| Heaven knows that in these times full of cultural | | | | education. The four main areas of work include |
| misunderstandings and conflict, we need people | | | | civic action, conflict prevention and reconciliation, |
| and organizations that build bridges between | | | | leadership development, and community |
| people of different cultures and backgrounds. One | | | | development. To this end, Legacy has hosted 145 |
| of these organizations is a Virginia-based NGO | | | | inbound and outbound citizen exchange |
| called "Legacy International" which is active in 4 | | | | delegations, international conferences, training |
| main areas: | | | | events, and training-of-trainers programs, including |
| - Democracy and Civic Education | | | | more than 20 major projects funded by the |
| - Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution | | | | Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. |
| - Leadership Development, and | | | | Legacy's portfolio includes projects involving |
| - Community and Regional Development | | | | majority-Muslim countries, and non-Muslim |
| Legacy has completed projects and exchanges in | | | | countries with significant Muslim populations, such |
| these fields with countries as diverse as | | | | as Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia |
| Kazahkstan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, | | | | Abkhazia, Indonesia, Israel and Palestine, the |
| Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, and Jordan, | | | | Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. |
| many of which have significant Muslim populations. | | | | Many projects aim to build bridges between |
| Current projects include leadership and cultural | | | | different sectors and stakeholders -- religious and |
| exhcange programs in Indonesia, Kazakhstan, | | | | civic leaders, educators, media, NGO, and |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina. | | | | government officials. |
| Global Youth Village is Legacy's longest-running | | | | We have designed special leadership and tolerance |
| program where young people from all over the | | | | training modules with include their own curricula. |
| world live in a global village that they cooperatively | | | | Legacy's Leadership Curriculum has been |
| maintain and help to govern. Along they way they | | | | implemented in 84 NYC schools. Side by Side?, |
| learn about the fundamentals of democratic | | | | our tolerance curriculum, is available both in English |
| process, community organization and leadership. | | | | and Russian, and was used in Perm, Russia. In |
| Over almost 30 years, more than 2000 young | | | | addition, Legacy staff consult and/or design |
| people from 95 countries have taken part in this | | | | trainings and training programs in areas such as |
| unique summer training program. | | | | NGO management, women's issues, civic |
| Mary Helmig from Legacy International took the | | | | education, religious tolerance and extremism, Islam |
| time to tell me more about this interesting | | | | and Democracy, conflict prevention, leadership |
| organization: | | | | training, and environment. |
| What type of organization is Legacy International | | | | Please tell us about LINC program: |
| and what is its mission? | | | | LINC - Youth Voices in Democracy, Indonesia and |
| Legacy International creates learning environments | | | | U.S. is an exchange program between Indonesian |
| where people can address community, global, and | | | | and U.S. high school students ages 15-17. The |
| or personal needs while developing skills and | | | | program is funded and fully supported by the US |
| effective responses to change. Areas include | | | | Department of State. The students will spend 3 |
| cross-cultural and cross-sectoral competency, | | | | weeks in Virginia during the summer of 2006 |
| dialogue and conflict resolution, community | | | | developing cross-cultural communication skills, and |
| development, youth education, and professional | | | | then travel to Indonesia for 3 weeks during the |
| and NGO development. | | | | Winter 2006-2007. |
| Founded in 1979, Legacy is affiliated with the | | | | Information about Religion, Human Rights & |
| United Nations Department of Public Information | | | | Democracy: Peer Interactions Between Religious |
| as a Non-Governmental Organization, and listed | | | | & Civic Leaders In The U.S. And Kazakhstan |
| with U.S.A.I.D. as a private voluntary organization | | | | The U.S. Based Program |
| (PVO). | | | | Ten Kazakh delegates representing various |
| We believe that access to a constructive, | | | | sectors (religious, civic, and non-profit) from the |
| peaceful life is a fundamental human right. Yet, | | | | southern Kazakh and Zhambyl regions traveled to |
| since conflict is also widespread in human society, | | | | the U.S. for a training program in Washington DC, |
| conflict prevention / reduction is an essential | | | | Baltimore, New York City and small towns and |
| endeavor in all parts of the world. Without it, | | | | rural regions in southern Virginia. They experienced |
| there can be neither democratization, nor | | | | team building, sharing their common interests, and |
| development, nor poverty reduction. | | | | observed US models and concepts that could |
| So for 27 years, we have worked on international | | | | most appropriately be transferred to their |
| projects, bringing universal democratic values and | | | | communities. The results have been both exciting |
