Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Cambodian Young Leaders Summit

Leadership for a New Generation

“Building a Strong Cultural, Intellectual and Spiritual Foundation for the Future”

Siem Reap, Cambodia

November 15-19, 2007

A Program of the Global Peace Initiative of Women’s Young Leaders International Peace Council in partnership with Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association

To see:

The Global Peace Initiative of Women is organizing a gathering of young Cambodian community leaders in Siem Reap from November 15th-19th, 2007. The attendees represent the first generation born after the genocide, who will be the future leaders of the country. The purpose of this conference is to provide participants with a platform to come together to constructively shape a collective vision for their nation that will strengthen and guide their role in civil society.

The gathering aims to allow participants to build and expand their networks and to learn and become inspired by the successful work and best practices of other young people in their country. It will be an opportunity for linking inter-related issues – education, employment, poverty alleviation, human rights, civic responsibility, and healthy ecological systems.

The dialogue will also encourage participants to invoke another of Cambodia’s richest resources – its longstanding Buddhist spiritual tradition – in efforts to create a better future for their nation. Because prominent members of the Cambodian Buddhist community were targeted during the violent reign of the Khmer Rouge, many benefits of this tradition have been lost on younger generations of Cambodians. It will be an opportunity for participants to consider the relationship between internal peace and social harmony, the continuity between spiritual meditation and reconciliation and the creation of a sound future.

Anticipated outcomes of the Cambodian Young Leaders Summits include:

· The creation and launch of the Cambodian Young Leaders Forum

· Inclusion of the Cambodian youth into an international network of young leaders

· Inspire partnerships between Cambodian youth as well as international participants

Provide professional development and leadership training and capacity building opportunities for Cambodian youth to enable them to envision a better future for their country and a support network to achieve their goals.