Ecopeace Teen Cafe is an International youth network giving voice to young people by providing platforms to explore and act for the betterment of their society. The project Ecopeace Teen Cafe online transformative education program is inspired by the Earth Charter principles. Ecopeace Teen Cafe in collaboration with Global Intersection, Canada hosting a new international training program.
The Earth Charter is a document that consists of sixteen principles recognized by UNESCO as an ethical framework for sustainable development. The main objective of this program is to educate young people on the importance of caring for the community, and protecting the ecosystem and inspiring them to take action to make this world a better place. The journey from community building to environmental protection is the best way to create peaceful coexistence in society. This project is bringing behavioral changes in young people towards nature and building values like caring for the community, showing compassion to the living community, respecting diversity, creating good connections with others, and establishing peace and harmony in the community. A peaceful world is possible only when people live in harmony with nature.
The training program will be offered for 5 weeks, and will consist of International facilitators:
Greshma Pious Raju, Founder of Ecopeace Teen Cafe– India
Greshma Pious Raju is a young peacebuilder having thirteen years of experience in interfaith dialogues and environmental peace-building. Greshma started her peace-building journey at the age of fourteen by hosting interfaith dialogues among her classmates from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Kerala in India, and a Master of Arts in English from Indira Gandhi National Open University in India. In 2019, she earned her Master’s degree in International Peace Studies from the United Nations University for Peace, Costa Rica. For the past two years, she is working on her own project called Ecopeace Teen Cafe, an online transformative education program for teenagers, where she focuses on caring for the community, environmental protection, social justice and nonviolent communication. Greshma worked in different national and international organizations to promote youth engagement in peace-building and initiated various projects for empowering women in rural areas of the global south. Her interest in environmental peace-building and sustainability developed during her internship at Earth Charter International. Greshma is an Earth Charter Young Leader. She served as Youth Ambassador of the United Religions Initiative for several years. She is highly skilled in project design, management and evaluation. Greshma is an efficient public speaker and effective communicator who compassionately listen to others. She excelled in creating strategic partnerships with local as well as global nonprofits. She is exploring new paths to strengthening interconnectedness among youth through online platforms. She believes small acts of love and compassion will create positive changes in the global community.
Shirin Ganji, Founder of Global Intersections- Canada
Shirin Ganji holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto as a Specialist in World Religions and a Major in Philosophy. She is the Founder and Chairperson of Global Intersections which seeks to transform spaces into inclusive hubs that fosters community through education, dialogue, and collaboration. She co-founded the Undergraduate Religious Studies Student Association and served as a Multi-Faith Intern at the University of Toronto. Shirin was the Co-chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Group with the Town of Newmarket, is a URI Global Youth, and a Scholarship recipient of the 2015 North American Interfaith Network. In addition, a spokesperson on various stages including the Parliament of World Religions. An advocate, facilitator, and passionate about intercultural understanding she has conducted many workshops and spearheaded numerous events to educate and build communities.
Sarah Oliver, Global Youth and Learning Coordinator (URI)– South Africa
Sarah Oliver is the Associate Director of Global Programmes for Youth Engagement for the United Religions Initiative (URI). Based in South Africa, she works to support, connect and inspire young people as interfaith activists and peacebuilders around the world. Sarah has worked in the interfaith sector for the last 10 years, running youth camps, workshops and skills-trainings, both locally and globally. As an experienced facilitator, she is passionate about connecting issues of interfaith dialogue, youth leadership, peacebuilding and social justice.
Samira Fatma Baručija, Regional Coordintor Multiregion – Bosnia
Samira Fatma Baručija is from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and works as the Regional Coordinator for the URI Multiregion. She is a peacebuilder, trying to facilitate dialog, interfaith work, and reinforce the importance of living together for the sake of peace and security. Most of her work nowadays is focused on peacebuilding and creating cultures of peace. For most of her ten-year-long experience in civil society, Samira has been an educator trying to use the platform of non-formal education to raise awareness, motivate and empower individuals and groups, reinforcing their role in the change they want to see. The work that Samira is doing locally is done through a youth-led, youth-founded organization called Youth for Peace. She is also a part of the UNDP’s Global Youth Programme as one of 16 young people from around the world, working toward fulfilling the UN’s 2030 agenda. Since 2014, Samira has been a Youth Leader for the United Religions Initiative.
The fifth week, the workshop will close with a special international guest. Join us for an exciting and enriching educational experience.
Registration link-→ https://bit.ly/Ecopeace_Canada
Ecopeace Teen Cafe 