From December 3 to 5, leaders of pioneering youth movements will launch a global network that seeks to empower young people to mobilize against violence and oppression. Brought together by Howcast, Facebook, Google, YouTube, MTV, the U.S. Department of State, Columbia Law School and Access 360 Media, leaders of the organizations will travel to New York City with the mission of crafting a field manual on how to effect social change using online tools.

Summit streamed live

Join Whoopi Goldberg (ABC's "The View"), Under Secretary James K. Glassman (U.S. Department of State), Dustin Moskovitz (Facebook), Oscar Morales (One Million Voices Against the FARC) and other prominent attendees, as they engage pioneering leaders of youth movements from around the world at the Alliance of Youth Movements Summit streamed live from New York City, December 4-5.

View the Summit Schedule for panel topics and times, and join in the discussion.

Background

In May 2007, coalition troops in Iraq discovered the the al-Qaeda “how-to” manual at a terrorist safe house just outside of Baghdad. The manual provided guidance on how to torture enemies, recruit new members, and carry out terrorist attacks. This is not the only such toxic tutorial in circulation. A number of violent extremist groups are spreading information over the internet detailing how to make bombs and organize violent movements.

On December 3, 2008, the Alliance of Youth Movements comes together for three days to promote their own guide, to stand together and say that hope, not fear, is the greatest viral virtue. Seventeen of the world’s most successful antiviolence movements that began online shared and synthesized their best practices, and the result is Creating Grassroots Movements for Change: A Field Manual, which can be found at Howcast.com. This manual is a “how-to” guide for individuals and organizations looking to push back against violence and oppression. All youth around the world who choose to stand up against violent extremism are encouraged to download, forward, email, comment on, and post links to the manual. The Alliance of Youth Movements is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

--00--