Dear colleagues and friends,

please find below the information and nomination form for our next UNITED Conference,

"GET ACTIVE, BE UNITED: YOUTH SHARING VISIONS FOR EQUALITY", 24-29 March 2006, Sofia (BG)

Conference prepared by:

- Association for Unaccompanied Minor Asylum Seekers (NL)

- Bosporus Society Bulgaria (BG)

- Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BG)

- Legal Centre for Human Rights (EE)

- REFLEX, Reseau No Pasaran! (F)

- The Monitoring Group (GB)

- Society for Free minded Cultural & Political Education Blauschwung (D)

- UNITED for Intercultural Action

All information and the e-nomination form can be found below, as well as on our site http://www.unitedagainstracism.org under upcoming conferences. A draft programme is attached (pdf).

If your organisation is interested to nominate a representative, please return the registration form (below) as soon as possible (deadline 29 January 2006), preferably by email to UNITED

- Please fill in this form completely providing all data as requested. If you invest more effort in the application it has more chance to be successful!

- Each organisation can register only one representative (living in Europe). Priority is given to participants under 30.

- Sending this form to UNITED does not guarantee that you will be selected for the conference - we receive many nominations.

- Only those candidates selected for participation will be contacted via e-mail ± February 15 2006.

Best wishes,
Geert Ates

UNITED

***************************************************************************************************************************

Speak out! Say NO to racism, discrimination, and exclusion.

Join the UNITED Conference in Sofia (BG), 24-29 March 2006: ³Get active, be UNITED: Youth Sharing Visions for Equality²

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DESCRIPTION AND AIMS:

Do you have a vision for equality?

Do you ever feel discriminated, excluded from social, cultural and educational opportunities that should be accessible for all?

Are there institutional barriers in your country, which prevent youngsters equal access to education, housing, job market, and social opportunities?

Is your community affected by hate crimes, hate speech, or visible discrimination?

Do you consider yourself as part of a minorised group?

Europe is nowadays experiencing a newly renovated rising of discrimination on all grounds. Racism, islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia are not only wide spread within society, but they are especially affecting the lives of young people. Old and new forms of migration are bringing into society a wide range of possibilities for encounters and intercultural understanding, but they are most of the time misperceived and misused in the public space as scapegoats. Stereotyping and prejudices are strongly embedded in lifestyle, speech, and social strategies of young people Europe-wide. At the same time, there are many young activist across the continent who could not accept this situation and took a stand against discrimination. Many of them joined existing NGOs, others founded new ones with the mission of combating discrimination, and with a clear vision of the Europe they want to live in.

Are you involved in a youth project in the field of antiracism and anti discrimination? Is your organisation active in promoting equal rights for all? Does your organization have a good practice to share? Would you like to take part in a Europe-wide dialogue on discrimination on all grounds? Do you have a vision on how European youth could promote an intercultural action, mutual understanding, and ultimately reach a common goal in the fight for equal rights?

If you want to share your point of view, your experience and bring a true testimony as a valuable tool for discussion, you have a chance to contribute to the working team of delegates from NGOs and NGYOs from all over Europe, who will gather in Sofia to open a dialogue, to exchange good practices and to develop strategies in the fields of antiracism, intercultural action and informal education.

The UNITED conference in Sofia will give you the chance to gain expertise and food for thoughts on a selection of themes, which includes minorised groups, institutional racism and the conditions of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

Discussions will be stimulated by the following lectures and panel-discussions by experts in the field and testimonies:

- The Roma issue. A European overview, the Bulgarian context and antizyganism.

Good practices will be exchanged, and new strategies developed in the following working groups:

The point of view of the youth, their autonomous strategies on integration and equal access to opportunitiesŠ

Internally displaced persons, migrant workers, women migrants, minor migrants, refugees, asylum seekersŠ
 

The groups, the parties, the ideologies, the dangerous extent of their influenceŠ
 

- Racism reloaded: Islamophobia & Antisemitism
Common or different basis, common struggleŠ
 

How to experience different approaches to fight discrimination and build a common future on an equal basisŠ
 

How the prejudices and stereotypes are built and widespread within society, scapegoating in the public space, strategies for reactionŠ

UNITED is the largest European anti-racist network of more than 560 organisations. Through its conferences anti-racist and human rights activists from all parts of Europe meet and discuss effective ways of combating racism and discrimination. At a recent UNITED conference held in November 2005 in Cyprus more than 85 delegates representing organisations from 38 European countries analysed the situation of refugees, migrants and the new challenges of islamophobia and antisemitism and planned common strategies for intercultural dialogue in Europe.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arrival of participants - Until ca 17.30

20.00 - "Breaking the Blocks", Informal opening reception

9.30-11.00

Welcome

What is UNITED?

Presentation of co-organisers: Bulgarian Helsinki Committee and Bosporus Society Bulgaria

Programme/team/technicalities

Personal introductions of participants

11.15-12.30

Discussion groups "The Danger of Words" - Definitions and concepts most used in anti-racist/anti-fascist work

14.30-16.00

"The Roma issue", European Overview, Bulgarian context, Antiziganism - Lecture and questions

16.15-18.00

Thematic Working Groups -key issues-

A- Minorized groups: equality & participation
B- Beyond borders: migrants, refugees & asylum seekers
C- Here and now: far right & extreme nationalism
D- Racism reloaded: Islamophobia & Antisemitism
E- Education & intercultural learning in multicultural societies

F- Constructing the other: stereotypes in public space

18:00-18:30

"Europe in Action": An update on the status of European level campaigns and events (plenary session)

20.30

Info Market
with the participation of local NGOs

21.30 International Snacks

9.30-11.00

"Institutional Racism: the spinal cord of racial discrimination and exclusion" - Presentation and discussion

11.15-12.30

Continuation of the Thematic Working Groups -sharing practices-

14.30-16:00

Activities Promoting Diversity - Project presentation

Roma project

Bulgarian project

16:15-18:00

Continuation of the Thematic Working Groups -sharing practices-

18:00-18:30

GET ACTIVE!

