarse a dar cobertura a cualquier evento relacionado al fin del Oxlajuj B’aqtun, para incrementar sus ingresos. La religión en cambio, aunque no tenga los mismos objetivos monetarios, de la misma manera busca sacarle el mayor provecho a este gran acontecimiento. Ante tanta divulgación de las llamadas, “profecías Mayas”, se han propuesto a consolidar aún más su cosmovisión teológica, tratando de convencer a sus feligreses, que “solo dios es el dueño de la vida”, “que ningún hombre sabe hasta cuándo el mundo vive o muere” “que según la biblia, nadie sabe de cuándo será la segunda venida del señor”. 3. ENFOQUES PRINCIPALES EN LA INTERPRETACIÓN DEL OXLAJUJ B’AQTUN Entre la diversidad de producciones literaria, cinematografía, documentales, artículos y comentarios vía internet, se puede identificar tres enfoques principales: a) los partidarios de las “profecías del fin del mundo”, b) los que niegan con fundamento “el fin del mundo” c) los que niegan sin fundamento “el fin del mundo”. Los que defienden “las profecías del fin del mundo” Los partidarios de esta postura son la inmensa mayoría, algunos lo son por ignorancia, otros por temor; pero otros por conveniencia, con intereses de fondo, bien definidos. Estos fundamentalmente son los creadores de novelas y ensayos esotéricos, creadores de películas fantasiosas, entre otros. Éstos, basándose en dos ideas básicas logran infundir inseguridad y temor en sus potenciales seguidores: primero, la notable precisión de muchas de las predicciones mayas y segundo, el hecho de que aparentemente el calendario Maya no continuara más allá de la fecha del 21 de diciembre de 2012. Estos dos elementos, matizados y estructurados con la ideología del racismo histórico hacia los pueblos indígenas, permitió la creación de una visión fantasiosa de los calendarios mayas y con ella, con sutileza, la renovación de la ideología racista hacia el Pueblo Maya. Es que políticamente, no les es posible asumir y aceptar el impresionante nivel de desarrollo científico, sin parangón en el mundo, de la gran Civilización Maya. En ese sentido, la salida más fácil en la interpretación del Oxlajuj B’aqtun era la de darle una connotación de fantasía esotérica. Es decir, en vez de reconocer que los Antiguos Mayas fueron grandes científicos, prefieren divulgar que fueron grandes adivinos. Además

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ese racismo exacerbado no puede soportar que a partir de la reivindicación de la cultura de la gran civilización Maya, pudiera reivindicarse el Pueblo Maya actual, aún atrapado en las estructuras coloniales que duran más de 500 años. Además de la ideología del racismo, priva en éstos, la ideología capitalista que apuesta a la rentabilidad individual de los proyectos económicos sin menoscabo de los daños que pudiera causar y en ese sentido, mientras más fantasiosa y más esotérica, sea la obra literaria sobre el Oxlajuj B’aqtun, ésta, tiene mayor demanda en el mercado popular. Un tercer elemento que no es menos importante, es que las sociedades de consumo hacen que las personas estén presas de la situación existencial de tal manera que una alarma catastrófica de limite de tiempo sobre el Oxlajuj B’aqtun, nos empuje a entrar en pánico y hasta en un estado de shock. Para el sistema capitalista de este momento, este punto es de vital importancia en tanto que sirve de distractor social que favorece la no identificación de las causas históricas del racismo, la pobreza, la dominación, la explotación y la exclusión social de los pueblos. Este efecto le permite al sistema capitalista ganar tiempo para reconfigurar sus planes y estrategias de recuperación. Lo anterior quiere decir que las intenciones perversas de sesgar y desviar el sentido de los ciclos de tiempo especificado por los Mayas, deviene no de uno o algunos autores en específico, sino del propio sistema capitalista, apuntalado por aquella élite intelectual para expandir a todos los confines de la tierra su propia visión sobre los pueblos dominados del mundo. Su efecto es arrollador sobre la sicología de las masas. Todo mundo comenta sobre el fin de los tiempos, la mayoría se refugia en su religión y pretende minimizar el miedo conformándose con que “se haga la voluntad de dios”. Otro sector social, más inclinado a la tecnología de los últimos tiempos,prácticamente ha abarrotado las redes sociales de artículos de opinión, conferencias, videos, sobre “la profecías Mayas del fin del mundo”. Aquí circula una diversidad de opiniones sin fundamento que dejan entrever el desconocimiento, la confusión y el miedo. Para los catastrofistas el fin de la humanidad es un hecho, puesto que lo relacionan con los signos violentos naturales de nuestros tiempos, relacionado a la destrucción hecha por la humanidad de su casa común, la tierra. Su argumento fundamental es la necesidad de un reciclaje de la especie humana, como garantía de la sobrevivencia de la especie humana. Reciclaje relacionado a la falta de sensibilización humana y a la destrucción de la vida, lo que implicaría necesariamente que solo sobrevivirían los que alcanzaren un nivel espiritual en sintonía con el cosmos. Ante esta situación se hace urgente y necesaria la socialización del posicionamiento Maya al respecto, en las redes sociales y en todos los medios posibles para reivindicar el profundo pensamiento científico y humano de la gran Civilización Maya y a la vez ir socializando el posicionamiento político del Pueblo Maya. Es seguro que cuando llegue el 21 de diciembre de 2012 y no ocurra nada, los ca-

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tastrofistas, se inventarán una nueva fecha y nuevas mentiras, buscando siempre seguir colonizando nuestro pensamiento, ya que el neoliberalismo se funda sobre el pensamiento colonizado. Los que niegan con fundamento “el fin del mundo” En los últimos años, ante la escalada divulgación de “las profecías del fin del mundo”, el sector académico, epigrafistas, arqueólogos, antropólogos e historiadores, centros de estudios de universidades, se han dado a la tarea de analizar una variedad de estudios que ofrecen datos de fuentes antiguas relacionados al manejo de los ciclos de los tiempos. Sus análisis pretenden ser objetivos y científicos, políticamente imparciales, que tiende a negar toda posición sin fundamento científico sobre “las profecías mayas del fin del mundo”; sin embargo toda información “científica” al respecto habrá que tomarla con cautela y análisis serio y objetivo ya que podría también estar sesgada por su interpretación desde una visión occidental del mundo, como ocurrió desde el inicio de la invasión española, lo que ha continuado ocurriendo a lo largo del siglo XXI hasta nuestros días, donde se ha incurrido en la proyección o aplicación de las propias ideas y creencias de los investigadores extranjeros sobre las de los pueblos originarios de Abyayala. Los que sin fundamento niegan “el fin del mundo” Los de esta postura, son fundamentalmente mayas que pretenden detener el arrollador efecto de la versión del “fin del mundo”, pero que no tienen el suficiente conocimiento objetivo al respecto, que los hace caer en sesgos y confusiones. Uno de los sesgos más comunes percibidos hasta el momento es la afirmación de que al final de esta Era Maya “no hay fin del mundo”, “lo que sí hay es un cambio espiritual del ser humano a la entrada del siguiente b’aktun... en este nuevo Baqtún, habrá paz y armonía entre los seres humanos” asumiendo como de forma automática un cambio evolutivo inminente y a corto plazo en lo espiritual de las personas y colectividades. Esto ha llevado a confusiones e incredulidades, sobre todo porque viene de actores mayas. El impacto de este sesgo no se ha hecho esperar. Sobre todo el sector popular de la población maya, asume como verdad que a la entrada del nuevo B’aqtun las cosas serán distintas, ya no habrá, maldad, no habrá violencia, no habrá injusticias; sólo habrá equilibrio entre las personas. Desde luego, el resultado podría ser negativo para los desafíos y retos del Pueblo Maya, ya que en gran medida, los cambios sociales se han de alcanzar con organización y movilización, con posicionamiento y lucha. Ya vimos en este ensayo que, desde la perspectiva Maya, los cambios van al unísono con los ciclos de los tiempos; pero por los antecedentes evolutivos de la vida en la tierra, se puede aseverar que los cambios evolutivos son paulatinos, incluso dependen de variadas condiciones necesarias para la consumación de los saltos de calidad. Ante este fenómeno, se hace imperativo un trabajo de socialización urgente y ampliado del posicionamiento Maya sobre el Oxlajuj B’aqtun, como parte de la recuperación del pensamiento profundamente científico de nuestra Abuelas y Abuelos relacionado a la vida en movimiento y sus ciclos cósmicos.

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4. ALGUNAS CONCLUSIONES

1. Al final de un ciclo más de Oxlajuj B’aqtun, se habla del fin del mundo, basado en unas “profecías Mayas” que nadie puede explicar bien. Ya sea en las redes sociales, en novelas, en películas, en la calle, en buses, en centros laborales, en las iglesias, incluso en camisetas, el rumor de que se acerca el fin del mundo va en aumento. Se rumora que ocurrirá el 21 de diciembre de 2012, que habrá grandes cataclismos apocalípticos, que habrá una extraña alineación planetaria que terminará con la vida sobre la tierra. Lo peor de todo es que se asegura que los Mayas, lo predijeron. En principio, cualquier predicción apocalíptica que carece de fundamento científico, es absurda. La llamada “profecía maya del fin del mundo” no pasa ninguna prueba científica, porque es, en principio, inexistente. ¿Para qué invertir tiempo y hablar de esta profecía, entonces? La respuesta es obvia, para negarla por completo. El avance en el conocimiento de la escritura glífica, sí permite afirmar categóricamente, que Nuestras Abuela y Abuelos Mayas, jamás predijeron un fin del mundo al final de esta Era Maya. También permite afirmar que los antiguos Mayas sí tienen relatos de destrucción de mundos y Eras, pero siempre asociados con algo nuevo, con nuevos ciclos de tiempo y de vida.

2. Entre los Calendarios Mayas más conocidos por su importancia tenemos: El Tzolk’in, llamado calendario sagrado que se compone de 13 meses X 20 días, dando un total de 260 días. El Haab’, que es un calendario agrícola, se compone de 18 meses de 20 días cada uno, más un mes especial de 5 días llamados wayeb’, dando un total de 360 + 5 días = 365 días. Cabe mencionar que la duración exacta del Año Maya, con los ajustes convencionales, es de 365.2423, que es la que se maneja para correlacionar otros calendarios como el de la cuenta larga, que veremos seguidamente. El Calendario llamado de la cuenta larga, que se compone de 5, 200 años Tun, donde cada Año Tun es igual a 360 días, un K’atun = 20 Años Tun, un B’aqtun se compone de 20 K’atunes que da un total de 400 años Tun, y 13 ciclos de 400 años Tun, equivalen a 5,200 años Tun, a lo que se le llama Oxlajuj B’aqtun. El anterior ciclo de Oxlajuj B’aqtun, para correlacionarlo con el calendario gregoriano, se traslada dividiendo todos los días correspondientes a los 5,200 Años Tun que es equivalente a 1, 872,000 días, entre 365 días que tiene el calendario gregoriano y se tiene 5,128.76 años. Pero hay autores que prefieren la exactitud, entonces dividen 1,872,000 días del Oxlajuj B’aqtun entre 365.2426 que es la duración exacta del Año Maya y como resultado tienen 5,125.36, que es la cantidad que maneja la mayoría de los autores que se rigen con rigurosidad científica. La anterior explicación nos dice que 5,200 Años Tun son equivalentes a 5,125.36 años Siderales. De esa cuenta se tiene que el inicio de la Cuenta Larga Maya, 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk’u corresponde a 11 o 13 de Agosto de 3,114 a.c. , y el final de la Era, corresponde otra vez al 13.0.0.0.0, pero ahora la ronda calendárica nos da 4

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Ajaw 3 K’ank’in correspondiente al 21 o 23 de Diciembre de 2012. La variante de 11 o 13 de agosto de 3,114 a,c, al inicio y la de 21 o 23 de diciembre de 2012 para el final del ciclo, se debe a debate entre los investigadores; sin embargo en los últimos años, la mayoría de ellos se ha inclinado por el 11 de agosto de 3114 al inicio, para finalizar el ciclo el 21 de diciembre, a raíz de nuevos datos encontrados.

3. Nuestras Abuelas y nuestros Abuelos descubrieron el movimiento del Sol a través del fondo de las constelaciones que tarda 26,000 años en recorrer. El Sol aparece en otro lugar cada equinoccio y observaron que cada 72 años se va moviendo en el horizonte un grado completo (el equivalente al diámetro del Sol – por dos). Este movimiento lento, llamado Precesión del Equinoccio, causa que el Sol del Equinoccio parezca caminar hacia atrás en el “escenario mítico” de las estrellas. Esto significa que el Sol en el Equinoccio de Primavera va apuntando a una constelación y año a año, poco a poco se mueve a otra. Continuará caminando a través de todas las constelaciones... hasta que en aproximadamente 26,000 años llegará de regreso al mismo punto de partida. Esto es el “gran ciclo” o cuenta larga de la que formaría parte un ciclo de Oxlajuj B’aqtun. Mark Van Stone, apunta que el ciclo completo de Precesión es de 25,800 años. Además apunta que “la mañana del 21 de diciembre de 2012, la tierra y el sol se alinearán con la Grieta Oscura cerca del Centro de la Galaxia y este evento solo ocurre cada 25,800 años.” Lo anterior coincide con los registros aztecas que plantean que ha habido cinco Creaciones o Eras, de 5,125.36 años que suman 25,626.8 años. Estos últimos datos han llevado a proponer que la actual Era Maya que está por culminar, correspondería al último de los cinco ciclos. Es decir que nos estaríamos encontrando en el final de la noche galáctica, saliendo de la oscuridad y a punto de entrar en el amanecer de la galaxia.

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recorrido, por el conocimiento del pensamiento de las Abuelas y los Abuelos Mayas. Otro elemento que le da complejidad a nuestro tema y que merece nuestra atención, es el mal manejo que intencionalmente realizan ciertos sectores de poder, para interpretar sesgada y antojadizamente los datos encontrados hasta el momento. Ante lo planteado, el Pueblo Maya, a través de sus instituciones y organizaciones, deberá tomar parte protagónica en los procesos de investigación del legado Maya, por interpretar correctamente lo que ya está a la mano y lo que está por descubrirse; de lo contrario, como Pueblo heredero de ese gran legado, solo seremos espectadores inocuos, en espera de la información y de la versión que se nos quiera dar. Además es necesario que el Pueblo Maya cree las instancias idóneas que rijan el control de cualquier área arqueológica Maya por estudiar, en conjunto con las instituciones del Estado ya existentes.

2) Ante el sesgo apocalíptico y la maraña de imprecisiones imperantes en la interpretación del Oxlajuj B’aqtun,se hace imperativo un trabajo de socialización urgente del posicionamiento Maya sobre el mismo, como parte de la recuperación del pensamiento profundamente científico y humano de nuestras Abuelas y Abuelos, relacionado a la vida en movimiento y sus ciclos cósmicos. 3) A la vez, es urgente y necesario, que a raíz de este cambio de Era, se defina y socialice a nivel nacional, un Posicionamiento Político Maya, capaz de impulsar procesos de cambio sociopolítico a favor del Pueblo Maya y demás pueblos indígenas del país. La dominación, explotación y exclusión social del Pueblo maya de más de 500 años, es una ignominia con la que debemos acabar, para merecer el amanecer de una nueva Era Maya.

