July 14, 2016
Annual Intercultural, Interfaith and Leadership Conferences for Young Professionals between Ages 18-30
Civilizations Exchange & Cooperation Foundation (CECF) will be holding its first BUBW conference in Bishkek on July 13-17 2016. 70 participants of the conference will come from Kyrgyzstan and surrounding Central Asian countries, in addition to 30 participants from other regions of the world. The most colorful part of the conference - culture event will take place at AUCA on July 14 from 17.30 to 20.00. Anyone who is interested in seeing diverse cultures may come to see and join participants.
In 2014, CECF reached a milestone in its commemoration of the 21st BUBW alumni graduating class in Baltimore,
Maryland. This year, CECF celebrated yet another successful year as they rolled out a series of BUBW conferences
in various cities (Orlando, San Diego and Baltimore) geared toward high-level leadership training, while focusing
on the importance of cross-cultural cooperation and interfaith dialogue and understanding. The conferences were as dynamic as ever, featuring forums, workshops, and several fun-filled activities to bolster self-reflection, cognitive
development, and encourage global citizenry. CECF remained true to its mission through leadership development
and positive role modeling, while impressing upon core American values.
Overview
Our world’s youth signify ‘hope’ for each of their respective nations, in which the fate of the world’s civilization
will soon rest upon their shoulders. One of the greatest challenges our youth face today is how they view and
perceive “others,” who are different from them. Special interest groups and hate groups thrive on manufacturing
fear, prejudice, hatred and suspicion of the “other” for personal gain. These groups have no regard for people or
for the consequences of their actions, despite the fact that it may give rise to the threat of terrorism, extremism,
fanaticism and / or nationalism.
Since 2006, CECF has aimed to transcend these boundaries of fear of the “other” through collaborative
interactions and multicultural dialogue with students from various faith traditions and cultures around the world.
CECF has recognized the positive impact of the BUBW conferences on the students, the exchange organizations
and the host families, who all contribute and support the students to make these conferences a success. Youth from 68 countries have participated in these five-day BUBW conferences, which help to break down barriers of
ignorance and misperceptions of the “other”.
The five-day BUBW conference focuses on important issues such as:
Vision
A world of multi-cultural / religious understanding and cooperation
Mission
To provide multi-cultural youth-oriented leadership and interfaith programs for life transforming opportunities
Goals
Conference Objectives
While the interfaith segment of the conference is principally focused on the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, participation is open and welcome to all students, irrespective of their faith tradition, and is also open to students who may not be active in any faith tradition.
CONFERENCE OUTLINE
Ice-Breaking Session
The conference opens on Wednesday evening with a pizza social, an ice-breaking activity, introduction ceremony
and orientation. It is on this day that the students get to know one another and become familiar with all the different
cultures that are represented at the conference. During the introduction ceremony, students introduce themselves
and tell the audience something about what makes them unique. We close the night with an interactive exercise or
fun activities.
Intercultural Discussion and Leadership Sessions
The first part of day two of the conference features several self-reflective, cultural awareness building lectures and
discussions. The students gain deeper insight into various global issues; try to connect the dots between the world
conflicts and how they may be connected to their own regional conflicts. Another interactive, globally focused
exercise shows students how a single incident or picture can look like one thing up close and then can look like
something completely different from a distant.
The afternoon activities begin with various leadership development activities, a SWOT analysis, and perspective
shifting strengths and weaknesses, while helping them to also focus on the opportunities, challenges and threats that exist in their environment.
In the later part of the day, participants learn about many new cultures, religions and customs from around the
world. Several international exchange students show numerous photos from their home country in colorful, powerpoint
presentations, depicting the richness of their cultures, people and unique landmarks of their countries. Fun
activities during this day vary based on the location of the conference.
Interfaith Visits
Day three of the conference marks a zenith for most students with a city tour that includes a visit to three different
houses of worship – a Synagogue, a Church, and a Mosque. The students are thrilled by this experience for the
simple reason that many of them have never visited a Synagogue, Mosque or Church before. After the visits,
students have an opportunity to ask a variety of culturally and religiously sensitive questions to an esteemed
interfaith panel, which features a Rabbi, a Priest, and an Imam. The panel discussion primarily focuses on, “How
can we all work effectively together in a pluralistic world to better our world and the future of humanity?”
There are more questions from the students during this segment of the program than any other session of the
conference.
Fun activities during this day vary based on the location of the conference.
Fieldtrip, Banquet and Closing Ceremony
On day four of the conference, the students begin with a field trip in each of the respective cities to places like
Disney World in Orlando, San Diego’s Sea World and the National Aquarium of Baltimore. Afterwards the
conference climaxes with a formal, ethnic banquet. Students come dressed in traditional clothing from their home
country and celebrate the many traditions from around the world through song, dance and poetry. The program ends with a Keynote Address and a graduate certificate ceremony.
Wrap Up and Departure
On the last day, students share a final breakfast together and a wrap up session before they say goodbye to all their new friends. It’s a bitter sweet aura as the students take last minute photos, exchange contact information, and engage in last hugs and goodbyes. Students depart from the conference on a shuttle to the airport in order to fly back to their host states.
BUBW INTERNATIONAL
Opportunities / Reasons for Growth
With the influx of conflicts, global warfare and extremism on the rise, CECF realizes the need to sponsor and
conduct BUBW conferences in different regions around the world. The BUBW alumni stressed its importance to
CECF staff and expressed an interest to have a BUBW conference held in their home countries, due to the
unrelenting discord and issues that are plaguing the people of their societies.
Despite a surge in social media, people still lack the face-to-face dialogue needed to foster understanding, respect,
compassion and cooperation amongst the various nations and communities of our ever so intricate world. For this
reason, CECF feels that BUBW International Conferences are needed today more than ever before.
CECF began the year 2014 with an expanded mission in mind to increase participation from American students and
also to bolster support for participants during and after the BUBW conferences. CECF would like to cultivate an
impactful experience for each of the students as well as create an international network of global citizens, who are
passionately seeking world peace and are energized to work on ending many of the world’s greatest problems that
are plaguing the earth.
Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (CECF) was founded in 2000 as a non-profit
organization and registered in the State of Maryland-USA. It is dedicated to enhancing awareness and appreciation
of the multi-faceted and innumerable benefits each culture and civilization has to offer. Our primary endeavors are
through people-to- people dialogues, cultural exchange programs, language learning experiences, inter-religious
activities, conferences, academic seminars, religious and cultural orientations and specialized publications.
A number of qualified clergy, professors and students are involved in these programs nationally and internationally.
Members of the staff of CECF have also been requested to conduct numerous programs in Africa, Europe, Central
Asia, the Middle East and Southeast Asia under the auspicious’ of the Office of Public Diplomacy at the U.S.
Department of State.
American University of Central Asia
7/6 Aaly Tokombaev Street
Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic 720060
Tel.: +996 (312) 915000 + Еxt.
Fax: +996 (312) 915 028
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