Support and Rehabilitation Offered to Victims of Torture by the Future Worlds Center

The Humanitarian Affairs Unit of the non-governmental organisation Future Worlds Center (leg. reg. as Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute) is pleased to announce that it has been selected for the fourth time by the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT) to support the work of the Unit for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture (URVT) for the year 2013. URVT was created by the Future Worlds Center in June 2006 with funding from the European Refugee Fund and the Republic of Cyprus.

The aim of URVT is to provide rehabilitation services to victims of torture and trafficking, and to assist them to integrate into the Cypriot society. For this purpose, the Unit provides such persons and their families with psychological, legal, and social support. The services offered include social support related to housing, entry into the labour market, access to education, social benefits, and healthcare, while the legal assistance is offered in relation to people's asylum application procedures. Psychological support is offered in collaboration with psychologists specialising on the rehabilitation of torture victims.

The offices of the Unit for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture are located in Nicosia and are open daily from 9.00 am to 5 pm. For any information please contact us by phone at +357 22873820, by fax at +35722873821, or by email at danae@futureworldscenter.org

Στήριξη και Αποκατάσταση Θυμάτων Βασανιστηρίων από τον Oργανισμό Future Worlds Center

Το Τμήμα Ανθρωπιστικών Θεμάτων του μη-κυβερνητικού οργανισμού Future Worlds Center (νομικώς εγγεγρ. ως Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute) είναι στην ευχάριστη θέση να ανακοινώσει ότι επιλέγει για τέταρτη φορά από το Εθελοντικό Ταμείο για Θύματα Βασανιστηρίων των Ηνωμένων Εθνών (UNVFVT) για ενίσχυση των εργασιών της Μονάδας Αποκατάστασης Θυμάτων Βασανιστηρίων  (URVT) για την χρονιά 2013. Η Μονάδα δημιουργήθηκε από το Future Worlds Center τον Ιούνιο του 2006 με χρηματοδότηση του Ευρωπαϊκού Ταμείου Προσφύγων και της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας.

Στόχος της Μονάδας είναι η παροχή υπηρεσιών αποκατάστασης σε θύματα βασανιστηρίων και σωματεμπορίας, και η ένταξή τους στην Κυπριακή κοινωνία. Για τον σκοπό αυτό η Μονάδα παρέχει στα πρόσωπα αυτά και τις οικογένειες τους υπηρεσίες ψυχολογικής, νομικής, και κοινωνικής στήριξης. Οι υπηρεσίες που προσφέρονται περιλαμβάνουν κοινωνική αρωγή σχετικά με την στέγαση, ένταξη στη αγορά εργασίας, απολαβή κοινωνικών παροχών, πρόσβαση στην εκπαίδευση και ιατροφαρμακευτική περίθαλψη, και νομική βοήθεια σχετικά με τις διαδικασίες ασύλου. Η ψυχολογική στήριξη προσφέρεται σε συνεργασία με ειδικευμένους ψυχολόγους σε θέματα αποκατάστασης θυμάτων βασανιστηρίων.

Τα γραφεία της Μονάδας Αποκατάστασης Θυμάτων Βασανιστηρίων βρίσκονται στη Λευκωσία και είναι ανοικτά καθημερινά από τις 9.00 π.μ μέχρι τις 5 μ.μ. Για οποιεσδήποτε πληροφορίες παρακαλούμε όπως επικοινωνήσετε μαζί μας στο τηλέφωνο +357 22873820, με fax στο +35722873821, ή στην ηλεκτρονική διεύθυνση danae@futureworldscenter.org

FWC selected by European Commission for a 3-year peace project in Israel and the Palestinian Territories

“This is a great honour for Cyprus and for peace builders in the region to be recognised for their efforts and expertise”, says Future Worlds Center, as it facilitates a structured dialogue workshop in Cyprus from 26–30 July to empower civil society actors from Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Future Worlds Center based in Nicosia, Cyprus has been awarded a contract from the European Commission for a 3-year EU project entitled, “Human Rights and Reconciliation – Civil Society Acts Beyond Borders”. The project aims to empower civil society actors, youth, and local authorities in Israel and the Palestinian territories through a comprehensive set of structured dialogue workshops, civil society trainings, as well as multi-communal public debates, round tables and conferences.