La propuesta anterior no entraría en contradicción con la metodología del pensamiento Maya, si consideramos que los Mcftuftyutrayas están hablando de las Eras relacionadas al surgimiento de la especie humana, mientras que la versión anterior se refiere a grandes ciclos del tiempo en el que el padre Sol realiza su agotador recorrido por cargarse de las energías cósmicas para dotarnos de vida. 5.ALGUNAS RECOMENDACIONES

1) Después de un pequeño acercamiento a la temática de Oxlajuj B’aqtun, hemos podido corroborar la complejidad de la misma, dado el poco avance en el manejo de datos que se tiene hasta el momento, del basto conocimiento científico legado por nuestras Abuelas y Abuelos Mayas. Prueba de ello es el hallazgo,dado a conocer a penas el 10 de mayo de este año, del calendario Maya más antiguo encontrado en la selva del norte de Guatemala, en las paredes de un recinto oculto en la antigua ciudad de Xultún, cuya antigüedad data del siglo IX d.c. Lo anterior nos da la idea de que apenas se ha iniciado el largo

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The Need of Youthful in Global Education

Youthful – The Mindful Natural Way for Each Life Abstract: Youthful is a blessing for any life. The beauty of youthful is its own innocence to live naturally connected with nature, to grow up with maturity, and to embody our mutual care and share. Youthful works its level best at all ages with maturity, if one can learn lessons from experience. Only need is to respect our own intuitions, respect each other's differing needs and life circumstances, understand that there are many ways of being natural but it does not work when we attempt to coerce, shame or inflict guilt upon each other, even subtly. Living with maturity with acceptance of happenings are the real experiences from each situations is the purpose for any life by refining one’s self at the same time protecting the youthful nature, the moral duty for any life during the journey. The conventional ways of growing up can enhance maturity through age but natural ways always protect youthful nature that already exists within each. The youthful attitude reflects the life of all idealistic living with meaningful purpose. Youth education needs systematic and streamlined ways to explore life experience than just bookish knowledge. Let youthful and youth education goes side by side to balance natural health within each children in its very early stages of life. The role of wisdom irrespective of all ages enhance natural way of youthful to protect dignity, liberty and morality if one wish to live for the purpose and not just to exist. Keywords: Youth, Youthful, Nature, Natural Health, Society, Education, Life, Lifestyle.

Development is not just about offering the opportunity of a livelihood, education, job, and access to basic social services: it is also concerned with creating an environment where people are capable of realize their rights and participate meaningfully in society. Full development cannot be achieved unless women, youth, and the resources they represent are integrated into the development process. Education is the single most important factor contributing to young people’s chances of leading productive and responsible lives. Overall, the commitments made under the Millennium Development Goals are clear with regard to the emphasis placed on both primary and secondary education, aspects of particular relevance for young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Education is but one part of young people’s lives—an important part in some regions of the world, but a non-existent element for large groups of youth in other regions. Certainly, modern formal education and training systems were developed with young people in mind—people seen to be going through an initial learning phase in their lives, to be doing a whole range of things for the first time, and to be doing these things all together at more or less the same ages. It is understood that this is a purely social construction that has established itself in very specific times and places, but in practice the arbitrary nature of these institutionalized arrangements escapes conscious notice. Educational statistics are by and large a highly condensed and narrowly focused empirical representation of a set of taken-for-granted arrangements for intentional learning and its outcomes. Youth as a social phenomenon and young people as the primary target population of formal education and training fade from view behind an avalanche of indicators that describe participation in institutional processes for learning but reveal little about those who take part. In many ways, educationalists and analysts are condemned to reporting on education and saying nothing about youth. Youthful mind is the need as an investment in gender equality and women’s empowerment is vital for improving economic, social and political conditions in developing countries within the framework of sustainable development. In view of the foregoing, renewed emphasis should be placed on implementing lifelong learning schemes to provide culturally, socially and economically appropriate

Rashmi Chandran

Natural'Health'and'Environmental'Research rashmichandran@gmail.com/////h1p://drrashminaturallife.blogspot.in/

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education. Lifelong learning arrangements, particularly those in informal and nonformal settings, can confer a number of benefits: they can provide people who live in countries that do not have universal education with access to learning opportunities on a continuous basis; they can address the problem of conventional formal schooling being too far removed from local cultural and social environments; and they can alleviate economic hardship, particularly for young people in developing countries who may experience strong pressures to earn income to help support their families or, particularly if they are girls, to take on significant responsibilities at home (1, 4). The basic foundation of education should start from each and every home which is the thread to tie up the connectivity with the society in turn should spread globally. Self Awareness, Culture and Development Empowerment in context refers to the ability of people to control their own destinies in relation to other people in society. Prominent definitions of empowerment can be: the expansion in people’s ability to make strategic life choices in a context where this ability was previously denied to them. With the passage of time, the spheres of activity of males and females became more and more watertight. The challenges of life were faced by men, while women were restricted to the household sphere. Man considers woman to be frail and weak by nature. The same time in all patriarchal family, women and youth are the victims to protect their dignity and liberty due to the immoral acts of certain vampires exists in the name of family men and religious leaders in each corner of our globe. The oneness in nature is the natural ways of treating all as All are equal souls irrespective of caste, creed, culture and religion to balance solidarity and natural health within each. The conventional and conservative attitude, beliefs and habits affects the tradition and culture of the real development sows the seeds of fear and tear for each living degrading youthful nature of each life. A man and a woman or any two or more individuals are like two wheels of a cart. The cart can move fast and safely too, when both of them pull it in the same direction and with equal strength. Hence no developing country or society can afford to ignore the role of each individual, if they are to progress. Women's education, employment, and family roles and the interrelations between them have attracted increasing attention during the last few years. Over the last few decades there has been a tremendous change in laws, attitudes, and norms affecting women's status, roles, and development in society in India. If women get empowered, reflects the youth and society. Culture has the power to transform entire societies, strengthen local communities and create a sense of identity and belonging for people of all ages. As a vector for youth development and civic engagement, culture plays an essential role in promoting sustainable social and economic development for future generations. Youth can act as a bridge between cultures and serve as key agents in promoting peace and intercultural understanding. Transmitting the values of intercultural understanding, cultural diversity and creating a sustainable environment from one generation to the next is essential if the seeds of peace are to be planted and nurtured by future generations. The United Nations initiates young people to these principles through involving them as active partners and

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stakeholders in both its on-the-ground and normative actions. Engaging youth in the policy-making process contributes to better informed and equitable cultural policies and strengthens transparency, accountability and ownership. The UNESCO World Heritage Education Programme strives to give young people the opportunity to learn and develop by acquiring knowledge about World Heritage protection, conservation and promotion. The driving force of the programme is the involvement of youth as a major segment of the community, taking cultural dimensions into account, encouraging them to become thinkers and actors of development. The Programme has generated many different projects and activities such as Youth Forums, skills development training courses, educative workshops and seminars, the World Heritage Volunteer Programme and its main tool, World Heritage in Young Hands (WHYH), an educational resource kit for school teachers, existing in 37 national language versions, and which has reached at least 1 million young students. Currently young people across the world are increasingly involved in heritage protection and promotion, recognizing that heritage does not only belong to the past, but is also part of their identity. Transmitting heritage values to young people favors intercultural understanding, respect for cultural diversity and helps create an environment propitious to a culture of peace – principles which are central to the United Nation’s mission. Heritage related initiatives clearly demonstrate that culture is an indispensable driver and enabler of sustainable development. Heritage provides testimonies to, and links between, the past and present. As one of the world’s few inexhaustible natural resources, creativity is a source of considerable potential in promoting sustainable socio-economic development for people of all ages (1, 3, 6, 10). The creative industries can serve as a springboard for new ideas and innovation, which can open up new opportunities for employment and learning, while at the same time promoting well-being and self-esteem and empowering entire communities. Young women and men are increasingly engaged in proposing creative solutions to local challenges. This creative energy needs to be harnessed so as to maximize the positive impact it can have on society. Education with self awareness, cultural values, and morality is the single most important factor contributing to young people’s chances of leading productive and responsible lives for the emotional, mental, spiritual and physical well being. The Need of Youthful in Birth, Life and Death Life is full of mystic as well as mysterious experiences if one can feel it with all its divinity. A youthful way of expressing the facts needs wisdom reveals the truth shines forever reflecting one’s self. Birth of any life is as divine as all creations, in its initial stage due to the quality of innocence and fearless. Whether it is an animal, plant or human, the innocent and tenderness are the natural ways with all its sensitivity with each and every feels of nature. The birth of any new creation is with all its divine quality of youthful nature. Life and living is the next stage to survive and exists to protect that divine nature. Each happenings, experiences and situations is the way for life and living very much naturally to accept and move forward refining one’s self by purifying not to get distracted with any of the ill effects and impacts. The way of youthful mindfully is the natural way to purify your thoughts and beliefs balancing

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practical realities. To feel the life and living youthful nature is the need even to feel the death which is not an end but the recycling process of energies within nature. Forms and acts need this youthful nature never cheats one’s self since it is inherited in each one’s life. Death is not the end of any life when forms die, in reality death is the one if one looses their youthful nature in life. “Living as Living corpse without any youthful nature is the real death” – Dr. Rashmi Chandran. The Need of Mindfulness and Natural ways to Protect the Youthful The empowerment of youth is essential for achieving gender equality and the integrity to overall well-being viz. spiritual, emotional, mental and physical. These are also fundamental if youth movements are to achieve equal political, economic, social and cultural rights. A sense of self-worth is relevant to domestic violence and the development of confidence within both the home and the society. It is essential to design, implement and monitor, with the full participation of youth and women, effective, efficient and mutually reinforcing gender-sensitive policies and programs, at all levels that will foster the empowerment and advancement of youth mind of all ages if it is women or men. Natural lifestyle has a significant impact on personal happiness levels, but a significant piece of the equation is one’s attitude towards life. It’s probably no secret that optimists tend to be happier people, but one may not realize that there’s more to optimism than ‘putting on a happy face or ‘looking on the bright side’. Nobody is happy all the time, but some people are definitely more fulfilled than others (5-12). The art of natural living empowers all phases of life, to face the present challenges by providing tools and techniques that help to eliminate individual stress and learned nature. The Art of Natural Living encourages all ways of life irrespective of religion, culture, caste, creed and language, to find practical solutions to their challenges so that each one becomes self-reliant in their own natural ways accepting each of their destiny, levels and capacity. A youth mind is the glue that holds society together. From my experience personally I trust and believe the health of each person depends of his own awareness and consciousness of self worth with morals reflects the whole family, society, and therefore the whole nation, benefits. The term Natural Health founded by me in 2002 after a major immoral incident in my personal and professional life happened completely out of my control. Youthful nature and certain natural ways helped me to balance my natural health and youthful to continue my living as a survivor not victimizing me at any situations of life so far by divine grace. Practicing natural life style, sharing by reflecting myself for a meaningful purpose is an awesome feel, the only moral duty of mine to respect the self. Self awareness with efforts needed to understand and accept the learned nature of the present society, and to protect the natural health of the youth in very early stages through empowerment and awareness. A change in lifestyle and diligence is the only natural way that determines each of our health to thrive against the toxic environment in and around us and to lead a complete physical, emotional, mental and social well-being. The well-being enhances the consciousness with youthful nature to implement the divine wisdom balancing the natural health within.

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Natural ways to Protect the Youthful Be natural with morals. Never be a hypocrite and never be judgmental. Accept pros and cons of all your experiences in all its natural ways. Never victimize yourself at any situations and levels. Live as a survivor to share and care. Live naturally with higher consciousness with feels not just feelings. Avoid secrecy but always respect your privacy. Respect all divine feels and protect your youthful nature. References 1. Youth and Education. World Youth Report, 2003. Pg. No. 27 – 53. 2. h9p://whc.unesco.org/ 3. Diversity of Cultural Expressions, h9p://www.diversidades.net/ﬂooone/home.html 4. h9p://undesadspd.org/Youth.aspx 5. Rashmi Chandran 2015. WATER - The Natural Health for the Planet. GLOBAL EDUCATION MAGAZINE (inscribed in bibliographic database of the Ministry of Culture of Spain with ISSN 2255-033X). Global Education section, Pg. 110. This article was published on 22nd March 2015, for the World Water Day, in Global Education Magazine. h9p://www.globaleduca>onmagazine.com/waterAnaturalAhealthAplanet/ 6. Rashmi Chandran 2014. “Solidarity – The Need for Survival and Existence”. GLOBAL EDUCATION MAGAZINE (inscribed in bibliographic database of the Ministry of Culture of Spain with ISSN 2255-033X). Global Education section, Pg. Pg. 69-72. This article was published on 20st December International Day of Solidarity (issue nº 10). http://www.globaleducationmagazine.com/solidarity- survival-existence/ 7. Rashmi Chandran 2014. Peace and Silence – A Mystical Journey Within. GLOBAL EDUCATION MAGAZINE (inscribed in bibliographic database of the Ministry of Culture of Spain with ISSN 2255-033X). Global Education section, Pg. Pg. 68-72. This article was published on 21st September International Day of Peace (issue nº 9). http://www.globaleducationmagazine.com/peace-silence-mystical-journey/ 8. Rashmi Chandran 2014. Mystic Nature - Do Animals Have Souls Like Human Beings? Mystic Nebula (Reviews) ACCEPTED 3/14/2014. 9. Rashmi Chandran 2014. The Divine Nature of Women Naturally – A Challenge of 21st Century. GLOBAL EDUCATION MAGAZINE (inscribed in bibliographic database of the Ministry of Culture of Spain with ISSN 2255-033X). Global Education section, Pg. 48 – 52. This article was published on March 8th: International Woman’s Day (issue nº 7). http://www.globaleducationmagazine.com/divine- nature-women-naturally-challenge21st-century/ 10. Rashmi Chandran 2013. The Art of Compassion in Natural Life. GLOBAL EDUCATION MAGAZINE (inscribed in bibliographic database of the Ministry of Culture of Spain with ISSN 2255-033X). Global Education section, Pg. 62 - 64. This article was p u b l i s h e d o n 1 0th D e c e m b e r : H u m a n R i g h t ’ s D a y ( i s s u e n º 6 ) . http://www.globaleducationmagazine.com/art-compassion-natural-life/ 11. Dr. Rashmi Chandran 2013. A HAND BOOK ON NATURAL HEALTH IN TODAY’S LIFESTYLE SCENARIO. International E – Publication, International Science Congress Association. (ISBN: 978-93-83520-20-6). 12. Rashmi Chandran 2011. Natural Life – The Path towards Happiness and Prosperity. In: Vakdevatha (A Bilingual magazine publishing from Nigdi, Pune, India). Pp. 6970.

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International Youth Day

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Transversal Studies Section PAGE 69

THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY TO AVOID DEPLETION OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF PLANET EARTH Fernando Alcoforado Member of the Bahia Academy of Education (Brazil). Engineer and Doctor of Territorial Planning and Regional Development by the University of Barcelona (Spain). e-mail: falcoforado@uol.com.br

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Capitalism, Desperation and Urgency: How Do Working Class Youth Cope With the Capitalist Present? Deniz Yonucu is currently a visiting scholar at London School of Economics and Political Science. She received her PhD Degree from the Department of Anthropology at Cornell. Her articles are available at https://lse.academia.edu/DenizYonucu

E-mail: deniz.yonucu@gmail.com

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The Beauty of Imperfection within Quantitative Economic Modeling Saskia Troy (MSc.) is a business economist specialized in Global Business and Stakeholder Management and amongst others Regional Coordinator Europe and Chapter Leader Netherlands Children of the Earth (NGO of the United Nations) and she is a member of the Working Group Sustainable Finance (Changing Finance, Financing Change) of the UNEP/ World Resources Institute in Washington. Email: saskia.troy@gmail.com

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THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY TO AVOID DEPLETION OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF PLANET EARTH

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A ECONOMIA CIRCULAR PARA EVITAR O ESGOTAMENTO DOS RECURSOS NATURAIS DO PLANETA TERRA

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the need for the adoption of Circular Economy in order to avoid the depletion of natural resources of planet Earth and to preserve the environment.'To achieve this objective should be used Reverse Logistics which provides for the reuse of waste from the process of production and consumption.

