Sep 29, 2021 | Employment guidance and social collaboration, Human Rights, REACT
REACT (Rapid Expert Assistance and Cooperation Teams) is a five-week training program on conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation for professionals who are interested in peace operations and contributing to global efforts for international security.
We have already launched the call for applications for the XXVI edition of the REACT project for all professionals interested in being deployed in peace operations and contribute to the global efforts to build international peace and security.
The deadline for the submission of applications is 1 May, 2022.
The course has a duration of five weeks for a total of 220 hours: it starts on May 30, 2022 and ends on July 1, 2022. This year’s participants will be in Alicante until June 26 and will then move to Segovia for practical training in handling critical or emergency situations while deployed in hostile environments.
REACT, since its creation in 2003, maintains its main objective of preparing professionals with diverse career paths interested in joining the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) REACT. The course is divided into seven modules covering topics such as conflict prevention, public international law, international criminal law, refugees and internally displaced persons, children and armed conflict, peace and security, the United Nations, OSCE, NATO, the European Union, etc.
REACT is the only training course of its kind in Spain and to date has trained more than 400 people. Throughout its 25 editions, the Helsinki Spain Association has worked under the conviction of the transformative power of education and the need to train people from all types of countries and situations in conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict, as the best tool at our disposal to contribute to global efforts for peace building.
More info about the REACT programe
Sep 21, 2021 | Employment guidance and social collaboration, Human Rights, Sustainable Tourism
From September 9 to 15, 2021, the second and third phase of the third edition of the project “Team Innovation 2021: Sustainable Development Goals, Tourism and Human Rights. Innovation and future work on the Camino de Santiago”, an initiative created by Helsinki Spain, thanks to the financial support of the ¨Xunta de Galicia¨.
Currently, the tourism sector represents more than 10% of the world’s GDP, is directly responsible for 14% of global emissions and 1 in 11 people work in it. Spain is a world leader in the sector, and in turn this is one of the main pillars of its economy and employment generation. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the new environmental emergencies and the socioeconomic reality, this sector faces new challenges and requires new strategies for its sustainability. Therefore, it is necessary to promote and implement initiatives that contribute to the creation of decent jobs, the promotion of social entrepreneurship and the preservation of the environment.
The project culminated with a final phase that consisted of the ¨III University Forum¨ on September 15, in which the participants after 5 days of pilgrimage, presented their proposals for the promotion of sustainable tourism development, which contains the protection of human rights and contributes to the economic growth of the region.
One of the proposals was made by students from the ¨University of Girona¨, entitled ¨SANTIAGO 5 SENSES¨, which had the following objectives:
The project proposal seeks to internalize even more, the experience of the Camino de Santiago, not only to engage in a walk or pilgrimage, but to perceive in an integral way everything that makes up the road. The road should not be understood in a literal way, but also in what makes it up and surrounds it, such as: the aromas of the forests, the taste of the food and local products, the sound of nature, the touch with the soil where millions of people have walked for hundreds of years, and finally, everything that can be developed.
This proposal is accompanied by recommendations and experiences, in which those interested will be able to upload their reviews, so that those who make the journey can take into account more data and details, as if it were a path of the senses, all through digital tools such as: Instagram with the user: @santiago5seseses, and also through web page.
The University of Alicante, Autonomous University of Madrid, University of Valencia, University of Girona, University of Cadiz, University of Malaga and the Diplomatic School of Spain participated in the project.
The sponsors and collaborating institutions were:
Sep 21, 2021 | Employment guidance and social collaboration, Human Rights, Sustainable Tourism
After the academic and theoretical preparation for the participants, in terms of SDGs, Sustainable Tourism and Human Rights, the practical part was carried out, which consisted of walking the Camino de Santiago.
The last stage of the project was divided into two groups, one group would follow the French Way and the other the Portuguese Way, which consisted of 5 stages and more than 100 kilometers to be covered. The groups were made up of different university students, from different degrees, universities and nationalities, thus enriching the academic and above all personal knowledge of each of the participants.
With the ¨Project TEAM INNOVATION 2021¨, we sought to create an inter-university environment of debate and learning, supported by the physical experience of what it is to walk the Camino de Santiago, and thus generate awareness that tourism is not only an extractive activity, but can also be an alternative activity, in which the vehicle of transport is your body, the villages of arrival of each stage, are your “accommodation”, and the motive that drives all that is inclusive and diverse. Everyone is free to give meaning to their “Camino”, which starts from the religious pilgrimage, the personal/spiritual encounter, sporting activity, and many others; and these are some of the reasons why the Camino de Santiago and the TEAM INNOVATION 2021 Project, collaborated for learning and realization of some of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Sep 9, 2021 | Education, Human Rights, Youth for Youth
We are starting strong this course with our human rights education project in Madrid, the Canary Islands and Malaga. “Youth for Youth” is a project based on the education as a fundamental tool for mobilization and social transformation, which tries to raise awareness about social problems, promote debate and critical thinking among the youth and childhood. Helsinki Spain is launching this project with the support of the Community of Madrid and the Ministry of Health.
