SWA Report 2007

Student World Assembly

Annual Report2006-2007

Promoting Global Democracy, One Student at a time!

2 West 64th Street Suite 408

New York, NY 10023

Тел: 1.201.441.9870

Факс: 1.201.568.5307

www.studentworldassembly.org

2006 Annual International Convention Montreal, Canada

2007 Annual International Convention Accra, Ghana

A Message from our Founder

2 Introduction4

A Glance at Our Past6

Fiscal Year Report8

Future Projects and Goals

10 How You Can Help12

Acknowledgements 14

Table of Contents

Mission:The Student World Assembly (SWA) is a nongovernmental, nonpartisan and nonprofit organization established to represent students globally. It provides a deliberate assembly where students around the world can exchange views, vote on global issues through online discussion forums and at the annual international conventions, and transform these views into meaningful actions.

Democratic Philosophy:The Student World Assembly believes that true global democracy affirms fundamental human rights, which include the dignity and worth of all human beings, the equal rights of men and women, social, economic and cultural justice for every person, and the freedom to promote these causes. SWA’s representative democracy offers a powerful instrument for addressing the vital social and political conditions that threaten our global future. The informed wishes of the people, conveyed through the collective of a democratic assembly, need to be heard in the decision-making processes. By giving students from the most remote to the more accessible institutions an equal voice, we are enabling all students to educate, participate and take action, and to begin thinking of themselves as global citizens.

A Message to Our MembersFrom Our Founder Mr. Paul Raynault

Educate - In March 2006 you passed resolutions on HIV/AIDS. Chapters around the world engaged in numerous educational meetings with featured speakers. - In Fall 2006 you chose Human Trafficking as a pressing global issue on which to focus. You have enhanced your fellow students’ understanding of the problem of human trafficking. Participate - Many of you reached out to others in your school and started SWA chapters, resulting in approximately 4000 new members representing 150 countries. Chapters have frequent meetings where you are developing ways to work together. - Attendance at our annual Convention and voting in elections continue to soar, so much so that at one point the voting volume overwhelmed our web site. Many of you are involved in plans to continue recruiting others to participate in local events as well as online and regional activities. Take Action - In October 2006, students in Nigeria held a forum to promote democratic participation; while in New York, students from four different schools participated in the first ever SWA Youth Activist Leadership Training, which spurred a number of chapters to organize events and rallies. - Here in New York, your letters helped to pass the strongest anti-trafficking legislation in the country, while students in Ghana are involved with the Ministry to help monitor violations in smaller villages.

Most organizations start as a general membership, and then add students as a special category. SWA is doing the opposite. Youth are developing the procedures that will eventually allow everyone in the world to participate in a democratic forum. Thus you are not only members with an opportunity to avail yourself of the SWA structure, but you also have an opportunity to help develop this structure and through your own leadership skills, eventually bringing a new opportunity to everyone in the world. 2006-2007 has been another incredible year for the Student World Assembly because of your dedication. It is certainly very heartening to see so many of you taking such varied initiatives to implement our mission and expand and improve our procedures, while also developing your own leadership skills. As you will read in this annual report, our growth over the last year has been spectacular in many areas including membership, official chapters, voting in elections, and attendance at the annual convention.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, our dedicated members, volunteers, and management team that have contributed to SWA’s success over the past year. I am confident that your passion and commitment will continue to empower your path towards becoming the leaders of the next generation. I look forward to learning more from you in this incredible journey together.

Sincerely,

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EDUCATE: SWA believes that global awareness begins with education, and provides background information from a wide variety of sources on the world’s most pressing global issues. Schools with SWA Chapters are able to create a space for educators and students to bring international perspectives to campus.

PARTICIPATE: Through online discussion forums, SWA members interact with youth leaders around the world to exchange views on relevant issues. Members hold events at their universities providing opportunities for deliberation on local, national, and international topics. SWA annual International Conventions bring together students, activists, and scholars to form a democratic assembly.

TAKE ACTION: SWA members translate their learning and experience into meaningful action. Through rallies, letter-writing campaigns, and other means towards creating change, SWA action promotes new global awareness and activism among students and their communities.

To achieve our goals of global democracy and promoting human rights,

SWA centers itself around the following three themes:

IntroductionThe Student World Assembly is a nongovernmental, nonpartisan organization designed to represent students globally. Founded in September 2003 to cultivate a more global citizenry, SWA empowers students from around the world through engagement in critical reflection and creative action for pressing issues in their communities and abroad. The SWA aims to encourage youth to craft a better world by actively supporting the ideals of individual liberty, informed democratic participation and respect for the diverse views of the citizens of our planet. Modeled as a representative democracy, SWA’s philosophy is “Promoting Global Democracy, One Student at a Time,” making it a unique member-based world-wide organization, dedicated to global democracy, human rights, and preparing leaders of the next generation.