Resumo: O propósito deste artigo é demonstrar a necessidade da adoção da economia circular visando evitar a exaustão dos recursos naturais do planeta Terra e preservar o meio ambiente. Para a consecução deste objetivo deve ser utilizada a logística reversa que prevê a reutilização dos resíduos do processo de produção e do consumo.'

Keywords: Exhaustion of the planet's natural resources. Linear economy. Circular economy. Reverse logistic.

Palavras chaves:Exaustão dos recursos naturais do planeta. Economia linear. Economia circular. Logistica reversa.

Fernando Alcoforado Member of the Bahia Academy of Education (Brazil). Engineer and Doctor of Territorial Planning and Regional Development by the University of Barcelona (Spain). e-mail: falcoforado@uol.com.br

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Introduction

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9) Tantalum (use in cameras lenses) - Extinction in 2027

An indisputable fact is that humanity already consumes more natural resources than the planet can replenish. The current rate of consumption is a threat to the future prosperity of mankind. In the last 45 years, demand for natural resources on the planet doubled due to the high standard of life in rich and emerging countries and the increasing world population. Today humanity uses 50% of the planet's fresh water. In 40 years will use 80%. For two centuries the extraction of mineral resources has become more intense, removing increasing amounts of nature. The concern is that most of these resources are not renewable, ie they are not replenished by nature. If the pace of extraction continues as it is, humanity will surely see some minerals become extinct. Based on existing reserves today, certain mineral resources already have a possible date to run out, among them we can mention gold, tin, nickel and oil.

10) Nickel (use in metal alloy coating, electronics such as cell phones) - Extinction in 2064

Currently, over 80% of the world population lives in countries that use more resources than their own ecosystems can renew. The core capitalist countries (EU, USA and Japan), ecological debtors, have exhausted their own resources and must import them. In the survey of the Global Footprint Network, the Japanese consume 7.1 times more than they have and would need four Italys to supply the Italians. The consumption pattern of developed countries disrupts this balance. An indisputable fact is that humanity has ever consumes more natural resources than the planet can replenish.

For these reasons many of planet Earth minerals are coming to an end, which may stop the use of various technologies currently used. As for oil, will last 40 years according to data presented on the website <http://institutoparacleto.org/2013/05/23/o-futuro-do-petroleo/>. Natural gas has reserves that can ensure your production up to 60 years according to the website <http://exame.abril.com.br/economia/noticias/os-10-paises-com-as-maiores-reservas-de-gasnatural-do-mundo>. Coal, in turn, has enough reserves to last 250 years according to the website data <http://carvaomineral.blogspot.com.br/2006/09/reservas-de-carvo-no-mundo.html>. The shale gas in recent exploration in the United States, that could meet the domestic demand of the country for natural gas at current levels of consumption for over 100 years, is extremely negative for the environment because it generates half the carbon emissions from coal, and pollutes the sheets underground aquifers.

The available data on reserves of mineral resources also point to the effect that the Earth is now reaching its limits. Exhaust estimate of mineral resources of the planet Earth is presented in the article Quando os recursos minerais se esgotarĂŁo? (When the mineral resources will be exhausted?), published on the website <http://planetasustentavel.abril.com.br/noticia/ambiente/quando-recursos-minerais-se-esgotar ao-648952.shtml>, based on information from the US Geological Survey, the US government agency responsible for geological research that crossed information on the annual consumption, mineral reserves available on the planet and its predictable extinction: 1) Platinum (use in surgical materials) - Extinction by 2049 2) Silver (use in the manufacture of mirrors and cutlery) - Extinction in 2016 3) Copper (use in wire and cable and air conditioning ducts) - Extinction in 2027 4) Antimony (use in remote controls and other materials to increase strength) - Extinction 2020

11) Tin (use in coating metal alloys, such as those used in the soft drink cans) - Extinction 2024 12) Lead (use in car batteries and trucks and welds and bearings) - Extinction in 2015 13) Gold (use as jewelry and computer microchips) - Extinction in 2043 14) Zinc (use to cover alloys, preventing rust that destroy objects like coins) - Extinction in 2041

All that has just been described on the duration of fossil fuel reserves indicates that, given the longevity of coal, it would be the source of energy to be used in the future when other fossil fuels are depleted, a fact that would aggravate the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere. 2.

Linear Economy and Circular Economy

Traditionally, the production processes are characterized by use of natural (raw material) in the manufacturing products for human consumption which residues resulting are taken to a landfill. This operational dynamics that can be termed as Linear Economy, which is shown in Figure 1 below, tends to contribute to the continued depletion of natural resources of the planet.

5) Lithium (use in cell phone batteries, laptops and video games) - Extinction in 2053 6) Phosphorus (use in agricultural fertilizers) - Extinction in 2149 7) Uranium (use for electric power generation) - Extinction in 2026 8) Indian (use in smartphones and tablets touch screen screens) - Extinction in 2020

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Unlike the Linear Economy model, the Circular Economy is concerned with sustainable development by seeking efficiency in manufacturing products and reusing solid waste contributing in this way to avoid the exhaustion of the planet's natural resources. The Circular Economy concept is to transform waste into raw materials for the production of new products. As in nature, in which the remains of fruits consumed by animals are decomposed and transformed in fertilizer for plants closing the loop, used appliance parts can be reprocessed and reintegrated into the production chain. One of the main concepts of the Circular Economy is the Cradle to Cradle (Cradle to Cradle), which argues that innovation is the way to transform the waste in a production chain components and materials to another. Other concepts are important to understand the Circular Economy. One is the Biomimicry, who studies the processes of nature and apply them to solve problems, ie it is to imitate nature to solve human challenges. Another important concept is the Industrial Ecology, which tied the Biomimicry and Cradle to Cradle, aims to create closedloop processes, designing production systems adapted to local ecosystems. In Figure 2, it can be seen that in Circular Economy, natural resources, which are used as primary raw materials in the manufacturing process, are transformed into products for human consumption that will generate solid waste that, after it became a secondary raw material, itÂ´s used in manufacturing products, and so on.

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that after its transformation into secondary raw materials are used in manufacturing products and thus successively. According to Ellen MacArtur Foundation, this new way of thinking about supply chains brings micro and macro economic benefits, as well as stimulates innovation. Products and materials that are now developed should return to production chain. Thus, the extraction of raw materials decreases and natural resources entering the production cycle are used for longer, preserving the environment. The need to recycle and reuse materials promotes the development of new relationships between companies, which are now also suppliers and consumers of materials that will be reincorporated to the production cycle [NAT.GENIUS. Economia Circular (Circular Economy). Posted on the website <http: // www.natgenius.com / EconomiaCircular.aspx>]. 3.

Reverse logistic

To improve and expand the Circular Economy is essential that consumers, retail businesses, industries and government understand their role. This also means changing the way of creating and using the products: they will no longer be consumed and discarded, but used and processed into new products. Reverse logistics is a way to break with the Linear Economy, where the raw material is extracted, transformed into products and discarded after use. Reverse logistics is the area of logistics which deals with the return of products, packaging or materials at its production center. The Reverse logistics in the recycling process that causes the material to return to different production centers in the form of raw material. Reverse logistics management activities provide for the recycling and removal of waste and management of returns. With a Circular Economy, where everything can be reused, can reduce the extraction of raw materials and waste disposal on the environment. The Reverse Logistic (RL) is the area of logistics, that is the return of products, packaging materials or to their production center, as is shown in Figure 3 below the RL in the recycling process causes the material to return to different production centers in the form of raw material. Reverse logistics management activities provide for the recycling and removal of waste and management of returns. With a circular economy, where everything can be reused, can reduce the extraction of raw materials and waste disposal on the environment.

In the Circular Economy, natural resources, which are used as primary raw materials in the manufacturing process, turn into products for human consumption will generate solid waste

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serted in the productive system worldwide in 2010. Projections indicate that the institute until 2020, amount of raw materials will rise to 82 billion tonnes per year [INSTITUTO BRASILEIRO DE ALTOS ESTUDOS DE DIREITO PÚBLICO. Sustentabilidade: Resíduos sólidos: Economia Circular: Novo negócio: Embraco (Sustainability: Solid waste: Circular Economy: New business: Embraco). Published on the website <http://www.altosestudos.com.br/?p. = 52902>]. Nat. Genius advises that the implementation of Circular Economy is not a task that involves only the companies. It is necessary that all involved in the life cycle of a product to understand their role in this new model. In a world where the relations of production and trade are becoming more global, the need to disseminate the concept of Circular Economy becomes increasingly present, large-scale, including the consumer population. The spread of the concept of Circular Economy has occurred in several countries. Among them, China, where the Circular Economy is part of the Promotion of Clean Production Law, enacted in 2002. Among the measures of public awareness are eco-labeling of products, the dissemination of information on environmental issues in the communications vehicles and the Cleaner Production courses offered by educational institutions, which are designed to train professionals familiar with the Circular Economy [NAT.GENIUS. Economia Circular (Circular Economy). Posted on the website <http://www.natgenius.com/EconomiaCircular.aspx>] .

Conclusions

Adopting the principles of Circular Economy is critical because of the need of human beings to make better their natural resources to avoid their future exhaustion and not cause so many negative impacts on the environment. To achieve its objectives, the Circular Economy is primarily concerned with the following topics: 1) product development using easily recyclable materials and non-hazardous; 2) Environmental laws that encourage the sector; 3) the return of solid waste to the production chain; and, 4) Treatment and reuse of waste. Many universities in Europe now offer degrees in Circular Economy as is the case in Germany that form Master and PhD in Economics Circular, also known as Waste Economy [PORTAL RESÍDUOS SÓLIDOS. E c o n o m i a C i rc u l a r ( C i rc u l a r E c o n o m y ) . P o s t e d o n t h e w e b s i t e < h t t p : //www.portalresiduossolidos .com / economy-circular />]. The Brazilian Institute for Public Law Advanced Studies (Instituto Brasileiro de Altos Estudos de Direito Público) reports that in 2012 about 62 million tons of solid waste were produced in Brazil. According to the Ministry of Environment, only 2% of the material returned to the production chain. Residues which are not recycled end up in landfills (17.8%), controlled landfills (24.2%) and landfills (58%). Failure reuse of solid waste costs the country R$'8 billion a year. Second report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation - nonprofit organization that studies and encourages the adoption of circular economy - 65 billion tons of raw materials were in-

Nat. Genius also said that in Brazil, it was implemented the National Solid Waste Policy, 2010 law, which aims to ensure shared responsibility for the lifecycle of products, reverse operation and the sectoral agreement. The shared responsibility for the lifecycle of products provides that all agents of the production cycle, consumers and public services have responsibilities to minimize the volume of solid waste and environmental impact.

BIBLIOGRAPHY BLOG PARACLETO. O futuro do petróleo (The future of oil). Published on the website <http:// institutoparacleto.org/2013/05/23/o-futuro-do-petroleo>. EXTRAÇÃO DE CARVÃO MINERAL. Reservas de carvão no mundo (Coal reserves in the world). Published on the website <http://carvaomineral.blogspot.com.br/2006/09/reservas-de-carvo-nomundo.html>. EXAME.COM. Os 10 países com as maiores reservas de gás natural do mundo (The 10 countries with the largest natural gas reserves in the world). Published on the website <http://exame.abril.com.br/economia/ noticias/os-10-paises-com-as-maiores-reservas-de-gas-natural-do-mundo>. INSTITUTO BRASILEIRO DE ALTOS ESTUDOS DE DIREITO PÚBLICO. Sustentabilidade: Resíduos sólidos: Economia Circular: Novo negócio: Embraco (Sustainability: Solid waste: Circular Economy: New business: Embraco). Published on the website <http://www.altosestudos.com.br/?p. = 52902>. NAT.GENIUS. Economia Circular (Circular Economy). Published on the website <http: // www. .natgenius.com / EconomiaCircular.aspx>. PLANETA SUSTENTÁVEL. Quando os recursos minerais se esgotarão? (When the mineral resources will be exhausted?). Published on the website <http://planetasustentavel.abril.com.br/noticia/ambiente/quandorecursos-minerais-se-esgotarao-648952.shtml>. PORTAL RESÍDUOS SÓLIDOS. Economia Circular (Circular Economy). Published on the website <http: //www.portalresiduossolidos .com / economy-circular />.

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Capitalism, Desperation and Urgency: How Do Working Class Youth Cope With the Capitalist Present?

Abstract: In this article1, drawing on my research in Hasköy and Güzeltepe2 which once used to be organized working class neighborhoods of Istanbul, I will discuss the effects of contemporary capitalism on working class youth and certain forms of responses they devise in face of this. More specifically, I will explore the ways in which Hasköy and Güzeltepe youth’s struggle against social and economic exclusion is shaped by a sense of urgency –sometimes at the expense of their future– as exemplified in the reaction of the young man who finds an alternative way to enter the mall at the expense of his body. Both Hasköy and Güzeltepe were important headquarters for the pre-1980 revolutionary socialist movements. Both have been affected by the economic and social changes following the 1980 military coup in different, as well comparable ways. Upon briefly touching on the history of these two neighborhoods and the transformation processes they underwent after 1980, I will try to explore the reaction of the neighborhoods’ youth to this transformation by looking at the ways in which they use the streets. I will discuss how the street is used by youth as a stage and a performance space and analyze how these young people exhibit themselves on the stage/street, pointing at the sense of urgency in these “spectacle.” Keywords: Young people, capitalism, Hasköy, Güzeltepe, Istanbul, Turkey.

Deniz Yonucu is currently a visiting scholar at London School of Economics and Political Science. She received her PhD Degree from the Department of Anthropology at Cornell.

