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| Global University Unit Two Report -Development and
NGO's |
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| GU students breakfast at the "Daily cup of milk"
project in Villa el Salvador |
The second Global University (GU) unit focused
on the development and environmental issues which have emerged in
Central and South America due to colonisation, the advent of globalization
and the dominance of a western model of development. Starting with
an introduction of the activities of various organisations in the
countries visited, the course aimed at giving participants an idea
of how to create their own international cooperation NGO, under the
guidance of GU navigator Takayoshi Fukuyo. Over the last month students
have attended lectures by guest speakers and representatives of the
NGO forums onboard and taken part in daily seminars on the boat. Exposure
tours in ports of call visited, amongst others, associations involved
in education and environmentally conscious development in the slum
district of Villa el Salvador, Peru. Having come directly into contact
with the issues, students applied their newfound knowledge and insights
to a simulation activity, in which groups identified a social problem,
decided how to address it and came up with methods to raise the necessary
funds. Peace Boat village, a small rural community in Country X formed
the basis for their hypothetical case-study, the results of which
were presented onboard and judged on the basis of their potential
for realisation and the appropriateness of the activities chosen. |
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| Passenger Daisuke outlines his group's plan |
In their presentations, representatives of each
group first outlined the present situation in their village, describing
existing problems, then identified possible solutions and how to implement
them, concluding with explanation of their long-term vision. Topics
varied, from environmental destruction by multi-national corporations
and disagreement over land rights, to ethnic conflict and human rights
abuses. Groups aimed to find solutions that benefited all parties,
without excluding social groups or imposing culturally unacceptable
structures. They looked at ways to improve economic and social equality,
reduce friction between different groups and fulfil the basic needs
of the community. The question of non-autocratic methods of intervention
was discussed, while the importance of encouraging self-sufficiency
rather than dependence on outside support was also recognised. Creating
structures to allow for skill sharing, education and the creation
of local groups formed an integral part of some groups' conclusions,
while other proposed fostering traditional methods of cultivation
and health care. Financial and administrative aspects of running an
NGO were included in a final section also covering the short and long
term goals and projected level of involvement of the NGO. Trying to
balance theory with focused solutions was a challenge that students
met with imaginative projects aiming to provide a sustainable future
for the Peace Boat community. |
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| Peace Boat's
39th Voyage index |
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PEACE BOAT is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. |
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