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THEMATIC WORKSHOP 2

The Role of Young People in Advocating for Ethics Education for Children

Format: Interactive Workshop

Date: Monday, 22 November 2021

Time: 19:00-20:30 CET

Language: English, with Arabic, French, and Spanish interpretation

Organized by: Arigatou International Geneva and Religions for Peace

Objectives:

To discuss the relevance of Ethics Education in different contexts, to reflect on the role of young people in advocating for Ethics Education for Children; and to identify strategies to advocate for Ethics Education for Children

Panelists

Ms. Mirian Akuaba De-Souza​

Ghana

National Youth Coordinator, Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace (GCRP)​

Ms. Mirian Akuaba De-Souza

Mirian Akuaba De-Souza is a Christian and a Ghanaian. She holds a Master’s degree from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (major) with Sociology from the University of Ghana (Legon). She is a member of the International Youth Committee – RfP (Global Interfaith Youth Network).

Mirian is also the National Youth Coordinator of Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace (GCRP), Ghana- affiliate of Religions for Peace International, where she coordinates all youth activities. Mirian is the current Country Director (Ghana) of Global Peace Chain.

She also works with several other non-profit organizations in the field of education, youth empowerment, disability among others. Her interests are in interreligious education, peace work, and human rights advocacy. She is also very passionate about issues affecting children and the aged.

Mirian is an advocate for volunteerism. She believes this has helped her develop a strong support system and built her confidence over the years.

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Mr. Daniel Selvan​

India

Teach For India Alum, Founder of One Hundred Changes​

Mr. Daniel Selvan

I am an educator passionate about working with children to bridge the educational inequity that exists in vulnerable communities in India. My work is based on my foundational belief that every child has the potential and an equal role to play in building a better world.

Over the course of two years as a Teach for India Fellow at a government school in Chennai, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of how to equip children with the educational and social-emotional competencies that help them grow.In my classroom, I co-created child-centered learning spaces with 149 children and built environments where children could be the agents of their own development.

My specific area of interest is Early Childhood education, where children nurture and create skills and habits that can determine the course of their lives.

My volunteering work with Shanti Ashram, a Gandhian center for learning and development, since 2012 has informed my professional ethic that is built on the twin pillars of empathy and child participation.

As an Ethics Education facilitator for Arigatou International, I was able to build on my skill of integrating a child-rights approach to education into my classroom teaching.

My focus on reducing educational disparities led me to start ‘One Hundred Changes’, a volunteer-driven crowdfunding organisation that financially supports children from low-income communities in private schools.

As I continue my professional journey, I hope to champion children and create structures that will help children understand self and society to make more informed decisions.

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Ms. Lejla Hasandedic-Dapo​

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Liaison Officer, United Religions Initiative (URI) Europe

Ms. Lejla Hasandedic-Dapo

Lejla Hasandedic-Dapo is a psychologist, psychotherapist, lecturer, activist, peacebuilder, and volunteer from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Currently, she is doing her Ph.D. in psychology at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University in Turkey and she is working as a United Religions Initiative (URI) Europe Liaison Officer.

She was a URI Youth Ambassador and is the co-founder of Youth for Peace, an organization that positioned itself as one of the most prominent youth-led organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, working in the field of peacebuilding.

In addition, she is a Trainer of the Learning to Live Together program of Arigatou International and a non-violent communication trainer.

She holds a diploma in Islamic studies from the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, also she is Peace Practice Alliance 2021 Fellow and KAICIID Fellow.

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Mr. Richard Francis Apeh​

Nigeria

Co-Founder Edu4Future, and Consultant, Arigatou International - Geneva

Mr. Richard Francis Apeh

Richard Francis Apeh hails from Nigeria, a youth policy expert with many years of volunteering in youth sector work. He holds a master’s degree in diplomacy and International Relations. He is a human rights educator and has been a regular speaker and moderator at many international fora.

Through his many responsibilities with public and non-governmental organizations, he has been advocating for youth rights and promoting meaningful youth engagement in public policy development, climate action, and in the SDGs implementation.

Richard is the co-founder of Edu4Future Initiatives and currently serves on the board and advisory councils of many civil society organizations. He is an international trainer on Ethics Education; an intercultural program on learning to live together (LTLT) since 2017 as well as a trainer on the Education for Peacebuilding and prevention of Violence program of UNESCO IICBA. He is also an independent consultant with Humanity Consulting and a member of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe Pool of Experts on Youth Cooperation.

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Ms. Zvonimira Jakic

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Youth Advisor of the Presidency, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Ms. Zvonimira Jakic

Zvonimira Jakic is the Youth Advisor of the Presidency in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with extensive experience leading and coordinating events for children and young people across Europe. She is a trained Facilitator of the Learning to Live Together program and has been implementing it with children and youth for over six years in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Zvonimira has coordinated the work with Youth in the country through the Global Network of Religions for Children.

She has participated in and moderated several conferences across Europe around topics of education and youth empowerment.

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Mr. Venance Emmanuel Temu

Tanzania

Programme Officer, Global Network of Religions for Children GNRC – Tanzania

Mr. Venance Emmanuel Temu

Venance is an advocate of Children’s Rights, the Sustainable Development Goals, and a Peace Ambassador. He is pursuing an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Economic Diplomacy and holds a Bachelor Degree in International Relations.

Venance volunteers with GNRC—Tanzania since 2018 as a Program Officer. He is a Coordinator of the GNRC Youth and Peace Club. He is also a Facilitator of the Learning To Live Together program of Arigatou International, and part of the End Child Poverty – Youth In Action Regional Peace Programme.

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