Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Visit - Japan Programmes under the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths Programme

ARE you 16 to 18 years old, interested in representing the Philippines as a youth ambassador and have not yet been to Japan, but would like to visit the country?

ARE you 30 yrs old & above, has experience in supervising teams, has leadership, integrity and character to be able to lead a Philippine Delegation of 20 excellent youth from different parts of the country?

If you answered “yes” to all the questions, this programme is for you.

The Japanese Government through the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC), Embassy of Japan, in cooperation with the National Youth Commission (NYC) of the Philippines and the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), is once again inviting Filipino youths to participate in the Visit - Japan Programmes under the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths Programme or the JENESYS Programme.

1. ASEAN 10 + Timor Leste Joint Programme
22 Filipino youths who have strong leadership skills will have the opportunity to be part of a delegation bound for Japan to interact with youth leaders from ASEAN 10 countries, Timor Leste, and Japan .

2. 10-Day Visit Japan Programme
Under this programme, 200 Filipino youths who wish to deepen their understanding of Japan and to exchange views with Japanese youths will visit Japan to experience home stays, interact with Japanese youths and visit schools as well as historical and cultural sites.

DATES OF THE TRAVEL FOR 2010:
1. April 20 - April 29, 2010

2. May 11 - May 20, 2010

3. May 25 – June 3, 2010

Application forms and guidelines for both Programmes are available at the National Youth Commission (NYC), the implementing organization in the Philippines. They can also be downloaded from the websites of NYC and the Embassy of Japan. All applications should be submitted to the NYC JENESYS Secretariat.

DEADLINE: December 4, 2009.

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Marielou Chua, Secretariat
NATIONAL YOUTH COMMISSION
4th Floor, Bookman Building
Quezon Avenue, Quezon City
Telephone 781-1406
http://www.youth.net.ph

Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC)
Embassy of Japan
2627 Roxas Boulevard
Pasay City 1300
Telephone 551-5710 local 2315
http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp

Friday, November 6, 2009

1st Global Conference "Problems of Democracy

Czech Republic
30 April - 2 May 2010



The opening decade of the 21st century sees democracy entrenched as the ideal to which all should aspire who do not already enjoy the best of all possible political systems. But to assert that alternatives to democracy are (even) worse is hardly to give a positive argument in its favour: Plato's objection, that the ship of state requires expertise to steer it that the many do not possess surely deserves a better answer. But what? And is an answer to be found in democracy itself (whatever that may be) or in what democracy makes possible?

And even once that's dealt with, what about actually existing democracy? If, as Zizek argues, 'Multi-party liberal democracy represents a precise vision of social life in which politics is organized so that parties compete in elections to exert control over the state legislative and executive apparatus', is that the best democracy can do? Indeed, just what is to count as democracy? And again, is an answer to this question to be sought in some substantial element of the very idea of democracy or in instrumental terms, such as the practical consequences of adopting this or that view?

This conference is intended as the launch of a continuing and explicitly multi- and inter-disciplinary conversation that aims to bring together people from a wide range of disciplines, professions and NGOs to focus on what democracy might mean; on what if anything might justify democratic as against other social arrangements; and on visions of democratic practice that go beyond the pusillanimous, platitudinous and ultimately self-regarding charade that is the reality of western liberal democracy.

The 'problems of democracy' as outlined below deliberately seek to address large questions as a means of setting something of an agenda for such a project. We will of course be pleased to receive proposals that extend or complement these. We seek contributions from both practitioners and academics, and from the widest possible range of intellectual interests and commitment.

1. What Counts as Democracy?
~ What are the assumptions that lie behind democracy? Is democracy an end in itself, or does it serve other values and goals?
~ Government by, for and of the people: what political, epistemic and/or other commitments might such an ideal entail?
~ Is 'What counts as democracy?' in any sense a moral question?

2. Is Democracy a Good Thing?
~ What exactly does democracy have to recommend it?
~ What are the connections between democracy and equality? And what does equality amount to? Is it self-evident that equality is an end to be pursued; or are there substantive arguments in its favour?
~ How does democracy understand freedom? And is freedom a self-evident good?
~ Alternatives to democracy

3. Forms of Democracy
~ Considerations of representative, delegated and discursive models of democracy
~ Is there a case for lotteries to replace or supplement elections?
~ The scope of democracy: state, nation, corporation, workplace, community and locality

The Steering Group particularly welcomes the submission of pre-formed panel proposals. 300 word abstracts should be submitted by Friday 27th November 2009. If an abstract is accepted for the conference, a full draft paper should be submitted by Friday 19th March 2010.

300 word abstracts should be submitted simultaneously to both Organising Chairs; abstracts may be in Word, WordPerfect, or RTF formats with the following information and in this order: a) author(s), b) affiliation, c) email address, d) title of abstract, e) body of abstract.

Please use plain text (Times Roman 12) and abstain from using footnotes and any special formatting, characters or emphasis (such as bold, italics or underline). We acknowledge receipt and answer to all paper proposals submitted. If you do not receive a reply from us in a week you should assume we did not receive your proposal; it might be lost in cyberspace! We suggest, then, to look for an alternative electronic route or resend.

