The International Leadership Training Programme, organized as a forum, is premised on a three-fold understanding of the vital role leaders play in society. The first is that every new generation of human rights leaders builds on the work of those who came before it. The second is that in today's increasingly interdependent global world, where actions or events in any part of the global system have impact on people in other regions of the world, there is a need to build a network of solidarity and to nurture a new cadre of human rights leaders who can educate others and provide enlightened leadership to meet the complex and multifaceted challenges of the new millennium. And the third is that young people are a force to be reckoned with and that the future belongs to them. In order, to ensure that they are effective leaders for a better future, today’s leaders have a duty to impart their knowledge to the younger generation of leaders and to alert it of the pitfalls of the past. This is because, although the circumstances under which the new generation of leaders operates/will operate are different, the issues that confront them are not fundamentally new to humanity and the types of strategies that would help them tackle the various issues need not be completely reinvented but innovatively adapted to new circumstances.
 
A principal reason why the intergenerational forum focuses on young leaders specifically is because, more than any other group in society, their training will most likely have great and ripple impact on society. Accordingly, the Forum will place premium on nurturing and developing young people for local and global leadership and building bridges and a network of solidarity, which promote the sharing of experiences and understanding of, and provide an impetus for, the empowerment of young leaders that will enable them to play a crucial and constructive role in the development of human rights in their communities and the world at large. The conference will provide tools and a platform for open debates about policies, programs, activities and processes necessary for human rights leadership.
 
In appreciation of the dynamics of an interdependent world, the UNESCO Chair will host an annual intergenerational forum that brings together young leaders from all regions of the world in the field of human rights once annually.  The forum will be held in August of each year to coincide with the International Youth Day, taking place on August 12, commemorated at the United Nations Headquarters in the USA. This will provide opportunities for participants to participate in Youth Day activities and meet with UN leaders. To complement the annual forum, regional fora will also be held in various continents.

APPROACH AND OBJECTIVES
The Leadership Training Programme is informed by the principle of reciprocal consultation, learning and empowerment and cross pollination of ideas and ideals.

Participants at the forum will be individuals from all over the world who have been involved in some capacity in human rights work in their communities.  Selected young people will engage through dialogue with experienced and older human rights practitioners to gain management skills and techniques and a greater understanding of human rights issues on a global level.
 
The main objectives of the Forum are to: involve young leaders in finding solutions to emerging human rights problems; nurture individuals to be effective leaders in the field of human rights; promote the sharing of experiences and understanding; provide an impetus for, and the empowerment of, youth leaders that will enable them to play a crucial and constructive role in the development of human rights in their communities; build a network of solidarity among future leaders in the field of human rights; hone the skills and expand the knowledge relevant to human rights practice; and provide tools and a platform for open debates about policies, programmes, activities and processes necessary for human rights leadership.
 
Participants at the forum will be individuals (ages 18-30) from all over the world who have been involved in some capacity in human rights work in their communities. Participants will receive training in areas such as grassroots organizing, building coalitions, effective communication, use of media for human rights education, and understanding of the processes and relevance of restorative justice. It is planned that discussions will be conducted under the rubric of four principal areas; namely poverty, education, health, conflict resolution and/or transformation. Specific areas of focus will include issues such as human trafficking, the plight of children, refugees and war, hunger, HIV/AIDS, religious intolerance, gender discrimination, racism and classism, peace education and environmental concerns.
 
Selected young people will engage through dialogue with experienced and older human rights practitioners to gain management skills and techniques and a greater understanding of human rights issues on a global level. A principal objective is to nurture individuals to be effective leaders in the field of human rights. Forum presenters/speakers/facilitators have been asked to serve in an ongoing capacity as mentors to the young participants upon their return to their home communities and countries.

OUTCOMES
To continue dialogue and exchange of ideas among the participants and to enable mentors to share their insights, a group email distribution list (listserv) and a group page on a social networking site will be established to facilitate on-going communication.

