iEARN in Action, May 7, 2008

Special Announcement!
iEARN YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE ELECTIONS - JUST ONE MORE DAY TO VOTE - LAST DAY TO VOTE IS APRIL 23! From the iEARN International Youth Representative Election Committee - 2008, "Dear iEARN Youth, Alumni, Teachers and Assembly Members and IYR Nominees, It is of great pleasure to announce the International Youth Representative Election Results!...We would also like to give a great round of applause to the 4 nominees, as each and every one of them illustrated genuine traits of leadership, passion, care, support and a true spirit of TEAM WORK!...It is of great honor to announce that the NEXT IYR for the term 2008 – 2010 is Kapil Joshi of India." To contact Kapil, email <youth@iearn.org>. Youth interested in being part of local youth representation are invited to post here.

Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects!
2.2008 edition of "A Vision" published -- featuring creative writing from students in 20 countries.
3. Want to include a project in the 2008-2009 iEARN Project Book?

Resources, Contests, Websites and Announcements!
4. Submit articles and photos for special 20th Anniversary issue of iEARN Interaction newsletter.
5. See a blog highlight from Taiwan of Elluminate/iEARN "Fire and Ice" live web conference.
6. Check out the new iEARN-Canada website.
7. Apply to the Youth ActionNet Global Fellowship Program.
8. Preventing Genocide, Promoting Peace: A Podcast conversation with Arn Chorn Pond.

Upcoming Events!
9.JEARN (iEARN-Japan) to co-host Youth Summit for the Environment in Kobe, Japan (May 2008).
10. iEARN-Canada Teachers/Country Coordinators to present keynote at NECC, Texas, USA (July 2008)
11. 15th Annual iEARN International Conference, Bukhara, Uzbekistan (July 2008).

Recent Events!
12. Natural Disaster Youth Summit 2008 hosted by iEARN-Trinidad and Tobago (April 2008).

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Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects and Activities
Download the 2007-2008 iEARN Project Book (in Arabic, Azeri, English, French, Spanish): http://www.iearn.org/projects/projectbook.html for a full listing of iEARN projects, see: http://media.iearn.org/projects/.
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2. THE 2008 EDITION OF "A VISION" IS PUBLISHED WITH WRITING AND ARTWORK FROM 20 COUNTRIES. Maria Luisa Hernandez-Larcena, Project Facilitator, A Vision 2008, writes, "I am happy to announce the completion of the "A Vision 2008" project website developed by the Philippine Team from the Makati Science High School in the City of Makati, Philippines. On behalf of my student-facilitators, I would like to thank all the project participants for school year 2007-2008, who contributed articles likewise, participated actively in the forum. We hope that everyone would enjoy reading and exploring the project website at http://www.iearn.org/avision This year's anthology is our team's special way of saying thank you for all the wonderful iEARN experiences and opportunities we had this school year." For more about the project, see here.

3. WANT TO INCLUDE A PROJECT IN THE 2008-2009 iEARN PROJECT BOOK? Before starting a new iEARN project, all educators and youth are encouraged to participate in an existing iEARN project. If you've participated in iEARN projects already, and would like to to start a new project on a topic that is not already focused on by an existing iEARN project, please first post your project idea to the iEARN Teachers Forum, or if you are a youth, to the iEARN Youth Forum. If you find a team interested in collaborating with you, you are welcome to fill out a new iEARN Project Template, which can be found here. Questions can be directed to <projects@iearn.org>.

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Check it Out! Resources, Contests, Websites, Announcements.
(This includes resources that are not part of iEARN)
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4. SUBMIT ARTICLES AND PHOTOS FOR A SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY ISSUE OF iEARN INTERACTION NEWSLETTER. How has iEARN made a difference for you? Please submit articles (maximum word count per article around 650 words) as well as high-resolution pictures (large file size) about your iEARN global collaboration experiences to this issue's editor, Rusudan Chanturia, at <interaction@us.iearn.org> and/or post them to the Anniversary Forum. Submission deadline: May 31, 2008. Last year's issue can be viewed at here.

5. BLOG HIGHLIGHT FROM TAIWAN OF ELLUMINATE FIRE AND ICE EVENT HELD AS PART OF ME AND MY COMMUNITY PROJECT. As part of Elluminate's "Fire and Ice" program, several iEARN centers and projects are currently piloting Elluminate's real-time networking/presentation software. Check out a blog created by participants in Taiwan, and featuring a creative poem that Turkey's Huri Cinar wrote to commemorate the event here.

