Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Young Somalis Step In Where Government Fails

    After three decades of war and famine, Somalia's capacity to respond to emergencies and rebuild its country has been significantly diminished. To pick up the slack, young Somalis, many of whom have returned home from abroad, are stepping in to volunteer their services, from rehabilitating child soldiers, sparking tourism, addressing humanitarian crises, and even organizing book fairs.

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  • Peace Studies Program Attracts Young Iraqis Eager for Social Change

    In Iraq, where unemployment is high for recent grads, students gravitate towards science and math degrees. But, a new program in peace-and-conflict resolution is the first and only of its kind in the country. It teaches students about peace-building. Close to 250 people have enrolled. "For many undergraduates in the new program at Duhok, that means working side by side to create a more inclusive society. “It’s important for people in our society to know how to deal with conflict.”

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  • Students in the U.S. and Iraq Discover Common Ground

    A program that was inspired by rising racial tensions is helping students from Pennsylvania State University and the University of Mosul in Iraq erase misconceptions about each other’s cultures. Participants of the “World in Conversation Program,” gather for virtual conversations and talk about their issues, concerns, and daily life. The program is helping them dismantle stereotypes they might have of Arabs and Americans. “I want to show them who we really are, beyond the stereotypes in the media.”

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  • Can 'deliberative polling' solve political polarization?

    While many politicians use political polarization to their advantage, communities across the world are finding that talking through the divide can actually have an impact on how someone votes. Polls conducted before and after community dialogue sessions show that perspectives of many of those participating changed, and in Ireland, many think this strategy is what resulted in the legalization of abortion.

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  • Sen. Bennet: Collaboration that led to CORE Act could model a cure for “partisan disease” ailing politics

    Politicians and community leaders across Colorado take legislative creation out of Washington and into the areas they're trying to protect. Stakeholders around the state, many of whom disagree socially and politically, worked together to create a measure to protect 400,000 acres of public land while factoring in ways to maintain economic success.

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  • Iowa Civility Workshop

    At a time when American politics are more divisive and uncivil than ever before, Revive Civility Iowa and the National Institute of Civil Discourse hosted a two hour workshop to encourage civil conversation among politically opposed members of the same community. Using skill-building exercises like active listening, the workshop sought to engender tolerance in participants to reach resolutions. As one of the organizers pointed out, "The biggest mistake most of us make when we try to solve problems with others is we suggest they change their minds."

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  • Denmark's new feminist party declares, 'Out with the racists! In with the feminists!'

    “Out with the racists, in with the feminists!” is the slogan of a new political party in Denmark. The Feministik Initiativ is “a new intersectional feminist party in Denmark.” It won 3,258 votes in the regional election. The party hopes to counter anti-immigrant sentiment, as well as fight for issues like equal pay and zero employment discrimination.

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  • Can Villages Save Ukraine's Democracy?

    In Ukraine, decentralization and local control is taking hold as the country pursues government reforms. The process works by combining separate territories into administrative units called unified territorial communities (UTC) and then letting tax revenue go through those units for local projects like maintaining schools and vital infrastructure. So far, "around 400 UTCs have been created out of more than 1,700 villages, settlements and towns" and "local budgets have grown 107 percent."

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  • India's Barefoot Lawyers

    Legal expertise is often expensive and inaccessible to communities around the world experiencing environmental rights violations and other issues. Similar to the rise of community health workers who are expanding access to basic healthcare, nonprofit Namati is training lay people to help communities understand laws and regulations, gather evidence of violations, and push for remedies.

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  • Automatic Voter Registration a ‘Success' in Oregon

    Low voter turnout has affected the results of numerous elections across the country. Oregon gave its residents the choice to opt in instead of out when receiving government services, in the hopes of increasing voter turnout.

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