Consistent with its purpose, SWA has formulated the following goals for its members:

- Encouraging grassroots learning, action and participation forums

- Developing leadership skills through hands-on organizing and advocacy for pressing global issues

- Voting, deliberation and action on current pressing issues-locally and globally

- Bridging the digital divide by connecting students around the world and through subsidizing access to technology

SWA has formulated several stages needed for the development of student participants:

STAGE 1: Students establish chapters at their universities, allowing individuals to come together to form a collective voice on campus. This also connects individual students to SWA’s global network of educators and institutions

supporting SWA. New members connect with activists, youth and academics utilizing SWA’s online community, interacting through the forums and online issue-voting. Where access to technology is limited, SWA members petition institutions for increased resources, such as computers, in order to increase access to the Assembly. In addition, where necessary and possible, SWA will provide such resources as cannot be provided by the institution.

STAGE 2: Students are given access to SWA research to become experts on complex international challenges, such as HIV/AIDS, Human Trafficking, and other issues selected by SWA membership. Additionally, students utilize event

planning guidelines/action tool-kits, and participation in SWA regional leadership trainings. SWA’s web site delivers updated international news and highlights upcoming SWA events and action alerts that create a portal for students to stay continually informed and connected with the organization’s global activities.

STAGE 3: By utilizing the above resources, students present local and global issues through forums, teach-ins or panel discussions. By building broad coalitions with other student organizations and civil society, chapters

connect concerns of their schools and communities to broader issues in which SWA engages. Through letter-writing campaigns, rallies and lobbying, students translate their learning into effective action to contribute positive change to their communities.

STAGE 4: Students use SWA to empower the direction of their own world views and global education. They also use SWA events and international conventions as networking opportunities to enhance their professional

development, applying their expertise in interactions with government officials, academics, social entrepreneurs and leaders of the nonprofit sector. As informed youth leaders, students facilitate regional leadership trainings and workshops to guide others on their path to becoming global citizens.

SWA forms alliances with other organizations to facilitate student activism. For instance, SWA and Amnesty International have arranged joint meetings and action in the US and Africa. Additionally, UNICEF actively supported SWA’s Convention in Accra, promoting our anti-trafficking work in Ghana.

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Tackling the HIV/AIDS

Epidemic

HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Peace Building and Conflict Resolution for Development

The Montreal’06

Experience

International AIDS Candle Light Memorial

McGill University

Montreal, Canada

March 9, 2006

Kingsborough Community College

New York, New York

April 10, 2006

Benin City, Nigeria

May 18, 2006

National Youth Council of Ghana

April 7, 2006

Manhattanville

Purchase, New York

April 13, 2006

Benin City, Nigeria

May 21, 2006

AIDS Walk 2006

Nigerian Youth

Leadership Conference

New York, New York

May 21, 2006

Benin City, Nigeria

May 23, 2006

Events 2006-2007Annual International

Convention 2006: HIV/AIDS

Since 2003, the Student World Assembly has rapidly grown to over 14,000 members in more than 150 countries attending approximately 1,400 colleges and is attracting 300 new students per month. Its web site averages 300,000 hits and 20,000 visits per month. With 50% of SWA students from the global south, taking action on issues such as HIV/AIDS, human trafficking and corporate accountability plays a prominent role in facilitating youth engagement in domestic social, economic, and political challenges worldwide.

1,400 Schools

150 Countries

1 Vision

The SWA has hosted three International Conventions since its inception.

The summaries are stated below.

Convention Location University Featured Topic Attendees2004 San Luis

Obispo, California

California Polytechnic State University

Environmental Sustainability & War

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2006 Montreal, Quebec

McGill University

HIV/AIDS 61

2007 Accra, Ghana University of Ghana

Human Trafficking

215

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SWA ChaptersChapters are the backbone of SWA; there are over 50 active chapters worldwide. By forming groups on campus, students gather to discuss global issues and promote SWA through social and educational events.

New Chapters for 2006-2007

Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York - USA »

Bronx Community College, New York - USA »

Brooklyn College, New York - USA »

Desert Mountain High School, Arizona - USA »

Ecole Nationale de Commerce et de Gestion, Tanger - Morocco »

EMonument Open Science Society, Brussels - Belgium »

Institute of Accountancy, Arusha - Tanzania »

Jean Jacques Rousseau College, Gabon - Gabon »

Lehman College, New York - USA »

Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos - Nigeria »

Norwalk Community College, Connecticut - USA »

University of Salzburg, Salzburg - Austria »

A Glance at Our Past

Global Day for Darfur

The Salzburg Seminar and SWA Collaboration

Global Day for Darfur

A Meditation on Peace

Formation of Accra ‘07 Planning Team

Yenagoa, Nigeria

June 30, 2006

Salzburg, Austria

July 31, 2006

Accra, Ghana

September 17, 2006


Brooklyn, New York

July 20, 2006

Accra, Ghana

August 30, 2006

New York, New York

September 17, 2006

Societal Impact of Space

Flight Conference

Desert Mountain High

School Chapter

Washington, D.C.