6. CHECK OUT THE NEW iEARN-CANADA WEBSITE.

7. APPLY TO THE YOUTHACTIONNET GLOBAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. Launched in 2001 by the International Youth Foundation, YouthActionNet strengthens, supports, and celebrates the role of young people (20 per year) in leading positive change in their communities. Open to all young people aged 18-29. Applicants should be founders of existing projects/organizations, or leading a project within an organization. Proficiency in English is required; applications must be submitted in English. Must be available to attend full retreat, November 1-8, 2008, in Washington, DC, USA. Application Deadline: May 22, 2008. See here.

8. PREVENTING GENOCIDE, PROMOTING PEACE: A PODCAST CONVERSATION WITH ARN CHORN POND. Tune in and hear a special conversation between Cambodian Genocide survivor, Arn Chorn Pond, and Facing History and Ourselves students in the USA. Audio podcast available at http://www.facinghistory.org/BeTheChange.

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Upcoming Events
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9. YOUTH SUMMIT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN KOBE, MAY 22-24, 2008. In May 2008, the Ministry of the Environment in Japan will host the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting (Kobe Meeting). Prior to this meeting, iEARN-Japan is co-hosting a Youth Summit for the Environment in Kobe, and inviting 20 iEARN countries to participate. iEARN-Japan has teamed up with 10 organizations: iEARN-Japan, G8 Kobe Child Summit, British Council, Environmental Business Women, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment, Hyogo Prefecture Government, Kobe City Government, Hyogo International Exchange Foundation, and GlobeJapan ) to host students and teachers from France, Italy, U.K., Germany, U.S.A., Canada, Russia, Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Mexico, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Mongolia, Australia, Kenya, Iran, Taiwan, and Japan. See more here.

10. iEARN-CANADA TEACHERS/COUNTRY COORDINATORS TO PRESENT KEYNOTE AT NECC, JUNE 29-JULY 2, 2008 IN TEXAS, USA. On July 1, Jim Carleton and Mali Bickley (iEARN-Canada Coordinators) will share their experiences "leveraging the collaborative power of technology to help their students help others worldwide." See here.

11. JOIN iEARN-UZBEKISTAN JULY 12-18 IN BUKHARA FOR THE 15TH ANNUAL iEARN CONFERENCE. Check out the conference website, developed by youth, with help of iEARN-Uzbekistan team! iEARN-Uzbekistan Country Coordinator, Anatoly Kochnev announces pre-conference activities schedule where people will be able to learn more about conference hosting country, things to bring, activities during the conference, visa issues, travel opportunities and other.

Online chat schedule:

April: Date: Friday, April 28. Time: 4PM (GMT +5). Theme: Accommodations, trips, pre and after conference activities.

May: Date: Monday, May 12. Time: 4PM (GMT +5). Theme: Two months to go: are we ready? Date: Tuesday, May 27. Time: 4PM (GMT +5). Theme: Last call for proposals for workshops.

June: Date: Thursday, June 19: Time: 4PM (GMT +5). Theme: Getting ready to travel to Uzbekistan: what to take with you.

Connect in the 2008 Conference forum or see here. If you have any questions or inquires about participation in iEARN Annual 15th International Conference and 12th Youth Summit, please contact us at info@iearn2008.uz

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Recent Events
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12. NATURAL DISASTER YOUTH SUMMIT April 2008. See coverage in the Trinidad Expressn. Port of Spain Mayor Murchison Brown opened the event, in which students from local schools, as well as Argentina, Turkey, Suriname, Sweden and Japan, presented findings from their research on global warming, climate change and coastal erosion, as well recommendations for how to reduce the impact of natural disasters. See http://ndys.jearn.jp/.

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TO SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE NEWSFLASH: Send your announcement (2-3 lines) to newsflash@us.iearn.org.
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iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) is a global non-profit network that empowers teachers and students to undertake projects designed to make a meaningful contribution to the health and welfare of the planet and its people. Started in 1988, iEARN is currently active in over 120 countries, with 1,000,000 students participating as part of their education. iEARN-International: http://www.iearn.org

Download the 2007-2008 iEARN Project Book: http://www.iearn.org/projects/projectbook.html (available in Arabic, English, French, and Japanese) or for a full listing of iEARN projects, see: http://www.iearn.org/projects/
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