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Introduction In July 2003, an incident took place in Hasköy, Istanbul that was newsworthy, even though it was not in the papers: 5 young men around the ages16-17 want to enter the new shopping mall that opened in their neighborhood. However, the security guard, who is also a resident of the same neighborhood, does not let them enter as per his instructions. Because according to the mall management the youth of the neighborhood are “dangerous.” The young men get angry and an argument ensues at the entrance. Among the group, a young man of 16 is exasperated with being denied entrance, and as his friends are arguing with the guard, he begins to run back and forth to crash into the large glass shop window. At his third strike, the glass shatters and the young man succeeds in entering the mall alongside the glass cutting his body. In this article, drawing on my research in Hasköy and Güzeltepe3 which once used to be organized working class neighborhoods of Istanbul, I will discuss the effects of contemporary capitalism on working class youth and certain forms of responses they devise in face of this. More specifically, I will explore the ways in which Hasköy and Güzeltepe youth’s struggle against social and economic exclusion is shaped by a sense of urgency –sometimes at the expense of their future– as exemplified in the reaction of the young man who finds an alternative way to enter the mall at the expense of his body. Both Hasköy and Güzeltepe were important headquarters for the pre-1980 revolutionary socialist movements. Both have been affected by the economic and social changes following the 1980 military coup in different, as well comparable ways. Upon briefly touching on the history of these two neighborhoods and the transformation processes they underwent after 1980, I will try to explore the reaction of the neighborhoods’ youth to this transformation by looking at the ways in which they use the streets. I will discuss how the street is used by youth as a stage and a performance space and analyze how these young people exhibit themselves on the stage/street, pointing at the sense of urgency in these “spectacle.” In this article I will primarily focus on three different types of performance: 1.Walking around with new brand clothes as a manifestation of the desire to resemble the middle class. This mode of appearance on the street will be discussed under the theme of capitalism and the production of desire. 2. Young people from Hasköy who walk around middle

Her articles are available at https://lse.academia.edu/DenizYonucu E-mail: deniz.yonucu@gmail.com

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class streets at night, deliberately striking fear in the middle class and taking pleasure in it. Hasköy’s youth portraying themselves as threatening/frightening bodies in middle class streets will be discussed in reference to class identity and the manifestations of rage. 3. The relatively small, pirate demonstrations involving Molotov cocktails and/or street confrontations in Güzeltepe. These demonstrations will also be analyzed in the context of manifestations of rage against capitalism. Hasköy and Güzeltepe: A Brief History Hasköy was founded as a squatter [gecekondu] neighborhood towards the end of the 1940s by migrants coming from rural areas to the city. A number of the large factories that were built in Istanbul in the late 1940s in the scope of national development policies were in the vicinity of Hasköy. The proximity of factories and houses, the strengthening of union organizations at the factories and the rising leftist movement in Turkey after the 1950s, quickly transformed Hasköy into a typical working class neighborhood. In this period, Hasköy streets witnessed marches in support of workers on strike, protests against high prices and unemployment, as well as conflicts between rightist and leftist groups. Güzeltepe Neighborhood was founded almost 30 years after Hasköy under the leadership of revolutionaries. The majority of the population in the neighborhood has been Alevis4 since its foundation. From the mid 1970s until the 1980 coup, the neighborhood was governed autonomously under the control of revolutionary organizations. The principle of dividing land based on need was adopted at the foundation of the neighborhood realized entirely through collective communal work. Before 1980, the streets of Güzeltepe witnessed both collective struggle against the demolition of squatter houses, and collective production. At the same time, as in Hasköy, the neighborhood streets were the sites of many political marches. Until the end of the 1990s, numerous collective demonstrations supported by local businesses and the majority of the neighborhood population were organized on the streets. At a time when squatter neighborhoods were regarded as the biggest obstacle before urban development by the urban elite in Turkey, and residents of squatter houses and thus the urban working class were regarded as “backward” villagers, workers from both Hasköy and Güzeltepe earned respectability due to their working class identities.5 While some workers from Hasköy and Güzeltepe actively participated in the organized labor movement to build a more just future, others, though not directly an organized part of this movement, still became workers within the atmosphere of a promising future generated by the working class and/or socialist movement. Thus, it would not be inaccurate to say that until the 1980s, workers in Turkey had both a respectable status and a dream and/or hope of redemption in this world.

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However, after 1980, and especially by the mid 1990s, workers in Turkey began losing their esteemed status, as well as their hopes for the future. The primary reasons for this include the economic and social atmosphere instigated by the 1980 military coup and the violent repression of the leftist movement that had begun to reemerge in working class neighborhoods with a history of organized left by the 1990s. The 80s and 90s As has been extensively discussed, the economic liberalization policies following the 1980 coup caused the organized labor force to work under unorganized, insecure and flexible conditions. While workers were rapidly excluded from the formal labor market, the constant promotion of consumer culture began to underline poverty and impoverishment in a more defined way. The fact that consumption as opposed to production assumed a central role in identity construction and ensuring respectability, contributed significantly to the loss of the respectable status created/earned through being a worker during the pre-1980s.6 Again at this time, the violent repression of the socialist movement led to the deterioration of the hope for “heaven”/justice on earth among the working class. However, the socialist/ revolutionary movement re-emerging in particular in working class neighborhoods of large cities in the 1990s suggests that this hope was not destroyed entirely with the 1980 coup. As opposed to the 1980s, in the1990s, the rising socialist movement and the Kurdish movement –which also began to express itself in the urban sphere following the forced migration from villages– were repressed by state violence targeting specific places (working class neighborhoods, neighborhoods defined as “liberated zones” before 1980, neighborhoods populated largely by Alevis) rather than all segments of society. In other words, state violence was concentrated in specific territories to repress the rising left in the 1990s.7 For instance, the common emphasis of residents who describe the state of Güzeltepe in the 1990s is that at the time the neighborhood transformed into a semi-open prison. In this period, in addition to Güzeltepe, working class neighborhoods such as Gülsuyu, Gazi, Armutlu, 1 Mayıs Mahallesi, Okmeydanı largely populated by an urban Alevi and leftist population also transformed into neighborhoods where there was constant police surveillance. Identity checks were performed upon people entering and exiting these neighborhoods, people were arrested arbitrarily and at times people disappeared or were killed in unresolved murders. These neighborhoods, which sometimes even the public buses avoided because they were “dangerous,” turned into spaces where anything could happen any time. While this attributed danger led them to become detached from other segments of society and isolated them from the rest of the city, this isolation further facilitated the practice of violence in these neighborhoods as it enabled the confinement of violence to the neighborhood. A picture of Güzeltepe in the 1990s emerging from the accounts of over 30 people I interviewed in the neighborhood can be described as follows: On the one

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hand a series of mass street demonstrations on numerous current political issues ranging from Palestine to the economy, from the hunger strikes in prisons to the problem of education are taking place; on the other hand, police forces with the power to take anyone from the neighborhood at any time are raiding associations and coffee houses with long barreled weapons, and occasionally displaying tortured bodies in the neighborhood to show what they are capable of. In short, in the 1990s, in working class neighborhoods with leftist backgrounds, the cruising white Renault cars [used by plainclothes cops], disappearing people, unresolved assassinations, incidents like those at Gazi and 1 Mayıs neighborhoods in 1995 where shots were fired at residents resulting in deaths, led to a renewed blow on the rekindling hope for the future. In other words, in the 1990s the police forces of the state threatened the re-flourishing hope of a better world. In terms of the history of squatter neighborhoods, the 1990s has another significance frequently pointed out by Turkish academicians: In the 1990s the working class/squatter neighborhoods were redefined. Terms such as “slum” [varoş] and “other Turkey”/“other Istanbul,” that went into circulation in the mid 1990s in reference to old squatter neighborhoods, began to be define them as spaces that were not and could never be a part of the imaginary “real” or “normal” Turkey. People living in these places began to be represented as dangerous, uncivilized, even savage and ready to strike at any given moment (Aksoy 2001, Akçay 2005, Etöz 2000, Erman 2001). I would like to characterize this period as a time when the tension between being the subject of politics and objects of anthropology (cultural other) was experienced most intensely in the history of Turkey’s squatter neighborhoods. There are two incidents in which this tension was manifested most blatantly: One is the 1995 Gazi Neighborhood incidents, the second is May 1st 1996. At the Gazi incident an armed group opened fire on a coffee house frequented mostly by Alevis and killed an Alevi dede [elder, spiritual leader].8 The next day Gazi Neighborhood turned into a war zone. Conflict ensued between the police and neighborhood residents. As a result of the police attack supported by special ops forces, 15 people died. When we look at the representations of this incident in the newspapers, Gazi Neighborhood is almost a novel discovery for the media. The media has discovered the “slum” that is utterly different from other spaces in the city. They ask: “Who are these people? Is this Istanbul? How can such a place be a part of Istanbul?”9 Looking at newspaper articles on the Gazi incident published at the time, it seems like they are written almost under enchantment. The middle class and urban journalists have been forced to encounter people completely unlike themselves –or at least perceived as such– in this part of the city they have never had to go to, that they have always heard about from a distance. This state of enchantment masks the political struggle, political discourse and demands of the people living in Gazi, since attention is not focused on what is said, but rather on the interlocutor and the presumed cultural difference. For example, Yalçın Doğan titles his article about Gazi, which he goes to see

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immediately at the aftermath of the events, “The Outcome of Different Identity, Different Culture” and asks in awe: “Slums are different worlds, I understood when I came here these are different worlds. Is this Istanbul? Will this place integrated into Europe? Is this place in Istanbul?”10 As can be discerned from the title of the article, for Doğan what is in essence visible is the “difference” of Gazi neighborhood and what underlies the incident is precisely this cultural difference. Another striking event in which political actions and demands were undermined just as in the case of Gazi incidents is the May 1st demonstrations in 1996. On May 1996, before the march started, conflict ensued in the demonstration area and two young people were killed. Subsequently the conflict spread to the entire area. However, what was picked up by the news was not the killing of two people but the image of two young women plucking tulips. The incident was depicted in the media as people coming down from the mountains, refusing to be civilized (there is a headline “slum dwellers came down to the city,” for instance11) and butchering tulips (Akçay 2005). Again in the same atmosphere of enchantment and awe, the question was: “How can we live in the same city with these people who don’t even respect flowers?” The fact that a rather large May 1st demonstration was organized after the 1980 coup regime; the significance of May 1st; what brought so many people together for the occasion; the death of two young men were barely mentioned or discussed.12 So this is the environment the youth of today were born to in Güzeltepe and Hasköy in the late 80s and early 90s. The youth in Hasköy, where the leftist movement lost its influence much earlier, towards the mid 1980s, were born not in a working class neighborhood with a collective liberation project on the rise, but rather in a neighborhood defined as the other Istanbul, both ostracized and criminalized as slums. More significantly, they grew up with the awareness that their neighborhood was defined and degraded as a slum and its residents were regarded as uncivilized people. The youth born in Güzeltepe in the same period grew up witnessing police violence that had become a part of everyday life in the neighborhood. They witnessed their older sisters, brothers being beaten on the street by the police and left in pools of blood. They witnessed police bullets and gas bombs flying in the air. They went to their schools regularly guarded by tanks, passing by masked police standing guard with their long barreled weapons at the street corners. Desire and Rage In the remaining part of this article, I will try to discuss the subjectivities of the youth in Hasköy and Güzeltepe Neighborhoods shaped in face of the transformations enumerated above in the framework of the dynamics of rage and desire. While doing so, I will exclude the experiences of the Kurdish youth who live in both neighborhoods because these young people, who came to the city after 1990 with forced migration, relate to the city and the country differently from youth whose parents were born in

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squatter neighborhoods. Furthermore, the existence of an organized Kurdish movement also distinguishes the experience of Kurdish youth from that of the other working class young people. Since I did not encounter any young people who support the Islamic movement or define themselves as followers of political Islam in either neighborhood, I will also exclude young people supporting political Islam from the analysis below and primarily focus on the subjectivities of youth born to secular and leftist families.13 Desire In the early 2000s, shopping malls began to open at some of Istanbul’s working class neighborhoods. Hasköy is one of these neighborhoods. The mall at Hasköy contributed significantly both to the production among Hasköy youth a desire to be like the middle class and also rendered this desire very visible. With these new shopping malls, young people in Hasköy, who, thanks to the media, could envision how the middle class regarded them, that is those living in the “slums,” suddenly had to battle the ostracizing, discriminatory, degrading gaze of the middle class14 not just in middle class urban spaces, but also in their own neighborhood. The imagined or real middle class gaze that entered the neighborhood with the mall triggered the desire to be like the middle class among the youth of Hasköy. The mode in which the desire to be like the middle class is manifested most frequently is imitating the consumer habits of the middle class, in particular the their dressing codes. Most of the people I interviewed said that young people began to wear designer label clothes after the mall opened. After the mall, the streets of Hasköy began to turn into spaces where class identity, rather than being pronounced loud and clear, was concealed as something embarrassing in an attempt to resemble the other, i.e. the presumed “normal.” For instance two of the youth I interviewed express this desire to conceal their identities as follows: “Whenever I have to go out without new brand clothes I always walk with my head down. Because if people see me dressed like that they will make fun of me… To be honest, when I see people without designer clothes I look at them with scorn. For example, I never go to the mall with regular clothes; people should know how to dress in places like these.” (age 17) “People come to the mall not just from here, but also from Ataköy; they come from Bakırköy, also Yeşilköy. This has changed the people here. Hasköy youth who see those with money try to keep up with them and pay more attention to their clothes, their shoes. They become wannabes, that is, they say, these guys come like this, let’s also hang out like this. They become picky about their clothes as they are going out.” (age 21)

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As can be discerned from the excerpts above, one of the strategies devised by Hasköy youth to avoid being “slum dwellers” or the lower class is to dress up like the middle class and to imitate them. That is to say, to look for a way that will urgently and immediately shake the ostracizing gaze that disturbs them. The effort to look like a member of the middle class even though one is not middle class actually indicates the incredible violence embodied in the ostracizing gaze directed at those bodies that do not belong to the middle class in Turkey. This gaze is so violent that it forces those young people whose bodies do not resemble middle class bodies to avert their eyes and walk looking down15 or to conceal their class identity and dress up like someone else. That is to say that it compels youth to immediately, urgently devise a means of struggle against this gaze. Rage While capitalism and capitalist ideology produce a desire to be like the consumer middle class deemed as “normal,” the impossibility of satisfying this desire, the reality that no matter how much one strives to imitate it middle class life style will never be attained also generates a serious rage. Because Hasköy youth is not only ostracized discursively, they are also excluded from labor processes.16 Thus they know that they will not be able to attain middle class standards one day by working very hard. One of the principal reasons underlying the rage against the middle class is this awareness. At the same time, while they are working under very harsh conditions for very low wages, the consumer middle class shopping carefree at the mall further provokes the rage of Hasköy youth. As one young man conveys: “Purse snatching, theft is very common here. And also, this is very determinant: not being able to afford things. People say, we work, we get paid 300 million a month, 200 of which our family will take for sure, shall we buy cigarettes or clothes with the rest? A pair of pants costs 50-60 million. Even those of us who work periodically, we say among ourselves, well, we can’t buy even though we work, what can be done? Now, a guy comes to the mall, he buys 5-6 pairs of pants, each 100 million. The young man says, I can’t afford pants for 20 million, he buys pants for 100 million. This inadvertently encourages him. Some work their ass off, others spend without a care, how can they spend so carefree? Whose money is this? Whose scheme, whose plot? Before the mall no one knew about designer labels here. What can one do, you’re young, you aspire to them. If he has it why don’t I? That’s what you think.” (age 23) One of the spaces where the rage against the middle class is manifested is streets inhabited by the middle class. Hasköy youth, who now encounter the (imagined or real) ostracizing gaze of the middle class even on their own streets, transform into dangerous bodies striking fear on the streets they reside in turn. For example a young

