The UNESCO Constitution state,
“The State of the World’s Children” is UNICEF’s annual flagship publication for 2006. The report finds that “Hundreds of millions of children are suffering…and have become virtually invisible to the world. Without focused attention, millions of children will remain…forgotten in childhoods of neglect and abuse, with devastating consequences for their long-term well-being and the development of nations.”
A Global Culture of Peace: 
Our program is premised upon the belief that young people are the stakeholders inbuilding peace and world unity. Yet, many young people are uninspired, uninformed and disenfranchised from their ability to act as stakeholders. Schools, educational programs and non-governmental organizations frequently lack the capacity and resources to provide authentic intercultural engagement programs on a sustained basis. In many areas of the world, the voices of youth and stifled due to conflict, poverty, disease, disaster,repressed gender roles, and shortage of qualify education. When this happens, opportunities for empowerment are lost and many youth are rendered voiceless and hopeless. We believe that lack of information, inspiration, connection and expression among youth significantly weakens prospects for building a global culture of peace.
Youth Engagement:
The Giving Planet program is designed to encourage intercultural understanding and engagement among youth worldwide through the use of digital media and video conferencing. Our goal is to inspire, inform and involve young people in becoming stakeholders and critical thinkers. Communication and active citizenship are essential to youth in both the developed and developing worlds. We believe that it is imperative that youth are provided pathways to dialogue and action in developing a true sense of global responsibility. The goal of the program is to develop a worldwide network of creative, critically thinking young people who are aware, compassionate and engaged in the global arena.
Global Citizenship Workshops:
The Giving Planet forms regional partnerships in the United States and internationally with organizations having similar and complimentary missions and values. This allows for maximization of existing organizational capacities.
In enrichment workshops, we initially engage the participants between the ages of 12 and 17 in using digital photography to explore their identities, their communities and their world concerns and dreams. We are dedicated to providing high impact programming by refining and modifying workshops to meet the unique needs and challenges of every community and country. Our program seeks to encourage the following skills:
- Creative exploration and expression through digital media;
- Willingness to explore and understand a diversity of cultures;
- Willingness to engage in dialogue and listen with open compassion and tolerance;
- Building a sense of interconnectedness and hope for the future;
- Commitment to a sustainable and peaceful global civilization;
Further, participants explore their values related to socially conscious activism and cultural awareness through readings, discussion, meditation and writing. Each workshop has a community event exhibiting the participants’ photographs and perspectives to share with their family and friends. Thereafter, the participants’ photographs and stories are shared with other Giving Planet participants.
The Giving Planet seeks to facilitate an international network of authentic dialogue and connection among teen participants via video conferencing and virtual community.
To bring the program to your school, to support the program or to get involved go to info@thegivingplanet.org.