ARTICLE - CRED - CIVIC EDUCATION TRAINING

TRAINING IN CIVIC EDUCATION ORGANIZED BY CRED
(Haiti Libre) -

One hundred teenagers currently registered in school, attended a training in civic education which lasted five days from September 19 to 23, 2011, as part of a pilot project recently launched by the Center of Reflection, Education and Debate (CRED) with the financial support of the human rights organization "Rights and democracy".

These one hundred young people from four main sites of the department of South-East, included, students of College Notre Dame du Perpétuel Secours, College Inter Familia in the city of Jacmel, the Community School of Michino, communal section of the town of Cayes-Jacmel and the Lycée Brésilienne, first communal section of the town of Bainet in the Southeast department.

During this training, young teens accompanied by an instructor, reflected on several key concepts, such as citizenship, family, etiquette, morality, rights and duties, environment etc... Interactions between participants and instructors were very relevant. The young participants did not hide their satisfaction and thanked the pioneering institutions of this activity and and hoped that this program would extend throughout the Southeast department to enable other young people to benefit.

In an interview granted to Haitilibre at the end of the activity, the new President of CRED, Jean Laurent Dieudonné declared that this project is part of the main objective of CRED and aims to support and train young people in civic education, which is an important element to achieve a real change and development of the country. "Young people, once trained, will be able to take decisions in the interest of the community and will be ready to get involved in political and social affairs of the country."

The President of CRED has announced soon the second phase of the project with a process of dialogue between young people and adults through four departments of the country : the West, North, South and Southeast. Meetings and discussion forums will be held with young people and adults of various networks and associations of these regions in order to reflect on the problems that Haiti is facing and to define a strategy that will lead to a dynamic advocacy. Community meetings will also be considered. "This approach intends to force the country's authorities to assume their responsibility vis-à-vis the population," argued Mr. Jean Laurent.

The President of the Center of Reflection, Education and Debate took the opportunity to thank all the entities that have contributed to the success of the project, particularly the human rights organization "Rights and democracy", trainers, instructors, school officials and parents. Jean Laurent Dieudonné also sought the support of others from around the country to achieve the objectives of his institution.

Note that an inter-school committee was formed with representatives of students from these four beneficiary schools, whose role is to establish a bridge between their respective schools and a network of schools that will be established. A ceremony for the presentation of certificates to the participants is planned in the coming days.