The Rural Development Agency – Centre presented its project “Orhei Youth Council”

September 16, Orhei, Orhei, Moldova – The Rural Development Agency – Centre presented its project “Orhei Youth Council”. Representatives from several schools in the area attended, including students and teachers from Mihail Lomonosov Lyceum, Onisifor Ghibu Lyceum, Aleccu Ruso Lyceum, Ion Luca Caragiale Lyceum, Mihai Eminescu Gymnasium, Ion și Doina Aldea Todorovici Gymnasium, The Professional School of Medicine, and the Professional School of Pedagogy. Participants learned about the goals of the project, which include civic engagement and stimulating youth leadership in the community.

The project will continue for four months with activities from September to December 2011 involving nine educational institutions in the city. The project will begin by identifying active students who will make excellent candidates and ballot workers to carry out the elections in the schools. After candidates and ballot workers have been selected, 45 students will participate in instructional seminars on leadership, campaign ethics and finance, and public speaking. After the seminars, each student in the school will have the opportunity to elect a representative from his or her school while ballot workers run and monitor the elections. These representatives will form the youth council of Orhei, and the council’s first project will be to participate in a roundtable with local members of the city council.

The implementation of this project would not be possible without the support of ADR Centre’s contributing partners. The U.S. Embassy in Moldova has provided the financial resources required for this project, the educational institutions are assisting with identifying the most active students in the community and the mayor’s office of Orhei is providing logistical support for the establishment of a city-wide youth council. The project also has the support of the United States Peace Corps by offering assistance from volunteers with experience in the fields of politics and youth work. Mass-media partners also include the local newspapers “Cuvântul” and “Plaiul Orheian,” through which project coordinators have been able to disperse information about the project and its activities.