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Executive Summary

Our world is still one in which 1.5 billion people live in extreme poverty, 9 million children die

every year, 75 million are denied primary education. Our world is still one plighted by diseases like

HIV and AIDS that kill 2 million every year, a world where women are often relegated to a second

rank, and the strife for wealth is destroying the conditions for life of next generations.

We believe that the challenges of today’s world, more than ever before in the history of mankind,

are of a global nature and urge a global response. In 2000, world leaders set far-sighted goals to

free humanity from poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease, the United Nations Millennium

Development Goals.

We have come to realise that the responsibility for a better world lies primarily upon us, the

youth. Aware of our potential and role in society, we have decided to respond to this global call

for action by launching the project “UN Millennium Development Goals - A Challenge for Today’s

Youth?”.

The project aims at empowering young people to contribute to the achievement of the UN

Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The project mobilises youth in Europe, India and South

Africa, and lays the basis for a sustainable partnership between young citizens in these three

regions.

Executive Summary

Project Outline

Perspectives for Tomorrow’s World

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Our world is one in which 1.5 billion people live in extreme poverty, 9 million children die every year,

and 75 million more are denied primary education. Our world is still plighted by diseases like HIV and

AIDS that together kill 2 million people every year, a world where women are often relegated to second

rank, and the struggle for wealth is destroying the conditions of life for future generations.

In 2000, world leaders set far-reaching goals to free humanity from poverty, hunger, illiteracy and

disease, to ensure gender equality, a global partnership for development and respect for the

environment. These were the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

Aware of our role and potential as the youth of today’s world, we have decided to respond to this global

call for action by launching, in the framework of AEGEE’s Flagship Project “Beyond Europe –

Perspectives for Tomorrow’s World”, the initiative “UN Millennium Development Goals - A Challenge

for Today’s Youth?”.

The project aims to empower young people to contribute to the achievement of the UN Millennium

Development Goals by 2015. The project mobilises youth in Europe, India and South Africa, and lays the

basis for a sustainable partnership between young citizens in these three regions.

The project will have a duration of 12 months, and it will consist of four main activities, 1.

Preliminary Meeting In Brussels (Belgium) in December 2009, a Case-study trip to Baroda (India), in

June 2010, one to Cape Town (South Africa) in September 2010, and a Final Conference in Utrecht (The

Netherlands) in November 2010.

The two case study trips will give the opportunity to members of AEGEE to experience first-hand the

efforts towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in India and South Africa. The Final

Conference, which will be attended by a group of young Indians and South Africans, will present the

results of the two case study trips.

Executive Summary

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Aims and Objectives

The project aims to empower young people in Europe, India and

South Africa to contribute to the achievement of the United

Nations Millennium Development Goals (henceforth referred to

as MDGs).

This overall aim can be specified in the following objectives:

Awareness

� to raise young people’s awareness of critical global issues

and the MDGs;

Participation

� to provide young people from Europe, India and South

Africa with knowledge to fight for the achievement of the

MDGs;

Multiplying effect

� to promote active citizenship and encourage young people

to get active on a local level for the achievement of the

MDGs;

The Cultural Dimension

� to establish an intercultural dialogue and create a network

of European, South African and Indian youth;

� to foster the dialogue between young people with different

ethnic, social and economic backgrounds;

Aim and Objectives

United Nations

Millennium development goals

1. Eradicate extreme poverty

and hunger

2. Achieve universal primary

education

3. Promote gender equality

and empower women

4. Reduce child mortality

5. Improve maternal health

6. Combat HIV/AIDS,

malaria, and other

diseases

7. Ensure environmental

sustainability

8. Develop a global

partnership for

development

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Activities

The project consists of four activities:

• December 2009, Preliminary meeting, Brussels, Belgium

• June 2010, Case Study Trip, Vadodara, India

• September 2010, Case Study Trip, Cape Town, South Africa

• November 2010, Final convention, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Preliminary Meeting

This meeting takes place in Brussels in December 2009 and is conceived as an opening

conference. The four-day programme will gather representatives from every Partner

organisation, a total number of twenty participants will attend the preliminary meeting. The

purpose of the meeting is to establish interpersonal contacts between these young people, and

discuss in detail the guidelines and conceptual coherence of the project and its components; the

case study trips and the final convention. In addition, the preliminary meeting will be an

opportunity for representatives of Partners organisations to visit European Union institutions and

meet policy makers in Brussels.

