The Amala Foundation is excited to announce that, for first-time ever, we will be hosting a Global Youth Peace Summit outside the state of Texas.  The 1st Annual Northern California Global Youth Peace Summit will take place in August, 2013 in the Bay Area.  The Global Youth Peace Summit is now in its sixth year in Austin, Texas and is part of our year-long One Village Project.  Please visit our Austin Global Youth Summit page for more information.

The Global Youth Peace Summit unites refugee, immigrant, American and international youth (ages 13-18) for a youth summit devoted to heart-centered dialogue, the importance of service to others, cultural awareness, authentic expression and exploration of self and world.  The Summit is a sustainable peace movement that offers young people an opportunity to directly experience themselves and their world through the eyes of equality, acceptance and compassion.

The Summit is a place for healing, connection and empowerment. Many of the youth who attend the Summit have experienced poverty, religious persecution, child labor, gang violence, and neglect; some have witnessed the atrocities of war and have literally run for their lives; many have been uprooted from their native cultures and struggle to integrate into an entirely foreign world.

The Need

At a time when the world seems increasingly violent and polarized along the lines of faith, nationality and political belief, there is a need for people to connect to each other and the world around them on a deeper level. The Global Youth Peace Summit addresses this need by uniting adolescents, including refugee, immigrant and underserved youth, to develop values of peace, compassion, and leadership, while helping them discover the power of service to others.

The Global Youth Peace Summit also addresses a need by serving a largely overlooked and growing population of refugee youth in the United States.  Many programs and resources exist to assist refugee families, specifically adults, but very few programs exist that assist refugee youth and offer them an opportunity to heal as well as provide them with a support structure as they adjust to life in a new country.

How You Can Help…

We are currently looking for a venue that will be able to accommodate 40-50 youth plus 40 volunteers for 5 days and nights.  Ideally, the space has a cafeteria (with kitchen), cabins/lodging, central meeting area as well as plenty of beautiful outdoor space.  If you know of any potential venues, please email Ryan Jordan at ryan@amalafoundation.org.

We are also looking to partner with local organizations who work with under-served youth including refugee and immigrant youth.  We are also in the beginning stages of reaching out to potential business sponsors and partners, including local educators, local catering companies, farmers, printers, t-shirt companies, and restaurants.  If you or your organization is interested in participating in this transformational and one-of-a-kind event, please email Ryan Jordan at ryan@amalafoundation.org.

Interested In Volunteering?

If you are interested in volunteering at the 2013 Northern California Global Youth Peace Summit, please email info@amalafoundation.org or call 512.476.8884.

Sponsor A Youth To Attend The Northern California Summit

A large portion of the youth that will be attending the 1st Annual Northern California Global Youth Peace Summit, will receive a scholarship in order to do so.  This includes at-risk youth as well as immigrant, refugee and international youth.  If you feel inspired, please consider making a donation to our Northern California Global Youth Peace Summit Scholarship Fund so that the youth who need this experience will be able to receive it.  The Amala Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization so your donation is tax-deductible.