eNewsletter July 2010 . www.future.org
. www.future.edu
FutureGenerations and
FutureGenerations Graduate School
Future Generations Master's Degree Student from Burundi wins $10,000 Davis Project for Peace Award
Future Generations Master's Degree student, Rene-Claude Niyonkuru,
received a $10,000 Davis Project for Peace award to build relationships
and trust for peaceful elections and cohabitation in his home country
of Burundi. Rene-Claude's proposal surfaces at an important time as
recent elections were marked with violence. This follows 12 years of
civil war in Burundi fueled by ethnic divides between the Hutu and the
Tutsi. Rene-Claude's project seeks to foster dialogue among communities
to promote peace.
Although Burundi's situation has improved since the 2005 elections,
civilians and the opposing political parties share distrust with a long
history of deep-seated fears and violence along ethnic lines. Tensions
have flared this summer, as five opposition candidates withdrew from
the elections leaving the incumbent as the only candidate.
Update from Future Generations President, David Nygaard
David Nygaard, President of Future Generations and the Future
Generations Graduate School, reports on recent activities and
achievements. These include: 1) efforts underway to set up public
computer labs across West Virginia in partnership with volunteer fire
departments, 2) an update on the Master's Degree program, which will
convene its United States residential in August, and 3) the expansion
of child and maternal health work in Peru with support from the USAID
Child Survival and Health Grants Program.
Isobel Coleman's book spotlights Future Generations
In her book, Beneath Her Feet: How Women are Transforming the Middle
East, Isobel Coleman finds herself in a rural part of Afghanistan. Her
traveling companion is Dr. Shukria Hassan, the former health director
of Future Generations Afghanistan. In the book's introduction, Coleman
highlights the work of Future Generations to provide literacy classes
for women and girls in mosques.
Chinese Youth Promote Regional Solutions for Climate Change
In July 2010, more than 5,000 youth from 80 universities across China
set out on the Green Long March, across 8 routes, to promote regional
solutions for climate change. In addition to raising awareness, 55
student teams are implementing Green Seed Award projects to identify
and expand successful practices.
> Read the Full Article
Dr. Mike Rechlin named as new Dean of Graduate School
Future
Generations Graduate School welcomes Dr. Mike Rechlin as its new Dean.
Dean Rechlin most recently served as the Chair of the Biology
Department at Principia College. For twelve years, he directed the
Forestry Division of Paul Smith's College. He also has been an adjunct
faculty member at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
for the past ten years.> Read the Full Article
Future Generations Alumna from Uganda strengthens partnerships to protect the endangered mountain gorilla
Last year Future Generations Graduate
Student from Uganda, Joy Bongyereire, received a $10,000 Davis Peace to
reduce conflict among local farmers and Uganda’s wildlife
agencies over the management and protection of endangered mountain
gorillas. In six months, Joy implemented a strategy that has increased
community involvement in nature conservation. > Read the Full Article
Donate to Future Generations through National Geographic's Action Atlas
Click to Support Community-based Conservation in the Mt. Everest Region of Tibet
Click to Promote Community-based Protection of Wildlife in India
Recent Publications and Multimedia
> YouTube Videos of Graduate School Faculty and Seven Guyanese Community Scholars
Click this link to view the new Future Generations YouTube Non-Profit Video Channel