Publication: A summary of the highlights of the forum will be published together with contribution from participants who will be asked to write essays about the practical application of the forum to their areas and communities of engagement.  Ten to twenty of the best and representative essays will be selected for publication annually for wider dissemination. The publication will track progress made by participants, as well as serve as a record of activities by participants.

Please note: All forum participants will be provided with resource materials (i.e. website/listserv information), certificate of participation, lodging, meals and ground transportation. As post-conference follow-up, the UNESCO Chair will also establish a website and group e-mail distribution list (listserv) to allow for the support and continuation of the work started at the forum. The website and listserv will also enable participants to remain in contact with their mentors and with one other.

Fluency in English is required. The forum will be held in English only.

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Peliminary Schedule of Events:

Application currently open.

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Application Requirements for 2012:

Fluency in English is required. forum will be held in English only. In order to be considered for admission to the International Leadership Programme, please submit the following:

1. A completed and signed application form
2. Letter of intent (please attach as word, pdf, or text document)
3. Curriculum Vita/Resume (please attach as word, pdf, or text document)
4. Names and contact information for three professional references
*Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Application deadline is March 2, 2012.
5. Application Essay: Upon acceptance, you will be required to submit a final essay to complete the application process within three weeks of notification. Please click here for further details.

click here for Application

Travel/Housing:

Upon acceptance to the International Leadership Forum, each applicant will be provided with a letter of invitation.  The UNESCO Chair Office will provide all conference participants with dormitory housing, meals and ground transportation in Connecticut during the Forum. The applicant is responsible for securing their own visa, air travel to the United States and travel to Connecticut.  Due to the volume of applications, only successful candidates will be notified.  
 
Full attendance at all organized workshops and activities is mandatory upon acceptance.  The forum is intensive, please review sample daily itinerary.  Applicants are expected to arrive in Hartford, Connecticut on August 3 and depart on August 12. The conference dormitory closes on the 12 of August, we will not be able to accommodate participants beyond August 12.  

Applicants who are not able to commit to the week long conference in its entirety should not apply. 

Airlines & Local Transportation

The UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights Office will provide ground transportation for conference participants to the University from the following two locations, no exceptions will be made:


Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, is the one major airport serving the Hartford (CT)-Springfield (MA) area. Bradley is one of New England's most convenient and easily accessible airports. Bradley is located 12 miles north of Hartford, Connecticut, and 35 miles from the University of Connecticut.

Major Airlines Servicing Bradley International Airport:
Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Delta Connection, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, Air Canada, American Airlines, American Connection, and American Eagle.

The UNESCO Chair office will be scheduling shuttle pick-ups from Bradley Airport on August 2, 2012 for international participants and on August 3, 2012 for domestic participants. Shuttle schedules will be announced closer to the date of the forum. Please be aware that there may be a waiting period.

UNION STATION in Hartford, CT
Union Station in Hartford, CT is located at 1 Union Place. This station is where the bus lines, Amtrak train and Connecticut Limousine will drop off participants.

The UNESCO Chair office will be scheduling shuttle pick-ups from Hartford, Union Station on August 3, 2012. Shuttle schedules will be announced closer to the date of the forum. Please be aware that there may be a waiting period of up to two hours.

Alternatively, if you will be flying through New York City or Boston here are instructions on how to get to Union Station:


JFK International Airport (New York City) Arrivals:
Option I: Travel by shuttle to Union Station in Hartford

Connecticut Limousine
Connecticut Limousine provides transportation for individuals directly from JFK to Union Place in Hartford

Tickets can be purchased from the Connecticut Limousine booth which is located in the ground transport area of JFK. Shuttles leave JFK for Connecticut every hour. Approx. travel time is
3 hours.

Reservations can be made upon arrival at airport or by visiting www.ctlimo.com or by contacting 1.800.472.LIMO (5466) or 203.783.6800. Mon-Fri from 7AM-7:20PM; Sat-Sun from 7AM-5PM.

