GDN Next Horizons Essay Contest 2014

Call for essay
Application ddl 15 September

How would you reinvent foreign aid? 

The world has changed radically since the emergence of official development assistance and since the aid agency was invented. How should aid change? Aid is by no means the only source of financing for development in today’s world. Yet for the poorest countries, aid is a vital source of government finance. Aid helps fund critical social services and may catalyze other sources of development funding, such as private investment. In the lead up to 2015, when many significant financing commitments for development will be made, there is a need to be smart about where and how aid is deployed, based on an understanding of how aid can be most valuable in a given country.

In order to help bring attention to the need for scholarship and fresh ideas in this area, and to encourage broad participation, the Global Development Network (GDN) in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announces an international essay contest. The contest invites essays on the future of development assistance. The primary objective of the contest is to invite fresh thinking related to the future of aid that can inform the ongoing discourse on development assistance and to make this thinking available to policymakers and key stakeholders.

Up to 20 winning entries will be chosen, and receive $20,000 each. An independent panel will make the final selectionsof the best and most potentially consequential submissions, based on criteria defined. Select winning ideas may be promoted by GDN and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

More info here: http://www.gdn.int/html/page11.php?MID=3&SID=24&SSID=80#

SERBIA - Belgrade EU Model

Application deadline 15 September

Let’s put it simply – Belgrade Model European Union (BEUM) is all about gathering more than 250 future young leaders of the Old Continent together with one main goal – to simulate the  decission making procedures within the European Union.
It is about strengthening connections between young professionals, exchanging different ideas, meeting different cultures and languages, practicing personal skills, learning about how the European Union really functions and how can the young people make their voice  heard in those processes.

Belgrade Model EU is a fresh project founded in 2011. Our first simulation took place in November 2011, with an amazing success, already promising a long-term annual project that will become a tradition.

The second edition, BEUM 2012, proved to be an even bigger success, gathering nearly 200 participants coming from all parts of Europe.  Our third edition, BEUM 2013, was our greatest success so far. We managed to gather almost 250 participants from over 35 countries, and we got support from the embassies of the Kingdom of Norway as well as the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

How did it all start?

We had an idea. Several experienced students from Belgrade decided to join together and make something new and challenging, something inspiring, something that has not been seen in this part of Europe before. We established BEUM Student Association and started with our work. It was not easy, but we had help. Thanks to our friends and colleagues from Bringing Europe Together Association e.V we managed to take first baby steps towards realization of our idea. Results speak for themselves: first BEUM was attended by 150 participants from 20 countries.

What is it about?

Belgrade Model EU will simulate three European Union institutions:
European Parliament (EP), Council of the European Union (CEU) and European Council (EC).
While the EC sessions are taking place separately and individually, EP and CEU are bound to cooperate according to a strict procedure in order to deliver the legislation together. This procedure that we will be simulating is called The Ordinary Legislative Procedure. That means that the proposals have to be approved by both EP and CEU in order to become the legislation.
This means that the participants will really have to give their best to reach the consensus in order for their amendments to pass.

The roles at BEUM

Participants can chose a large scope of roles this year: starting from the Members of the European Parliament, Ministers in the Council of EU and Heads of states or governments in the European Council, all the way to challenging roles of Lobbyists and Journalists. Our goal is to provide the participants with all of the different aspects of the EU decision making procedures.

More info here: http://www.belgrade-meu.org/

USA - Summer Institute for Leadership and International Cooperation

Application deadline 

NON-US students: January 5, 2015
US students: February 16, 2015

The Hansen Summer Institute on Leadership and International Cooperation is an exciting international program funded by a generous grant from the Fred J. Hansen Foundation. Five Hansen Summer Institutes took place in San Diego, California in July 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013 and 2014. The Institute provides a unique University-based leadership experience and program in international cooperation. For three weeks, young American men and women joined students from a variety of developing countries and regions of social strife. Between then and now, Hansen alumni have remained in contact via a variety of social networking sites and projects funded by the Hansen Foundation. We are happy to announce the Hansen Summer Institute will host its sixth group of young leaders in July 2015 at the University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES).



A primary goal of the program focuses on creating an international community of young scholars who will use their summer experience as a foundation for creating lasting friendships and acquiring common practical understanding of a more peaceful future. Program elements will involve classroom instruction and hands-on training in the latest techniques of conflict resolution, mediation, and inter-cultural management. Classroom training will complement local excursions to San Diego historical attractions and cultural events including a fourth of July parade, a Padres baseball game, and a harbor cruise. Hansen Summer Institute training aims to provide participants a "leadership toolbox" for resolving conflict and building a better future for their respective countries.

"What's included?"

