Archives 2008/2009 - News And Events - Contemporary Issues Through Videoconferencing

CITVC is participated in several videoconferences on Afghanistan

We had the opportunity to speak with Suraya Pakzad, Founder of the Voice of Women Organization. She has dedicated her life to helping the women of Afghanistan by starting schools in private homes during the Taliban period, creating vocational training for women in prisons, and she continues to create health centers, business development programs, and shelters for women. She was awarded the International Women of Courage Award in March 2008 by then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. This videoconference was made possible by MAGPI.

It is said that Kabul is the “widows’ capital of the world,” housing as many as 50,000 widows. The situation of the widows is a significant issue to be discussed since this group is overlooked in Afghanistan . GNG and CARE’s Humanitarian Assistance for the Widows of Afghanistan (HAWA) Project sponsored a videoconference in the Spring of 2008 during which we had the opportunity to dialogue with several widows from Afghanistan . It was an emotional conference for the students, teachers and widows involved because the widows’ lives were so in doubt and difficult. This year we spoke once again with the widows. Their lives are improving, albeit slowly.

For more on Afghanistan ’s widows, check out these links:
Afghan Web Article
NY Times Article

GNG and CARE hosted a videoconference among several American schools and Afghan officials about the drought and food security issues this country has been dealing with for years. Afghanistan has undergone a severe drought for the last decade. Combine this with the rising price of food and the situation is thousands of Afghans leaving their villages in search of food and aid as well as urban unrest.

For more on the drought, check out these links:
BBC Article
ENS Article

CITVC began our Around the World 2009 program with a videoconference on emergency relief projects in Afghanistan. Afghanistan continually confronts both man-made and natural disasters which make it difficult for the people to recover and build. The students involved in this videoconference discussed the main challenges and violence facing the civilian populations and the plans to build a lasting peace in Afghanistan.

For more on emergency response in Afghanistan , check out these links:
HRW Article
Time Article

In the culminating videoconference of the Afghanistan series, CITVC spoke with the youth of Afghanistan . The students we spoke to were from both rural and urban areas. We heard directly from our peers about their daily lives and their hopes for the future. This cultural exchange included discussion about nutrition, schooling, after school activities, future professions, etc. The students in CITVC enjoyed this conference very much – we were featured in the local newspapers for this videoconference.

For more on the youth of Afghanistan , check out these links:
NY Times Article
UNICEF Article

To prepare for these videoconferences, CITVC researched the articles linked above, as well as many others, and we viewed two films on Afghanistan:
Motherland Afghanistan: A Film by Sedika Mojadidi
and
16 Days in Afghanistan: A Film by Amwar Hajher.

CITVC participated in 2 videoconferences as well as the on-line forum from
April 6th - June 5th, 2009.

"In partnership with Mercy Corps (MC), Global Nomads Group (GNG) is thrilled to connect students in North America with their peers in Gaza and/or Iraq. Prior to the videoconference (VC), students will have the unique opportunity to dialogue with their overseas counterparts through an on-line web forum. The goal of this forum is to get students acquainted with one another, share their perspectives, and learn about each other’s cultures – before and after the videoconference sessions. This online collaborative work will help foster greater depth in dialogue during the videoconference. The forum will be moderated by both MC/GNG staff members and will be centered on multiple themes regarding health and well-being."

The purpose of on-line connectivity is to create a sustainable program while encouraging a true collaborative and interactive experience between youth from Gaza and the USA.

Here's the link: http://www.globalcitizencorps.org

For more on Gaza and health matters, check out these links:
Amnesty International Article
Islam Online Article

To prepare for these videoconferences, CITVC researched the articles linked above, as well as many others, and we viewed two films on Gaza : Death in Gaza and Until When . . . A Film by Dahna Abourahme.

We raised $915 in collaboration with the Amnesty International Club at PV!
In September, we participated in a two-part videoconference on Darfur. As a result, the students of the CITVC class are holding a fundraiser this month to raise money for the Solar Cooker Project, which provides solar cookers for refugees of the Darfur genocide who are currently living in camps in Chad.

"Even though many of us feel as though we cannot help these people, Mr. Braun told us that we could help by donating to legitimate charities that will give aid to Darfur and spread awareness of the genocide that is occurring." - Erika

For more info on the Solar Cooker Project, visit
http://www.jewishworldwatch.org/refugeerelief/solarcookerproject.html

Read about CITVC and others in New Jersey who dedicated fundraising to Darfur:
http://www.njdarfur.org/feedback.php