| team-building tools to address local, regional and | | | | and inspiring. Following are brief reports on some |
| global needs. Legacy's programs have focused on | | | | of the work completed by participants in the |
| developing the leadership, skills, and relationships | | | | program. |
| needed to resolve and prevent conflicts. Our | | | | Follow-up from the U.S Based Program (TIC) |
| programs have equipped thousands of citizens | | | | Svetlana Beissova, Executive Director of the |
| worldwide to emerge as solution providers-helping | | | | Taraz Initiative Centre, worked closely with Sergui |
| to set in place building blocks for sustainable, | | | | Kislov and Varvara Naidenova, also alumni. Sergui |
| inclusive societies. | | | | works in local government and is responsible for |
| Please talk about its history, who founded it? | | | | 22 cultural groups. Varvara's NGO trains women in |
| Legacy International was founded in 1979 by J.E. | | | | skills that can generate income for them. |
| Rash. J.E. Rash a lecturer, writer, and consultant in | | | | Inspired by what they had seen in Goodwill in |
| education, dialogue, conflict resolution, and the | | | | Roanoke, VA, they approached an NGO in Taraz |
| application of values-based, spiritual perspectives | | | | that represents handicapped persons about the |
| to contemporary issues. As the founder of | | | | concept of setting up a Goodwill organization. In |
| Legacy International, he has been instrumental in | | | | June 2005, TIC undertook the venture itself, |
| creating domestic and international programs in | | | | involving women who were unemployed. They |
| conflict resolution and peace education, | | | | found a room, and put an announcement in the |
| professional and NGO development, youth | | | | paper. They solicited and received donations from |
| education, community development, cross-cultural | | | | two political parties to place more newspaper ads, |
| and cross-sectoral competency. | | | | and handed out and posted flyers. |
| J.E. Rash has periodically gathered experts, policy | | | | U.S. Delegation to Southern Kazakhstan |
| makers and religious leaders to discuss current | | | | In Shymkent, six U.S. representatives visited the |
| critical issues of development. Events have | | | | offices of the Women's Business Association |
| included the Global Viewpoints Forum in | | | | (Legacy's partner in Kazakhstan) and Bereke, an |
| Washington, DC (including presentations by | | | | NGO that works with USAID on several |
| experts and policy makers in the fields of | | | | community development projects. |
| development, environment, and the Middle East | | | | What is the Global Youth Village? |
| conflict), the Dialogue Workshop for oil companies | | | | The Global Youth Village is a summer leadership |
| and environmental activists, the Middle East | | | | program for youths ages 13 - 18. For 27 years, |
| Environment and Development Professionals | | | | the Global Youth Village has been empowering |
| Visitor Program, Leadership Development Initiative | | | | young people to achieve their personal best. |
| (designing curriculum and trainings in citizen | | | | Program activities help participants discover a |
| participation for schools of the Archdiocese of | | | | common ground for understanding people of |
| New York City), Community Connections (a USIA | | | | diverse cultures and backgrounds, thus |
| initiative providing internships for Russian, Ukrainian, | | | | encouraging core human values such as peace, |
| and Bela¬rusian professionals), the Virginia | | | | justice, tolerance, ethics, service, and equity. |
| Growth Management Forum, and a wide range of | | | | Each summer, youths from many backgrounds, |
| dialogue programs bringing together youths and | | | | cultures, and countries have the opportunity to |
| adults from regions and countries in conflict. In | | | | delve into a wide range of topics and explore the |
| 1987, he received the Friends of the United | | | | customs, traditions, joys, and hardships of their |
| Nations Environment Pro¬gramme 500 | | | | peers around the world. They develop confidence |
| Award for outstanding contributions to the | | | | and an expansive world view which stays with |
| environment.. | | | | them for life. |
| He also contributed a chapter in Democracy and | | | | We provide critical leadership and cross-cultural |
| Religion: Free Exercise and Diverse Visions, edited | | | | training to students who will, in turn, bring these |
| by David Odell-Scott (Kent State University Press, | | | | skills back into their community. Over the course |
| 2004) which was recently declared an Outstanding | | | | of nearly three decades, more than 2000 young |
| Academic Title 2005 by the Journal Choice: | | | | people from 95 countries have participated in our |
| Current Reviews for Academic Libraries (January | | | | unique summer training program. |
| 2006.) | | | | What are Legacy's plans? |
| Please tell us about your programs in Democracy | | | | Legacy will continue to offer quality educational |
| and Civic Education, Peacebuilding and Conflict | | | | programs throughout the world, helping |
| Resolution, Leadership Development and | | | | communities and people build a better tomorrow |
| Community Development. | | | | for themselves and their societies. |
| Legacy International specializes in strengthening | | | | Thank you, Mary, for introducing your organization |
| civil society by conducting exchanges and | | | | to us. We wish you the best of luck for your |
| trainings, which center around skill-building and | | | | current and future programs. |