News Highlights
Author:
Sara Mourad,
Research Assistant,
Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service,
smm34@aub.edu.lb
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CCECS hosts intercultural discussion on youth volunteer work
 | Participants convening on youth volunteer work
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Finnish, Greek, Palestinian, and Lebanese students met in AUB to discuss community service and youth activism in their respective countries. The Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS), a recent addition to the AUB community, partnered with the 'Amel Association to converge cultural perspectives on Friday, December 12. The event was held in West Hall Auditorium A and was facilitated by Mr. Hovig Etyemezian, specialist in peace and conflict resolution with UNHCR.
In a two-hour round table discussion which included individual country presentations, 28 students --7 from each participant country -- shared their perspectives on youth involvement and engagement in their home communities. Around 15 AUB participants, including student volunteers with the CCECS and community projects coordinators, joined the discussion. This initiative was part of a larger cultural youth exchange organized by the 'Amel Association, the Lebanese Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the European Commission. The exchange's objective of fostering dialogue and youth involvement in community work falls in line with CCECS's aim to develop a culture of service and civic leadership within the AUB community. |
 | Three Greek exchange students share their perspective on volunteer work
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Mounir Mabsout, director of the CCECS, started the meeting with a brief presentation on AUB and the Center, followed by an overview by the 'Amel team on the association's various projects in support of underserved communities. The session then took a comparative twist with country presentations. Participants from different grassroot organizations tried to understand youth involvement and civic engagement in different political, social, economic, and cultural contexts. Focusing on challenges, success stories, and failures, the young activists were keen on exchanging recommendations with their peers.
The AUB team consisted of the Neighborhood Initiative, the Nature Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures (IBSAR), engineering student volunteers in the AUB Summer Camp 2008, and the Zawtar village development initiative by the Faculty of Health Sciences, along with volunteers with the CCECS. Student delegates from each group presented their community projects and shared their success stories and challenges. |
 | Finnish student, with the Palestinian delegation in the background
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Lack of sustainable funding, political instability, and youth passivity were found to be major setbacks for volunteer work among the participant countries. From a cross-cultural perspective, differences were mapped between European and Arab countries' experiences. While Arab activists are working on basic human rights and development issues, Europeans are dealing with lifestyle and awareness problems. Commenting on the event, one Finnish participant said, "It was great to hear stories from youth working in a completely different environment than mine."
The event proved to be a success for both the CCECS and the 'Amel Association, perhaps inaugurating a series of partnerships between the two. |
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