*In conjunction with the State Department-sponsored Global Diaspora Forum

Increased attention is being focused on the participation of youth in the recent uprisings in the Middle East, widely known as the "Arab Spring."  Yet, even within the U.S., diaspora youth who are trying to promote peace in their homeland are rarely given a voice.  As a means of better understanding the experiences of young diaspora in the United States, USIP in 2010 hosted a youth diaspora conference.  This follow-up event will continue the discussion on encouraging youth engagement in peacebuilding.

This event will feature a film documentary produced by the USIP 2010 Youth Diaspora Conference which brought together youth originally from Haiti, Nigeria, Iraq and Sri Lanka, now living in the Washington, D.C. area to share their stories and learn creative ways to engage in positive social change.  After the screening, participations from the 2010 conference will discuss the film, their own experiences as youth in the diaspora and will take on the challenges facing diaspora in the U.S. as well as opportunities for engagement in peacebuilding.

Speakers

• Zainab Alwan
  Diaspora Conference Participant
• Vwogho Emarievbe
  Diaspora Conference Participant
• Sashi Selvendran
  Senior Consultant, Mennonite Economic Development Associates
  Diaspora Conference Participant
• Magee McIlvaine, Panelist
  Director, Nomadic Wax
• Stephanie Schwartz, Moderator
  Program Specialist, U.S. Institute of Peace

Related Academy Courses

• Engaging with Identity-Based Differences
• Building Bridges through Intergroup Dialogue
• Overseas Religious Engagement