Fourteen Fulton County youth will tour Germany July 5 – 17, 2009 to explore differences and similarities in cultures, including comparisons of human rights issues in Germany and the United States.
As part of the Global Youth Leadership Exchange Program’s second trip abroad, the teens will be led by Fulton County Commission Chairman John H. Eaves, who has traveled to more than 40 countries as a scholar, administrator and former U.S. Peace Corps regional manager. He founded the program, in part, to help expand the worldview of young leaders, who are coming of age in an increasingly global economy.
During the trip, students will visit the German cities of Nuremberg, Munich, Bamberg, Frankfurt and Berlin. They will visit the site of the Nuremberg Trials and Nazi-era landmarks, including Nazi Party Rally grounds, as well as the Levi Strauss Museum, and the site of the Berlin Wall. They will also meet with key officials, including Nuremberg Mayor Ulrich Maly, and with German high school students. In addition, they will have the opportunity to experience German domestic life during a stay with host families.
“During these visits, we expect to see the moment when each student realizes they are part a global universe and share similarities and common interest with people of all nationalities, religions and races” said Chairman Eaves. He hopes that the students will be able to apply their experiences to their own developing leadership perspectives.
The students are members of the Fulton County Youth Commission as well as the W.E.B. DuBois Society, a non- profit educational enrichment and leadership development program that rewards academic accomplishments and develops the leadership and service potential of its student members.
The Fulton County Global Youth Leadership Program is a partnership with the Georgia Council for International Visitors, and is made possible through financial support from sponsors including Kiwanis Club of Atlanta, Georgia Power, Development Authority of Fulton County, Georgia Pacific, Ernst & Young, the Atlanta Foundation, Fulton County and the students themselves.
This is truly a wonderful blessing for these youth. The experience alone is priceless. To have a personal view of other cultures and to meet new people for the first time in countries other than their own in their turf and is just a wonderful blessing. This is a one in a life time experience. Thank you so much for the time, efforts and work that you are putting in with these youth; may God bless you!
I would like to personally invite these same youth to participate in our “Walk for Life, Every Breath COunts Asthma Awareness 5K Run/Walk. Youth running and walking to save the lives of their peers.
Merry Ford: mford@wemc.org