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Acknowledgements
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Mission:
The Student World Assembly (SWA) is a nongovernmental, nonpartisan and nonprofit
organization established to represent students globally. It provides a deliberate assembly
where students around the world can exchange views, vote on global issues through
online discussion forums and at the annual international conventions, and transform
these views into meaningful actions.
Democratic Philosophy:
The Student World Assembly believes that true global democracy affirms
fundamental human rights, which include the dignity and worth of all human beings,
the equal rights of men and women, social, economic and cultural justice for every
person, and the freedom to promote these causes. SWA’s representative democracy
offers a powerful instrument for addressing the vital social and political conditions
that threaten our global future. The informed wishes of the people, conveyed
through the collective of a democratic assembly, need to be heard in the decision-
making processes. By giving students from the most remote to the more accessible
institutions an equal voice, we are enabling all students to educate, participate and
take action, and to begin thinking of themselves as global citizens.
A Message to Our Members
From Our Founder Mr. Paul Raynault
Most organizations start as a general membership, and then add students as a special category. SWA is
doing the opposite. Youth are developing the procedures that will eventually allow everyone in the world
to participate in a democratic forum. Thus you are not only members with an opportunity to avail yourself
of the SWA structure, but you also have an opportunity to help develop this structure and through your own
leadership skills, eventually bringing a new opportunity to everyone in the world.
2006-2007 has been another incredible year for the Student World Assembly because of your dedication. It
is certainly very heartening to see so many of you taking such varied initiatives to implement our mission
and expand and improve our procedures, while also developing your own leadership skills. As you will
read in this annual report, our growth over the last year has been spectacular in many areas including
membership, official chapters, voting in elections, and attendance at the annual convention.
Educate
- In March 2006 you passed resolutions on HIV/AIDS. Chapters around the world engaged in
numerous educational meetings with featured speakers.
- In Fall 2006 you chose Human Trafficking as a pressing global issue on which to focus. You
have enhanced your fellow students’ understanding of the problem of human trafficking.
Participate
- Many of you reached out to others in your school and started SWA chapters, resulting in
approximately 4000 new members representing 150 countries. Chapters have frequent
meetings where you are developing ways to work together.
- Attendance at our annual Convention and voting in elections continue to soar, so much
so that at one point the voting volume overwhelmed our web site. Many of you are involved
in plans to continue recruiting others to participate in local events as well as online and regional
activities.
Take Action
- In October 2006, students in Nigeria held a forum to promote democratic participation;
while in New York, students from four different schools participated in the first ever SWA
Youth Activist Leadership Training, which spurred a number of chapters to organize
events and rallies.
- Here in New York, your letters helped to pass the strongest anti-trafficking legislation in the
country, while students in Ghana are involved with the Ministry to help monitor violations in
smaller villages.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, our dedicated members, volunteers, and
management team that have contributed to SWA’s success over the past year. I am confident that your
passion and commitment will continue to empower your path towards becoming the leaders of the next
generation. I look forward to learning more from you in this incredible journey together.
Sincerely,
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To achieve our goals of global democracy and
promoting human rights,
SWA centers itself around the following
three themes:
Introduction
The Student World Assembly is a nongovernmental, nonpartisan organization designed to represent students globally. Founded
in September 2003 to cultivate a more global citizenry, SWA empowers students from around the world through engagement
in critical reflection and creative action for pressing issues in their communities and abroad. The SWA aims to encourage youth
to craft a better world by actively supporting the ideals of individual liberty, informed democratic participation and respect
for the diverse views of the citizens of our planet. Modeled as a representative democracy, SWA’s philosophy is “Promoting
Global Democracy, One Student at a Time,” making it a unique member-based world-wide organization, dedicated to global
democracy, human rights, and preparing leaders of the next generation.
Consistent with its purpose, SWA has formulated the following goals for its members:
- Encouraging grassroots learning, action and participation forums
- Developing leadership skills through hands-on organizing and advocacy for pressing global issues
- Voting, deliberation and action on current pressing issues-locally and globally
- Bridging the digital divide by connecting students around the world and through subsidizing access to
technology
SWA has formulated several stages needed for the development of student participants:
S TAGE 1: Students establish chapters at their universities, allowing individuals to come together to form a collective
voice on campus. This also connects individual students to SWA’s global network of educators and institutions
supporting SWA. New members connect with activists, youth and academics utilizing SWA’s online community,
interacting through the forums and online issue-voting. Where access to technology is limited, SWA members petition
institutions for increased resources, such as computers, in order to increase access to the Assembly. In addition, where
necessary and possible, SWA will provide such resources as cannot be provided by the institution.
S TAGE 2: Students are given access to SWA research to become experts on complex international challenges, such as
HIV/AIDS, Human Trafficking, and other issues selected by SWA membership. Additionally, students utilize event
planning guidelines/action tool-kits, and participation in SWA regional leadership trainings. SWA’s web site delivers
updated international news and highlights upcoming SWA events and action alerts that create a portal for students to
stay continually informed and connected with the organization’s global activities.