September 19, 2006

Scottsdale, Arizona

September 20, 2006

Three Arm Road WalkFor HIV/AIDS Awareness

Events 2006-2007

Fiscal Year ReportApril 1, 2006-March 31, 2007

The Student World Assembly is made possible with the generous support of our many donors. Last year, we received approximately $132,000 in funding to support our activities. 85% of our funding came from foundations which have helped to ensure that SWA is able to fulfill its goals and support its members. In addition, 7% of our revenue came from individual donors and 5% came from other organizations that support SWA. Of our total revenue, 41% was put towards our programs and management, 37% was used for general operating costs, 13% for chapter and regional events, and 9% for annual convention in Accra, Ghana.

Donations are vital to the work of SWA. With contributions from individuals and foundations, SWA continues to realize its mission of building global democracy and promoting human rights.

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Income

Expenses

85% Grants from Foundations

7% Contributions from Individuals

5% Contributions from Organizations

3% Donated Goods and Services

41% Programs and Management

37% Operating Costs

13% Events

9% Annual Convention

Promoting Democratic

Participation

SWA Information Session

Making Student Voices

Count in the Global Arena

Youth Activist Leadership

Training

Desert Mountain Chapter Kick-Off Event

Ghana

October 1, 2006

Benin City, Nigeria

October 27, 2006

New York University

New York, New York

November 10, 2006

Farleigh Dickinson University

Teaneck, New Jersey

October 18, 2006

Columbia University

New York, New York

November 4, 2006

Desert Mountain High School

Scottsdale, Arizona

November 15, 2006

Understanding

Globalization

Candle Light Vigil

Day for Darfur

Borough of Manhattan Community College

New York, New York

November 18, 2006


Brooklyn, New York

November 21, 2006

Debate to Action:Building Capacity in Youth

Organizations

Events 2006-2007

46% Programs and Management

28% Operating Costs

18% Events8% Annual Convention

Building leadership: SWA aims for the continuation of leadership development trainings. SWA has cultivated strong leadership and lively governance among youth, resulting in increased local engagement through lobbying, hosting forums, or providing community service on campus.

Expansion: SWA seeks to expand in all regions of the world, specifically North America, West Africa, and Central Asia. SWA also seeks to strengthen the activities of our Southern members and bridge the activity found among activists nationwide. Existing regional representatives in the United States and abroad need resources to support current SWA participants, as well as to continue to expand student activism.

Strengthening alliances: SWA aspires to boost its base of allies to affect a wide variety of local issues over time. Through Chapter activities, students have initiated partnerships with practitioners in the field either through collaborating with organizations such as Amnesty International or by joining the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition.

Future Projects and Goals

2007-2008 Projected Budget

In the past year, SWA has experienced rapid growth as it attracted hundreds of new members, chapters, and institutions. As a result of this growth, we have developed a budget plan that will maintain our current active members and chapters and also accommodate the resources and support that are needed to continue this growth. In addition, we have developed a financial plan for the new year with total expected expenses at $150, 180. Over the next three years, the SWA has outlined the following goals:

1.

2.

3.

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Day for Darfur

Human Trafficking: What

Can Students Do?

Human Trafficking

Forum

Experiences in Zambia, Central Africa: A

Perspective on Culture

Pre-Convention Human

Trafficking Presentation

2007 Annual International Convention: Human

Trafficking

John Jay College of Criminal Justice

New York, New York

November 21, 2006

High School for Global Citizenship

Brooklyn, New York

January 23, 2007

Manhattanville College

Purchase, New York

March 1, 2007


New York, New York

December 26, 2006

Yaba College of Technology

Lagos, Nigeria

March 1, 2007

University of Ghana

Legon-Accra, Ghana

March 8, 2007

1.

Conference on ViolenceAgainst Women and Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking

Forum


New York, New York

March 28, 2007

Events 2006-2007

Bronx Community College

New York, New York

March 27, 2007

How You Can HelpIn the past three years, the SWA has grown immensely in members, awareness, and goals. Due to this exciting and rapid growth, SWA needs your help. Further support can ensure that all of our members have the necessary means to an unobstructed road to global democracy. In order for the chapters and members of the SWA to function to their full potential, more resources are necessary.

