The United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and in particular the Division for Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace in the Communication and Information Sector, is currently conducting a call for project proposals under the framework of The Power of Peace Network (PPN).
The PPN encourages initiatives which promote peace and dialogue amongst different groups, different schools from different countries or regions, different communities and organizations from different point of views. The PPN also plays off the idea of “retelling the stories which connects us all”.
The PPN had held two Global Forums (Bali, 2007 and Bangkok, 2009) to great successes, attracting activists, academics, students, governments, non-profits, and others who are interested in the promotion of peace and dialogue. Following the forums were a lot of behind-the-scene work including improving the PPN website (http://thepowerofpeacenetwork.com ) and the launching of the Centre of Conflict-Sensitive Reporting in Rhodes University in South Africa.
With the aim of furthering the goals and objectives of the PPN and to shift gear to the next phase of development, we invite you to submit funding proposal(s) for projects related to promotion of peace and dialogue. Projects shall have specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound objectives and be operationally, technically and financially feasible. The proposals should include, at minimum, the following:
1. Objectives of the project:
• What is to be accomplished by the end of the project? You may also include intermediate goals (what you hope to achieve at specific points of the implementation of the project).
2. The stakeholders or targeted group:
• Who are the stakeholders with interests in the project? Who will benefit from the project? It would be helpful to identify the specific beneficiaries rather than simply stating as “youth”. For example, geographic or demographic descriptions could be included.
3. Implementation:
• How will the project will be executed and implemented? Who will be involved and be responsible for which item? Include a reasonable timeframe for commencement and completion.
4. Indicators and Evaluation:
• How do you plan to evaluate or gauge the success of the project? What are the criteria or benchmarks used to gauge the successfulness of the project upon its completion?
5. Budget:
• Provide a budget breakdown of the project. This will also serve as a guideline for further discussion when the proposal has been selected.
6. Contact Information:
• Names, emails, telephone numbers, postal address, etc
Please take note that the proposed project:
• must be related to peace building, promotion of peace and dialogue. We are especially interested in inter-country, intra-regional or inter-regional projects
• must involve the youth (broadly defined here as between middle-school age to early career phase)
• should be a concrete and executable endeavour instead of a vague conceptual exploratory exercise
• is NOT to simply fund a conference or an expert meeting
• is NOT to simply fund purchases of permanent assets such as furniture, large equipments, long term rental, etc
In addition, project proposals with a strong online component which could be linked to the PPN website, thus enriching the website in the process, are highly encouraged.
We are open to all project proposals which fall within the parameters highlighted above. There are no restrictions as to who may submit project proposal(s). We approach each and every proposal submitted with great interest whether it is from a school, a university, a non-governmental organization, a for-profit organization or a non-profit organization. If you have a good idea, we are prepared to work with you to realize the project.
When your project proposal is selected, you will be contacted by UNESCO to further discuss the details including funding and implementation strategies. Other supporting documents may be necessary after the proposal has been selected. Please submit your proposal no later than 22 June 2010. You may submit the proposal electronically via email to:
Mr. Ming Kuok LIM
mk.lim@unesco.org
or via postal service to:
Mr. Ming Kuok LIM
Division for Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace
Communication and Information Sector
UNESCO
1 rue Miollis
75732 Paris Cedex 15
FRANCE
Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions at mk.lim@unesco.org
UNESCO’S THE POWER OF PEACE NETWORK
The Power of Peace Network concept rests on a simple idea which is using technology to create networks of people who are interested in the promotion of peace and dialogue. And by tapping into this network, people connect to people to promote peace, build peace, and engage in dialogues through different projects and initiatives.
Peace-building could be pushed forward with a great leap or be connected with small steps. Peace-initiatives need not to be grand or costly. Small community based projects are just as far-reaching as a multi-million programme. A global campaign could be founded on a single initiative or on hundreds and thousands of smaller ones.
Our goals and objectives include the following:
• To lead the continuing debate on how to effectively promote mutual understanding by harnessing the world of media and ICTs, including TV, newspapers and magazines, and how to bring youth to the vanguard of leadership, empower civil society and make the power of peace an agent of change.
• To provide an online community for the sharing of ideas and content, including blogs, audio-visual and written materials that are educational, informative and support the PPN mission.
• To create a strong network and to convene stakeholders in the Power of Peace Network initiative (including NGOs, youth organizations, media and ICT specialists, government and international agencies, private sector interests, religious and cultural institutions, universities and other educational institutions) in order to respond to the new social and economic challenges in communities around the world.
• To contribute to sustainable development through knowledge sharing and by finding practical ways to use technologies at our disposal in order to encourage self-expression, achieve better understanding of ourselves, and ultimately enhance the human condition.
• To support and endorse a global coalition of universities and other educational institutions in developing a collaborative program that incorporates media in peace and conflict studies for broad public education, and for reaching out to young people on university campuses around the world;
• To facilitate a network of those engaged in media and peace building and identify possible partnerships between those working on the ground (NGOs and other civil society organizations) and ICTs and media outlets, experts and trainers, supporters of content development, educators, researchers, business advisors, and managers.
PPN activities include the following:
• To serve as an inter-disciplinary platform for a dialogue among civilizations.
• To serve as a clearing house for audiovisual content in the context of promoting peace.
• To provide support to educational institutions through curriculum development, training, and a focus on peace and conflict studies.
• To support opportunities for life-long learning among media professionals, especially in conflict-sensitive reporting.
Moreinfo: http://www.thepowerofpeacenetwork.com/pg/file/mk.lim/read/5714/call…
