Regional Youth Forum - 2007

Belarus Red Cross annual Youth Forum will be held on November 24-25th in Minsk within the framework of two youth projects �Youth participation in civil society� and �Youth against HIV/AIDS�, implemented by Belarus Red Cross (BRC) with support from International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Danish Red Cross (DRC).

�Youth contribution to local communities� development� - shall be the theme of BRC Youth Forum in 2007. During this year, over 1,5 thousand of BRC youth volunteers have taken part in development and implementation of over 50 local youth incentives (mini-projects), and a wide variety of youth activities and public actions/campaigns, targeting above 25 000 people from different vulnerable groups.

The agenda of the Forum includes:
- presentation of the results of local youth initiatives aimed at stigma and discrimination reduction of marginalized groups, HIV/AIDS/STI prevention, combating trafficking in human beings, integration of disabled and under-privileged youth into society, promotion of humanitarian values, community based disaster preparedness, and other RC issues;
- dissemination of the results of the advocacy campaign �Voices of youth� on the needs of vulnerable youth in Belarus;
- Belarus Red Cross Volunteer Policy developed in 2007;
- youth participation in decision-making (BRC Youth Volunteer Council);
- regional and international Red Cross youth cooperation and networking (5th meeting of the Regional Coordination Committee of Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova youth network will be held in Minsk to discuss the current achievements, challenges and future prospects of regional cooperation).

BRC young volunteers and coordinators of youth programmes and projects are invited to participate in the Forum. Besides, representatives of IFRC, Danish, Ukrainian, Moldovan and possibly other Red Cross National Societies will take part.

It is planned that the participants will not only share experience in Red Cross youth volunteer activities with their peers from other countries, but also generate ideas and jointly develop proposals of youth initiatives/campaigns to be implemented in 2008.

The Forum organizers hope that it will enforce further development of Red Cross youth volunteer movement and stimulate more active youth participation in assessment and advocacy of needs of vulnerable people in local communities and development of community based incentives to meet these needs.
For more information about the Youth Forum, please contact Ms. Christina Peisis, youth programme coordinator, Belarus RC.