We would like to thank once again partners agencies such as CCFD in Paris, France, CORDAID in The Hague, Netherlands, MISEROR and MISSIO in Aachen, Germany, Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund, in Switzerland, Development & Peace, in Canada, Pro Africa Foundation, in the Vatican, and in the Basque Country: Ayuntamiento de Mungia - City Council of Mungia, Ayuntamiento de Bilbao - City Council in Bilbao, Diputación Foral de Bizkaia – Regional Government in Biscay and Gobierno Vasco – Basque Government for their valuable financial support without which our Internships Programmes would have not been possible.
Este folleto ha sido realizado por HARETXA con la financiación del:
PAX ROMANA ICMICA/MIIC
PAX ROMANA ICMICA/MIIC PAX ROMANA ICMICA / MIIC, headquartered in Geneva, is established in 1947 and active in more than 80 countries from all continents. Pax Romana, initially founded in 1921, comprises 2 branches or complementary organizations: • ICMICA/MIIC: whose members are federations of intellectuals and professionals. • IMCS/MIEC – International Movement of Catholic Students, based in Paris, whose members are federations of young students, working closely together with IYCS/JECI – International Young Catholic Students. Pax Romana ICMICA/MIIC’s Plenary Assembly is convoked every 4 years. Apart from establishing the programmes of the organization for the period, the Assembly elects the 17 members of the International Council, including the President, Vice-Presidents and Secretary General. In July 2004 Assembly took place in Warsaw and in July 2008 in Nairobi. Pax Romana is recognized by the Holy See as a private international association of faithful and also holds consultative status with the United Nations since 1949, through the Economic Social Council (ECOSOC), and also with UNESCO and with the Council of Europe. It has accredited representatives before those organizations in New York, Geneva, Vienna, Paris and Strasbourg, and in the regional principal offices of the United Nations. It takes part actively in numerous meetings and actions of the United Nations, too. At the same time, Pax Romana is a member of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in consultative relationship with the UN (CONGO). In December of 2003 Pax Romana was elected Vice-President of CONGO for the period 2004-2006 and in 2008 Pax Romana was elected President of the CONGO Special Committee on Human Rights.
Pax Romana ICMICA/MIIC looks to the future:
• With a stronger stress on developing a cultural/inter-cultural and intellectual profile, rather than a socio-economic one; • As a lay presence offering constructive criticism inside the Church and Society. Strategic Lines: 1. Consolidate a solid network of international experts and intellectuals in particular areas, so as to face the most important current challenges; 2. Formation of young cadres in lobbying and advocacy in human rights, human social and sustainable development, and inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue, through practical formative and exchange spaces; 3. Prioritise Africa, in the work of solidarity and advocacy; 4. Continue with the active and outstanding presence in the United Nations System and other important institutions and international campaigns, specializing in strategic topics, and intensifying the alliances with other relevant actors; 5. Carry on developing the Pax Romana network, identifying and contacting local groups in key places, especially in Asia and Africa, but also in Central an Eastern Europe and Latin America, and continue favouring the opening to new networks and collaborations; 6. Strengthen and maximize the interrelationship between the local and international richness of Pax Romana and identify local concerns of global relevance; 7. Increase its visibility and influence in the different spaces in the Church and in society, through projects and actions of significance themselves, while reinforcing the lay-intellectual spirituality of Pax Romana; 8. Serve as a bridge between the Church and civil society and with other cultures and religions; 9. Consolidate the funding of Pax Romana; 10. Strengthen the image and communication and gradually introduce quality management in Pax Romana at a global level.
Pax Romana ICMICA/MIIC defines itself as: • An international association of Catholic professionals and intellectuals composed of local federations, groups and individuals;
Pax Romana ICMICA/MIIC se define como:
• An open forum for intellectual sharing and dialogue among different cultures, generations and professions,
• Una asociación internacional de profesionales e intelectuales católicos compuesta por federaciones, grupos y personas, creada en 1947;
• A social movement for empowerment, advocacy and solidarity for a peaceful, equitable and sustainable world, • A global network of ideas, insights and commitment based on a Christian vision and mission, • An international Catholic organization, recognized by the Holy See, and participing in the international network of international Catholic organizations • A non-profit and non-partisan civil organization; • An International Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), recognized by the United Nations System and the Council of Europe, which takes part in the network of the organized international civil society, among others, through, the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in consultative relationship with the United Nations.
