Global Youth Conference
Founder and President - Global Youth
Conference Academy
Louise Deininger
Vienna-based conceptual artist Louise created the idea for Global Youth Conference Academy after filming DNA of War. Since then, she has worked tirelessly – together with local development experts and affected youth in Gulu, Northern Uganda, and a dedicated team of professionals in Vienna, Austria – to realise her vision: transforming the mindset of young people and breaking the vicious cycle of economic dependency and cultural decline through self development; building an empowered youth for a more sustainable, positive and peaceful society.
Preamble
In the following years, the Republic of Uganda participated in conflicts in the Great Lakes region of Africa and experienced years of civil war between the government and the Lord’s Resistance Army, which has been guilty of numerous crimes against humanity, including child slavery, the Atiak massacre, and other mass murders. The conflict in Northern Uganda has killed thousands and displaced millions.
It is in this context that Ugandan youth have been strongly affected by the armed conflict, civil strife and the aftermath of numerous atrocities. Ugandan young people, often born during and in the immediate aftermath of the conflicts that Uganda has seen over the past decades, grew up in an environment overshadowed by violence and destruction of the past.
Living in precarious social conditions with insecure livelihoods, young people frequently drop out of school or enter into early marriages. They suffer from drug and alcohol abuse, gambling and other vices.
Founded and continuously inspired by Louise Deininger, an African conceptual artist with Kenyan and Ugandan roots who focuses her work on the intersection of critical thinking and human consciousness, we are an organization that tirelessly works to achieve our mission and contribute to the Global Youth Conference Academy vision for Northern Ugandan youth.
This attitude is ingrained not just in our diverse and open-minded team, but also in our values. It is symbolized by the elephant prominently featured in our logo as a symbol of peace and cohesion as widely used by the Acholi people, and a symbol of leading the way.
Vision
Based upon the United Nations (UNO) Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), Global Youth Conference Academy brings about positive change in the post-conflict society so that the full potential of young adults – who have been indirectly or directly affected by the aftermath of war – can and will be unlocked. This is achieved through working on their mindsets, where the young people can strive to flourish and grow in freedom and liberty, pursue their dreams and happiness and promote the lasting welfare of Northern Uganda as well as restore the local culture.
Global Youth Conference Academy strives to empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. While focusing on the above, Global Youth Conference Academy works not just for youth in general, but women and girls in particular, in order to help achieve gender equality.
Our Values
We open up future perspectives
Building upon a broad network of local Global Youth Conference Academy youth leaders, who have taken the first steps towards becoming the driving force for change in their respective communities, we will empower Global Youth Conference Academy to become a center and anchor point for self-sustaining, confident and self-determined actors in their respective communities, who partner with a diverse range of stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, NPOs, schools, and – most importantly - local businesses.
We listen and accompany
We know the needs of young people in Northern Uganda. What they lack is - in various forms – perspective, attention, respect and self-esteem. These basic needs are essential. The aim is to make young people strong for their independent lives in respect and esteem for themselves and others in a peace-loving environment. We support young people with a lot of empathy and with the know-how of mind setting and personal development.
We educate and support
For us, effective help means helping people to help themselves, based on commitment, the will to change, the talents of young people and personal development. The provision of appropriate training is a critical success factor, as is the support at the start of a self-determined life.
We communicate and integrate
We support our work on the basis of local and regional PR activities and aim to broaden the local audience to create awareness for the Global Youth Conference Academy project in the region. Most importantly, we establish extensive partnerships with local and regional media outfits and build a support network for Global Youth Conference Academy with businesses active in the region. Global Youth Conference Academy Austria works to set up the Global Youth Conference Academy Peace Ambassadors’ Club for private individuals who will support the operation of Global Youth Conference Academy, and communicate with interested private and corporate sponsors.
General Concept and Organisation
For the time being, Global Youth Conference Academy’s basic setup consists of two organizations:
“Global Youth Conference Academy – Verein zur Förderung der Ugandischen Jugend“ is the association based in Vienna, Austria that manages the strategy and financing of Global Youth Conference Academy as a whole. Here all the work is done by committed, long-term volunteers.
Global Youth Conference Academy is the organization based in Gulu, Uganda that implements the operational programs and projects of Global Youth Conference Academy and works directly with the Northern Uganda youth. Work is done by (partially) employed staff (four at the moment) and dedicated, long-term volunteers (nine at present).
In order to achieve Global Youth Conference Academy’s goals effectively, Global Youth Conference Academy requires the status of an NGO. Global Youth Conference Academy has already successfully obtained a local NGO license for operation in Uganda and opened an office in Gulu. Based upon this, we are in the process of getting the NGO status in Austria and subsequently in the European Union.
Global Youth Conference Academy’s financing is mainly based on sponsoring, donations and voluntary work. We promote our financing requirements via well-defined programs and projects focusing on long-term sponsors, especially for the programs, and repeated donors for projects. Besides, this, we keep the operating costs for the administration and infrastructure at the lowest possible level.
Vienna Location : Global Youth Conference Verein Hernalser Hauptstrasse 72-74 1170 Vienna, Austria
Gulu Location : Global Youth Conference , Samuel Doe Rd, Opposite Toyota Service Center, Gulu, Uganda
Vienna Office : +43 677 62710370
Gulu Office : +256 775284429
Email : office.vienna@gyco.eu