Member Activities and Programs

What do participants do?

The WYMD is a decentralized network for information sharing, collaboration, and solidarity. Therefore, individuals and organizations define their own roles in the network, participating in many different ways on many different levels.

All activities that develop as part of the WYMD will occur under four main areas:

1. Capacity-building for conflict resolution and the non-violent promotion of democracy
2. Advocacy and promotion of democratic values and human rights
3. Networking to exchange ideas and promote collaboration
4. Developing international solidarity networks, to support young people working in adverse circumstances

The WYMD Secretariat is currently working in collaboration with partners and participants to develop programs in these areas. If you are the representative of an organization with considerable experience in the field of youth mobilization and/or democracy promotion, and have a successful program in one of these areas that would like to bring to the regional or international level, please contact the secretariat at info@wymdonline.org.

Since international solidarity is a critical component of our networking efforts, the Youth Movement uses electronic alerts and statements to raise awareness of issues related to our members, and to call others to join in solidarity or to take action. To read the Youth Movement policy on issuing statements and alerts, and to learn how to best utilize this networking tool [click here].

The simplest thing all participants can do is regularly share information with the network. We rely on contributions from participants to make the WYMD website and mailing list great resources for knowing what's going on with youth democracy activism!

Connect Now!

To join our global or regional email lists:

Global
Africa
Asia
Eurasia
European Union
Latin America & the Caribbean
Middle East & North Africa

Ongoing Programs

World Youth Day for Democracy

Thank you to all who participated in this year's World Youth Day for Democracy on October 18th! You can see photos and videos from nearly 50 events in over 30 countries on our World Youth Day for Democracy page!

Annual Youth Movement Contest

The Youth Movement holds an annual contest that encourages young people to think critically about democracy issues facing their community. In 2010, an essay contest was held and hundreds of youth submitted essays about what democracy means to them. Fourteen semi-finalists were chosen from the applicants.

Learn more and to read the winning essays here.

Political Prisoners Campaign

At the Sixth Assembly of the World Youth Movement for Democracy, members discussed the alarming number of youth political prisoners and the increase in their arrests. Because of this, WYMD is making the protection of youth activists a priority initiative of the network.

Follow this link to learn more about the Political Prisoner Campaign.

Democracy Ambassadors

The Young Democracy Ambassadors project involves youth who are recruited to serve as local representatives of the WYMD in their countries. These activists are chosen to spread the values and principles of the organization as well as be key agents of the movement in their communities. Ambassadors are typically drawn from key participants in past Youth Movement assemblies who are active youth leaders in their home countries.

Responsibilities of the Democracy Ambassadors include:

• Acting as a local resource person for the WYMD
• Popularizing the Youth Movement, its values and principles and its work amongst youth groups in your community and country
• Leading in-country organizing of Youth Movement events and initiatives – e.g planning World Youth Day for Democracy, promoting the annual Essay Contest, Political Prisoners Campaign
• Serving as a liaison between local members and the Youth Movement and a point of contact for new members in your country
• Working closely with Leadership Board members from your region to identify key issues and implementing new initiatives
• Additional responsibilities as may be determined from time to time by the Leadership Board and Secretariat.

To see a list of our current Democracy Ambassadors, Click Here.
To learn more about our Leadership Board, Click Here.

Act Locally

Act Locally! To strengthen the pro-democracy movement at a truly grassroots level, some participants organize locally to strengthen networks, promote discussion and facilitate collaboration between pro-democracy groups in their area. They encourage the coordination of activities around the Global Youth Democracy Campaign on Launch Day, October 18, and throughout the year to motivate and support youth engagement with democratic practices and principles.