Your support can help to connect students of all backgrounds to stand up for a fair and equal world for everyone. As a supporter of the SWA, you will not only shape the world for our future generations but you will contribute to your own community. You will be able to keep in touch with SWA by participating in the online discussion forum, checking our educational resources about pressing global issues, or learning about SWA’s upcoming events. With your immediate help, we can maximize our efforts to help change the reality of the state of the world for the betterment of the global population.

You can make your generous donations on our web site at http://studentworldassembly.org/contribute.htm

Other Ways to Give:

- Shop at the Marketplace - Matching Gifts - Gifts of Stock - Bequests

For more information about contributions to Student World Assembly, please contact us at [email protected]

Other Ways to Get Involved:

Dialogue is only the first step to creating a global community. To make a positive impact on a global scale, we must act on our collective positions. Here are other ways you can get involved:

- Become a Member - Establish a SWA chapter on your campus - Volunteer your time For more ways to get involved, please contact us at: [email protected]

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Yes, I want to support Student World Assembly in its mission of promoting global democracy.

Send a check to:

214 North Woodland Street Englewood, NJ 07631 Phone: 1.201.441.9870

(Payable to the Student World Assembly)

Activist $35

Supporter $100

Advocate $500

Senior Donor $2,000

Patron $10,000

The Student World Assembly is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes under section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code. All donations are tax-deductible.

Other ___

As an Advocate for Global Democracy, and a catalyst for change, SWA depends on your

support for its mission.

International Annual Convention Ghana 2007

2007 International Convention-Accra, Ghana

To become involved with the Student World Assembly, visit us at:www.studentworldassembly.org

Acknowledgements

Abeed Ramji, MontrealAbigail Omolewa, EnglandAboubakry Sy, MauritaniaAdebari Adeolu, NigeriaAdebayo W. Gbenro, NigeriaAdel Dayarian, New JerseyAlessandra Galli, New YorkAlexandra Freiman, New YorkAlina Vrejoiu, New YorkAlireza Hajihosseini, New YorkAmin Y. Mirzaee, New YorkAndrew Rowan, New York Anita Hashemi, New ZealandAntony Odek, KenyaArif Yusuf, MontrealAydin Y Mirzaee, OttawaBarbara Schaier-peleg, New YorkBud Evans, CaliforniaDr. C.C. Nwogu, NigeriaAMB Carlton Coon, Washington, D.C. Dr. Carol Davenport, New ZealandCharles Osareimen, NigeriaChethan Satya, MontrealCheryl Genet, CaliforniaCorinne Lubrano, New YorkDabal B. Bista, NepalDaniel E. Obiri, GhanaDiba P. Abibou, GabonElmutaz A. Gadallah, SudanEloisa Tigre, Washington D.C.Evans D. Norte, New YorkGideon M. Commey, GhanaGinger Albertson, New YorkHal Schaffer, FloridaHannah Dunphy, New YorkIgor Sery, New YorkJanine Palludan, New YorkJin Wang, New YorkJochen Fried, AustriaDr. John Fanselow, New ZealandJoseph Chuman, New YorkJudith Chiti, New York

Julius G. Wisiy, CameroonKaren K. Lucas, New YorkAMB Kimon Valaskakis, MontrealKwame A. Frempong, GhanaLakshmi Ganapathy, IndianaLeen Qablawi, MontrealLi Liu, New YorkDr. M. Reza Fakhari , New YorkMatthew Zaksek, ArizonaMatthias K. Boahen, GhanaMehdi Kazemi, New YorkSenator Mike Gravel, AlaskaM. Reza Torkzahrani, New YorkMoses Kanduri, GhanaNatasha Motwani, New YorkNicholas Rizopoulos, New YorkParisa Honarbakhsh, New YorkPatience Ameyaw, New YorkPaul Raynault, New YorkPedram Bagheri, New YorkRachel Holland, New YorkDr. Regina S. Peruggi, New YorkDr. Rick Repetti, New YorkDr. Robert A. Scott, New YorkRussell Genet, CaliforniaProf. Sadiku S. Ojo, NigeriaSamer Shuaib, New YorkSavy Lach, CambodiaShahram Hashemi, New YorkShaunte Baboumian, New YorkSheena Singh, New YorkSiekula Vannie, LiberiaSina Motamedi, New YorkStanley Dumebi, NigeriaStephen Kwaw, LondonSvetlana Kotlyarenko, New YorkTal Nimrodi, New YorkTatiana Kotlyarenko, New York Prof. Taylor, GhanaTroy Davis, FranceDr. Vincent Makanjuola, Nigeria

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We wish to thank the following who have contributed meaningfully to SWA during the past and present.

Foundations and Organizations

Individuals

The Raynault Foundation American Movement for World GovernmentThe Dreitzer Foundation UNICEF

SWA Report 2007

Documents

Transcript of SWA Report 2007