Option II: Travel by Bus to Union Station in Hartford
(or UConn)

IMPORTANT: You must first make your way from JFK Airport to the Port Authority terminal, located at 625 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018

Peter Pan Bus Lines/Greyhound Bus Lines www.peterpanbus.com

From Port Authority in New York to Union Place in Hartford
(Round Trip approx. $50.00). Departs more than 25 times per day.

From Port Authority in New York to The University of Connecticut (Round Trip $70.00). Departs only at 9:00am and 2:00pm daily.

Getting from JFK to Port Authority:

When exiting your flight follow the signs toward ground transportation and the luggage claim. After few steps, you will see an AirTrain sign pointing you outside.

Pay careful attention to the signs, you will be lead around a building and up an elevator to the AirTrain entrance, but please watch for the signs

There are three AirTrain routes and the arriving AirTrain announces its route clearly and loudly, so just listen to make sure you get on the correct train. The AirTrain connects to the following trains and subways:

The LIRR at Jamaica Station
The E, J/Z subways at Jamaica Station
The A subway at Howard Beach Station

When leaving the airport, take the AirTrain one going to Jamaica or Howard Beach station to connect to MTA Log Island Rail Road (LIRR) trains, MTA New York City Transit subways and local buses.

The Howard Beach is the blue line Subway A which is the 8 Avenue Express. This subway will take you directly to 42nd Street which is Port Authority/Bus Terminal if you are coming to Connecticut by bus, so YOU ONLY NEED TO TAKE ONE SUBWAY FROM JFK AND EXIT ON 42ND. Or if you are taking a train, this subway will take directly to Penn Station which is the 34th Street on 8 Avenue.

The Jamaica station is also the blue line BUT Subway E which is also the 8 Avenue Express. The Subway E is better because is a short trip and has less stops than Subway A. This subway will also take directly to 42nd Street which is Port Authority/Bus Terminal if you are coming to Connecticut by bus, so YOU ONLY NEED TO TAKE ONE SUBWAY FROM JFK AND EXIT ON 42ND. Or if you are taking a train, this subway will take directly to Penn Station which is the 34th Street on 8 Avenue.

Remember:

From JFK take AirTrain

From AirTrain to either Howard Beach or Jamaica Station

If Jamaica Station Subway E-42nd Street (Port Authority/Bus Terminal OR 34TH Street (Penn Station/ Trains Terminal) Short Trip

If Howard Beach Subway A-42nd Street (Port Authority/Bus Terminal OR 34TH Street (Penn Station/ Trains Terminal) Long Trip

The subway fare is approx. $2.00 (available 24 hours)

Option III: Travel by Train

IMPORTANT: You must first make your way from JFK Airport to Penn Station, located at 8th Avenue 31st Street, New York, NY 10001

To Connect to Local Trains and Subways from JFK

Take AirTrain to Jamaica Station (see detailed instructions above).

At Jamaica Station, take a Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train to New York Penn Station.

At New York Penn Station, take an Amtrak train to Hartford, Connecticut. Please see www.amtrak.com for details and schedules.


LOGAN Airport (Boston) Arrivals:

Peter Pan Bus Lines/Greyhound Bus Lines
From Logan Airport in Boston to Union Place in Hartford
(Round Trip approx. $72.00). Buses depart 7 times per day.
Please refer to www.peterpanbus.com for details and schedules.

Driving Directions:

From New York City and points West (heading through or from Hartford):
Take Interstate 84 East to Exit 68. From exit, take a right onto
Route 195, 7 miles to UConn.

From Boston and points East:
Take Interstate 84 West to Exit 68. From exit, take a left onto
Route 195, and follow directions above

From the Southeast:
Take Interstate 95 to 395 North. Take Exit 81 West to Route 32 North. Follow Route 32 North to Willimantic. In town, turn right and go over bridge. Continue straight through the light and follow 195 North for 8 miles to campus.

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ALL applications must be submitted electronically or via facsimile no later than March 2, 2012 to unescochairintern@uconn.edu /
fax: 860.486.2545

University of Connecticut
UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights
233 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4124
Storrs, CT 06269-4124

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