• Un foro abierto para compartir y para el diálogo intelectual entre las diferentes culturas, generaciones y profesiones; • Un movimiento social para la solidaridad, la defensa y el empoderamiento de un mundo de paz, de igualdad y sostenible; • Un red mundial de ideas, de nuevas percepciones y de compromiso basada en la misión y visión cristiana; • Una organización internacional católica, reconocida por la Santa Sede y que participa de la red internacional de las organizaciones internacionales Católicas; • Una organización civil, no lucrativa e independiente; • Una organización no gubernamental internacional, reconocida por el sistema de la Naciones Unidas y el Consejo de Europa y que participa de la red de la sociedad civil internacional organizada, a través, entre otras, de la Conferencia de ONGs en Relaciones Consultivas con las Naciones Unidas.
PAX ROMANA ICMICA/MIIC
HUMAN RIGHTS INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME (HRIP) PROGRAMA DE FORMACIÓN EN DERECHOS HUMANOS
Pax Romana´s involvement in human rights at United Nations began in 1949 when Pax Romana was granted Consultative Status as an international Non-Governanmental Organization (NGO) accredited with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). In 1999, drawing from its expertise and experience, Pax Romana ICMICA/MIIC established Human Rights Inter nship Programme which
provides an exposure to the UN Human Rights instruments and mechanisms. This Inter nship is organized twice a year for young human rights defenders fr om various countries, particularly the Global South. In 10 years, more than 100 human rights defenders from various countries have participated and benefited from this intensive training programme. They have also greatly contributed to the preparation and presentation of the oral interventions and statements on various issues with the rich experiences on the ground.
Pax Romana ICMICA/MIIC organiza anualmente su Internship Programme - Programa anual de pasantías en derechos humanos, en Ginebra vinculado a las Sesiones del Consejo de Derechos Humanos de Naciones Unidas. Desde su creación en 1999 este programa ha formado en derechos humanos y ha introducido a la vida internacional de los Organismos Multilaterales a más de 100 jóvenes líderes de países del Sur, especialmente de África y Asia. Un buen ejemplo de este trabajo de siembra es Jean Nsonjiba Lokenga, que tras descubrir los derechos humanos en el Internship de Ginebra cuando era coordinador Panafricano del Movimiento Internacional de Estudiantes Católicos y trabajar posteriormente para Amnistía Internacional, llegó a Presidente Internacional de Pax Romana ICMICA/MIIC y a Asesor Regional de Protección de Menores de las Naciones Unidas en la Misión de Sudán (UNMIS).
Our commitment towards promoting, protecting and upholding of human rights is a way of witness to the Gospel values, and at the same time, a strategy for global leadership capacity-building of young leaders of Catholic lay movements and NGOs. Hence, many young leaders of our movement as well as like-minded sister movements such as Pax Romana - International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS/MIEC) and Inter national Young Catholic Students (IYCS/JECI) have been invited to participate in this programme. Many human rights defenders who have been working for National Commission of Justice and Peace and other secular human rights NGOs have also attended. At the same time, from 1999 to 2008 Pax Romana presented more than 175 Statements on Human Rights (at the annual sessions of the UN Commission on Human Rights and Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights until 2006 and after at the UN Human Rights Council).
Methodology
Participants
The session of the internship programme include:
The participants of this programme are:
• Observation of the UN Human Rights Council • Workshop and Discussion with UN experts and different NGOs • Presentation on human rights situations of different countries • Analysis and Discussion on dif fer ent human rights issues (Case Study) • Group Assignment • Individual Assignment followed by presentation
• Human rights defenders or activists, especially the members of Pax Romana ICMICA/MIIC federations and Pax Romana IMCS/MIEC movements, • Human rights defenders from International Young Catholic Students, Justice and Peace Commissions, International Catholic Organisations, or other church related groups, or NGOs. • Young lawyers, students, researcher on human rights, international relations or law. • Victims of human rights violations
By the end of the internship programme, each participant will have a plan of follow up according to their own context. The criteria of selection: • Curriculum vitae
Objectives The objectives of the internship programmes are: • Attending the UN Council on Human Rights • Providing the participants with the direct experience on the UN nations systems and mechanism related to human rights.
• The work of the candidate on the human rights field • Report of the candidate of the human rights situation on their own country • Letter of motivation • Letter of recommendation • Commitment for the follow up
• Having direct interaction with dif ferent experts coming both from UN and NGOs on the issue of human rights, • Building the networking between participants with other human rights defenders coming form different NGOs. • Facilitating the participants to relate the human rights issue in their place of origin with the frame of the UN mechanism on human rights.
Application Procedure: The candidates are invited to send their application form with CV, Letter of Motivation and Recommendation to Pax Romana secretariat.
