ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

US Department of State

through

the Center for Southeast Asian Studies and

the International Training Office

Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, USA

in partnership with

International Visitors Program-Philippines (IVP)

will conduct

A PROJECT on

MAJORITY-MINORITY RELATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES:

RELIGION, EDUCATION, COMMUNITY AND POLITICAL PROCESS

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) and the International Training Office (ITO) at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in partnership with the International Visitor Program Phils. Alumni Foundation, Inc. shall implement a multi-faceted capacity development initiative for local government leaders, educators, journalists, women leaders, church/religious leaders, leaders from the business sector, proponents of democratic ideals such as the media and judiciary, and current or potential leaders who will effect a positive and sustainable change in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).  

The  project began in August 2005 and ends in early 2007.  It will include four phases:

-- an orientation program in Manila that will focus on socio-economic and political processes in the Philippines and the U.S. so that participants can grasp their respective situation in the ARMM and more easily analyze and compare that with the U.S.;

-- a three-week U.S.-based program of professional development, action plan development, study tour/site visits, interaction and dialogue;

-- implementation of action plans in selected communities in the ARMM; and

-- follow-on activities and site visits by the NIU team to monitor and evaluate the community projects and to encourage further development, as appropriate, after the follow on activities. 

The follow-on activities in Mindanao will enable continued dialogue between the government of the Philippines, the leadership and civil society actors in the ARMM, and international experts. 
 

Goals and Objectives:  The major goals of this project are to (a) build the capacities of local leaders in the ARMM  to face new challenges and opportunities for strengthening the foundation of peace and development in Mindanao; (b) promote a better understanding of the United States--its people, culture, values, and civic institutions.  The specific objectives are to: 1) sharpen the participants’ skills in conflict resolution and management, peace leadership, respect for diversity, and community activism; 2) provide core skills for forging partnerships among local government units, peace and development organizations, and national government agencies; 3) develop in the participants an appreciation of the cultural and ethnic diversity of the ARMM through a comparative understanding of majority and minority cultures in the U.S.; 4) provide opportunity for participants to engage in dialogue with their U.S. counterparts on civic participation, human rights and justice, tolerance, participatory development and grassroots empowerment; 5) build on and expand our ties between NIU’s Southeast Asia faculty and its partner institutions in Southeast Asia; 6) set up vertical and horizontal partnerships with private voluntary organizations (PVOs) and NGOs in the U.S. and in the Philippines to share lessons learned and to leverage resources and knowledge; 7) sharpen the participants’ skills in designing concrete cooperation and action plans on religion, communities, education and political processes.

Criteria for the Selection of  Participants:

1.     Educators, leaders from the business sector, government  leaders, lawyers, women and media leaders, administration and/or community leaders who are actively involved in peace building and development projects in the ARMM

2.      Demonstrated leadership  experience ( 2 years minimum)

3.      Bachelors degree or equivalent academic ability

4.      Demonstrated ability to use experience as a source of learning

5.      Good English language skills

6.      No previous significant travel to the U.S. on a U.S. government-sponsored program.

Atty. MARILEN C. RAMIRO

IN-COUNTRY PROJECT COORDINATOR

INTERNATIONAL VISITOR PROGRAM-PHILIPPINES ALUMNI FOUNDATION. INC.

UNIT 1716 CITYLAND CONDOMINIUM 10 TOWER 1,

H.V. DELA COSTA ST., MAKATI CITY