International Youth Network
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Gain friends worldwide and go about projects for the future
At the International Youth Consultations of EMS during the last years many young people from the worldwide EMS fellowship met to live and to celebrate life together for some time. We worked on issues of same importance for all of us: Globalization, equal rights for men and women, overcoming violence, building peace.
From the consultations arose a world wide network among youth members of the EMS churches which is open to young people interested in ecumenical issues. ››› see below
The aim of the International Youth Network of EMS is to enable a dialogue in order to share ideas, culture and experiences. We aspire to continuous partnership relations between various youth bodies and structures.
Our goal is to be an EMS forum for youth with truly international character. We want to be an active part of the worldwide Christianity. We would like to sensitize the youth work to ecumenism, to share experiences made at our encounters within the EMS community and enjoy working together in our fellowship and to have fun! … ››› contact
What did already happen?
During the last years the International Youth Network organized many different and interesting activities:
• 22 July–08 August 2000: International Youth Consultation in Minahasa, Indonesia
“We are the salt of earth – Young people sharing faith and life together”
• 03– 05 May 2002: International Youth Seminar: “Powerless? – Lets get started!! ”, Bad Dürkheim
• 30 August–15 September 2003: International Youth Consultation “Overcoming of Violence”, Deanery Vogelsberg of the Evangelical Church in Hessen/Nassau, Germany
• 02– 5 May 2005: International Youth Workshop “Training in Conflict Transformation” in cooperation with the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Accra
• 19–30 July 2007: International Youth Workshop “Training in Conflict Transformation” in cooperation with the Moravian Church of South Africa, Port Elizabeth
• 23 August– 5 September 2007: International Youth Workshop “Youth in-with-and-church – Creating a peaceful Future” in Amman, Jordan
Areas of work and themes
• cross-cultural encounters/dialogue
• spiritual empowerment
• inter-religious dialogue
• gender issues
• discrimination
• integration of disabled youngster in our society and youth groups of our churches
• peace and violence/war
• impacts of aid development
• environmental issues
Background
In 2000 the first International Youth Consultation of EMS took place in Minahasa, Indonesia. The consultation gave rise to a world wide network among youth of the churches within the EMS Fellowship, the International EMS Youth Network.
During past years many young people from the worldwide EMS Fellowship met to live and to celebrate life together for some time. They worked on issues of relevance for all: globalization, equal rights for men and women, overcoming violence, building peace.
The first two international meetings of the Youth Network took place in 2000 and 2003 as Youth Consultations, to which all churches of the EMS Fellowship sent two delegates. When the Mission Council adopted the instrument “Joint Programmes” in 2003 activities of the Youth Network took place in this context. During the Biennial Programme on peace-building workshops were held in Ghana and South Africa in non-violent conflict transformation for youth workers, also attended by representatives of the International EMS Youth Network.
For the better communication and sustainability of the purposes of the EMS International Youth Network, the German participants created a working group in 2003 and have since met up regularly.
From 23rd August 2007 till 5th September, twenty young people from the EMS Fellowship came together in the workshop “Youth in/with/and Church – Creating a Peaceful Future”. Among other issues, they discussed, in general, the further objectives, structures and financing of the EMS International Youth Network and, in particular, the regional/transnational working groups.
All regional/national or transnational working groups work in cooperation with the EMS educational desk for the Ecumenical Youth Volunteers Programme and with the youth council of each member church. There are thus signs that the Network is taking root within the EMS programme.
Nevertheless we appeal all members of the EMS Youth Network to communication those informations in their respective regions – between Youth Network coordinator and regional church boards.
Come and join us!
If you are interested in our work, just contact our facilitator at EMS secretariat in Germany:
Hans Heinrich
Liaison Secretary, Indonesia
Phone: +49 (0) 636 78 -0 / -36
Fax: +49 (0) 636 78 -2005
Mail: heinrich(at)ems-online.org
Address: Vogelsangstr. 62, 70197 Stuttgart, Germany