All participants are provided with:

• Accommodation and meals for the duration of the program
• Local ground transportation
• Program materials

Non-US participants are provided with:
(in addition to all the above)

• International airfare to and from their home city
• Health insurance for the duration of the program

More info here: http://www.hansensummerinstitute.org/

ROMANIA - September School in Philosophy, Economics and Politics 2014

Application Ddl 31 August

The Center for Institutional Analysis and Development - Eleutheria (CADI), The Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), The Wilfried Martens Center for European Studies (CES), The Institute for Economic Studies Europe (IES- Europe) and The Society for Individual Freedom (SoLib) are receiving applications for The September School of Economics, Politics and Philosophy, scheduled for September 23 - 28, 2014 at Hotel Kolping, Brasov.

This year’s event focuses on the future of freedom and prosperity in Europe.
 
Classes, room and board (but not transportation) are paid by the organizers for at least 35 participants. More unsponsored places are also available, please inquire if interested.

More info here: http://www.cadi.ro/index.php/vizualizare/articol/agenda/446

EUROPE - Students for Liberty Conferences

Announcing our 2014 Fall Regional Conferences!

The great success of last year's nine Regional Conferences, which were attended by more than 1300 students in total, has shown that there is a strong demand for pro-liberty conferences offering an opportunity for discussion with world-renowned speakers and leaders in the liberty movement. This year European Students For Liberty is bringing these opportunities even closer to students by nearly doubling the number of Regional Conferences and bringing them to 15 different countries! And thanks to Rising Tide Foundation, our sponsor for the conferences, we're able to provide free admission to all interested students. Here is the line up of our 16 Regional Conferences so you can begin your plans to attend:

Paris, France: 13. September 2014 Prague, Czech Republic: 20. September 2014 Amsterdam, Netherlands: 27. September 2014 Sarajevo, Bosnia: 27. September 2014 Tbilisi, Georgia: 11. October 2014 Brussels, Belgium: 18. October 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria: 18. October 2014 Bergen, Norway: 18. October 2014 Madrid, Spain: 25. October 2014 Cologne, Germany: 25. October 2014 Milan, Italy: 8. November 2014 Warsaw, Poland: 8. November 2014 Reykjavik, Iceland: 15. November 2014 Belgrade, Serbia: 22. November 2014 Munich, Germany: 29 November 2014 Istanbul, Turkey: 6 December 2014 More info here: http://studentsforliberty.org/europe/

AZERBAIJAN - Young Nature Friend

Application deadline 20th of July 2014.

Education and environment, two problems that start getting closer but that still misread too much, then they could work together in a complementary way, for the improvement of the quality of life of everybody. We as a Naturefriends aimed to involve young environmentalists / future trainers to develop their experience and knowledge on outdoor educational processes. It will include 35 young environmentalists (from Europe and Azerbaijan) aged between 16 to 30 years. The training will take place 7 - 11 September 2014 and will held on one of the mountain areas of Azerbaijan.

Participants are expected:

- To have been already involved at least one time in a team of trainers designing, implementing a training course in the framework of Non-Formal Education
- To have had international experience in the youth work field with a function of responsibility – organizing international youth projects, leading a youth exchange, etc.
- To have the potential and need to develop training competences and act after the course as a trainer for Naturefriends projects and/or for training courses organized by the Naturefriends network organizations
- To show initiative and willingness to self-direct their own learning
- To be able to run training courses in English

The Azerbaijan Nature Friends and IYNF will select participants mainly from Naturefriends network. The participants will have to cover 30% of their travel costs and pay a participation fee of 35€, which includes the training and full board. Participants are expected to bring sleeping bags.

More info here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Dj8MBXq2dlZJ3eoFdz74Thi6u0ipamJlZs8WFvzKbDg/viewform

ROMANIA - Agent Languages and Technologies Summer School

Bucharest, 8 – 12 September 2014

Application deadline 

15th of July - early registration

15th of August - late registration

The Agent Languages and Technologies Summer School aims at raising the awareness concerning the applicability of, and the research paths driven by multi-agent systems programming languages.

The goal of the summer school is to provide an overview of the most popular programming languages and frameworks of the moment for multi-agent systems, and to identify the pertinent issues that form new directions of research.

The school represents a fine occasion to meet people working in the field and to establish contacts through social interactions that may lead to research collaborations in the future.

PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES FOR MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS:

       Jason – A talk by Prof. Jomi Hübner

       2APL – A talk by Prof. Mehdi Dastani

DESIGN METHODOLOGIES AND TOOLS FOR AGENT BASED APPLICATIONS:

       Cartago – A talk by Prof. Alessandro Ricci

       JaCaMo – A tutorial provided by Prof. Jomi Hübner and Alessandro Ricci

       2APL – A tutorial provided by Prof. Mehdi Dastani

AGENTS WITH NORMATIVE REASONING:

       Normative Multi-Agent Systems – A talk by Prof. Wamberto Vasconcelos

       MOISE - A talk by Prof. Olivier Boissier

ELECTRONIC ORGANIZATIONS

       Group Norms for Multi-Agent Organisations – A talk by Prof. Wamberto Vasconcelos

       2OPL – A talk by Prof. Mehdi Dastani

       Organization Oriented Programming with JaCaMo – A tutorial provided by prof. Olivier Boissier

 

In addition to participating to the talks of prominent researchers, the opportunity of exchanging ideas with key members of the agent community within such an event will represent a milestone in the research activity for many postgraduate students and an invaluable personal experience for anyone passionate by AI. The proposed discussions would help the participants get synchronized with those topics the community is presently debating upon.