S TAGE 3: By utilizing the above resources, students present local and global issues through forums, teach-ins
or panel discussions. By building broad coalitions with other student organizations and civil society, chapters
connect concerns of their schools and communities to broader issues in which SWA engages. Through letter-writing
campaigns, rallies and lobbying, students translate their learning into effective action to contribute positive change to
their communities.
S TAGE 4: Students use SWA to empower the direction of their own world views and global education. They
also use SWA events and international conventions as networking opportunities to enhance their professional
development, applying their expertise in interactions with government officials, academics, social entrepreneurs
and leaders of the nonprofit sector. As informed youth leaders, students facilitate regional leadership trainings and
workshops to guide others on their path to becoming global citizens.
SWA forms alliances with other organizations to facilitate student activism. For instance, SWA and Amnesty
International have arranged joint meetings and action in the US and Africa. Additionally, UNICEF actively supported
SWA’s Convention in Accra, promoting our anti-trafficking work in Ghana.
4
Events 2006-2007
Annual International Peace Building and
Convention 2006: HIV/ Conflict Resolution for
AIDS Development
Kingsborough Community
Manhattanville
College
Purchase, New York
New York, New York
April 13, 2006
April 10, 2006
Nigerian Youth
AIDS Walk 2006
Leadership Conference
The SWA has hosted three International Conventions since its inception.
1,400
The summaries are stated below.
Schools
Convention Location University Featured Topic Attendees
2004 San Luis California Environmental 32
Obispo, Polytechnic State Sustainability &
California University War
2006 Montreal, McGill HIV/AIDS 61
Quebec University
2007 Accra, Ghana University of Human 215
Ghana Trafficking
150
Countries
SWA Chapters
Chapters are the backbone of SWA; there are over 50 active chapters worldwide.
By forming groups on campus, students gather to discuss global issues and promote
SWA through social and educational events.
6
Events 2006-2007
Three Arm Road Walk
A Meditation on Peace
For HIV/AIDS Awareness
Income
Expenses
41% Programs and Management
37% Operating Costs
13% Events
9% Annual Convention
8
Events 2006-2007
Debate to Action: Making Student Voices
Building Capacity in Youth
Organizations Count in the Global Arena
1. Building leadership: SWA aims for the continuation of leadership development trainings.
SWA has cultivated strong leadership and lively governance among youth, resulting in
increased local engagement through lobbying, hosting forums, or providing community
service on campus.
2.
Expansion: SWA seeks to expand in all regions of the world, specifically North America,
West Africa, and Central Asia. SWA also seeks to strengthen the activities of our
Southern members and bridge the activity found among activists nationwide. Existing
regional representatives in the United States and abroad need resources to support
current SWA participants, as well as to continue to expand student activism.
3.
Strengthening alliances: SWA aspires to boost its base of allies to affect a wide variety of
local issues over time. Through Chapter activities, students have initiated partnerships with
practitioners in the field either through collaborating with organizations such as Amnesty
International or by joining the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition.
8% Annual Convention
18% Events
46% Programs and Management
10
Events 2006-2007
Experiences in Zambia,
Day for Darfur Central Africa: A
Perspective on Culture
Conference on Violence
Human Trafficking
Against Women and
Forum
Human Trafficking
1.
March 27, 2007 New York, New York
March 28, 2007
How You Can Help
In the past three years, the SWA has grown immensely in members, awareness, and goals. Due to this exciting
and rapid growth, SWA needs your help. Further support can ensure that all of our members have the necessary
means to an unobstructed road to global democracy. In order for the chapters and members of the SWA to
function to their full potential, more resources are necessary.
Your support can help to connect students of all backgrounds to stand up for a fair and equal world for everyone.
As a supporter of the SWA, you will not only shape the world for our future generations but you will contribute
to your own community. You will be able to keep in touch with SWA by participating in the online discussion
forum, checking our educational resources about pressing global issues, or learning about SWA’s upcoming
events. With your immediate help, we can maximize our efforts to help change the reality of the state of the
world for the betterment of the global population.
You can make your generous donations on our web site at
http://studentworldassembly.org/contribute.htm
Other Ways to Give:
- Shop at the Marketplace
As an Advocate for Global Democracy, and a
- Matching Gifts catalyst for change, SWA depends on your
- Gifts of Stock support for its mission.
- Bequests
For more information about contributions to Student World Assembly, please contact us at
contributions@studentworldassembly.org
Yes, I want to support Student World Assembly in its mission of promoting global democracy.
12
International Annual Convention Ghana 2007
Individuals
www.studentworldassembly.org
“Promoting Global Democracy, One Student at a Time!”