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man from Hasköy who spends the occasional money he gets his hands on in one night at bars17 in Taksim where middle class youth hang out, describes this state of striking fear as: “Hasköy, Karagümrük, Gaziosmanpaşa, Kocamustafapaşa, these four are on the police black list. These are the places with most cops. Here there are plainclothes cops at every corner […]. These are also places where murders are committed most frequently. That’s what the young learn from the older. And yet despite this, the Hasköy youth does not readily give in to the police. I mean tough guys come out of Hasköy. And they’re known anywhere. Theft, cars, houses... In Bakırköy, Ataköy, the Hasköy kid harasses all bourgeois neighborhoods; he enters from the window at night, I mean he enters anywhere he can find.” (age 23) Another youth who makes sure to walk around in designer clothes all the time explains how he fearlessly walks around middle class streets at night when the middle class is afraid to go out: “Of course they look down on us, because we are a poor neighborhood, but we also look down on their youth. Because they are bourgeois. You throw a Hasköy boy among 50 monsters; he’ll walk out in one piece. Throw a Bakırköy boy in one glass of water, he will drown there. The Hasköy kid is not afraid of anything, but the Bakırköy boy, if the electricity goes out, he shouts “help mom.” For us, sun, moon no difference. To put it very simply, Ataköy, come 8 or 9, you see not a soul on the street. But I walk around Ataköy at 3 o’clock at night. So you see, the Hasköy kid is a rebel, a wildcat, hot shot. I mean a guy in Bakırköy, let him be the most dangerous of fellows, to me he’s nothing. He’s from Bakırköy, that’s it, segregated, excluded, raised in a bourgeois district, with a bourgeois mind. Neighborhoods like ours are Kasımpaşa, Kulaksız, Beyoğlu, Tarlabaşı, Dolapdere, Sarıgöl, Gaziosmanpaşa. Has to be a bastard of a neighborhood, cause it is the same mentality.” (age 21) Hasköy youth, who are not considered a part of normal Turkey, who are excluded both from the labor market and the imaginary urban culture, return to the middle class spaces they are cast out from like boomerangs to scare off the middle class. As can be discerned from the above quoted statements, there is a pleasure derived from this state of evoking fear; it allows for a temporary expression and satisfaction of class rage. Unlike the past, currently class struggle manifests itself not collectively at city squares, but as a menacing ghost secretly treading in the back streets. The inexistence of the material conditions necessary to satisfy the desire to be like the middle class, and the absence of an organized working class movement that can present a future perspective which can transform rage into a productive energy, lead to the further marginalization of youth and to a loss of hope for the future. In other words, the

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lack of a vision of liberation/future both in the personal and in the social sense, leads the Hasköy youth to fluctuate between the dynamic of desire and hate familiar to us from the colonial context.18 In a world shaped according to consumer middle class norms, Hasköy youth, who are very much aware of the fact that unless they exhibit this consumerism in their bodies and life practices, they won’t earn respect and will be subject to ostracizing, othering words/gazes, seek salvation in trying to be like the middle class. They do this not just by imitating the way members of the middle class dress, but also by adopting the middle class gaze as can be seen in the first quote above, or by going to the bars/ clubs middle class youth frequent and having/trying to have fun there. Even though undertaking certain life practices of the middle class allows Hasköy youth to occasionally experience the fantasy of passing19/becoming middle class, the confines of financial opportunities and the history of their class engraved on their bodies constantly remind them where they come from. When the middle class youth leaves the bars/clubs they enter paying a fortune by their own standards, saying the “slum dwellers are here”; when they are turned away from malls they go to for shopping on the grounds that they are deemed “dangerous”; when they are subject to ostracizing behavior at stores they do manage to enter they are repeatedly reminded that it is nearly impossible to attain the desired social status and trying to be like the middle class and not being able to do so generates considerable rage. Thus as being a member of the middle class becomes a position that is desired, aspired to, it also turns into a position stirring emotions of rage/hate as a constant reminder of a shortcoming, a lack. In Güzeltepe, still known as a neighborhood populated by socialists, the rage of youth is less complex and more direct compared to Hasköy. Here the resistance against capitalism does not manifest itself over a complex emotional relationship with the middle class, but rather through being directly opposed to capitalism and demanding a more just and equal world. While one of the first things we recall when we think of Hasköy today are shopping malls, when one thinks about Güzeltepe streets, three things immediately come to mind: 1-Graffitti – graffiti on the walls entailing the political demands of tens of different revolutionary organizations, 2-Small tanks –or as they are referred to in the neighborhood jargon, scorpions– doing constant surveillance on the streets, 3-Surveillance cameras installed at central points throughout the neighborhood. While the visibility of consumer culture dominates Hasköy, what is most visible in Güzeltepe today is state security forces. The state violence the neighborhood was subject to at various periods throughout its history still remains prevalent. With its scorpions, cameras and plainclothes cops, the state constantly says “I am here, I am watching you and I can exert violence any time.” This keeps the rage against state violence alive, while also evoking fear in the neighborhood residents. What’s more,

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there is an increasing unemployment in Güzeltepe and a lessening hope for a better future. When we look at the manifestation of this rage on the street, we see that there has been a shift since the early 2000s. Demonstrations, which used to be organized with the collaboration of various revolutionary organizations, have been replaced for the most part by marginal, more aggressive demonstrations by small groups. In addition to the mass demonstrations in Güzeltepe organized for Newroz or the anniversary of Gazi incidents, we now frequently encounter pirate demonstrations of 10-15 people. These demonstrations are usually undertaken by youth in masks aged between 15 and 18, attacking the main street from the side streets with Molotov cocktails in their hands, using garbage containers as barricades and fighting with the police. The violent aspect of the demonstrations that temporarily turn the neighborhood into a war zone leads to a double marginalization: of the youth and political organizations by the neighborhood residents, and the neighborhood itself by other segments of society in turn. By drawing attention to the form/style of the realization of the demonstrations, such actions render invisible and conceal the political demands, that is the content of the demonstrations. As is, the street transforms into a space where youth momentarily display their anger and then retreat behind the curtains. The presence of people gathering at street corners, watching the demonstrators and occasionally applauding them gives the onlooker the impression that these demonstrations are taking place on a theater stage. Conclusion The sense of urgency in the manifestations of desire and rage in Güzeltepe echoes the need for immediate gratification of desire and rage in Hasköy. Hasköy youth, who want to belong to the middle class but remain aware of the impossibility of the satisfaction of this desire, experience a temporary satisfaction when they go out on the street/stage as if they are middle class, yet have to confront their actual financial and material conditions when they return home with their bodies they have dressed up with a middle class look. Again, when in a similar sense of urgency they convey the rage they feel for the middle class with momentary outbursts (for example harassing the passersby on the streets of Bakırköy, Ataköy, scratching their cars, etc.) only to swiftly retreat, they are subject to the violence of capitalism in their everyday lives. The feelings of rage and admiration20 Hasköy youth feel for the middle class leads to a further marginalization of these young people due to the difficulty of satisfying this desire and rage through legal means. As for the youth in Güzeltepe, their display of their rage on the street at small demonstrations deemed marginal by neighborhood residents and their subsequent retreats leads not only to the marginalization of youth in the eyes of the neighborhood, but also results in harsh prosecutions, jail sentences, or youth being wounded or even killed21 by police bullets, since such demonstrations take place in a neighborhood under constant police surveillance. So why do these

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young people express their rage against capitalism and desire to build a better world with such demonstrations? In both cases, the manner in which youth express their desires and rage –by exhibiting themselves on the street like a member of the middle class, a revolutionary hero, or a menacing body and then withdrawing backstage (to their “real” lives)– is actually directly related to the absence of an imagination of the future. A number of the young people I interviewed both in Güzeltepe and in Hasköy responded to the question “where do you see yourself in 10 years?” by saying “I don’t know if I will still be alive in 10 years” precisely because of this impossibility of imagining the future. In his book Wasted Lives, where sociologist Zygmunt Bauman (2004) presents an analysis of contemporary capitalism, he states that the present day youth has taken out waiting from wanting. Because according to Bauman in the consumer society of today waiting has become a source of shame. “The shame of waiting rebounds on the one who waits. Waiting is something to be ashamed of because it may be noted or taken as evidence of indolence or low status, seen as a symptom of rejection or a signal to exclude” (109). In the present day society where consumer goods, information, places, people and even dreams are regarded/promoted as merely a key, a computer screen, a shop window away, the slum youth, who are criminalized and excluded from the imagination of normal Turkey and have even been constructed as the other of this imagination; for whom the distance between themselves and their desires and dreams remain nearly impossible to travel, want to urgently attain these dreams nonetheless.22 These young people who are very much aware of the fact that they are unable to earn respectability through their current social identity, try to deal with the rejection and exclusion they are subject to by immediately gratifying their desires. However, as I have tried to convey throughout the article, this effort to urgently discard their social identity leads to a further marginalization of the youth. Youth in Hasköy who witness their parents being crushed in the same cycle of poverty for years, know that no good comes from waiting, from being patient in this world where poverty is scorned at. Or some of the young people in Güzeltepe who have observed their sisters, mothers, fathers spend years in prison, being killed, tortured, have given up on waiting and want to show their reaction immediately. While such intense injustice reproduces the desire to abolish this injustice more strongly, the expression of the revolt against this injustice with sudden acts of resistance serves to increase the youth population in prisons. While capitalism does not offer any promises for the future for working class youth, the inexistence of an organized working class movement prompts the fear of being futureless to grow even deeper.

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NOTES [1] I would like to thank Eylem Akçay for his feedback to an earlier version of this article which has been published previously in red thread journal. [2] The names of the neighborhoods in which this research was conducted have been changed in this article to prevent any prejudice and to protect the privacy of those participating in the research. Hasköy and Güzeltepe are code names used instead of the real names of the neighborhoods. [3] The names of the neighborhoods in which this research was conducted have been changed in this article to prevent any prejudice and to protect the privacy of those participating in the research. Hasköy and Güzeltepe are code names used instead of the real names of the neighborhoods. [4] Alevism is a sect of Islam and Alevi population is a minority in Turkey. Alevis are known for their support for progressivist and leftist politics. [5] During a field research I conducted in one of the working class neighborhoods in İstanbul, I realized that the rising socialist movement in Turkey in the 1960s and 1970s had a respect generating effect among the working class, regardless of whether they supported the movement or not. For example, in an interview I conducted with retired workers, a worker from a leather factory at Kazlıçeşme, where there was an organized socialist presence, related how one day as he was doing his shopping in Sirkeci, he realized that people around him noticed the smell of leather on him. When I asked him, “Did this disturb you?”, he responded, “Disturbed? Not at all! On the contrary I was very proud people noticed I was a leather worker.” The labor and union movement of the time not only told the working class that poverty was nothing to be ashamed of, furthermore, regarding workers as the primary subject of the struggle to build a just and equal world, contributed to the establishment of a respectable worker identity. We could also assert that the songs of Cem Karaca, one of the socialist vocals of the time, with worker protagonists and praising labor and workers were both an indicator of how working class identity was highly esteemed and also contributed directly to the construction of this identity as such. For respectability earned through class status for workers in Turkey before 1980 and their participation in the socialist movement see: Aslan 2004, Kaya 2005, Yonucu 2005. For respectability earned through labor per se see: Sennett 1998, 2003. [6]For the effect of consumer culture on working class identity see: Bauman 1997, 2004, 2005, Comaroff and Comarroff 2000, Sennett 2005. [7] We could argue that state policy towards the Kurdish national liberation movement rising around the same time assumed a similar shape. Confining the violence to the officially declared “State of Exception” region prevented those living in other places in Turkey from learning about the intensity of the violence experienced in the region In this way the region was isolated and its ties with the rest of the country were severed. [8] For a detailed account of the incident see: Dural 2005. [9] For an analyis of news featuring the slums in the media in this period, please see: Aksoy 2001. [10] Milliyet, March 15 1995. [11] Yeni Yüzyıl, 2 May 1996. [12]At the II. International congress organized in Paris in 1889, May 1st was declared the “International Day for Solidarity and Struggle.” Countries throughout the world started celebrating it beginning in 1890. May 1st was celebrated in Turkey for the first time in İzmir in 1905, and over the past century the celebrations have at times been met with the ban or restrictions of the political powers. In Turkey, May 1st is also known as the “Workers Day.” [13] For a study of working class neighborhoods where political Islam is dominant, please see: Tuğal 2011. [14] Here, I am not claiming that everyone from the middle classes looks at Hasköy youth in the same way. This gaze can be real, or it can be a projection of Hasköy youth. What is more significant here is how Hasköy youth homogonize the middle class and think that these people look at them in an ostracizing manner. [15] Even though it remains beyond the scope of this article, I wanted to mention an anecdote because of the striking similarity: As we were getting on the subway with a Jamaican worker friend in New York, I was surprised to see him put on sunglasses and asked him why he did that. He said that he found the way white Americans looked at him disturbing, so he put on sunglasses and thus avoided meeting their gazes. The intensity and historical burden that forces a young woman in Hasköy to walk around with her head down when she’s not wearing new brand clothes to avoid middle class gazes and a Jamaican worker who puts on sunglasses even on the subway to avoid the racist gaze of white Americans is worth contemplating. [16] Most of the youth I interviewed worked at leather or textile workshops at very low wages. Temporary or permanent unemployment, and work without social security and with low wages was rather common among Hasköy and Güzeltepe youth in early 2000s, as it still is today. [17] Of course young people from “slums” going to bars/clubs frequented by middle class youth creates a tension. For the discomfort of middle class youth related to young people from the “slums” going to these bars/ clubs, see: “Clubber’dan ‘kıro’ber’a”, 18 April, 2004, Milliyet. [18] One of the most significant writers of postcolonial literature, Homi Bhabha, argues that the dynamic of the simultaneous attraction to and hatred of the colonizer is one of the primary constituents of subjectivities in colonial countries. See: Bhabha 1993. Bhabha was inspired by the arguments of Fanon, who was both a theoretician and a militant of the anti-colonialist movement and explored the desire and efforts of colonized black people to become white in his work Black Skin White Masks (1952).

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[19] The concept of passing has been conceptualized by Fanon. In his article “The Spectacle of the Other,” Stuart Hall (1997) refers to Fanon and describes how black people adopt white people’s values and dress and act like them in order to pass from being black to white. Because, according to Hall, becoming white/passing as white is only possible through entirely detaching oneself from black culture and being assimilated into the white world. [20] An admiration instigated by the desire to be like them. [21]To give one example, a 15 year-old middle school student was killed in 2000. [22] For the sense of urgency created by technology in the context of present day capitalism, please see: Tomlinson (2007).

References Aslan, Şükrü. 2004. 1 Mayıs Mahallesi: 1980 Öncesi Toplumsal Mücadeleler ve Kent. İstanbul: İletişim. Akçay, Eylem. 2005. The End and the Beginning of Politics: The Case of İstanbul. Article presented at The Beginnings and Ends of Political Theory Conference. UC Berkeley, May 27-28 2005. Aksoy, Asu. 2001. Gecekondudan Varoşa Dönüşüm: 1990’larda ‘Biz’ ve ‘Öteki’ Kurgusu. In Dışarıda Kalanlar/Bırakılanlar, ed. Avcı et al. İstanbul: Bağlam. Bauman, Zygmunt. 1997. Postmodernity and Its Discontents. New York: New York University Press. Bauman, Zygmunt. 2004. Wasted Lives: Modernity and its Outcasts. Oxford: Polity Press. Bauman, Zygmunt. 2005. Liquid Life. New York, London: Polity Press. Comaroff, Jean, and John Comaroff. 2000. Millennial capitalism: First thoughts on a second coming. Public Culture 12 No. 2: 291. Dural, Tamasa. 1995. Aleviler…Ve Gazi Olayları… İstanbul: Ant. Erman, Tahire. 2001. The Politics of Squatter (Gecekondu) Studies in Turkey: Changing Representations of Rural Migrants in the Academic Discourse. Urban Studies Vol. 38, No.7. Etöz, Zeliha. 2000. Varoş: bir istila, bir tehdit. Birikim No. 132. Fanon, Frantz. 2008. Black skin, white masks. New York: Grove Press. Hall, Stuart. 1997. The Spectacle of the Other. In Representations: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. Sage: London. Kaya, Muzaffer. 2005. Siyasal Katılım: Zeytinburnu Örneği. Unpublished graduate thesis, Yıldız Technical University, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Thesis advisor: Prof. Fulya Atacan. Sennett, Richard. 1998. The Corrosion of Character: The Personal Consequences of Work in the New Capitalism. New York and London: W.W. Norton. Sennett, Richard. 2003. Respect in a world of inequality. New York: W.W. Norton. Tomlinson, John. 2007. The culture of speed. London: Sage. Tuğal, Cihan. 2010. Pasif devrim: İslami muhalefetin düzenle bütünleşmesi. İstanbul: Koç University. Yonucu, Deniz. 2009. A Story of a Squatter Neighborhood: From the place of the dangerous classes to the place of danger. Berkeley Journal of Sociology No. 52.

