From the WSCF: Students on an Encounter for Solidarity and Justice

Greetings OnFire! We try to put up as many opportunities and events as we can on this blog, which you can follow on our new Events/Opportunities page. Here is another opportunity from the World Student Christian Federation.

The North American and Latin American & Caribbean Regions of the World Student Christian Federation are planning a joint program to be held in Cuba on November 18-25, 2011. The North American Region will select 5 students to attend the program. Deadline for applying is August 30th, 2011. This event will be an opportunity for the two regions to work on a common advocacy and solidarity agenda as part of a global strategy.

Selection criteria will include level of commitment on advocacy and solidarity and ongoing involvement in SCM/WSCF work in the region and the wider ecumenical movement. Concept paper and application form are attached.

Please send filled application form to both Luciano Kovacs at wscfna@gmail.com and to Hierald E. Kane-Osorto at hierald@gmail.com

World Student Christian Federation
WSCF-FUMEC
Latin American and Caribbean & North American Regions
Intercultural Exchange Program and Cultural Trip
Havana, Cuba, November 18-25 2011
“Students on an Encounter for Solidarity and Justice:
Celebrating 50 Years of SCM Cuba”

This bi-regional encounter will provide an opportunity for students to discern collectively two of the themes that the WSCF chose for the 2008-2012 quadrennium at its last General Assembly, Climate Justice and Economic Justice. During this conference, students will have an opportunity to analyze structural causes of injustice and develop an understanding of how these are linked to the paradigm of violence that humanity and the earth are currently experiencing.

In addition, the encounter will serve as an opportunity to explore key themes lived out through Christian leaders such as Rev. Lucius Walker, who promoted an important solidarity movement between Cuba, the U.S., and the rest of the world.

This encounter is part of a need and desire to create places of dialogue between students from North America, Latin America and the Caribbean based on their cultural, historical, and social exchanges that accompany every region and country in our hemisphere.

This encounter is an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the two regions and to find common strategies of work aimed at addressing the current realities impacting communities on both sides of the border and at developing a common vision for the two regions.

The major objective of this event, together with its leadership training component, will be the formation of a common bi-regional agenda based on discussions, analysis, political and theological reflections and the drafting of a strategic plan to fit the wider advocacy and solidarity work of the WSCF.