Organizing the Hope – Leadership for Peace

Organizing the Hope – Building High School Leadership for Peace

Objectives of the Workshop:
• Build the organizing skills and deepen the analysis about peace issues among high school students.
• Share best practices of organizing in a high school environment.
• Discuss current conflicts in the world and the role of US policy, with a particular emphasis on the Middle East.
• Examine how militarism abroad impacts our lives in the US.
• Do hands-on skills training.

Topics to Cover:
• Effective Organizing strategies: coalition building, social and public media, public actions, advocacy campaigns, lobbying, witness delegations
• Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan: General overview, human impact of war, what can we do?
• Israel and Palestine: Crisis in Gaza, Voices of Dissent, Prospects for Peace
• US Militarism: The cost of wars, militarism in our high schools

Methods:
Workshop participants will share personal experiences, including best practices from their organizing in their schools; learn about and evaluate organizing campaigns focused on peace and justice issues; watch dvd’s and read resource materials prepared on current crises in the Middle East, US Policy, and the military budget; participate in role plays and interactive exercises highlighting organizing and communication strategies. Workshop participants will plan a public event/presentation for FGC participants based on what they learn from the workshop, to be held at the end of the Gathering.

Leadership:
The workshop will be led by Jennifer Bing-Canar, Regional Coordinator of Programs for the American Friends Service Committee in Chicago. Jennifer has over 20 years of organizing experience on the Middle East and peace issues in the United States. She has made documentary films, organized national speaking tours and conferences, written resource materials, led delegations, and provided leadership to AFSC youth interns in the Chicago office.