Nº 12

Transversal Studies Section

The Beauty of Imperfection within Quantitative Economic Modeling Abstract: New forms of risk illustrate the interconnected nature of economic crisis. In the past scholars of economics have studied patterns that cause a behavioral equilibrium that induces no further reaction within the system. Hereby identical agents possess perfect rationality and arrive at shared logical conclusions or expectations about the situation they are in at the particular moment. When these expectations provoke actions that aggregative create a world that values them as predictions, they are in equilibrium. However, there’s now the need to turn to the question of how the actions of individual agents, their strategies and expectations might endogenously change while they adapt to the aggregate patterns they have been creating. Keywords: Risk management, measuring uncertainty, failure of models that predict failure, complexity theory, standard out of equilibrium level, irrational expectations on economic rational actor model

Saskia Troy (MSc.) is a business economist specialized in Global Business and Stakeholder Management and amongst others Regional Coordinator Europe and Chapter Leader Netherlands Children of the Earth (NGO of the United Nations) and she is a member of the Working Group Sustainable Finance (Changing Finance, Financing Change) of the UNEP/ World Resources Institute in Washington.

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‘’Financial markets can be wilder than the wildest river ever seen in nature. They are hard to measure while they are prone to uncertainty, randomness, luckiness, coincidence, errors and mistakes’’ (Economist, 2010; Taleb 2007; Taleb 2005). At the moment the subprime crisis struck in the United Sates and particularly when it spread to other sophisticated economies and has been causing a recession for the global economy, the effective policy response to the crisis became the main objective for international leaders of business and government. The final ambition of widespread central bank and government interventions was to address the fragility of the banking systems and restore confidence in the financial markets. For that reason the sources of stress and the availability of suitable remedies against heightened uncertainty about financial and economical developments have been analyzed (Swagel, 2009). Nevertheless, as the crisis is a complex phenomenon, no single theory is likely to fully explain what occurred or completely rule out other explanations. A relatively new observable fact in the economic crises is that of leverage which is the usage of borrowed money to increase the expected interested on financial capital. The usage of leverage has been steadily increased within the financial sector within the years before the global financial economic crisis and has created extreme vulnerabilities and dependencies that have increased the severity of the crisis. The credit crisis has disclosed the limitations in regular ways of restraining leverage while the reductionist, narrow view of economics is no longer equipped to suit the real world complexity that is highly dependent on risk models for determining capital needs. For example, it might have been the case that consequent uncontrolled deleveraging by financial institutions has compounded the crisis. The attempts of financial institutions to deleverage by selling financial assets could cause prices to spiral downward during times of market stress and in this way cause a counterproductive effect by exacerbating a financial crisis. Also deleveraging by restricting lending can cause economic growth to slow down steadily (GAO, 2010).

Email: saskia.troy@gmail.com

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Transversal Studies Section

Measuring Uncertainty within Financial Markets Trying even harder to capture risk in mathematical formula can be counterproductive if such an extent of accurateness is intrinsically unachievable. Nonetheless, one of the irrational exceptions on rational economic theory which is observable and systematic is that human beings are inherently overconfident about their capability, knowledge and future predictions (Economist, 2010). The usual approach within economics consists of the choice of the formulation of a certain assumption, where after a case has been found where one would intuitively think that X causes Y even though the theory yields a negative answer (or vice versa). For example, the case in which Bill and Suzy throw rocks at a bottle. Bill’s rock hits the bottle a split second before Suzy does and as a result the bottle shatters. The first thought would be that Bill’s throwing of the rock has caused the bottle that has been hit to shatter into pieces. But as a matter of fact had he not thrown the bottle the bottle would have shattered anyway. Thus Bill’s throwing does not come out as the cause of the shattering. And yet, we would say it is the case (Reiss, 2008). Nevertheless, even though in financial markets in the real world past the outcomes of these financial, mathematical models searching for causal relationships within a complex world have proven to be very uncertain, unreliable and inaccurate human beings still have the tendency to develop forecasting models while using the instrument of defining causal relationships without testing them with counterfactuals to answer more fundamental associational questions in order to predict future developments within the world economy. The problem is that when these models fail to answer causal questions they do not answer anything at all and provide a false sense of reality of nowadays problems in financial markets. According to Reiss (2008) within his book on economics and philosophy “The Error of Economics, The Methodology of Evidence-Based Economics “No matter whether there’s an economic growth or a decline, investors would always be interested in the following question: “What would have happened to “Y” had “X” been “x”, whereas in this example the variable “Y” would be the target variable, “X” the variable that causes the impact on “Y” and respectively the variable “x” the control variable” These questions are called authentic “What if” questions. Nevertheless, instead of trying to answer “what if questions” with counterfactuals we should pose more fundamental associational questions, so argues Reiss. Taleb (2005, 2007, 2012) within his books on financial markets and system dynamics Fooled by Randomness, Black Swan and Antifragile argues that our incapability to forecast in environments subjected to extreme events including a lack of the awareness of this state of affairs means that certain experts are claiming to tell the truth while in fact they are not. More important, according to Taleb, who himself

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is a mathematician but also has been a trader in financial markets, they are better in smoking you with complicated mathematical models while creating a sense of the truth. There recognition as being experts is because of their skills in narrating not in providing a realistic description of the economical truts. According to Taleb (2007) people are permitted to be fortunate thanks to “aggressive trial and error” and not by giving rewards for “mathematical skills”. Due to the change in the nature of risk over the past ten years and the trans-disciplinary nature of problems many experts now find themselves lacking the skills to cope with dynamic nature of these problems. Taleb (2007) argues that in measuring uncertainty one simple observation that can be characterized as an extreme event with lowprobability and high impact can invalidate a statement derived from a million of observations. Such events could explain almost everything in the world, from the rise and fall of empires, the upcoming of religions but also elements of our personal career, family- and romantic life’s. The Failure of Models that predict Failure New forms of risk illustrate the interconnected nature of economic crisis and the way in which distinct events can cause other problems within a nested system. For example, think about the phenomenon of leveraging within financial markets. In the past scholars of economics have studies steady models of market behavior which are patterns that cause a behavioral equilibrium that induces no further reaction within the system. However, these models which are known as steady, robust might not be as reliable as they seem. In the past in economic analysis it was presumed that identical agents possess perfect rationality and arrive at shared logical conclusions or expectations about the situation they are in at the particular moment. When these accumulated expectations aggregative create a world that values them as predictions, they are according to micro- and macro-economic theory in a so-called perfect market equilibrium. However, scholars are now elaborating on the former equilibrium approach by turning to the question of how the actions of individual agents, their strategies or expectations might endogenously change while adapting to the aggregate patterns these create. The moment we emphasize the formation of structures rather than their given existence, the problems that occur when trying to forecast the developments within the economy are different by nature (Arthur, 1999). The complexity theory that holds this perspective on analyzing the economy portrays it not as deterministic, predictable and mechanistic but as process dependent, organic and always evolving. It is not an adaption to the conventional economic equilibrium theory but a theory at a standard out-of-

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Transversal Studies Section

equilibrium level whereby reaching a perfect equilibrium is moreover the exception than conventional behavior (Arthur, 1999). This way of thinking might be much more appropriate when it comes to analyzing current economic problems like the highly complex phenomenon of the financial crisis of 2008 than the former neoclassical models, because the latter seem in complete lack of practical applicability. Next to that they disregard the significance of the behavioral and humanizing aspect of modern economics. The current models do not emphasize the more philosophical, associational insight but instead imply a false sense of precision with mathematical numbers. This is also the case with the models that have been used for the packaged mortgage securities and which failed in their predictions. One needs to be more honest about the limitations of these models in order to prevent future disaster in financial markets and the fallibility of the mathematics that has been used in order to make future forecasts (Taleb, 2007). For example, a model using data on securitized subprime mortgage issues in 2006 demonstrates that as the degree of securization increases, interest rates and new loans rely increasingly on hard information about borrowers. As a result the model fitted in a low securization period breaks down in the high securization period while it underpredicts defaults among borrowers. In July 2006 the ABX index that tracks credit default swaps based on AAA subprime tranches fell by about 45% over the course of eight months. Behind the valuations was a statistical model that estimates defaults on the underlying collateral. Bankers and investors were left completely surprised with this new information (Rajan et all, 2009). However, Rajan (2009) debates this breaking down of the financial model while underestimating the political, social and economic risks should not have been very much of a surprise while the models relied entirely on hard information and ignored soft control variables such as the incentives of lenders to collect information about borrowers, which was one of the fundamental causes for their failure (Rajan et all., 2009).The moment we are trying to quantify the behavior of human beings, while making use of mathematical models, it is as if we “force the ugly stepsister’s foot into Cinderella’s pretty glass slipper” (Economist, 2010).

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Bibliography Arthur, W.B., Increasing Returns and Path Dependency in the Economy, University of Michigan Press, Michigan, 1995 Rajan, U., Sen, A., Vig, V., The Failure of Models that predict Failure: Distance, Incentives and Defaults, January 2009 Reiss, J., Error in Economics, The Methodology of Evidence-Based Economics, London, Routledge, 2008 Swagel, P., The Financial Crisis; An Inside View, Brooking Papers on Economic Activity, March 30, 2009 Taleb, N., N., Antifragile, Things that Gain from Disorder, Random House th Publishers, New York, November 27 2012 Taleb, N., N., Fooled by Randomness, The Hidden Role of Chances in Life and in the Markets, 2005 Taleb, N.; N.; The Black Swan, The Impact of the Highly Improbable, Allen Lane, Great Britain, 2007 Valencia, M., The Economist, Special Report: Risk, The Gods strike Back, Februari 13th-19th, 2010 Financial Markets Regulation; Financial Crisis Highlights need to Improve Oversight of Leverage at Financial Institutions and across System, Testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on Financial Services, House of Representatives, General Accounting Office (GAO), United States, Washington, 2010

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Nº 12

International Youth Day

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Playing For A Goal in Siem Reap, Cambodia Para muchas personas alrededor del mundo, el deporte y el juego son inmediatamente asociados a la noción de infancia. A través del juego los niños exploran, inventan y crean. Desarrollan habilidades sociales, aprenden a expresar sus emociones y ganan confianza sobre sus propias capacidades. Sin embargo, para la mayoría de niños de Siem Reap, Camboya, la oportunidad de aprender y crecer a través del deporte y el juego no está disponible, lo que les roba sus mejores momentos de la infancia. Somos Valentina Cabanzo (Caracas, Venezuela) y Sergi Sauras (Barcelona, España), estudiantes universitarios que creemos en el poder del deporte para enseñar, motivar y mejorar el entorno social. El deporte afecta positivamente a cambiar y promover el desarrollo de los niños. Por supuesto, no debe verse como un remedio infalible al problema de la pobreza y desigualdad. El deporte es una tan sólo una herramienta, pero pensamos que un programa inclusivo puede reunir a niños, niñas, minorías y personas con discapacidades para darles la oportunidad de trabajar juntos por un objetivo. Playing For A Goal es un campus deportivo que dará a los niños y a los entrenadores las herramientas y conocimientos necesarios para codiseñar y ejecutar un programa sostenible para niños en situación de

riesgo. El campus se enfocará al aprendizaje social y la interacción con la comunidad de Siem Reap, contribuyendo con el material y equipamiento necesario para organizar juegos y enseñar a los niños los valores del deporte, el trabajo en equipo, la amistad y promoviendo un estilo de vida saludable. Otra parte importante del program es Goals For Girls, la sección que se centra en el desarrollo de las mujeres jóvenes no sólo a través de los juegos, sino también trabajando con ellas para organizar los eventos y dirigir a los niños más jóvenes. Enseñar sobre la igualdad de género e inspirar a la comunidad es tanto o más importante que marcar goles. Quienes apoyen la campaña* estarán dando a más niños la oportunidad de participar en Playing For A Goal, y les ayudará a establecer el proyecto como una parte importante del Sports Program que la ONG Globalteer desarrolla cada año y que impacta positivamente las vidas de centenares de niños. Estamos muy ilusionados por la oportunidad de ayudar a un gran número de personas a través de lo que amamos: el deporte. Al fin y al cabo, todos los niños tienen derecho a jugar. *Campaña: https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/playi ng-for-a-goal-in-cambodia/x/10831177

Nº 12

International Youth Day

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Advocating for Today’s Youth - How Boys & Girls Clubs of America Prepare Young People for Great Futures Today’s youth face numerous challenges ranging from poverty to obesity to academic struggles. 11 million kids are left unsupervised after school each day and need a safe haven with caring mentors and program that can change their opportunity equation. Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) tackles these issues every day, all year round. As the number one advocate for youth, the 4,100 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country and on U.S. military installations worldwide work to ensure great futures are within reach of the nearly 4 million members by helping them stay on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle. In fact, by 2018, BGCA aims to see 1.4 million Club teens on track to graduate from high school, 1.2 million Club teens volunteer a total of 6 million hours and 4 billion hours of physical activity by Club youth. Following is a look at some of the academic success programs Boys & Girls Clubs have place to provide all youth with

the support, resources and opportunities they need to ensure they are on the path to pursue their dreams. Academic Success For every hour a child spends in school, they spend two hours out of school. How they spend that time can have a significant impact on their lives. As a leader in youth development during out-ofschool time, BGCA is redefining the opportunity equation by leveraging the power of after-school and summer programs to ensure academic success and create a stronger generation of future leaders. Even with U.S. graduation rates at an alltime high, nearly one in five American students still will not graduate high school. From expanding horizons in elementary school, to unearthing passions in middle school, to embracing subject mastery in high school, Boys & Girls Clubs are leading the charge to close the graduation gap for good. Club members nationwide participate in year-round academic success programs that encourage them to graduate from high school on time and prepared for a postsecondary education and a promising 21st century career. For example, Clubs around the country offer programs such as Graduate for Más, in partnership with the Taco Bell Foundation, that identifies and addresses issues that teens face as they navigate the path toward graduation and

beyond. The multi-faceted program available at Clubs across the country helps to prepare rising 8th and 9th graders for a successful transition into high school, while introducing teens of all ages to higher education opportunities and career goals beyond high school. The focus of this program, along with BGCA’s wide range of academic success offerings, is to reach the organization’s goal of helping 1.4 million Club teens stay on track to graduate by 2018, which represents an estimated $8 billion in economic impact. To date, according to a Harris Survey, 90 percent of Club alumni reported they earned a high school diploma or equivalent. BGCA also offers programming that educates Club members about today’s digital world and ignites their passion for science a n d t e c h n o l o g y. A c c o r d i n g t o STEMConnector.org, STEM jobs in the U.S. are expected to grow nearly twice as fast as other fields by 2018. There will be more than 8 million STEM jobs in the U.S. by 2018, but 3 million of them may go unfilled because of a lack of people with required skills. Programs such as My.Future, sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal, introduce more young people to STEM-related activities to help address this large, unmet need. My.Future allows Club members to select from more than 40 activities that reinforce digital literacy, including areas of exploring the web, communicating with others digitally and building media. Additional experiences allow members to explore advanced topics, such as robotics, coding and game design. These programs give Club members the technology skills needed to pursue promising careers and thrive in today’s digital world. In addition, BGCA recently announced a partnership with The College Board and Kahn Academy to offer Club teens free, personalized practice for the redesigned SAT®. This pilot program helps level the playing field for students who are interested in

taking the SAT and preparing for collegelevel courses. And Club academic programs don’t end when the school year does. Each summer most youth lose about two months’ worth of math skills, while low-income students also lose more than two months in reading achievement despite the fact that their middle-class peers make slight gains over the summer break. To combat summer learning loss, BGCA offers a program called Summer Brain Gain. The program is comprised of 17 one-week modules with themed activities for elementary school, middle school and high school students. Supported by Disney, each module takes a project-based learning approach; youth engage in a process of learning through discovery, creative expression, group work and a final project or production. Examples of these modules include “Bio Motion” and “Bug Off!” where Club youth can explore how living things navigate their environments or examine the incredible amount of diversity in the insect world. Although the average low-income U.S. student lost at least two months of learning last summer, the average Summer Brain Gain participant did not. In some areas, Club members showed significant gains, including improvements in reading skills for fifth and eighth graders, and in math skills for fourth, fifth and sixth graders. As the leading after-school and summer learning provider, BGCA is committed to helping close the educational opportunity gap in the U.S. Through BGCA’s ongoing focus on academic success, as well as healthy lifestyles and good character and citizenship, today’s youth have access to the resources they need to ensure the great future they deserve is within reach. For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of America, visit www.greatfutures.org.

