A major, high profile event associated with the World Congress will be the culmination of a Petition Drive to gather signatures in support of a global expansion of youth exchange programs. We are planning to have a ceremony to present the signatures to the United Nations during the World Congress week. We will kick off the Petition Drive with at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo in late April, when the Board of Trustees as well as the Management Council will be meeting there. More information about the Petition Drive will be forthcoming very soon. The final version of the Petition reads as follows:

We, the undersigned, know that peace and justice require that we extend the hand of friendship across borders, cultures and religions and that knowledge and understanding are needed to nurture these friendships.

The nations of the world can promote peace by helping the world’s youth build these friendships.

Therefore we call upon the world’s leaders, to enable young people everywhere to live and study in cultures other than their own by significantly expanding youth exchange programs.

Friendship leads to understanding. Understanding leads to peace. We call on all to grasp this opportunity.