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Youth Department
What is it?
The Youth Department of the AzCBL refers to our team of young
volunteers who devote their time towards advocacy work for the Mine Ban
Treaty, raising public awareness on landmine issues, assisting with
research and supporting mine victims.
In the past, our volunteers have been involved in research, translation, journalism, seminars and training sessions. We hope to enlarge our youth department so that the youth movement to ban landmines will grow in momentum in Azerbaijan.
Why Youth?
Youth suffer because of landmines. Up to 30% of mine victims around the world each year are youth under 15. In Azerbaijan, more specifically, in the year 2005, alone, 65 people became mine victims and 28 of these were children or youth.
Youth can also do something about the problem – and they are. Youth are playing an important part in Mine Ban movements around the world. (See the ICBL and Mines Action Canada websites for examples)
Youth have energy, skills, new
ideas, and a passion to create change that have great power to fuel
this movement and make it more effective.
Perhaps most importantly, youth are the future! While
this may seem to be simply a trite saying, it is true that the next
generation inherits the problems that
remain from past wars and conflicts. And indeed, Azerbaijan’s youth are living in a country deeply scarred by war and still struggling with conflict. Thus,
this population needs to engage in finding solutions to these
situations and preventing such occurrences from happening in the
future.
The first steps to peace are made by each individual – each of us must commit to making a better world. If the new generation cannot commit to peace, how can we expect wars to ever end?
Recent Highlights from the Youth Department
Disarm Film Screening
On January 21st, the Youth Department of
the AzCBL held a film screening and seminar for local university students at
the US-Azerbaijan Education Centre. Disarm, the 2004 documentary film on the
global landmine issue was shown to inform students about the effects of
landmines around the world and the success of the global movement to address
the problem. Following the film, one of
the AzCBL volunteers provided students with a presentation of the landmine
problem specifically in Azerbaijan
which was followed by an active question and discussion period.
'In Our Lifetime' International Youth Symposium 2005, Zagreb, Croatia
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Youth journalist, Jeyran Bayramova, interviewing Nobel Peace Prize Co-Laureate, Jody Williams.
Mines
Action Canada invited a delegate from Azerbaijan
to participate in its International Youth Symposium in Zagreb, Croatia
from November 27th to December 3rd.
Jeyran Bayramova, a young journalist and volunteer with the AzCBL took
part in this symposium, which aims to engage and mobilize young people in the movement to ban
landmines by providing them with the information and
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advocacy skills needed to
promote the campaign in their home countries.
Aside from taking part in
workshop sessions, as a journalist, Bayramova was also active throughout the
week, meeting with delegates taking part in the 6th Meeting of States Parties
to the Mine Ban Treaty (occurring simultaneously in Zagreb).
Bayramova held interviews with a number of delegates, including Nobel
Peace Prize Co-Laureate, Jody Williams, ICBL advocacy director, Sylvie Brigot,
ICBL campaigners from the former Soviet Union
region and Geneva Call’s Elizabeth Reusse-Decrey. Greatly contributing to the AzCBL’s campaign
efforts, three articles by Bayramova, based on these interviews and the 6th
Meeting of States Parties were published in Zerkalo, a widely read and highly
regarded Baku
newspaper. |
Youth Against Landmines Seminar -
US-Azerbaijan
Education Centre
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On November 12th, the AzCBL Youth
Department held a seminar at the U.S.-Azerbaijan Education Centre. Alumni of the FSA/Flex US Study-Abroad
program were invited to attend, as well as Baku university students in general. Hafiz Safikhanov provided participants with
background information about the landmine problem in Azerbaijan, the Ottawa Treaty, the
work of the AzCBL and other efforts being made to solve the problem. The importance of youth involvement in mine
action was addressed by Kendrah Jespersen of Mines Action Canada. In addition, Azeri youth volunteers, Shahla
Mammedova and Farida Ahmedova spoke about their past experiences in mine
action, and particularly, their participation earlier this year in the Regional
Capacity Building Workshop for youth from the Former Soviet Union.
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Youth volunteer, Shahla Mammedova, speaking about her experience taking part in the Youth Regional Capacity Building Workshop.
While only
a small group of youth attended the seminar, their interest in the topic was
high and participants actively engaged in discussion and asked many questions. The seminar closed with a brainstorming
session about effective youth initiatives in mine action in Azerbaijan. Two individuals expressed interest in future
volunteer opportunities with the AzCBL.
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Youth Against Landmines Seminar - Khazar University
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On September 28th, 2005, the AzCBL held a seminar for students
at Khazar University.
Hafiz, Safikhanov, the director of the AzCBL began the seminar by informing
students about the landmine problem in Azerbaijan and around the world,
the work of the AzCBL, and the international Mine Ban Treaty and what it is
accomplishing.
Following this, Kendrah
Jespersen, an intern working with the AzCBL from Mines Action Canada,
provided a presentation on youth engagement in the movement to ban
landmines. Students were informed about
youth campaigns around the world and given examples of what young people are doing to
stop the use of landmines. The
importance of youth involvement and ideas for youth activities in the campaign
were discussed.
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Finally, the students were invited to join the movement themselves, whether
through volunteering with the AzCBL, starting their own mine action
initiatives, signing the Youth Against War Treaty, or simply telling others
about what they learned. Questions
followed regarding the Azerbaijan
joining the Mine Ban Treaty, similar youth activities in Armenia and
about opportunities for students to take part in more detailed seminars and
attend international workshops to gain training and skills.
Approximately 30 students
attended and the seminar was well received.
Following the seminar, fifteen students signed a statement expressing
their concern about Azerbaijan’s
landmine problem and their belief that Azerbaijan should join the Mine Ban
Treaty and stop the terrible humanitarian destruction caused by landmines in
this country.
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Regional Youth Capacity-Building
Workshop - Moscow, Russia
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