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International Youth Day

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Young Queens UK Young Queens UK is an international project, a subdivision of Anima Foundation Charity, and the brain child of the 2014 Miss Ghana UK, Eloise Anima Dickens. While the pageant is, on face value, more about beauty and confidence, this particular Young Queen embodies such compassion in her heart, such a love for people and a keenness to empower, that she has embarked on a journey that will see her and her peers devoting their time to showing other Young Queens why they should be proud to be crowned. The icon that is the symbol of Young Queens is a representation of her success in the pageant, but this undertaking, is entirely independent, initially self funded and non profit. The purpose of the programme is to emancipate females between the ages of 13 and 24 in all aspects of their lives. This, we seek to achieve, by involving our members in events catered towards their economic, personal and social growth. These include talks given by professionals in their varying fields of expertise, exclusive meets with special guests, workshops accommodating curriculum vitae enhancements, excursions and a myriad of other undertakings. Membership is elective, encouraged and outside the age requirements, non-discriminatory; any nationality, ethnicity, religion and background is welcome. At the time of print, this society consisted of an ever growing number of ambassadors, three

partners and Miss Dickens, the founder and chair of Anima Foundation Charity. In her words: My aim has always been to inspire people to be more, do more and become more. I was astonished and pleased by the number of applicants expressing interest in becoming an ambassador; reason being, it showed me that these young ladies recognised something within themselves...LEADERSHIP potential and SELF BELIEF. These are two very important factors that should be harnessed in every single female. I see

it as my duty to give these ladies confidence to be more, do more and become more. By extension, I am committed to taking on anyone who shows genuine interest in joining our Young Queens family. Applications are welcome indefinitely. The ambassadors are motivated, enthusiastic young individuals of all nationalities who represent the organisation and its values as well as carry out varying duties in a bid to fulfil the objectives of Young Queens. These duties include endorsing the society to potential sponsors

and affiliates, as well as presenting Young Queens to members of the public across social media, and at locations such as academic establishments. In the UK alone, employment rates have risen, with those for women at a record high of 68.6% and these are statistics vouched for by the BBC. Our aim is not necessarily to see to it that this figure increases in an upward trajectory, but rather to ensure that when the time comes for our young queens to enter the job market, they have the confidence, the etiquette, the resilience, and ability that employers will require of them. We aim to support and advise, not just the Queens in the UK, but to act as advocates for the education of our fellow queens in developing countries. We aspire to inspire females all over, using our platform to be a positive influence, offering aid in any way we can. What is coming is better than what is gone. As women, we have the courage to grab life by the lapels, and live it how we want. We can see that, and we are here to help you realise the potential in you. As said by other great people who realised their own potential, leadership is not a trumpet to self importance. It is an opportunity to serve. Leadership isn't about creating followers. It is about creating more leaders and making others better as a result of your presence. by Nancy Bernett abenanancybernett@gmail.com

Nº 12

International Youth Day

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ERASMUS YOUTH AND EDUCATORS PROGRAMME Nature within the framework of different activities organised in three categories:

> The NGO – Objectif Sciences International The non-profit association Objectif Sciences International offers high-quality sci e n ce ca m p s fo r ch i l d re n a n d teenagers all over the world. These science camps are organised with the aim of discovering and experimenting new ways of conducting science projects while respecting Nature and the Environment.

Robotics/Drones and Technology

Up the Trees (Study of Trees and their characteristics) -

Meetings of Excellence They shall also take part in mountain hiking trips, work in nature laboratories, or make use of hand-held cameras or cameras mounted aboard drones that they will learn to pilot during the course of the Programme.

http://www.science-camps.com/ The aim of the NGO is to inform and create awareness on the importance of Science Education and Participatory Research while advancing Sustainable Development solutions, i.e. learning about the Environment and at the same time fostering respect and appreciation for living creatures. These Programmes are both aimed at encouraging young people and professionals in adopting a coherent and holistic approach to environmental rights and responsibilities. This is a large-scale project that involves participants from different European countries. Both programmes are targeted at: 1.

Young people between the ages of 13 and 30 years: > > Summer Programme (August) All participants will take part in a European Programme that will give them the opportunity in coming together this August (from the 2nd to the 9th) in the Provence Region of SouthEast France.

> > Group Project Participants will take part in writing a scientific news report in their native languages on the fascinating topic - Rights of Nature, which they will take back home to their different countries - with their own signatures as authors.

They will also prepare a scientific journal on activities conducted during the Programme, with the aim of returning home well equipped to continue with their individual projects. Participants will work together on practical projects on the Rights of

Professional/Scientific Educators > > Autumn Programme (November) The NGO is also organising an international workshop on Science Education for Scientific and Professional Educators from the 16th to the 27th of November 2015. We are counting on the general public’s support in collaborating with us on this large-scale initiative.

For registrations and enquiries, contact: The NGO – Objectif Sciences International ( Switzerland : +41 22 519 02 41 France: +33 5 35 54 42 02 Belgium: +32 2 318 31 08 ∗ : women@osi-ngo.org contact-en@osi-ngo.org

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International Youth Day

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Bodour Al Qasimi to Champion Youth Empowerment at World Economic Forum 2015

Economic Forum Global Strategic Infrastructure Initiative, Member of Parliament and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2007-2010); Omar Al Ghanim, Chief Executive Officer of Al Ghanim Industries, Kuwait; Suma Chakrabarti, President of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), London; and John Rice, ViceChairman of GE, Hong Kong SAR.

Sheikha Bodour is the first Emirati woman to co-chair the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), encouraged youth empowerment during the upcoming World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, which hold at the King Hussein bin Talal Convention Centre in the Dead Sea, Jordan, in May 21st -23rd. Besides being the first Emirati woman to co-chair an event at the economic forum, Sheikha Bodour took part in a panel discussion on the second day titled ‘The Youth Imperative: What Shifts Are Necessary to equip the region’s youth for a future of peace and prosperity?,. She emphasised the vital need to encourage and empower the younger generation to become active contributors to the economic, social, and political development of their nations. Sheikha Bodour will also speak at a Young Global Leaders Community Bonding event on May 21st..

Sheikha Bodour remarked, “The Arab region has no shortage of young talent, but the challenge is to effectively utilise such talent and invest it in the development process both locally and regionally. As the youth population constitutes over 55% of the total population in the Arab world, it is crucial that we engage young people in core issues, instilling in them hope and optimism while harnessing their abilities and energy to create real and lasting peace and prosperity in the region.” An esteemed lineup of global figures will join Sheikha Bodour as co-chairs of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, including Gordon Brown, Chair of the World

A delegation from the emirate of Sharjah, composed of representatives from various government departments and authorities discussed different ideas, exchanged experiences with other participants, including political, intellectual, business and technology leaders from around the world. The World Economic Forum is an international institution committed to improving the state of the world through public-private cooperation in the spirit of global citizenship. Incorporated as a notfor-profit foundation in 1971 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the forum features business, political, academic and other leaders of society who aim to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

North Africa bring together more than 800 key government, business, and civil society leaders from the region and beyond, to support a comprehensive and forward-looking vision for prosperity and peace. The World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa issues economic indices in competitiveness, business environment, labour force and market performance.

For more information please contact: M a j d i A s h o u r  S a h a r a C o m m u n i c a t i o n s  E - m a i l : m a j d i @ s a h a r a g c c . c o m  Mobile: 055 1014522

Titled ‘Creating a Regional Framework for Prosperity and Peace through PublicPrivate Cooperation’, the 2015 World Economic Forum on the Middle East and

Nº 12

International Youth Day

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The European Azerbaijan School – Driving Educational Success Azerbaijan is, in many ways, a very fortunate country. The land is rich in natural wealth. But as I have discovered, its greatest resource is not energy or precious metals but its young people. One in two of its 10 million population is under 30. Nearly 25 per cent are under 15. It is the energy and talent of these youngsters that will enable Azerbaijan to achieve its ambitions. To maximise the country’s benefits, one has to give young people the tools to make the most of their potential. And that means making sure they get the best possible education. Azerbaijan has a great platform to build on. The first Muslim country to create modern universities, it has almost universal literacy, unlike many countries in the region. But policymakers in Azerbaijan are well aware that their education system must strive to keep up with the best in the world, and give young people the skills and confidence they need to adapt their knowledge to a world changing faster than ever. Given that the jobs they will fill and the technology they will use may not yet exist, it is not enough to simply require children to learn what we know. Azerbaijan needs to equip them to think on their feet, to challenge what they learn as the best education systems already do. It is this approach which lies at the heart of the European Azerbaijan School (EAS) which opened in Baku in September 2011, and I am proud to be a consultant at the school. EAS was set up by Tale Heydarov in support of the Ministry of Education’s drive to modernise the country’s education system. An Azerbaijani entrepreneur, Tale is determined to promote good educational practice in his country and to bring out the full potential of his country’s young generation. The school’s primary objective is to equip its students with the skills necessary for them to flourish in their future careers, whether in Azerbaijan or further afield. Inspired by the

school’s plans to be a symbol of educational excellence in Azerbaijan, and drawing on my own experience of managing and teaching in schools across five different continents, I have set out below what I believe to be a blueprint for educational success. 1. Learning how to learn At EAS, teaching is not a one-way processchildren are actively engaged in their own learning. Gone are the days of children being seen as empty vessels into which facts can be poured. They are encouraged not to simply regurgitate information, but to learn how to learn; this means that discovering for themselves what it is that they need to learn, rather than being told by their teachers. This is a fundamental pillar of the school’s philosophy, and is one of the many ways in which EAS is forging new paths in the country. 2. Equip children with skills for the jobs of tomorrow App developer. Social media manager. Cloud computing expert. These are just three of many job descriptions which barely existed five years ago. The lesson here is that we should not attempt to mould children of today into the jobs of tomorrow, since we do not know what these jobs will be. Instead, we should equip our children with the knowledge and, most importantly, the skills required to be leaders in any field that they choose to go into. 3. Education outside the classroom Extra-curricular activities are a vital part of a child’s development, and EAS is committed to offering its children a varied programme which includes sports, drama, chess, dancing, choir, traditional carpet-making, drawing and pottery. The importance of such activities is difficult to overstate. They teach children the value of being part of a team working towards a long-term goal. They help them discover new interests, forge new relationships and raise self-esteem. And they help children learn to structure their time and to plan ahead. Put simply if they want to

make football training or theatre class, they need to make sure their homework is done on time! 4. The highest international standards Azerbaijan sits at the crossroads of Europe and the rest of the world. It is an outward-looking nation with much to contribute to the global community, but like all countries it has a great deal to learn from others. With this in mind, as a candidate school, EAS is in the process of becoming an International Baccalaureate school, enabling its students to benefit from a combination of world-class international and local curricula. EAS is also already building links with other schools across the country to help modernise teaching techniques. 5. Speaking the world’s languages EAS also recognises the importance of Azerbaijani children becoming multilingual agents in an open economy. Our lessons are currently conducted in Azerbaijani, with English and Russian woven into the curriculum - for example in drama lessons – while the school works towards fully bi-lingual instruction (Azerbaijani and English). Interactive storytelling techniques, such as dialogic reading, are used to enable young children with very few words to become enthusiastic readers and develop a love of reading that will stay with them for the rest of their life. 6. Education in the Digital Age With technology making children more visuallyoriented, children require constant stimulation. EAS uses SMART boards in virtually every classroom, as well as other interactive teaching technologies. A 1:1 laptop program is underway for Secondary School children and iPads are widely used from Early Years onwards, assisting the process of interactive teaching and empowering of students to take responsibility for their own learning. Many countries have used these facilities for years, but the challenge is to make them costeffective. In an era where you can turn a $40

By Graeme Pollock

video game controller into a digital whiteboard, anything is possible. 7. Getting parents and teachers onside Drawing from my own experiences across the world, this is maybe the most crucial step of all. The model outlined above will only achieve educational transformation if parents and teachers all buy into this new philosophy. This will not be easy. Many will have grown up in a different educational era- one of rote learning, a narrow curriculum and an inward-looking attitude to languages and educational standards. But it is essential that teachers and the wider community embrace innovations that have been developed by educational researchers and practitioners, and learn from the successes and failures of the past. 8. Education for all Providing children with top-class facilities is not cheap, and so EAS is a fee-paying school. However the school recognises that the brightest minds of tomorrow could come from any section of Azerbaijani society. With that in mind, the school has decided to keep its fees to an absolute minimum, and provide scholarships to students who show outstanding potential. Bright children from every background can therefore benefit from the education that EAS provides. Currently one in six children at the school benefit from scholarships in some form, and this is something that Tale as founder is particularly passionate about maintaining. Through the example EAS is setting, the achievements of its pupils and the links they are building, I am confident that the school will play its part in maintaining the improvement in educational standards throughout Azerbaijan. If we give our young people the skills to succeed, we can rely on them to build the future we all want. Azerbaijan has made significant steps in this direction and that is the real reason, I believe, that the country is so fortunate.

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International Youth Day

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Like Lambs to the Slaughter: The Erosion of the Cultured Citizen “Like Lambs to the Slaughter: The Erosion of the Cultured Citizen” is Part I of a series entitled Education through the Looking Glass which is a commentary on the role of politics and its effect on critical thinking and reflection in education.

