Fourth International Youth Summer Camp Rehearsing World Citizenship
Our summer camp will be offered from July 22 to 26, 2024, from 10 to 11:30 AM EST on ZOOM.
Participation is FREE and all youth 11 to 14 are welcome to join! This year you can also choose to attend in portuguese or spanish.
attendance is on a first come first serve basis. We will accept registrations until July 7 or earlier if the camp fills out before our deadline.
Inscreva-se para participar em PORTUGUÊS (8 a 12 de julho 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM EST)
Registrese para participar en ESPAÑOL (8 a 12 de Julio de 2:00 PM a 3:30 PM EST)
What if we told you that over thousands of years, humans have developed a deep need to connect? That it is healthy to need others? That we can only grow when we are deeply connected to others instead of when we are apart from them? That the drive for closeness and connection is as powerful as our drive for food?
We not only evolved to be friendly but we also evolved in a deeply interconnected way. We experience pain when we are left out and we are capable of understanding each other’s feelings, words, and intentions. But why we don’t always honor our interconnectedness? Come explore these questions and more with youth from around the world!
For questions, email: crabbani@uchicago.edu or ajr2279@columbia.edu
2023 Full Sessions Available
First half of the session
Day 1- Survival of the Friendliest: How we are hardwired to connect
Day 2 - Social Pain Hurts Too
Day 3 - The Human Capacity to Experience Oneness: Care, and Sacrifice Day 4 - Obstacles to the Experience of Oneness: Prejudice and Individualism.
Day 5 - The Sweetness of Connections
Second half of the session
Poetry of Resistance
Artivism – Photography for Change
Lead Facilitators:
Martha Rabbani is a doctor in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. She has taught in universities in the US, Brazil, Mexico and Spain. Her teaching and research focuses on Education for World Citizenship and Social Justice. She is the director of the Social Justice Club Initiative and lives in Miami, Florida.
Clara Rabbani is the co-founder of the Social Justice Club Initiative, and editor of The World is Waking Up: Poetry of Resistance from Youth Around the World. She is an environmental writer for the Latina Republic and a senior in college majoring in Anthropology. Clara lives in Chicago and has been facilitating social justice conversations for children and youth since 2016.
Ines Mamodaly is a print writer for the Columbia Science Review Club. Originally from Madagascar, she now lives in New York City where she is a freshman in college studying biochemistry with a concentration in neurobiology. In high school, Ines led numerous initiatives, notably addressing the needs of underprivileged communities in Madagascar. She launched projects focusing on women who lacked access to essential sanitary products and children deprived of educational opportunities, thereby highlighting and tackling the critical issues of hygiene and education in Madagascar.
Adib Rabbani is the co-founder of the Social Justice Club Initiative and Just Art, and editor of Focus on Justice: Photography from Youth Around the World and See Me for Yourself: Short Stories on Justice and Human Rights. He is a freshman in college majoring in Biology in New York City. Adib has been facilitating social justice conversations for middle school students around the world since 2019.
Kiiza Francis Herma lives in Jinja, Uganda, where he studies IT. He is a Junior Youth animator and loves working with the youth in his community, especially planting trees together and empowering them through various agricultural and reforestation projects.
Mafer (Maria) Malagon lives in México. She is 20 years old and is studying Marketing at college. She has always been a very enthusiastic person and willing to know more and learn from others. She has been participating in and facilitating social justice conversations for youth on Zoom since 2021. “I’ll love to see you at The Social Justice Club Camp!”
Lyla Moreira is a rising junior at her school in Kansas where she is passionate about the fine arts and her Diversity and Hispanic leadership clubs. She loves meeting new people with different backgrounds and cultures and discussing topics that most people are afraid to talk about in our society, which is why she is one of the lead facilitators for the Social Justice Club’s bi-weekly conversations with youth around the world. In Lyla’s words: “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to help lead and meet everyone participating in our camp and I know you will have a great experience!”
Nitya Attaluri is a high school student in Missouri who has been engaged in community service and leadership since a very young age. She has been an active member of the Social Justice Club for several years and already in middle school started leading her school´s social justice club activities. She has also facilitated Social Justice Summer Camps for over 50 children from around the world. Nitya has been working with organizations like Giving the Basics, Harvesters, and Youth Volunteer Corps, receiving the Presidential Volunteer Service award every year since middle school.
Narra Teresa Cruz is a 15-year-old high school student in the Manila metro area, in the Philippines. She is a student leader, a varsity football player, and also an artist who draws both digitally and by hand. Narra is described by family and friends as an old soul capable of caring deeply for social issues and justice. She is active in academics and activities with friends but she also loves quiet moments spent crocheting, reading, crafting, drawing, or communing with nature - she is very good at climbing trees!
Ameerah Afreen is a 15-year-old high schooler studying in Ontario, Canada. She is an avid leader within her school community, taking on various roles within the clubs she participates in. Ameerah is driven to achieve the most she can whether it be in relation to academics or learning a new skill. Ameerah is multilingual, speaking English, French, Hindi and Urdu. She has been passionate about Social Justice ever since she was first introduced to it in elementary school. She can’t wait to meet people with a similar passion for social justice and fighting for equality!