To celebrate 20 years since the 1999 United Nations sponsored referendum in Timor-Leste, AJAR will bring together youth from Australia, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste. The exchange will provide youth with an opportunity to share their cultural history, to learn from each other’s human rights efforts, and to build solidarity for change. We hope this programme will inspire a new generation of human rights defenders that spans Australia, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste, and increase social activism and a joint commitment for human rights and the rule of law.
AJAR is seeking applications from young Australians (aged 18-25) to participate in a week-long exchange to Timor-Leste. Eight successful applicants from Australia will travel to Dili, to join a workshop with 20 Indonesian and East Timorese youth leaders, facilitated by AJAR, and co-organised with Centro Nacional Chega! (CNC, a Timor-Leste centre mandated to follow up the recommendations of Timor-Leste’s two truth commissions). Participants will also take part in referendum commemoration activities, and travel to the country side with local East Timorese organisations, the National Victims’ Association and ACbit. The group will be accompanied by Dr. Vannessa Hearman, Senior Lecturer in Indonesian Studies at Charles Darwin University, historian of Southeast Asia, and researcher in human rights issues related to Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
Successful applicants will need to prepare a 3-minute digital story on a human rights issue they wish to share during the exchange. They must also demonstrate their ability to share their experiences from Timor-Leste with their peers and others upon return to Australia.
Learn more about application requirements for Australian youth here. Deadline to apply is no later than midnight Wednesday May 8th, 2019.