In previous posts we have described CIESPI’s work in reporting on and encouraging the participation of young people in decisions that affect their lives. CIESPI currently has several national and international projects aimed at researching and strengthening such participation. The international project with Ryerson University in Canada involves a youth advisory committee. One member of that committee, Mayara Maciel, a student in PUC-Rio’s International Relations Department, is a CIESPI youth consultant and recently she attended a project meeting in Switzerland on behalf of CIESPI. She writes:

This year the project staff were invited to conduct two workshops on Children as Actors Transforming Society or CATS. It was a conference whose principle characteristic was the presence and full participation of young people. It was so interesting to witness how it is possible to integrate all people independent of age and see how everyone engaged in an event of this size…..In this year’s conference we discussed how to confront (and put an end to) violence. To be in an atmosphere where young people were an integral part of all the activities was an inspiration. I hope that CATS succeeds in transmitting this experience to the rest of the world.