Through conferences and student conferences, meetings, publications, distant learning programs, and scholarship grants, AUD promotes Euro-Atlantic cooperation and enlargement of the Euro-Atlantic community toward new democratic nations. We believe in education, dialogue and intercultural exchange as the best means for public advocacy.
PRAGUE SERIES: "REDEFINING EUROPE"
Over the past few years, the European Union has been inching toward a very large expansion: in 2004, 10 countries will join the Union. This unprecedented enlargement has led to debate over the future of the Union and redefinition of its very structure. In parallel to all the political events leading to the actual EU enlargement, AUD and the Anglo-American University of Prague are working together to build a series of educational events titled “Redefining Europe” and aimed at reflecting on the issues arising from the expansion. Events will be held at the Anglo-American University in Prague in 2004-2005 and include a series of conferences on federalism in the EU, the opening of an AUD office in Prague, the launching of a Masters degree in federalism, a series of conferences on the Community of Democracies by former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and the opening of a Vaclav Havel Library on Democracy.
The first event to launch the series will be a conference to be held March 26-30, 2004 in Prague and throughout the world by means of video-conferencing on the topic of Federalism and the EU Constitution. We want to be able to influence the new, bigger democratic Europe as it moves to adopt a new Constitution of Europe. To AUD, a most important aspect of this constitution would be the incorporation of federalist principles in the document. What principles? In what way? To what extent should state sovereignty be compromised? Prestigious scholars, diplomats and other high officials from both the EU and the candidate countries are invited to discuss these issues as well as EU-US relations from the federalist perspective. A parallel youth video conference will address the ever-expanding European Union through plenary sessions, workshops, and discussion sessions. Students will be able to address attendees to the Prague conference from all over the world through video conferencing technology.
GLOBALIZATION AND DEMOCRACY VIDEO CONFERENCE SERIES
This initiative aims at "empowering young people for positive roles in the new civil society". Through global cultural awareness and cross-cultural exchange, young generations can see that they, too, can make a difference and create a global community. This can be done with today's modern Education and Distance Learning technologies such as video conferencing and the internet. Using these technologies, participants -elementary, middle and high-school students from all over the world- are given the opportunity to work on real-world projects focusing on humanities and international relations.
Understanding the concept of globalization and the importance of sustaining democratic systems is a vital experience for young people today. Global Education Motivators (GEM), the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development in Santo Domingo (FUNGLODE) and the Association to Unite the Democracies have developed a five part distance learning series to provide secondary school students from grades 10-12 with a more comprehensive understanding of these concepts from a cross-cultural perspective. The distance learning experience will be built around a series of IP and/or ISDN videoconferences. Each program will provide pre program materials for the students and teachers to help prepare them for each session.
The Speakers series will be held the first Friday of each month, beginning in February 2004: 2/6, 3/5, 4/2, 5/7, 6/4 at 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM (EST & EDT). Program for the series will be the following:
Students will be able to participate via video-conferencing from different sites all over the world, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Russia and others.
UKRAINE/US VIDEO CONFERENCE SERIES
Global Education Motivators (GEM) is collaborating with AUD, the Global Studies Institute of Chestnut Hill College, the International Center for Education and Research (ICER), the Sterling Educational Institutes (SEI), the Commonwealth Policy Institute (CPIN), the International Center for Education and Research (Kyiv, Ukraine), and the Distance Learning Center (Kyiv, Ukraine) to facilitate four independent one week conferences on United States and Ukrainian relations dealing with policy issues that affect various sectors of society. The conferences are to be held in the US the Summer of 2003 and 2004 and in Ukraine the Spring of 2004 and 2005. At the conclusion of this project a US/Ukraine Policy Think Tank will have been formed for continuous mutual dialogue. It will be co-chaired and keynoted by former US Congressman Bob Schaffer, of Colorado and Ihor Ostash, Deputy Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Verkhovna Rada in Ukraine.
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON VIDEO CONFERENCE SERIES
AUD is working in collaboration with the Foundation for Contemporary Federalism in Moscow to build a series of video conferences on issues relating to Russia's integration into the West and Euro-Atlantic integration from a Russian perspective. Each video conference will be organized around one specific theme and include speakers from both Russia and the US. Project will be launched in the spring of 2004.
A new program will be launched in the Fall of 2004 that will enable students from the Washington D.C. area, the US and other countries to interact with political leaders and prominent members of the international community in Washington, D.C. We will invite officials - US Representatives and Senators, Ambassadors, Academics- to our studio centrally located on Capitol Hill. From there, they will be able to use the video-conferencing technology to interact with students all over the world and to discuss with them issues most relevant to AUD's mission of promoting peace and democracy. Debates and discussion will also be broadcasted on our website.
As an organization promoting the ideals of democracy and international peace, we believe that it is essential to recall the past in order to shape a peaceful world. And there is no better way to share history than through the eyes of those who witnessed it. Sharing experiences of tragedy and war with the world's future leaders can help prevent wars from occurring again; sharing hopes and calling for dialogue can bring about peace and understanding between the people. This is the idea behind the oral history project; from our professional studio and under the supervision of Board member John Willard, we are recording the story of the people who witnessed history. Through interview, professional video-taping and soon video-streaming, we are sharing their experience to the world. We have started recording the accounts of our most prominent board members and will soon move on to political leaders or influential members of the civil society. Videotape and DVD will be available in 2005.
NGO COALITION FOR THE COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES (CCOD)
The Coalition for the Community of Democracies was organized in order to engage a wide variety of concerned NGOs into active participation to support and encourage the work of the Community of Democracies as it is:
Join the NGO Coalition. Log on to www.nccd.net or contact Menko Rose, Coordinator, NGO Coalition for the Community of Democracies, c/o AUD, P.O. Box 77164, Washington, D.C. 20013-7164.
EURO-ATLANTIC FREEDOM NETWORK (EAFN)
This initiative aimed at promoting democratization through integration in the Euro-Atlantic community tries to link together all like-minded organizations, foundations, academic circles, and individuals in NATO countries, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. It more specifically seeks to build strong relationships between persons within NATO countries, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. EAFN addresses four major areas and issues:
The Network is based on an open database of all non-profits, academic communities and activists working on Euro-Atlantic issues, NATO and trans-Atlantic security and integrating new countries in the Atlantic community. The initial step is an appeal to all like-minded groups and individuals to join the network and cooperate. Second step will be the promotion of the network. EAFN will be promoted through the Internet. An electronic newsletter will monitor all initiatives of the Network members as well as major events in transatlantic relations. The newsletter will be sent to politicians, governmental officials and international organizations. Members of the network will also be able to share their views through an e-mail discussion group. Organizing conferences both in the US and in Europe will allow EAFN to invite politicians, businessman and other decision-makers to take part in discussions about Euro-Atlantic development and enlargement.
THE FRANK EDUCATION FUND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM (FEF)
AUD is the beneficiary of the Mayme and Herbert Frank Educational Trust established in 1989 to support the study of international integration and federalism at the graduate level. AUD therefore created the Frank Educational Fund (FEF) as the program to manage and distribute those funds to deserving students. The study of international integration and federalism is gaining attention throughout the world due to the proliferation of international organizations and the development of the European Union. AUD, as an advocate of a democratic international federation, believes strongly in the importance of supporting these studies and contributing to the evolution of the new international order. For these reasons, the Frank Education Fund was created to provide direct support to students involved with graduate study in this field.
By supporting the leaders of the future and providing them a link to the grassroots movement for federal union, we hope to create a nexus margining the academic environment with the activist environment.
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