With the assistance of partners, the Palestinian Dialogue Center (PDC) in the Palestinian Territories and the Association for Progressive Education in Honor of Meir Yaari (YAARI) in Israel, Future Worlds Center will be utilising the strategies that have proved most effective from their years of experience in conflict resolution work in Cyprus. Through the use of the science of Structured Dialogic Design (SDD) and capacity building trainings for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the partners will work together to contribute positively to civil society in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

From 26 July to 30 July 2010, a group of Palestinians and Israelis will be in Larnaca, Cyprus to participate in a series of SDD workshops facilitated by Dr. Aleco Christakis, father of the science and Dr. Yiannis Laouris, president of the board of Future Worlds Center. Laouris says the aim is to empower these stakeholders to “act in a more coherent manner for jointly agreed upon aims, enhancing the enforcement of equal standards, participation of women and youth, thus strengthening democratic processes and promoting peaceful resolution of conflicts”.

Laouris explains that the reason Structured Democratic Dialogue (SDD) process was chosen is “that it facilitates the peaceful conciliation and management of group interests and promotes solutions on divisive matters or controversial areas by actively engaging civil society actors to collaborate on jointly developed community action projects to foster mutual understanding”. “With SDD,” continues Laouris, “the participants can create joint, strategic action plans to promote greater cohesion in working on democratic participation and representation of underrepresented groups in civil society”.

Moreover, the project, “Human Rights and Reconciliation – Civil Society Acts Beyond Borders” (EuropeAid/127237/C/ACT/Multi) aims to enhance the capacity within CSOs to act within their community, and on a national as well as a trans-national level.

For more information about “Human Rights and Reconciliation – Civil Society Acts Beyond Borders” (EuropeAid/127237/C/ACT/Multi) go to (http://www.actbeyondborders.net/)

For more information on Structured Democratic Dialogue (SDD) process:

http://globalagoras.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_dialogic_design

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialogue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Society_Dialogue_project_in_Cyprus

Launching Event of the “MDGs - Media for Development Goals” Project

Future Words Center and the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, European University Cyprus hosted University students from Cyprus at the Launching Event of the “MDGs - Media for Development Goals” Project on 21 April 2010 at the Amphitheatre Delta, European University Cyprus.

The project aims to involve Student Youth in the development of multimedia tools to promote Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

During the Launch Event University students had an opportunity to learn more about the scope of the project and about how they can become involved. There are multiple trainings focused on using new media as an innovative tool for the promotion of development issues. The trainings will take place in Italy, Peru, Kenya and Poland in summer 2010. Two University students from Cyprus will be selected to participate in the trainings on behalf of the project and then become multipliers of the knowledge they have gained.

Petra Daniel, Senior Instructor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, European University Cyprus opened the Launch Event.

Students then had the opportunity to hear from Kongnso L. Cyrille, Sec. General of the International Students Association (ISAC) who inspired the youth leaders with his speech “How do the MDGs relate to youth leaders in Cyprus?”.

Nicolina Markidou, Global Education Unit, Future Worlds Center then gave a presentation of the “MDGs - Media for Development Goals” Project which was followed by a question and answer session.

For more information about the project and to obtain an application form please click here

Future Worlds Center, a Cypriot Non-Governmental Organisation based in Nicosia is a partner in the project: “MDGs - Media for Development Goals” (contract no. DCI-NSA ED/2009/202-170) that is being coordinating with two other European countries (Poland, Czech Republic).


