HI-San Diego hosts 2nd annual peace-building conference (April 24-26)

Posted by admin on Mar 13, 2009

In April, the San Diego Council of Hostelling International USA hosts its second annual Peace-ing Communities Together Conference, hosting a diverse community of young adults ages 18-30 who share a passion for creating positive change. Gathering at San Diego City College, participants will discover their personal strengths, develop leadership skills, and create an action plan for the future through interactive conversations, workshops, and panel discussions with community leaders.

This conference will focus on cutting-edge leadership and facilitation techniques to engage participants with integrative tools for deep listening and quiet reflection. Topics for this year’s workshops include: cultural diversity and competency, current issues and peace-building tools, and creating a personal vision for the future. Registration for the three-day conference is $35, and includes meals and the keynote address.

This year, Joey Borgogna, manager of the Creative Visions Center in Los Angeles, is the keynote speaker for the conference. As a "creative activist," Mr. Borgogna has traveled all over the world, with a goal of promoting peace and positive change on the global level by starting at the local level. His most recent project was a documentary about an art exchange program between at-risk youth in Los Angeles and children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The keynote address and lunch will be open to community members of all ages for $10 per person. For those who can’t make the conference, the keynote address will also be broadcast live via webcam at 11:00 a.m. PST to HI hostels including: New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, Santa Monica, and all three San Francisco hostels. Participants will be able to virtually participate in an interactive Q&A session and a conversation about how the themes relate to peace building around the globe.