|
|
|
ICCHRA ADVISORY BOARD
Bill Gould (Chairman ICCHRA Advisory Board) Statement from the Chairman of the Board of ICCHRA Dr. Bill Gould PhD Champions of Change We are all either Champions of change or victims of circumstances. It is a simple matter of personal and collective choice. If we are to change the world and make it a better place for our children and our children’s children, we must begin that process within changing ourselves and our thinking. Our best thinking is what has created our reality and, as Albert Einstein so wisely said, no problem can be resolved by the same consciousness that created it. Once we transform our own thinking, only then can we expand it to include and involve others. As a combat veteran, I have experienced, first-hand and up-close, the tragedies, horrors and atrocities of human conflict and I have dedicated my life since that time, some 40 years ago, now, to creating a world that in which love and peace replace hate and fear. There is still much work to do and I welcome each of you to the mission for which we were all born. But eradication of war and conflict is not the entire solution. Even in peace, there are high degrees of human suffering, injustice and cruelty inflicted upon the poor, the imprisoned, the hungry, the sick, the homeless, the needy and the helpless. Until we accept and embrace all these human beings as our brothers and sisters, the necessary transformation will not occur. That, my friends, is a choice each of us must make in our minds and our hearts. That is the starting point. One of the concepts I teach in Transformational Thinking is: “Believe it and you will see it.” Too many people say, “I will believe it when I see it,” and never do. There is a good reason for that. Everything we humans create is first done so with the mind and then the hand. Through the mind, we create the vision and through the heart, that intense passion that transforms concepts into reality. It is not enough to simply say you believe in peace and love; you must pursue it with unsurpassed passion. It must become not just a way of thinking and believing but a way of living. It must involve and include not only ourselves but everyone and everything within our sphere of influence. Our passion will continuously and consistently expand that sphere of influence with every kind word and deed performed in the name of peace and love, with every human being we touch directly and indirectly. That is our mission. That is our purpose. The key to success is found in another concept I teach in Transformational Thinking, that of the Human Connection. When I was a child, I was taught to look as someone less fortunate than I and say, “There, but for the Grace of God, go I.” Many years ago, I came to understand the fallacy of that concept. While it gave me gratitude for all the people and things in my life God had provided me with, it separated me from those people. Now, I look at such people and think, “There, thanks to the grace of God go I.” We are all connected. We are all one. Who of us would willingly choose to be miserable, hungry, sick and poor? It is then, not a right but a responsibility to reach out and embrace those people and do what we can to alleviate their suffering. In doing so we help ourselves as well as them. It is only an illusionary creation of our ego that separates us. That is why we must change our thinking. Love is not about tolerance; it is about acceptance. It is about focusing on our commonalities as human beings, as brothers and sisters, not our differences. Until we all make it, none of us does. One final thought: I have heard many people exclaim, “But I am only one person! What possible difference could I make?” Was not Nelson Mandela one person? Dr. Martin Luther King? Mahatma Gandhi? First, they transformed themselves into Champions of Change and then they changed the world. We must each follow the example of these great leaders. Alone, we must transform ourselves. Together, we will change the world. Believe it and you will see it! Love and peace,
Selene Biffi (ICCHRA Advisory Board Member) Founder/President Youth Action for Change Website: www.youthactionforchange.org Italy
Selene Biffi holds a Degree in International Economics and Management (DIEM) from the Università Commerciale L. Bocconi, Milan, Italy and has also benefited from several exchanged programs both at the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. And at Star of the Sea College, Melbourne, Australia. She also had an exchange program to Leuven, Belgium and in Inari, Lapland, Finland. Selene Biffi holds the following courses to her credit Other Courses: 2005 ‘Global Youth Work’, Council of Europe, Mollina, Spain. ‘Humanitarian Relief Work’, Università Bocconi/ISPI, Milan, Italy. Online course ‘Trade Justice’, the International Youth Parliament. Online course ‘Project Management’, the International Youth Parliament. Languages: Italian–mother tongue, English – fluent, Spanish – intermediate, French – basic. Selene also hold several experiences 2006 European Students’ Forum (AEGEE), Brussels, Belgium Project manager for the project ‘Election Observation Missions’. The work includes the planning, budgeting, running and evaluation of the project, managing a multicultural team and participating in observation missions to Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. 2005 Amnesty International, Milan, Italy The work performed included researching and writing documents and publications for the national campaign on Bhopal launched by the Committee on Economic and Social Rights. 2003 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), New Delhi, India The work performed regarded writing a paper about the problems related to medicines access and donations in developing countries based on researching, interviews and un field projects participation. Activities 2005 Developed and implemented the online program ‘Youth Action for Change’ (YAC), a platform to inspire and empower youths to tackle the issues affecting their communities and the world at large. YAC now reaches hundreds of youths in over eighty countries worldwide.
2004 Appointed as a ‘Facilitator’ for the Dutch NGO Nabuur, with the task to empower and advise local women in a rural Mexican village to set up an artisan cooperative.
Took part in a focus group on the ‘City of Melbourne’s Young People’s Policy’ to tackle issues such as safety, participation and economic development. 2001-2002 Promoter and committee member for the school-building project ‘Aghoreshwar Gurukul”, aimed at the foundation of a primary school for destitute children, carried out by Pujia Maa Shree Sarveshwari Seva Sangh, Benares, India. Conferences and events: Organized: 2005 Moderated the online consultation process for the World Development Report 2007 on behalf of the World Bank.
