CHANGE STARTS WITH ME!…..the deepest cell of social action…. the core of the PeaceJam Youth Leadership Program and the essence of the wisdom left behind by 1980 Nobel Peace Laureate, Adolfo Perez Esquivel at the Step Up & Lead! Youth Leadership Conference held by PeaceJam Greece on Feb 3-4, 2018 at Deree — The American College of Greece.

“One by one…300 high school and college students and nearly 30 community leaders from Greece and abroad left their comfort zone for two days to risk, to seek, to share, to grow. They came together, under the naked lens of the simple humanity that binds us, to unveil the barriers that obstruct social progress and sustainable change.
The outcome? Reflection, thought, inquiry and action! An unbelievable energy, enthusiasm, and euphoria unfolded over the weekend. In between workshops by top community leaders on sustainable change, daring dialogue with college mentors on the challenges students face today and community service projects to support vulnerable groups, students exploded in song and dance throughout the two days in a celebration of life and human connectedness. “The PeaceJam feeling”, as students called it, captivated the spirit of the young and old(er), and transformed doubts into a clarity and conviction, that the world belongs to each of us and if we unleash the unique potential of youth with trust and commitment to the greater good, it WILL lead to the change we seek in the world; for WE are—and have always been—the source of catastrophe and construction of our world.”

– Ellen Froustis, Regional Director – PeaceJam Greece. Originally published on March 4, 2018

Check out this event’s program here.