Case study trips

The case study trips constitute the cornerstone of the project. They are based on a three-staged

approach, as outlined in the next section: awareness raising activities, mobilisation activities, and

evaluation sessions.

Case Study Trip to India

The Case Study Trip to India will take place in June 2010 for a duration of 20 days and will be

attended by 20 young people from Europe and 2 from South Africa. During this time, the visiting

students will have a part-time educational traineeship at the Gujarat Public School in Baroda. This

Activities

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activity will confront them directly with the practice of primary education in India. Furthermore,

each day will have as thematic focus one of the MDGs, there will be discussions and analyses, as

well as participation in community-based projects and field visits to be organised with the support

of NGOs linked with AIESEC Baroda. In addition, an important section of the programme will be

devoted to cultural dialogue between European, Indian and South African youth.

Case Study Trip to South Africa

The Case Study Trip to South Africa will take place in September 2010 for a duration of 14 days

and will be attended by 20 young people from Europe and 2 from India. The activities will mainly

take place in Cape Town and the surrounding area. In the first week young people will take part in

workshops and forums focusing on poverty, service delivery, xenophobia and progress in the

achievement of the MDGs. In the second week, they will participate in practical community-based

projects and field trips linked to the MDGs, for instance teaching at Lavender Hill School and

visiting the Mfuleni HIV/AIDS orphanage, alongside education projects, empowerment

programmes and others. In addition, an important section of the programme will be devoted to

cultural dialogue between youth from Europe, India and South Africa.

Final Conference

The final convention in Utrecht will be attended by 50 participants from Europe, India and South

Africa for a duration of 6 days. The aim of the final convention is to present the results of the two

case study trips, compare progress on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in

Europe, India and South Africa and analyse youth involvement and possibilities for young people

to contribute to progress in each of these regions.

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Working Methods

To achieve our objectives, the activities are based on a three-staged approach:

1. Awareness-raising phase

Awareness-raising activities are aimed at developing an understanding of critical global

issues and introducing existing policies, and best practices of youth contribution aimed at

achieving the MDGs. These activities will mainly consist of seminars, conferences,

workshops, lectures, meetings with experts in the field, role playing games, panel

discussions, presentations, and exhibitions;

2. Mobilisation phase

Mobilisation activities are aimed at empowering young people with the skills and tools

needed to contribute to the achievement of the MDGs. These activities will include first-

hand observation and participation in the delivery of existing policies through e.g. study

visits, volunteer activities, job-shadowing, and training organised in co-operation with

actors other than AEGEE and its partners;

3. Evaluation and Multiplication phase

Evaluation and Multiplication activities are aimed at assessing current policies in order to

elaborate on ways for young people to contribute to the achievement of the MDGs and to

present tangible suggestions for fellow youth organisations, state, and non-state actors

involved in the developmental field and the achievement of the MDGs. This phase will also

give the opportunity to discuss possible future projects and follow-up activities in

conjunction with the young people from Europe and the partner organisations. This will

contribute to ensuring the long-lasting impact of the project.

During the case study trips, each of the eight MDGs will be dealt with according to this three-

staged approach.

Working methods

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Organisations involved in the project

The organisations involved in this project share a strong commitment to youth empowerment. By

joining together to align their expertise and vision for one common project, they will establish a

mutual learning atmosphere in which capacity building and leadership can be enhanced through a

process of exchange of experiences and best practices.

Youth mobilised by the project will develop a common understanding of the global critical issues

and a shared commitment to their solution.

AEGEE

AEGEE (Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l’Europe) is a non-governmental,

politically independent non-profit organisation, an interdisciplinary and secular student

association not linked to any political party. AEGEE’s aims are to promote a unified Europe

without prejudices, to strive for creating an open and tolerant society of today and tomorrow, to

foster democracy, human rights, tolerance, cross-border co-operation, mobility and a European

dimension in education.

In 2009, AEGEE launched its flagship project for 2010-2011, Beyond Europe – Perspectives for

Tomorrow’s World aimed at empowering young people in and outside Europe to tackle global

challenges. “UN Millennium Development Goals – A Challenge for Today’s Youth” has been

conceived under the framework of AEGEE’s flagship project in 2010-2011.