2004 Organised and chaired a workshop on ‘Globalisation and Cultural Diversity’, held during the ‘3rd World Youth Festival’, Barcelona, Spain.
2003 Coordinated the UNESCO-IYP European workshop on the theme ‘Young People and the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity’, Milan, Italy. Tasks performed included networking, chairing and moderating the meeting, organising and managing all the logistics and participants and venue selection. The aim was to translate the Declaration into a youth friendly language to be published and distributed worldwide by UNESCO.
Sammy Jacobs Abbey (ICCRA Advisory Board Member) (Conflict Analyst & Human Rights Advocate)
Mr. Sammy Jacobs Abbey, (samabbey@icchra.org) a Ghanaian working on conflict, Human Rights and Peace-building process is the International Director at the International Centre for Conflict & Human Rights Analysis. As a conflict and Human Rights Advocate, he has previously worked with West Africa Youth Network (WAYN) as its Country Coordinator and WAYN liaison officer to Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and member of the ECOWAS Youth Parliamentary Action Group. He later became the Editor-in-Chief of the WAYN Focus, West Africa Youth Network newsletter. In August 2005 he was made an Honorary Peace Ambassador by the Apeadu Peace Centre at a ceremony witnessed by Audrey Kitagawa, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on Children associated with armed conflict. Sammy Jacobs Abbey has previously worked as the Head of Economic and Social Council of the African Youth Development Alliance, International Civil Society Organization based in Nigeria with networks in over 50 countries in Africa. Professionally he has academic background and training at both national and international field. His background is on Conflict Management and Peace-building from The Network University in The Netherlands and also attended University of Ghana and Graduate School of Management, UK. He has certificate in Youth Development and Social Leadership, certificates in Sustainable Development. Mr. Sammy Jacobs Abbey is a pursuing Masters program in Behavioural and Developmental studies from the International Institute for Global Leadership, USA. He also has certificate in American Contemporary History, Certificate in Peace and Development Studies, Certificate in Human Rights and Governance Studies, Diploma in International Business Communication. Sammy Jacobs Abbey has participated in several international and high profile United Nations meeting both in Africa and beyond, some of them include: World Summit on the Information Society-Accra, World Summit on Sustainable Development-South Africa, World Summit on Racism and Xenophobia – South Africa, West African Youth Network Consultation-Ghana, NEPAD Technical Youth meeting, Zambia, Youth Transforming Conflict- Sierra Leone, AIESEC working Consultation- Togo, Interfaith workshop for students and Youth- Ibadan, Nigeria, Youth Employment Summit, World Summit on HIV/AIDS- Bangkok, International Youth Leadership Conference 2004, 2005, Aburi, Integrating ICT into an organization- Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, World Telecommunication Development Conference- Abuja, International Conference on Economics of Non-violence and vision of a sustainable world- New Delhi, India, 3rd World Spirit Forum, Arosa, Switzerland, UN International Working Group on the Durban Declaration (concerning racism), Geneva, Switzerland, United Nations University- Costa Rica, International Youth Summit on Deepening our Spirituality- Nepal just to mentioned but few. The quality of his professional accomplishment as demonstrated through his involvement in Youth work in several countries in promoting and advocating peace are testimonies to his competency. His vision is to work to end prejudice, violence and war among mankind, to work for implementation of human right that encompass political, economic, cultural and social right for all people. To work for the establishment of a culture of peace and a new civilization that is based on respect for life, the environment and each other.
Rossie Norris (ICCHRA Advisory Board Member) Atlanta, USA Rossie Norris is an American counselor who thought at the Bellevue Community College in Seattle, United States of America, he holds B.A. degree English, Liberal Arts, Southern University, Baton Rouge, La. M.Ed. Educational Psychology, University of Washington Seattle, Washington She spent the past 36 years in Seattle Washington, Career Specialty: Higher Education, (19) years as a classroom instructor and Counselor at Bellevue Community College, (8) years with the state of Washington as an Employment Specialist, (5) years as Director of a City Juvenile Justice program (federal grant to the city of Seattle). (2) Years at the University of Washington as a Health Planner for region X (Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho). (2) Years as a Mental Health Practitioner for youth and families. Has served on countless boards and committees during her tenure and was a very active community member for issues of equal rights, social justice and education reform in the city of Seattle. Her travels have included 2 trips to Ghana West Africa, Ivory Coast and Dakar Senegal. Ms Norris has dedicated her life to international and global issues of Peace and to the interconnections between Africans in the Diaspora and the Continent of Africa. "Her heart is that of a servant."
Mrs. Carol Sena Appraku (ICCHRA Advisory Board Member) CEO, SENALINE SHIPPING COMPANY
Mrs. Carol Sena Appraku (Sena.Appraku@senalineshipping.com) is the Managing Director of Senaline Shipping. She has a wealth of experience in the Shipping Industry with over fifteen (15) years in Haulage Services from the ports to inland locations within Ghana as well as the landlocked countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Mrs. Appraku has also been involved with freight forwarding and some association with Ship Agency business. She is currently pursuing a course of study leading to the award of a Diploma in Logistics and Transport Management with the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), having already acquired an academic certificate in Human Resources Management in 2002 from the same institution. She has also completed an Advance Degree Access Programme with Datalink (2004) and some Journalism Studies with the Ghana Institute of Journalism (2004) |