INTERCULTURAL & INTERRELIGIOUS INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME GAZTEEN NAIOARTEKO MINTEGIA KULTURA ETA ERLIJIOEN ARTEKO ELKARRIZTEKO BURUZ SEMINARIO INTERNACIONAL DE JÓVENES SOBRE DIÁLOGO INTERCULTURAL E INTERRELIGIOSO “Gu, munduko herritarrok, gizadiari zuzentzen gatzaizkio –norbanakoei, fededunei zein fedegabeei, kultura eta erlijio komunitate guztiei, alderdi politikoei eta boterean dagoen jendeari–. Hain bestelakoak diren testuinguru etniko, kultural eta erlijiosoetatik etorrita, elkarrekin bizitzeko eta partekatzeko esperientzia bizi izan dugu. (...) • “Besteak” nire parte dira. “Besteek” neure burua hobeto ulertzen laguntzen didate, ni osatu egiten naute, eta ez litzaizkidake mehatxugarri gertatu beharko. • Identitate etniko, kultural eta erlijioso desberdinetatik haratago, gizatasunak batzen gaitu. • Norbanako guztiek identitate erlijioso, kultural eta politiko desberdinak errespetatu eta onartu beharko lituzkete. • Erlijioa ez litzateke pertsonen arteko traba izan beharko, gizakiek onberatasunerako duten potentziala partekatzeko bitartekoa baino. • Boterearen dinamikaz jabetu beharko genuke. Izan ere, hain da erraza erlijioari erabilera okerra ematea gatazkara bideratutako helburu politikoak lortzeko. Horretaz ere jabetu beharko genuke. • Erlijio eta kultura arteko elkarrizketarako berebizikoak diren balio eta jarrerak badirela uste dugu, hala nola zintzotasuna, elkar ulertzea, aurrejuzkuak eta estereotipoak errotik kentzea, errespetua, entzuteko prest egotea, besteengandik ikasteko gogoa eta besteak maitatzekoa ...” (Amaierako Adierazpena 2007)
Pax Romana ICMICA/MIIC Interreligious and Intercultural Internship Programme in Bilbao, the Basque Country (Spain) This Internship Programme is a follow up the International Congress on Intercultural Dialogue “A World Lodging for Peace� held in Bilbao, December 2005. In that Congress, 15 young people coming from different faiths were invited to follow an internship programme, and provided with the opportunity to intermingle with different experts during the programme. Based on the positive evaluation of the participants, we continue it through an every year internship programme in December. We think that a continuous and true dialogue among young people coming from different faiths, religions and cultures is necessary in today’s contemporary society. This internship helps the participants to reflect together on how to be able to live together in a peaceful manner in the era with a profound transfor mation and transmission of cultures and religions.
The programme will be held in December, with the focus on dialogue among the participants, discussions with resource persons, visit to religious sites and a public conference on the theme of youth participation in the inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue. During the programme the participants are invited to identity their personal experience in dialogue so that they can figure out the challenges as well as developing concrete strategies. The expected participants of this programme are 20 young leaders representatives coming from different faith, religions, cultures with balance gender and geographical representations. There will also be a open public round table where the some of the participants are invited to express their experience and analysis on the Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue. By the end of the programme, the participants are invited to develop a final statement.
“In our future we should try to understand the persons that think and act different” “… To sum up, the Internship Programme was felt as a great and fantastic experience for the participants. We could have a harmonious atmosphere and dynamics. There is no doubt that in these ten days a close contact between the young people was developed and we could feel a friendship between everyone of us despite the different cultures and religions. The Internship Programme could be compared with a great round hall with many closed doors all around it. After the congress and the Internship programme a few doors are opened and now it is our turn to go behind these doors to see what they hide and to get deeper in it. It is a great challenge because we do not know what will expect us. But we have to go into it to get in contact with other cultures and religions. We all live in one world and we all have one future – so let us put our hands in the hand of our neighbour and take care about our world to live in peace and harmony not only by talking about the peace in theoretical words but also, and that’s the most important thing, by acting and getting in dialogue!” (Participant in 2005).
“Builders of Peace” open in Bilbao a dialogue among religions and cultures (Translation of an abstract of the Article-report of “El Correo” newspaper, by Julián Méndez, Bilbao, 16 December 2006) “… Some twenty young people from all over the world, with a calling to be future leaders of their communities, are gathered in Bilbao to prove that dialogue between religions and cultures is necessary and possible.
They say that in Africa, in times of drought, when throats are tight and eyes plead for water from above, the elders call on honorable sages who know the secret of water. They are known as the rainmakers. During these days Bilbao is the scene of the encounter of some twenty young people from all over the world. They share an uncommon will to put themselves in the place of the other, to understand and comprehend, to engage in dialogue. They call them peacemakers, constructors of peace, craftsmen and craftswomen of words …”.
OTHER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMMES: • Long-term Human Rights Internship, Geneva • University Student Internship on the UN issues, New York • Internship during World Social Forum • Africa - Basque Country Exchange Programme on Decentralized Governance and Self-Government Experiences • Regional Interreligious and Intercultural Programme for Youth • Internship on Youth Employment