Sean M. Douglas is an author, businessman and teacher whose latest book From Storm Clouds Come Angels has been praised as a work of true and genuine insight. Mr. Douglas continues to lecture and is a student of the Philosophy of Educational Theory and Policy. douglas.enterprises@live.ca

The following article discusses the issues surrounding the decline in cultural education. Whereas in the past subjects such as English, literature, music, art and humanities was a focal point of education, today these disciplines are often the first to have their funding reduced. As a result, education is failing to develop well-cultured, creative and critically thinking students. This trend will not only lead to an apathetic culture, but

a society that fails to recognize the importance of creating a strong culture. History remembers culture by their artistic achievements and values, not by their narcissistic attitudes, thus we need to consider that in order to evolve into the future, education is responsible for inspiring the present.

intellect, insight, understanding, values

future.

and citizenship, or is it that higher

whose three objectives “focus on

standards with lower expectations has

establishing high levels of student

equated to this phenomenon that claims

achievement; reducing the gaps in

that ‘Failure is not an option’?

student achievement; and ensuring high

Perhaps what first needs to be asked is, what should an education look like, versus what kind of learning is currently shaping the next generation? One can hardly deny that

“I have never let school interfere

education has changed since, say the

with my education” wrote Mark Twain as

days of Socrates3, and it is clear that the

he considered his own understanding of

age of texting and self-corrective

the world; but how long before someone

technology has led to a decline in

holds a mirror up to public education and

communication skills, and while the de-

realizes that the reflection of the

cline of such proficiency is unfortunate, it

students staring back is not the one they

will not be “the way to a dusty death”4.

thought they would see? It is a shame

What is unfortunate, however, is educa-

to see Mr. Clemens1 fears become a

tion’s digression from culture in the

reality as education becomes lost within

classroom, for it is through the process

the school.

of being cultured that all skills follow; “ay,

As an example, some states show that in the past six years gradua-

there’s the rub!”5 There is, however, a great irony in

tion rates for secondary students has

such a digression of culture, for what

dramatically risen from 68% to 81%2 due

often brings culture to a standstill is what

to Student Success programs, but the

occurs in the school itself, the same

questions that rarely get asked are, do

institution that one would assume seeks

these numbers truly reflect a students’

to shape the hearts and minds of the

Then again, it is the ministry

levels of public confidence in public education”6. When the emphasis of education is based around statistics and external perception, it is no wonder that students are not developing a sense of personal identity, citizenship, and culture. Perhaps schools no longer know how to effectively implement the values of culture, for now that we have become so immersed in politics, we are so overwrought with tensions that our sensitivity and our fear of being un-politically correct has eroded culture itself. One’s ability to teach classic literature, art, music, history, philosophy, and theory, is successfully being eroded, and it is these disciplines that are necessary for students to become cultured citizens. We are at a point in time when what most would benefit society is a renaissance of culture. Instead, we have entered an age where the priority for the arts and humanities has been overshadowed by what is commonly considered

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“employable skills”, the same skills that are quickly eradicating what it means to truly be human. Education should challenge one to question, push one to seek, allow one to reflect; education should inspire curiosity, share insights, admit that failure is a necessary adversary to success; education should drive one to study the thinkers, artists, writers and musicians of the past, to promote fading values, and to instil an appreciation for wanting to learn the ideas that establish all that we are and can be. So what is it that has shifted within schools?

International Youth Day To be cultured is to encompass a greater understanding of people; culture allows one to appreciate the undertones that drive society and connect what it is that inspires and feeds the passions of the individual. Instead, we are becoming a culture dictated by the values of material worth without having been taught the values of culture. Where once there was a desire to improve oneself through reading, music and art, now there is a desire to prove one’s worth through the superficiality of those things that come and go without leaving so much as a lingering impression. We have been driven “like lambs to the slaughter”7 towards a corpo-

What is the new model for the curriculum? Perhaps

rate model of citizenship where profit proceeds the

it may be argued that society has shifted its values

person.

away from bettering the person to bettering the

moted this ideal.

profit, and that education now seeks to create a culture consisting of employable skills rather than creating a community of culture.

Gone are the days when expectations were created to challenge, and one equated success with self-advocacy and the strength that came through trial and error, determination, hard work and

initiatives that promote an individual’s freedom to

consequence; here are the days where

critically think, reflect, challenge, and be challenged,

expectations are written with an emphasis that there

though the reality is that there is very little room for

is no such thing as failure, when ones’ personal re-

true criticism or reflection in the classroom; the fo-

alities are substituted with accommodations, and

cus of education is not on challenging students, but

culture has been replaced with conformity.

translated in something that can be effectively numerated and explicitly bought. This is not suggesting that students do not need to develop skills necessary for the workplace, but it is implying that if a greater emphasis was placed on culturing students, these skills would naturally follow.

NOTES Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel L. Clemens. Ontario.ca Socrates used a method of inquiry that established understanding through a process of critical thinking that was based on a discussion that revolved around a dialogue of questions and responses as a means to achieve a sense of comprehension. Macbeth 5.5 Hamlet 3.1 Ontario Ministry of Education. (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca) Jeremiah 51:40

And it is public education that has pro-

While on the surface, schools suggest

rather on explicating absolute skills that can be

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Now is the moment that public education must begin to look through the looking glass and realize that unless we want a country with no cultured conscious, we need to focus on creating a community of culture. The time is now, the place is here; this is the moment that change must be made, for it is now that we must ensure that school never interferes with education.

Nº 12

International Youth Day

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Technology And The 21st-Century Workforce: Why All Teenagers Need To Learn To Type A global economy provides more opportunities than ever for employment, but in order to take advantage of the expanding market in telecommunications and internet-based business, young people need to become experts in the tools these jobs require. It seems like the competition for good jobs gets more intense every year. These days it's not enough just to be willing to work hard - even entry-level jobs require a certain basic skill set, and because many jobs involve the use of computers and keyboards, typing is one of those basic skills. What does this mean for teenagers and young adults who are hoping to succeed in a competitive jobs market? It means that they need to be ready to cope with the technological demands of the jobs they're applying for, by learning basic computer skills. Because many employers have at least one eye on the global marketplace, a good knowledge of English vocabulary is also essential; fluency in English helps in assisting customers around the world and gives a new employee the ability to work for their company in an overseas office. But whether communicating in English or another language, every new employee needs to be able to touch type accurately and quickly to keep the business moving forward. Workplace Success Begins At School One of the key indicators of achievement on the job is education. Children who get a good education in primary school have the skills to advance to higher education and better jobs as young adults. In many schools,

computers and keyboard-based learning are playing a larger role in daily classroom activities. New educational reforms are even putting keyboarding on the list of required skills for students as young as 8 and 9 years old. Children who can't type quickly and accurately won't be able to keep up with assignments. They won't be able to finish online exams in the limited time they're given to click through the test sections and type out the responses, even if they know the answers to all of the questions. The lower scores they receive from incomplete assignments and exams will lower their grades, and the opportunities they might have had to apply for high-value scholarships and awards will also decline. By learning how to touch type at an early age, children can take advantage of all of the educational opportunities they're given. Unfortunately, not every school offers keyboarding classes, even if that school uses computers in the classroom. Fortunately, there's an easy solution for children and young adults who want to reach their educational and job-related goals: the award-winning typing tutor Ultimate Typing™ 2015. Step-By-Step Success With Ultimate Typing™ 2015 anyone can learn to touch type simply by following the lesson plans, practicing the exercises, and reviewing the instructions for incorporating business skills and ergonomics into a daily typing routine. The cloud-based software guides the user through scientifically-designed activities that focus on basic to advanced typing

skills, using feedback from the activity results to personalize each user's learning experience. Whether that user is 8 years old or 18 years old, they'll be presented with a customized practice schedule that helps them hone their typing skills while having fun at the same time. Each typing lesson starts with a brief video that demonstrates finger positions and keystrokes. The system also provides regular reminders about the proper position for their hands, head, and body to avoid developing repetitive stress injury problems. Personalized Success The Ultimate Typing™ 2015 software adapts to each user and satisfies their individual learning needs by adjusting the exercises according to the user's current typing speed and accuracy rate. The system encourages a user to repeat and review any activity or exercise where they did not score well enough to match their typing milestones. This guidance and encouragement helps the user to keep a positive attitude and a focus on their ultimate goal: to be an expert touch typist. The training text used in the games and advanced activities is also customizable. A user can import documents and texts and practice typing with those texts so that they are using words that are immediately relevant to their lives. For example, a student in high school can choose to upload a chapter from a history book they're required to read, and use that as the typing practice text. By combining typing practice with their other educational goals and requirements, every user can make progress quickly in a range of skills. Celebrating Success In Typing

As the user completes each exercise and activity, they are awarded status points that motivate them to advance to the next level. Earning these status points is fun, and users can even compete with each other to see who can reach the next status level first by publishing results on social media platforms. Typing speed and accuracy rates are also tracked by the Ultimate Typing™ 2015 system and displayed in charts and graphs that the user can look at any time. Users can compare their current rates to the typing goals that they set, and enjoy seeing the proof that their keyboarding skills are quickly improving. Every user receives a certificate of completion at the end of the course and can add that certificate to their CV or portfolio. Helping Youth Succeed Around The World Parents, teachers, and adults everywhere can play their part by encouraging children, teenagers, and young adults to set and achieve their goals, both in keyboarding and in general education and job training. eReflect, the company behind Ultimate Typing™ 2015, is committed to helping young people and adults around the world to continue working on selfimprovement and self-paced education in order to create a more vibrant, interconnected, and successful global community. About the Author: Chassie Lee is the Content Expert for eReflect – creator of Ultimate Typing and Ultimate Typing EDU which is currently being used by tens of thousands of happy customers in over 110 countries.

Nº 12

International Youth Day

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-TokApp School-

Hoy en día muchos son los centros educativos (colegios, institutos, guarderías, AMPAS, universidades, academias, etc.), empresas y asociaciones de todo el mundo que dan el paso a introducir nuevas plataformas en sus establecimientos. El principal problema que vimos en los centros educativos fue la dificultad para establecer una comunicación efectiva al cien por cien. Con TokApp School proponemos una solución definitiva para los centros, profesores, alumnos y padres, innovando así el panorama tecnológico-educativo, ya que pocos recursos fiables y tan

específicos existen hoy en día en el mercado. Nuestro sistema, permite ahorrar el consumo de papel, tóner de impresoras, cartas, sellos y medios de transporte para los comunicados, cuidando así que el impacto medioambiental sea mínimo.

El usuario no hace falta que vaya en busca de la información, si no que la información le llega directamente, sin necesidad de acceder a plataformas. Para los padres tenemos a parte de los servicios de comunicación instantánea, una amplia oferta de servicios que ponemos a su plena disposición del sector educativo, entre ellos, librerías , logopedas, academias de enseñanza...etc. Comunidades como Galicia, Valencia, Asturias, Andalucía y Barcelona ya son oficiales de los servicios de TokApp School, siendo ésta última donde más usuarios de nuestros servicios tenemos. En la EOI Escuela Oficial de Idiomas, por ejemplo, contamos con más de 7.000 usuarios, en la de Pontevedra y coruñesa c o n m á s d e 5 . 0 0 0 a l u m n o s .

Podemos afirmar que damos cobertura a más de 400.000 familias. La empresa se encuentra operando a nivel nacional , teniendo previsto seguir creciendo y progresando, expandiendo la iniciativa al extranjero en el futuro próximo.

Enlaces : Página Oficial: https://www.tokapp.com/tokappschool/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokappSchool Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/TokappSchool/1397172620542555

Con TokApp School facilitamos el interactuar los centros con los padres y alumnos, siempre respetando la privacidad. Lo que nos diferencia de cualquier otra plataforma educativa es que sabemos en que momento, con fecha y hora exacta, el usuario ha leído el mensaje, además de poder solicitar sólo si el centro o el profesor lo requiere.

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Intellisense Co. Ltd is a multiple award winning technological company based in Budapest, Hungary. Since its inception in 2010 Intellisense has been working together with the most renowned Universities and Teachers from across Hungary, developing unique and creative STEM applications for primary and secondary education. Working together with 24 well educated and experienced professionals, Intellisense aims at taking part in the digital transformation of education and provide convenient and innovative solutions in the field of data acquisition. Since becoming an Intel partner in 2012, Intellisense is working closely with the world’s biggest hardware and educational software producers and is constantly in negotiations and discussions with other STEM solution providers. LabCamera Science is fun http://www.labcamera.com Lab Camera is a Science Exploration app with 7 tools that enables you to carry out scientific concepts using the laptop’s or tablet's camera. Built as a natural science exploration and data logging laboratory, Lab Camera allows students and teachers to carry out substantial scientific observations and measurements by using our software and your device’s basic integrated camera. Conducting physics, biology and chemistry experiments with Lab Camera - both in the classroom and at home - brings natural science education to a whole new level. It provides homes and schools with an instrument that makes learning natural science subject matters modern, exciting and engaging. The use of the software

International Youth Day

bridges the gap between school and home education, involves students actively and enables playful engagement with natural sciences, facilitating in depth understanding of the subject. We have developed seven great functions to help you discover the secrets of nature and your immediate surroundings. Level: Elementary School-Higher Degree Languages: 29 languages Ages: 6 and up Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows Desktop, Chrome D e m o : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhuQ s9f2zVM

MATEK (Mathematics) Snap and solve http://matekapp.com/ MATEK is an innovative application that teaches and helps you solve simple or complex mathematical equations by snapping a picture of a handwritten or printed equation or just by writing it on your touchscreen. Providing a step-by-step human logic explanation of an equation, MATEK promotes a can-do attitude towards solving mathematics by offering a proper explanation of the solving process and related background information from knowledge sources on the web. Not to be mistaken for a calculator, MATEK helps children understand the world of numbers by using innovative technology and easy to follow assistance and guidance. IDEAL FOR HOMEWORK, CLASSROOM, MATH PRACTICE AND DISTANCE LEARNING

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Ages: 12 and up Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows Desktop, Chrome D e m o : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MynVLF p4w1I

The study concludes that as the difference was even higher in case of problems of medium difficulty, Fizika raises students with average skills to a higher level of understanding, thus converting part of those uncertain about science subjects into science enthusiasts.

FIZIKA (Physics) Smart fun physics http://fizikaapp.com/

IDEAL FOR HOMEWORK, CLASSROOM, PRACTICE AND DISTANCE LEARNING

Experience physics in a fun and engaging way with the most entertaining and educative physics simulator on the market. Fizika allows you to learn and have fun at the same time! Use the preloaded objects or just draw on the screen to create scenes and experiments with ease and press the play button to get everything in motion. Change the properties of the objects or the environment to alter reality and observe the impact it has on the simulation. Switch to colourful themes such as Fruitland and Mysterious to make your simulation even more fun! S t a r t i n g f r o m g r a v i t y t o e l a s t i c i t y, acceleration, mass, friction and more, Fizika allows you to understand physics beyond theory and classic laboratory experiments. Besides playing with the extended customizable properties, you can analyse the processes with Fizika’s live graphing solution that will allow you to track and record everything for a later-on deeper analysis. A 4 months study conducted by ELTE (Eötvös Lóránt Science University in Budapest, Hungary) on 160 9th-grade students from 5 different schools showed that the groups using Fizika for problem solving, accomplished final tests with a score 15% higher than their peers having traditional approach during their classes.

Level: Middle School/High School Ages: 6 and up Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows Desktop, Chrome D e m o : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGQtL5 R2obc Clapmotion Your story, just a clap away http://www.clapmotion.com/ The fun way to make stop-motion movies. Create a shot without touching the camera only by clapping your hands. Clapmotion develops project based thinking, artistic, creative and teamwork skills. Stop-motion animation also important in science education, it helps for the deep understanding of the basic “mechanism” of movements. Ages: 6 and up Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows Desktop, Chrome D e m o : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We6mp GBEWIE

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