Don’t let this opportunity slip away! Train yourself with experts and civil society organizations in the defense of human rights and develop workshops through a participatory methodology in schools.
Training date:
Click on the poster and SIGN UP!
If you are interested, you can check more information in Youth to Youth.
Jun 28, 2021 | Human Rights, REACT
Faced with the risks and threats to International Peace and current conflicts, more than twenty people of different nationalities met in Alicante and later in Segovia, to make possible the XXV edition of REACT- Rapid Expert Assistance and Co-operation Teams- , a five-week training program on peace processes and conflict prevention, organized by the Helsinki Spain Association.
Rapid Expert Assistance and Co-operation Teams (REACT), was created in 2003 by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and organized by the Helsinki Spain Association, with the aim of preparing professionals with various interested career paths in improving their knowledge in conflict prevention, crisis and post-conflict management, rehabilitation and development, as well as their practical skills for field work in international peace operations.
It is an initiative composed of 7 modules that was born to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand and analyze the main threats to international security and peace, the situations in which armed conflicts arise, their key actors and its impact on civilians. Likewise, it is intended to improve the capacities of the participants in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts, as well as the protection of civilians in armed conflicts and, to strengthen the competence and confidence of the members when dealing with risk situations and / or criticism effectively, as would happen in peacekeeping work.
Throughout the 25 editions of the course, there have been experts from international organizations (United Nations, European Union, OSCE and NATO), diplomatic personnel and other officials, as well as military and police personnel, members of the International Committee of Red Cross and other humanitarian NGOs, as well as independent consultants and staff from different international universities.
On this occasion, the 25th Edition of REACT composed of twenty-two participants from; Colombia, Spain, Nigeria, Mexico, Argentina, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Togo, Lebanon, the Philippines, Canada, Jordan, Italy, France, China and Liberia has taken place in L’Alfas del Pi, in Alicante, in collaboration with the councils of Cooperation and Volunteering, Residents and Equality of the City Council. Until June 26, the program has been developed at the Platja Social Center, where six of the seven modules based on training in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, international law, protection of civilians, current conflicts and threats to peace were included. and international security, key actors and their contribution to international peace and security and tools for sustainable peace.
The seventh and last module called Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) is taking place in Los Angeles de San Rafael, Segovia, from June 27 to July 2, thanks to which, students participate in simulations to learn to deal with risks partners and other critical or emergency situations during mission deployment, such as team members in an international field operation. The HEAT content covers skills and competencies on how to act in the event of kidnapping, hostage-taking and encounters with weapons, mines and explosives; through the acquisition of knowledge about first aid in hostile environments and orientation and communication in the field; to driving an SUV and defending against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons.
REACT is the only training course of these characteristics that takes place in Spain and to date it has trained more than 400 people. Throughout its 25 editions, the Helsinki Spain Association has worked under the conviction of the transformative power of education and the need to train people from all kinds of countries and situations in conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict, as the best instrument at our disposal to contribute to the global efforts for the construction of Peace.
Jun 17, 2021 | Human Rights, REACT
L’Alfas of the Pi is based, for 15 days, a new edition of REACT, one training program five weeks on peace processes and conflict prevention, organized by the Association Helsinki Spain, who attended a fortnight people from Cameroon, Colombia, Spain, Mexico, Nigeria, Argentina, Afghanistan, Togo and Ethiopia. An activity that takes place in the municipality thanks to the collaboration of the Councils for Cooperation and Volunteering, Residents and Equality.
The course, which will run until June 26 at the Platja Albir de l’Alfàs del Pi Social Center, uses a variety of methodologies, including presentations and talks, debates, group work, practical sessions and advanced role-sharing. , outdoor activities and simulation exercises. The agenda includes training in human rights, peace building, accompaniment to war victims, gender equality, migratory emergency, education and mediation policies, among others.
The faculty is made up of trainers and experts from international organizations (United Nations, European Union, OSCE and NATO), diplomats and other officials, military personnel, police, experts from the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian NGOs, independent consultants and professors of college.
During their stay in l’Alfàs, the students of the REACT course have been able to enjoy two cultural visits to the Faro de l’Albir and the Villa Romana Open Air Museum, in order to get to know two emblematic places of the municipality. Activities organized by the Town Hall of l’Alfàs del Pi.
REACT was created in 2003 with the aim of preparing professionals with diverse career paths interested in joining the Rapid Expert Assistance and Co-operation Teams (REACT) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Throughout its 24 editions, more than 500 people have been trained.
Through this program, professionals from different fields interested in improving their knowledge in conflict prevention, crisis and post-conflict management, rehabilitation and development are trained, as well as their practical skills for field work in international peace operations.
