Estonian National Youth Council (ENL) is organizing a conference on demonstrations and riots and youth participation in those events. The conference will take place from 2nd of November till 3d of November 2010 in Tallinn. ENL is looking for experts to share experience and give a lecture on demonstrations, riots and youth participation on them.
Experts should be from following countries: Denmark, Greece, Russia, France, Latvia and Lithuania
Experts should have following experience: Either practical experience (specialist on related subjects, organizers of demonstrations etc) or theoretical experience (research, work related analysis, university studies, academic researches etc)
Number of conference participants: Approximately 80 participants from Estonia, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Greece.
Profile of the conference participants: Actively involved in representing youth (umbrella organizations leaders and youth organizations etc) and active participants of civic society.
Deadline for experts to send application form and CV: 20th of October
Type of involvement: ENL covers all costs (accommodation, catering and travel) and a honorary will be agreed with the expert. Accommodation is in Swissotel Tallinn: Accommodation will be guaranteed in Swissotel: http://www.swissotel.com/EN/Destinations/Estonia/Swissotel+Tallinn/Hotel+Home/Hotel+Home.htm
In brief
In the recent years demonstrations in European countries have had violent consequences. Often young people have been involved in such aggressive demonstrations. Young people are very sensitive to all the changes in the society and are very eager on spreading their opinions. They strongly believe in their power to make a change. In society, people aged 14-30 are usually the most active participants in public events and are actively remodeling norms of behavior. By that age they also belong to the group of potential demonstrators.
Therefore it is very important that they would accept demonstrations as a peaceful way of how to express their opinions rather then preferring violent participation for the action itself. It is important for the experts to know how to guide the youth in the matter of demonstrations. Estonian National Youth Council (ENL) finds the subject to be of relevancy. Demonstration is an essential form of expression in a healthy society, but it should be conducted in a peaceful manner.
Topics and value of the conference
The topics of the conference will also include riots and demonstrations. The conference will try to find what are the reasons of recent violent demonstrations. The conference will include experts from Greece, Russia, France, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, who will introduce the history and tradition of demonstrations in their countries and comment why the riots have taken place in their countries. A discussion will be held around the means that demonstrators use.
In the second conference day a peaceful simulation demonstration will be held together with the participants in the center of Tallinn. The topic of the demonstration will not be a realistic or from any party's or ENL's agenda in order to guarantee objective simulation.
The main aims of the conference:
• Conference will give an overview of the demonstrations held in the three Baltic countries and various European countries over the last years and the organizers of the demonstrations.
• Participants will discuss how and why demonstrations appear and are being held; also what should be the values that demand standing up and engaging in a demonstration. The role of history and culture will be discussed in the frame of demonstrations and riots.
• The conference will give knowledge on how willing are the people really to engage in demonstrations? What are the topics that bring people out on the streets?
• Participants will get to take part in a demonstration, which is being organized the way they should - peacefully. They will learn how to make themselves heard by not causing any inconveniences in the society and by not violating the rules. The will gain this experience in a supervised environment. The topic of the demonstration will not be a realistic or from any party's or ENL's agenda in order to guarantee objective simulation.
• The connection between youth and the development of new media will be discussed in the frames of demonstrations and riots (as for example in 2005 the riot in France, Toulouse, was coordinated entirely by the Internet bloggers).
Background information
The subject of "Youth Involvement in Demonstrations" has not been previously an open topic in any seminar or conference, since the demonstrations in recent years in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been a new phenomenon. ENL considers it to be an important topic that should be studied. Owing especially to the media, we have been led to the understanding that most of the people participating in these recent demonstrations were, surprisingly, young people. ENL is curious to provide the youth leaders with all the necessary knowledge's on how to demonstrate peacefully based on the recent examples of history in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, France, Denmark, Greece and Russia.
ENL is not against demonstrations, but believes there is an intelligent way for carrying them out. It is important that people would be aware of it from as early age as possible.
Expected results
The anticipated long-term result of the project is a better-developed civic society and wiser culture of expression. The conclusion of the survey will give a better understanding on how to apply youth-oriented communicative activities.
Other technical details
• Date and place of the meeting: the conference activities will take place in Tallinn on 2nd and 3rd November 2010. The lecturers have to be present on the 2nd of November and are expected to arrive on the 1st of November. Expected departure is either 2nd of November or 3d of November (depending on the wish of the lecturer).
• The lecture/presentation will be given on the 2nd of November. The time of the lecture/presentation is 1 hour. The usage of presentation techniques is possible and has to be agreed with the organizer. Besides the given lecture experts will take part of a plenary session (1,5 hours) on the 2nd of November.
• The general topics and bullet points of the presentation will have to be sent to Estonian National Youth Council by the 30th of September.
• Language of the conference: English (no translations)
Please forward this invitation among suitable networks. Estonian National Youth Council will appreciate your help.
Please find the expert application form here.
Estonian National Youth Council (ENL) is an umbrella organization established in 2002 and unites 50 youth organizations throughout Estonia. ENL promotes cooperation between youth associations and active participation of young people in society. ENL is working for recognition and participation of young people. ENL is a recognized organization protecting the interests of youth associations and enhancing all forms of cooperation between them, so that youth participation and youth initiative would be valued in the society.
Project is financed by Open Estonia Foundation.
More information and applications:
Martti Martinson
Estonian National Youth Council
Youth Policy Officer
GSM: +372 56 151 626
E-mail: martti@enl.ee
Fax: + 372 6306 578
Home page: www.enl.ee
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Aadress: Estonia pst. 5 a, 10143, Tallinn | Telefon: + 372 661 6487 |
Fax: + 372 6306 578 | Email: enl(a)enl.ee