Joint Organising Chairs:

Bob Brecher
Centre for Applied Philosophy, Politics and Ethics
Faculty of Arts, Brighton University,
United Kingdom
E-mail: R.Brecher@bton.ac.uk

Rob Fisher
Network Founder and Leader
Inter-Disciplinary.Net
Freeland, Oxfordshire,
United Kingdom
E-mail: pod@inter-disciplinary.net

The conference is part of the Probing the Boundaries programme of research projects. It aims to bring together people from different areas and interests to share ideas and explore various discussions which are innovative and exciting.

All papers accepted for and presented at the conference will be eligible for publication in an ISBN eBook. Selected papers may be developed for publication in a themed hard copy volume(s).

For further details about the project please visit:
http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/probing-the-boundaries/hostility-and-violence/problems-of-democracy/

For further details about the conference please visit:
http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/probing-the-boundaries/hostility-and-violence/problems-of-democracy/call-for-papers/

Deadline: 2009/11/27

Junior Professional Fellows Programme Announcement-United Nations University Office at the UN, New York


United Nations University Office at the UN
New York
February - July 2010


The United Nations University Office at the United Nations in New York (UNU-ONY) is recruiting Junior Professional Fellows (JPFs) for the next session, from 1 February 2010 to 31 July 2010.

Participants in UNU's internship programme are Junior Professional Fellows as this title better reflects the responsibility and opportunity given to young professionals accepted into this programme.

In the following paragraphs you will find information and guidelines for UNU's JPF programme. After carefully reading the information, feel free to apply at this link .

Please circulate this announcement to students, colleagues and friends who may be interested in participating in the programme or in disseminating this great opportunity for young professionals.

The deadline for receiving applications is Nov 15, 2009. Please do not hesitate to consult our website or contact us directly if you have any questions or comments.

Description of UNU-ONY:

UNU is a global institution, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is an agency of the United Nations, serves as a think tank of and for the UN, and aims to bridge the gap between policy makers and academia.

UNU-ONY showcases the work of UNU done around the world, to the UN System, the Permanent Missions, academia, NGOs, foundations and the private sector. It also assists with fund raising and institutional development of the UNU system.

Junior Professional Fellows' responsibilities:

The responsibilities of the Junior Professional Fellows (JPFs) range widely, encompassing all aspects of UNU-ONY's work. These responsibiliites fit into the following categories:

Events

JPFs organize public seminars and invitation-only forums to showcase UNU's research and work from different UNU Research and Training Centers around the world, and promote a dialogue around global issues relevant to the UN. Responsibilities of event organizers include liaising with speakers, preparing scripts for video interviews, planning the agenda, arranging media coverage, conducting background research and other responsibilities that are needed to make the event a success.

Marketing

JPFs market UNU Sytem's global activities. Marketing responsibilitites include updating the contents on UNU-ONY's website, basic editing of video and audio files for website postings, and developing partnerships with other organizations to market UNU's news through syndication.

Individuals with multimedia and programming experience are particularly encouraged to apply and highlight their skills.

Partnership- Fundraising

UNU-ONY's central location in New York and close proximity to the Washington D.C. area allow for relationship building with potential partners and donors. Responsibilities include building partnerships with academic institutions, private organizations and civil society stakeholders to further strengthen UNU's visibility within the UN system and beyond.

Policy Research

JPFs work to connect the UNU with the political and diplomatic realms, and assist UNU in becoming a stakeholder and full-fledged partner of the UN system through policy research. Responsibilities include keeping UNU up-to-date on questions arising on the UN agenda and facilitating the UNU response to different developments in the global arena. JPFs are also responsible for contributing to research on a wide range of topics.

Latin America

Given the geographic proximity with the New York Office, UNU-ONY develops partnerships and activities in Latin America. Since Spanish translations can also be an important element in this endeavor, good written and spoken knowledge of Spanish is preferable.

Additional Responsibilities

The Junior Professional Fellows are also responsible for general office work and administrative support, building UNU-ONY's database of experts, as well as assisting in the recruitment process of Junior Professional Fellows for the following session.
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Please note that UNU-ONY Junior Professional Fellows positions require full-time commitments due to the high level of responsibilities given to our interns. These are unpaid positions. On the job training and support is provided throughout the internship.

Qualifications required:

* Strong communication and interpersonal skills
* Advanced level of English required (spoken and written)
* Ability to work in a team
* Proficiency in Microsoft Office
* Strong writing and research skills
* Knowledge of at least two official UN languages desirable (preferably French or Spanish)
* Master's degree within relevant subjects preferred


UNU-ONY Team

United Nations University, Office in New York
2 UN Plaza, Room DC2-2060, New York, NY 10017
Tel.: 212-963-6387
Fax: 212-371-2144
Email: jpfony@unu.edu
Website: http://www.ony.unu.edu/

application form here