The Marshall Islands Youth Civic Engagement and Exchange Initiative is founded on two key beliefs:
First, that each new generation of servant leaders around the world must learn, practice, and engage in the process of governing and public service.
Second, that these servant leaders must engage in international cross-cultural dialogue with youth leaders from other nations in an era of global economic growth and increased cultural connectivity.
Both of these beliefs are critical to offering the best possible opportunity to the next generation of Marshallese-American relations, and are made even more pressing by the growing population of youth in both the Republic of the Marshall Islands as well as in the United States. The YMCA Youth In Government program actively promotes these goals each year in all 50 American States, and provides the best opportunity for international partnership between both nations.
Building on 10 weeks of civic engagement through an in-class model parliamentary process facilitated by the Dartmouth Teacher Volunteer Program and participation in the 1st Annual Republic of the Marshall Islands Youth Nitijela, the capstone experience of the initiative is a 2-week Civic Exchange in the United States, consisting of a Marshall Islands Ambassador Delegation to the YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs.
The following students have been chosen as delegates in the first-ever Marshall Islands Ambassador Delegation to the 2010 Youth Conference on National Affairs (CONA):
Paul Andres Stella Marie Kibin
Niten Anni Cartina Carter
Stephen Clark Gabriella Hitchfield
Peterson Larry Jemima Lorak
Darrel Saimon
Through Youth-Bridge Global, the Civic Exchange is looking for donations that will provide each of these delegates with the total $3,250 cost of the 2-week exchange, including transportation, lodging, meals, and conference fees and supplies
All donors will be listed in the Ambassador Delegation Manual as a sponsor of the Civic Exchange, and receive a letter confirming their tax-deductible donation to Youth Bridge Global.
Donors of $100 or more will be listed on the Ambassador Delegation T-shirt and will receive a signed postcard from the Ambassador Delegation following the Civic Exchange.
Donors of $500 or more will be listed as Ambassador Sponsors on the Delegation T-Shirt
Donors of $1,000 or more will be listed as Delegation Sponsors at top of the Sponsors section on the Delegation T-Shirt.
As members of the Marshall Islands Ambassador Delegation, these students will participate in an immersive Civic Exchange that requires not only observation, but also active participation in college-level academic research, the foreign policy process, and the development of servant leadership:
As a member of the Marshall Islands Ambassador Delegation, each delegate will sponsor a Policy Proposal on an RMI – US Foreign Relations Issues at the 2010 YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs
Ambassador Delegates will conduct Ivy League college-level research & policy analysis at Dartmouth College
CONA delegates, both Marshallese and American, will gain a comprehensive understanding of RMI-US policy issues, and form relationships that will help shape a productive future for RMI-US foreign relations
Delegates will create, organize, and lead a service-learning “Youth Engagement Project” to bring books back to schools in the Marshall Islands
As Alumni of the program, Ambassador Delegates will return to advise and facilitate the Youth Nitijela Program and 2nd Annual Marshall Islands Youth Nitijela