AIESEC-Baroda

AIESEC is an international youth organisation exploring and developing youth leadership

potential for positive social change. AIESEC has a global presence and AIESEC Baroda is an

Indian antenna. AIESEC Baroda is responsible for a project called “One World” whose vision is to

present global perspectives in order to empower Indian youth to positively influence Indian

society and the world community by presenting global perspectives.

Organisations involved

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Gujarat Public School – BRG Group

The Gujarat Public School (GPS) has a well-established record of dedication to youth

empowerment and development. GPS has been involved in exchange programmes beforehand

and has expressed great support for the project. GPS has also held a UN Millennium Development

Goals Oath taking ceremony.

Social Justice Coalition

Social Justice Coalition (SJC) is a newly-born movement established in 2008 as a Civil Society

response to the alleged lack of political leadership in the South African government and its

institutions. SJC’s main focus is to address the economic and social inequalities that afflict South

African society and the African continent, considered to be at the heart of phenomena like crime,

xenophobia, hate crimes and gender-based violence.

AEGEE-Utrecht

AEGEE-Utrecht organised a big project in the years 2007 and 2008 which was called Destination

Europe. The aim of the project was to make (mostly young) people more aware of the whole

process of African immigration to Europe and show the human stories behind all the numbers you

see on television these days. Activities that were organized by the project team included a debate

with students about the current situation regarding illegal immigration, a report by a student

journalism who went to Calais and talked with a lot of illegal immigrants there, biking lessons for

Africans who live in asylum seeker centre and ended with a big open air event where all results

were presented.

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India

India is the biggest democracy and one of the fastest growing economies in the world. India

enjoys the uncontested status of “superpower”, but is at the same time plagued by

disproportionate inequalities and cases of extreme poverty. India is a country where long-rooted

cultural traditions profoundly shape the way society is ordered. India is also a country with one of

the biggest Muslim minorities, a radical religious divide between Hindu and Muslims which cross

cuts internal and external security threats. As much controversial are the relations between India

and its neighbourhood, regional rivalries triggered by territorial claims and enmities under the

shadow of nuclear capabilities.

India’s relations with Europe are again, like for South Africa, affected by a common experience of

colonialism and uneven progress towards independence and emancipation. The project implicitly

poses the question of the extent to which this past affects the way Europeans, South Africans and

Indians come together today to face global challenges.

South Africa and India offer the perfect ground to observe how the UN Millennium Development

Goals are being implemented in reality. This project will strengthen dialogue, exchange and youth

co-operation in three dimensions.

Young people from three different regions of the world would gather to discuss and tackle

common global challenges, not only would this enhance dialogue between regions, but also

within regions, with reference for instance to the possibility to promote dialogue between

ethnic and religious groups within these two countries. It is for this reason that we intend to

open to people with fewer opportunities, from minorities or low income family backgrounds.

Geographic scope

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South Africa

South Africa is the country where racism developed in its most horrible forms, but also the

country wtial to develop as a truly multiethnic society. The “rainbow nation”, as South African

themselves call their country, offers a unique opportunity to observe how human beings come

together to tackle common challenges in spite of their diversity.

South Africa went from the status of African “pariah” in the 1970s through a process of

emancipation that lead to the end of apartheid. South Africa has one of the biggest ratios in HIV

in the world, a place where, although it can be considered part of the “Western” world, practices,

habits and deepest traditions of the black continent remain strong. Finally, a country in a very

crucial turn of its modern history, under the spotlight of the international community, holding a

general election in 2009 and the preparation the first World Cup ever in the African continent, an

event which like the Olympic Games in South Korea in 1988 or China in 2008, bears the attention

of the international community.

These elements make South Africa a natural country to stage a crucial part of the project. It is a

country whose multicultural nature expresses the very nature of the project, a country where the

global issues of this world are dramatically part of everyday life and where extreme situations

stand in contrast: investments of millions and slums, voluntary organisations that fight with HIV

and hunger and billion dollar consortiums. In addition, South Africa and India are both emerging

economies with an enormous potential to engage in issues of worldwide importance. Both of

them serve as an example for less developed countries which are still falling short from achieving

the MDGs. This is why we want to empower young people in India and South Africa to get active

in their societies, fighting to improve the situation regarding the MDGs there and in the second

ultimately by setting as an example for other countries lagging behind in the progress on the

MDGs.

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