“The project MDGs – Media for Development Goals is funded by the European Union. The contents of this publication is the sole responsibility of Future Worlds Center and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union."

FWC elected to Management Committee of Cyprus Community Media Centre

FWC's Head of Social Justice, Larry Fergeson, joins 6 other Cypriot Civil Society Organisations on the Management Committee of the new Cyprus Community Media Centre (CCMC). The expected outcome of the CCMC is a more pluralistic, vibrant and diverse media landscape through an integrated and networked community media initiative led by Civil Society. Larry has been working with other members of Cypriot CSO's for over a year to bring this project to fruition and is honored to be part of the Management Committee.

The specific objectives of the CCMC are: to build the capacity of Cypriot CSOs and civil society actors across a number of media areas, especially through joint actions across Cypriot communities; to ensure wider and better dissemination of issues and concerns of CSOs among the wider population; and to organically build a Web based CSO Platform that will grow as the needs and capabilities of Cypriot civil society themselves grow. Furthermore the Community Media Centre aims to enhance relationships between the mass media and civil society through the provision of community media generated products contributing to social inclusion, multiculturalism and diversity. The media output will be posted on the community media centre web portal and be accessible in various forms such as podcasts, blogs, vodcasts, etc. At the same time, every effort will be made to broadcast on television and radio, through formal agreements with print media, TV and radio stations. CCMC will give opportunities to CSO’s island-wide to establish a network for media production.

FWC partners with other EU countries in the new ACID Project

FWC will participate as a partner in the newly approved European Union project called “Active Citizens for Intercultural Dialogue” or ACID for short. The project aims at: giving citizens the opportunity to interact and participate in constructing an ever closer Europe, which is democratic and world-oriented, united in and enriched through its cultural diversity, thus developing citizenship of the European Union.

The specific objectives of the project proposal are:
To support citizens' panels in all participating countries which enable the active interaction and discussion among citizens on the importance of intercultural dialogue at European level;
To collect the opinion of citizens on a key European challenge for the future such as the intercultural dialogue in a multicultural Europe;
To create mechanisms that enable European citizens to develop civic competences, to formulate their views and opinions on the European integration process in the form of recommendations for policy makers at European level;
To encourage the dialogue between European citizens and the institutions of the EU, empowering citizens as regards EU policies and their impact, and ensuring appropriate follow up of citizens' opinions by the EU institutions.

The target group of the project ACID will be young people and young adults (aged 18-30 years old), migrants and refugees, adults and aged people, politicians, representatives of the civil society (NGOs, cultural associations, trade unions), teachers and educators from the participating countries. Special attention will be paid to involving ordinary citizens of different demographic, social and professional backgrounds and to involving citizens' who would not have spontaneously participated in projects of a European nature.

The countries participating in the project are: Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, and Portugal. FWC associates will travel to Romania 1 March for the kick off meeting. Contact Larry Fergeson for more information.

FWC helps to "Jumpstart" the Cyprus Peace Process

The European Commission approved the application for a new project to be coordinated by Future Worlds Center and led by the Youth Centre Union. The 18 month long project is called "Jumpstart - Youth Peace Campaign in Cyprus" and aims to increase the number of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot youth actively participating in the Cyprus reconciliation process. It is funded by the The European Commission as part of its Reconciliation, Confidence Building Measures and Support to Civil Society under the CYPRIOT CIVIL SOCIETY IN ACTION Programme.

The Overall Objectives are to:
• Increase confidence building between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot youth (18-30)
• Create opportunities for youth to actively engage in reconciliation activities
• Promote inter-cultural dialogue and its methods and language as a concept and as the means for envisioning a future Cyprus
• Enable Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot youth to challenge their own stereotypes and perceptions as well as to develop the capacity to challenge those of the community at large


FWC, as the European leader in Structured Dialogic Design Processes or SDDP, will conduct a deeper analysis of issues concerning youth, participation, reconciliation processes in Cyprus. FWC will enable the youth activist group to develop an action strategy for the campaign and to identify possible risks along with alternative solutions and contingency plans. Based on an effective methodology, the SDDP sessions will ensure that all key issues are taken into account, all members of the youth activist group have voiced both their plans and concerns, and that the group democratically agrees on the action plan to be implemented.