Short presentation of UNITED campaigns:

€ 21 March - European-wide Action Week Against Racism
€ 9 November - 'Kristallnacht' Commemoration

€ 20 June - International Refugee Day / Fortress Europe - No More Deaths

(plenary session)

20:30

Political Café

Video Evening

9.30-11.00

Continuation of the Thematic Working Groups -developing strategies-

11.15-12.30

Presentation of the results of the Thematic Working Groups

(plenary session)

14.00-16:15

Study visit to ³Moderno Predgradie ­ Modern Suburbs²: visit to the neighborhood and to a local school.

Presentation of local Roma Projects

16:15-19:30

City Tour in Sofia

Free time in Sofia

19:30-22:00

Dinner in Sofia in traditional Bulgarian Restaurant with live Folk music

22:30

Political Café

9:30-11:00

"The new outcasts of Europe. Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers"

(panel discussion)

11:15-13:00

GET ACTIVE!

Campaign Working Groups
€ Campaign against fascism/antisemitism

€ Campaign in support of migrants, refugees & asylum seekers
€ Campaign against racism
€ Youth campaign against exclusion
€ Using media in/for campaigning

14:30-15:30

Activities promoting diversity - project presentations

"Under the stars of Europe" (BG) - Equal opportunities for young people deprived of parent care with diverse ethnic origin

"School without Racism" (B)

15:30-16:15

GET ACTIVE!

Presentation of results of the Campaign Working Groups

(plenary session)

16:30-17:00

Open Forum - with participants input

17:00-18:30

Evaluation of the conference

20.30

Intercultural Evening & Farewell Party

Evaluation, future planning, fundraising strategies

Departure of participants

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TECHNICAL INFO:

Working methods (see draft programme attached)
... plenary sessions, working groups, lectures, political cafés, presentations, debates, intercultural 'games', information market, cultural activities, open forum

The conference is planned for ± 75 participants (living in Europe) who represent (inter)national anti-racist, anti-fascist, refugee, human rights and minority rights organisations. Active grass-roots groups from all over Europe are also invited. Participation is rotated from one conference to another. Priority will be given to nominations from young delegates (under 30) with a minority background. Preference is given to those organisations that actively take part in UNITED campaigns. Participants should act as multipliers, spreading the information to as many people as possible. We will try to reach an equal balance of female/male participants and a good geographical distribution. Each organisation can nominate only one delegate.

The conference language is English. All participants are expected to have at least basic knowledge of English. But don't worry, English is almost nobody's mother tongue. If you have difficulties in expressing yourself, surely we can help each other.

100 Euro for participants from Western Europe: A, B, CH, CY, D, DK, E, F, FIN, GB, GR, I, IS, IRL, L, M, N, NL, P, S (group 1)

60 Euro for participants from Central Europe: BH, CZ, EE, H, HR, LV, LT, MK, PL, RO, SI, SK, TR, YU (group 2)

30 Euro for participants from Eastern and Southern Europe: AL, ARM, AZ, BY, GE, KZ, KY, MD, RUS, UA, UZB (group 3) + BG

Full board and lodging and the complete program is included.

Organisations that paid their supporter fee to the UNITED Network will receive a 50% reduction of the participation fee. (for explanations about how to become a supporter see http://www.unitedagainstracism.org under 'joining the network')

UNITED can contribute to your travel costs up to a maximum of 350 Euro. In special cases the amount can be raised to 450 Euro for people travelling long-distance from Eastern Europe (group 3 above).

For distances under 800 km (one way) UNITED reimburses only bus, train and ferry tickets. For distances over 800 km UNITED can contribute to flight tickets (APEX, economy class, youth fares if possible). If this creates insurmountable problems for you, contact the secretariat before the conference.

Please look for the cheapest and most environmentally friendly possibility to travel. You will be expected to attend the whole meeting and to prove your travel expenses with an original invoice and the original tickets.

The cost of your visa can be reimbursed by UNITED.

UNITED conferences can only take place when participants make an effort to contribute financially to their travel costs. We ask you to find out if there are alternative possibilities of funding. Sometimes it is possible to find small local grants (e.g. a travel grant from a foundation, a university, an embassy or another sponsor). We would very much appreciate your help.

The conference will take place near Sofia (BG) and will start on Friday 24 March 2006. Departure is foreseen for Wednesday 29 March 2006. You will share a room with other people. If you wish to arrive earlier or stay longer (on your own costs), we can help you arrange your stay.

Please, note that sending the expression of interest form does not guarantee your participation in the conference. Only those candidates selected for participation (this will be known in February) will receive further information e.g. visa invitation, explanation 'how to get there', a final program, list of participants, etc. Feel free to contact us (by email) after February 15 to get information about your nomination.

Organisations interested in nominating a delegate should send their nomination by email before the deadline of Sunday 29 January 2006 - 24:00 to info@unitedagainstracism.org