• ROLE IN THE UNITED NATIONS
• UN SPECIAL CONSULTATIVE STATUS INITIATIVE

The youth, ages 15 to 22, began their trip on June 27 with a four-day stay in Beijing, with visits to the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs, and the Summer Palace, as well as giving presentations. The youths then split up into three groups to serve in the cities of Yueyang, Changsha and Nantong.

The youth were teaching English to Chinese students, grades kindergarten through twelve, and they also learned the Chinese language, Tai-Ji, Kung Fu, and took cooking classes. Through their teaching, the youths formed strong friendships with the people at their schools, and many plan to return in the summer of 2002.

Here are just a few of the hundreds of impressions recorded by these wonderful youths:  

“It seems as though everyone in China knows who we are-- we have even been on the cover of several newspapers in Beijing! Just walking down the street is an adventure. Crowds of people gather around us when we stop for a rest or to buy something and they just stare!” -- Aria Bruss-Sachs

“We wake up at the break of dawn...that's why our biggest inside joke is calling ourselves “the wannabe dawn breakers!” -- Leila Zia

“The generosity, love, the respect Chinese accorded each other, and the friendships  we developed, are true testaments that we are one family and that we can share, appreciate and delight in our differences and truly love one another. It was a great bounty to be with them and to live in the reality that we may all sit equally at the table of humanity with real love, acceptance, consideration and respect if we are willing to try.” -- Melody Reed

“There are some amazing souls at this school! The children are all wonderful...so bright and shining! They work so incredibly hard, and they’re sooo cute! Going down the hall is hysterical...all of the kids gather around us and put little books and pens in our faces for our autographs...they treat us like celebrities...they are so sweet!” -- Aria Bruss-Sachs

Participation in the CYP program has helped these youth develop their skills as Youth Leaders as well as for service as “Peace Ambassadors to the World.” It also provides the necessary training and experience to enable these youth to be part of future PRIDE and UNICEF activities.

PRIDE’s projects promote friendship, understanding, education, and social development between cultures, races, ethnicities and countries. PRIDE is an international NGO in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.