Campus Events

Organize a campus event to get your peers to imagine what our world should look like in 2021… and then do something about it!

Deciding how you are going to achieve your vision for the world in 2021 is just as important as answering the question of what you want that world to look like. The Be2021 movement is actionable as much as it is aspirational. We are doing this in two ways: a national youth summit and events on over 100 campuses. While the national youth summit will be a chance for all of us to come together and be inspired by our visions for 2021, Be 2021 will flourish at the local level through events on campuses across the country.

Bring the movement to your campus! Bring a speaker, show a film, organize a debate. Or get creative and organize a concert or a cultural dinner. Your objective is to: 1. get people to imagine what our world should look like in 2021, and 2. do something to make that world a reality.

Following are some ideas for events that you can do right out of the box.

Ready-to-Go Campus Events

Be…United: Organize a Campus Unity Walk

Bring members of your campus community together to celebrate our religious and cultural diversity. Participants will tour religious and cultural institutions in the community, witnessing services and rituals, exploring traditions, tasting food, enjoying music, and more. The Unity Walk will highlight the common humanity that can be found through our diversity. Contact us for a Unity Walk Kit, which will give you all the tools you need to organize this powerful activity.

Be…Connected: Talk with Youth Across the Globe

Create a space for students on your campus to speak with and learn from peers around the globe. As young people, we will inherit a number of pressing global challenges. We must unite, as youth, to forge a brighter future. The exchanges will take place via videochat, and be facilitated by an AIDemocracy or other student leader. Interested? Contact us to get started.

Be…Understanding: Build Understanding of Islam Through Film

Screen a funny or serious film exposing the varied experiences of Muslims in America. In partnership with Unity Productions Foundation, we are proud to offer five different films available for screening on your campus: Prince Among Slaves, Talking Through Walls: How the Struggle to Build a Mosque Unites a Community, On a Wing and a Prayer: An American Muslim Learns to Fly, Allah Made Me Funny, and Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think. These award-winning films have been shown on public television, and at festivals and events across the country. Films will be accompanied by facilitated discussion, led by an AIDemocracy, UPF or student leader. Contact us to help put it all together.

Be…Inspired: Screen the film Love Hate Love

It’s been nine years since Liz Alderman’s son Peter was murdered by terrorists. Every day since then she’s faced the same two options; succumbing to the depths of despair or finding a way to survive. Esther Hyman knows about this choice. Her sister was killed when her bus was blown up. She too has had to continuously keep from being immobilized by sadness. And Ben Tullipan now lives minus two legs because of his encounter with a car bomb. Their lives, shattered by terrorists, are now on a new path and they’re taking thousands of people along for the ride. Love Hate Love follows these survivors as they search for honor, meaning and a new life’s path. Through a special partnership with the filmmakers and the family of Peter Alderman, we are proud to offer Love Hate Love for screening on campuses as part of Be2021. The film will be followed by dialogue facilitated by AIDemocracy or campus leaders. The Alderman family may also join several screenings. www.lovehatelovemovie.com. Contact us to organize.

Be Influential: Screen the film Beyond Belief

Imagine how different the world would be if after September 11, 2001, the U.S. government had been guided by a people-to-people vision of building physical and metaphorical bridges. That’s what 9/11 widows Susan Retik and Patti Quigley chose to do, channeling their grief into positive action by becoming a stabilizing force in Afghanistan—the very country where the plot was hatched to kill their husbands. They focus on education and poverty-alleviation projects that help Afghan widows, proving that beyond borders, beyond religion and politics, beyond hatred and ignorance—lies hope, and a common bond. Beyond Belief (Tribeca Film Festival, Sundance Channel) is the award-winning documentary that chronicles their journey. A study guide created by Columbia University Teachers College and accompanying short video modules are also available for download to facilitate targeted discussions. Film Director Beth Murphy will be available to participate in discussions via Skype. Please contact us to organize this event on your campus.

Be…Visionary: Craft Your Picture of a Better 2021

Organize a workshop to help your peers / organization envision what they want the world to look like in 2021, and communicate it to others in an inspiring and actional way. An AIDemocracy or student leader will facilitate the exercise, empowering participants to identify concrete steps they can take to not only identify their vision, but to make it a reality. This event is nicely paired with the Be…Empowered event below. Contact us to get started.

Be…Empowered: Build Leadership Skills for the 21st Century

Prepare to lead. Our generation numbers 100 million strong, and we will inherit global challenges ranging from climate change to unemployment. This workshop will empower students to lead their communities, country and planet towards a better future. Workshop components will include leadership, organizing, advocacy, cultural-awareness and professional development skills. Training will be led by an AIDemocracy or student leader. This event pairs nicely with the Be…Visionary event above. Contact us to get started.

Be…Informed: Discuss Poverty, Climate Change, Wars, Terrorism and More

Gather your peers to discuss global challenges ranging from poverty to violent extremism. Explore what we can do as youth, as a country, and as a planet to set a better course for the next decade. This event can take the form of a panel, workshop or guest speaker. AIDemocracy will provide suggestions on format, guiding questions, and advice on how to make it all happen.

Be…Equal: Promote the Rights of Women and Girls

Explore the specific challenges facing women and girls worldwide, including education, health and child marriage. Discuss how we can better empower women and girls, recognizing the huge impact they have on the viability of their families, communities and nations. International non-profit organization CARE will send expert speakers to 5 campuses to kick off the conversation, as part of Be2021. We will also offer facilitation tips, guiding questions, supporting readings and media, and more. Contact us to get started.

Be…Advocates: Change the Policies that Will Help You Realize Your Vision

Want more funding for foreign assistance? Want your local government to start a recycling program in your community? Get a bunch of people together to go talk to the people that have the power to give you what you want! Check out the AIDemocracy website or contact us to discuss specific and timely issues you can speak out about.

Be…?: Come Up With Your Own!

Got an idea for an event that’s not listed here? Great! We’d love to hear it and we’re ready to help you make it happen! And we’ll add it to this list.

Know what you want to do? Great! We’re Here to Help!  Check out some of our handy resources, including tips for organizing, information on key issues and more. Contact Patrick (be2021@aidemocracy.org or 570-688-7698) to get started.