More info here: 

http://altissimo.cs.pub.ro/

THE NETHERLANDS - Mobilising YOUth: Social Entrepreneurship for Peace International Summit

Application deadline 14 July 2014

Call for young social entrepreneurs

UNOY Peacebuilders is looking for 4 social entrepreneurs (either with a venture at an initial stage or in the planning phase) who are interested to participate in the social entrepreneurs International Summit that will take place in Amsterdam from 24 to 30 August 2014

Deadline to apply: 20 July 2014
Click here for more information (PDF).

Call for mentors in social entrepreneurship

UNOY Peacebuilders is looking for 3 experienced social entrepreneurs who are interested to mentor young people who are at the initial stage of their social ventures planning. The mentoring activity will mostly happen during August, including mentoring meetings online and in presence, and being part of a selection committee that will choose the best social ventures that will receive an economic prize for the start-up.

Deadline to apply: 20 July 2014
Click here fore more information (PDF).

More info here:
http://www.unoy.org/unoy/?p=9006
 http://www.unoy.org/unoy/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/International-Summit_EUpaxsearch_080714.pdf

PARIS, FRANCE - UNESCO Youth Forum

Application deadline 12 August

UNESCO launches a call for projects in order to identify and support 15 action projects (3 by region) which will be “certified” with the label “8th UNESCO Youth Forum” and implemented by, with and for young women and men between the 8th and the 9th UNESCO Youth Forum (October 2013-October 2015).

Thus, the selection and adoption of these 15 projects, which are expected to be in line with the UNESCO Youth Strategy 2014-2021, will be one of the major outcomes of the 8th UNESCO Youth Forum, to be held at the Organization Headquarters, Paris, France, from 29 to 31 October 2013, under the theme “Youth and Social Inclusion: Civic Engagement, Dialogue and Skills Development.”

Indeed, for the first time in its history, the UNESCO Youth Forum, created in 1999, will not only include strategic recommendations, but it will also select, support and plan innovative and concrete actions that can help achieve positive change for, with and by young women and men on several fields such as social inclusion, civic engagement and participation, social entrepreneurship and innovation, prevention of violence and conflicts, intercultural dialogue, democracy and skills development.

With this goal, the UNESCO’s call for projects launched this Monday 15 July 2013 is open to all young women and men who are members of a youth-led or youth-focused organization, project leaders or young entrepreneurs active in an established NGO. These young people are invited to submit their proposals for an innovative action project in their community, country or region, by filling in the submission form by 12 August 2013, the International Youth Day, midnight, Paris time.

After receiving these proposals, an independent international jury will pre-select 45 projects by the end of September 2013 and their initiators will be invited to submit one-minute video describing their project so that these 45 short films can be visible online by mid-October 2013. Then, during the 8th UNESCO Youth Forum, the young participants will examine and discuss the 45 pre-selected projects with a view to choosing a total of 15 (3 youth-led action projects per the five UNESCO regions). On 31 October 2013, the 15 projects awarded the “8th UNESCO Youth Forum” label will be announced and presented at the 37th UNESCO General Conference, in November 2013.

Allowing young people to submit recommendations to 195 UNESCO’s Member States’ representatives at the highest decision-making level, the UNESCO Youth Forum brings together, every two years, at the eve of the UNESCO General Conference, around 400 young participants from all over the world to exchange views, share experiences, reflect together and, above all, detect common preoccupations and problems.

For more info: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/sv/news/unesco_launches_a_call_for_projects_driven_by_young_people/#.U7OxqJSSymx

ROMANIA - Summer School on Diplomacy

This year’s Summer School on Diplomacy will take place between the 21^st and 27^th of July 2014 at the University of Bucharest. The Summer School has evolved over the years and it has reached a new phase. It  is ever more ambitious and this year, under the topic “21st Century Diplomacy”, it will offer an in-depth overview of the main topics of today’s diplomacy.

Diplomacy has embraced democracy and topics that used to be with the sole purview of diplomats from foreign ministries, embassies and permanent missions (let’s call it professional diplomacy) have been entrusted to people and institutions outside the field of diplomacy. However, this did not mean that professional diplomacy was relegated to a corner of international relations. On the contrary, as relations between countries expand exponentially, professional diplomacy has been given the important task of providing the backbone of international relations.

In order to understand 21st Century Diplomacy, the student should be given the opportunity to see more than what professional diplomacy does. Seeing and understanding 21st Century Diplomacy  in all its complexity is what this year’s Summer School will offer.  Students will have the opportunity to learn about the way diplomacy has changed over the passing of time, the new security protocols, conflict resolution techniques, crisis management procedures, altogether while being given the chance to apply and enact the principles of diplomacy to what they have learned, all this under the guidance of university professors, diplomats and experts in the field.

More info here: http://summerschool.unyouth.ro/