IRC UPDATE!!!!! -- REVISED

SAVE THE DATE!!!!! SAVE THE DATE!!!!! SAVE THE DATE!!!!!


NBLSA will visit Haiti on March 14 to 16 2008 to learn more about the political, social and economic situation in Haiti. NBLSA will utilize dialogue and community service to bring together young professionals from Haiti and the U.S. to work together on community service projects as well as discuss the U.S. Haiti relationship.

All BLSA members nationwide are welcomed to join us in Haiti as we visit Cite de Soleil to perform a day of community service and cultural immersion.

NBLSA is teaming up with Pax Christi Haiti for this project. NBLSA will work with Pax Christi on their Soccer for Peace Project. The Soccer for Peace Project aims at ending the cycle of violence that has plagued Haiti in the past years. Pax Christi visits Cite de Soleil periodically to play soccer with the youth of Cite de Soleil. Gangs recruit the youth of Cite de Soleil early in their lives as agents of violence. Pax Christi hopes to affect the younger students with an agenda of peace as well as give them a chance to engage in meaningful recreation.

NBLSA will visit Cite de Soleil and work with Pax Christi on their Soccer for Peace Project. NBLSA will also donate soccer equipment and school supplies to the youth of Cite de Soleil. We are counting on the chapters to help us get soccer equipment, used or new, to donate to the children of Cite de Soleil. We also will need donations of school supplies like crayons, pencils, pens, writing paper, sharpeners, erasers, chalk and markers.

Each member will be responsible for the costs of the trip. Airfare varies according to where you are in the U.S. Lodging costs for the weekend will be $75.00 per person. You may also be responsible for some transportation costs if our fund raising efforts fail. Lodging is limited so RSVP early to ensure room availability.

To RSVP, or for questions, email mbidos@loyno.edu or International@NBLSA.org by February 20th 2008.



Tentative Schedule

NBLSA’s International Relations Committee Weekend in Haiti
Friday March 14 to Sunday March 16


Friday March 14

Venue: Matthew 25 (Boarding house)

Arrival
Dinner
Conversation with Pooja Bhatia - Harvard Fellow in Haiti and Attorney Mario Joseph, Director of BAI, Bureaux Des Avocats Internationeaux

Saturday March 15

Venue: Matthew 25
Morning breakfast

Venue: Cite de Soleil (Community Service Site)


Community Service Activity
Presentation of School Supplies
Lunch

Venue: Cite de Soleil
Presentation to young boys playing soccer
Soccer Game with young boys
Party for kids

Venue: TBA
Social with Pax Christi


Sunday March 9th

Venue: Matthew 25

Morning Ecumenical Service
Round Table discussion on U.S. Haiti Relationship

Departure to Airport


To find out more about Pax Christi, click on this link.

http://www.paxchristiusa.org/pc_haiti_task_force.asp

To read more about Cite de Soleil, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cit%C3%A9_Soleil

Pax Christi visits Cite de Soleil periodically to work with the children who live there, many of whom are homeless and orphaned, and all living in extreme poverty.