FWC is shortlisted for IPE grant

Changing Attitudes of Adults (parents) on Internet-Related Risks for Young Adolescents

The project will address Internet safety issues with the aim to achieve an in-depth understanding regarding safety breaches and protective measures and actions, primarily within the family environment. For this purpose, a limited section of the Online Virtual Environment, Second Life, will be customized to host study teams who will be playing on the Internet and will be “exposed” to real risks in a controlled way. Project participants are expected to develop skills in recognising safety pitfalls and dealing with them as well as appreciate Internet Risks in their true dimension.
The very difference between real Internet-related risks and Internet-related risks as perceived by adults (parents) could constitute a new type of risk in itself. There is a similar difference between the means to deal with these risks and the means to deal with these risks as perceived by adults (parents). The conception adults (parents) have on what (their) children do when they “play” (spend time) on the Internet is largely based on ignorance; certainly experiential ignorance in that they have not “played” (spent time) on such activities themselves and often ‘literate ignorance’ in that they have not studied the matter. Media and church hype add insult to injury. Furthermore, there is a difference between the real attitude of adults (parents) towards their children (in general, and with respect to their children’s activities on the Internet) and their self-perceived attitude. There is a further difference between their real attitudes and the results of their behavior.
The project will study the attitude of such adults towards the fact that their children immerse themselves into video games (Second Life in particular). Specifically, the project team will study the change in attitudes of the adults regarding the activities of their children and the risks related before and after they had an opportunity to “play” along with their children for several months.
Target groups addressed will be parents (of 12-15 year old girls and 13-16 year old boys) who are teachers (preferably at high schools where they have pupils of the same age as their children) who will fall into specific, predefined clusters, along with their children. Each study team will consist of one or two parents-teachers with their one or more children / nephew and / or their friends.
Project outputs, products and results will include, among others, i) a customized area in the Virtual, Online Environment “Second Life”, ii) a portal supporting project work, dissemination activities and project participants, iii) recorded research on internet safety risks as perceived by adults and teenagers of the study teams and most importantly the possible change in attitudes before and after game playing. This research aims at concluding to a suggested methodology on an original approach in developing an Internet Safety Culture which could be used as a bases for learning material at various levels and in particular for teacher training.

FWC shortlisted for new EU Project

The European Commission today shortlisted the application for a new project to be coordinated by Future Worlds Center and the Youth Centre Union. The project is called "Jumpstart - Youth Peace Campaign in Cyprus" and if approved will run for 18 months and aims to increase the number of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot youth actively participating in the Cyprus reconciliation process. It will hopefully be funded by the The European Commission as part of its Reconciliation, Confidence Building Measures and Support to Civil Society under the CYPRIOT CIVIL SOCIETY IN ACTION Programme. The Overall Objectives are to:

• Increase confidence building between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot youth (18-30)
• Create opportunities for youth to actively engage in reconciliation activities
• Promote inter-cultural dialogue and its methods and language as a concept and as the means for envisioning a future Cyprus
• Enable Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot youth to challenge their own stereotypes and perceptions as well as to develop the capacity to challenge those of the community at large

FWC, as the European leader in Structured Dialogic Design Processes or SDDP, will conduct a deeper analysis of issues concerning youth, participation, reconciliation processes in Cyprus if the project is approved. FWC will enable the youth activist group to develop an action strategy for the campaign and to identify possible risks along with alternative solutions and contingency plans. Based on an effective methodology, the SDDP sessions will ensure that all key issues are taken into account, all members of the youth activist group have voiced both their plans and concerns, and that the group democratically agrees on the action plan to be implemented.