Tourists,  Guests  and  Camp Ground Members
Welcome to the Secretariat of the "virtual" camp.


Initiated with  thanks to
an investment by
the European Union ...

... and the 
Stare of Brandenburg
Germany
 

Come on in and explore around the camp.
You might wish to consider working and playing together at the camp grounds.
There are many possibilities.
What is this  here ? 
Priorities and Introduction
Real Picture, 1995
Why is the "virtual" secretariat
in a "virtual" Tipi?
An overflight of the
fields of work?
 
In the Spring of 2001
the real Nature Preservation Center on the real Döberitzer Heath (pictured in background above)
was formally opened, after being converted from a battle tank command center
to civil use for nature preservation and education.
The achievement of some "peace dividend" enabled the development of this "virtual" camp in the internet.
The hope is to use some successful conversion of facilities for international military confrontation to assist international civil communication. This "virtual" camp is being developed for real work, and play, among real people,  really using the internet for international cooperation in developing educational materials in the sprit of the United Nations Charter.
See "News"  for  more
Why a Tipi?
The short answer:

In 1995 during the United Nations Climate Summit (the "Conference of the Parties" to the Climate Treaty) in Berlin, Germany, a "Youth and Artists Climate Summit" gathered on the Döberitzer Heath by Berlin.

The prevailing winds blow over the heath into Berlin, and youth representing environmental projects from around the globe wished "fresh air" for Berlin and "fresh wind" for cleaning up human effects on the climate. 

What is this site ?  Priorities and Introduction
(Short mission statement. For more, click on topics, or scroll down) 
  • This is a working site  -- some "common ground"
  • based on military base conversion  -- initially financed by base conversion to move from confrontation to communication
  • for cooperative work   between youth projects, schools, non-governmental organizations and universities  --  for participatory education
  • including "Model United Nations" work -- in the extended sense of "citizens' diplomacy" and including "school yard diplomacy", with a focus on learning, creating, testing and gaining experience with proactive problem recognition and problem solution work,
  • and, over time, to develop an "active archive", a "vun treasure trove",  as a resource for the future.
This is a working site
--  some "common ground"--
a platform, a "virtual" stage, a "tele-camp"

for cooperative work among people,
or among different groups of people,
who are geographically at a distance from each other.

To quote L. Nimoy (a.k.a. Dr. Spock) "The more you share, the more you have."

The first development priority is the VIRTUAL YOUTH CAMP SITE
for "MODEL UNITED NATIONS" work among schools and youth projects.

Based on Military Base Conversion

This facility was initiated on the basis of the conversion of the military base "Döberitzer Heath" by Berlin and Potsdam in the State of Brandenburg, Germany,
with initial investment financing by the European Union and the German state of Brandenburg

This facility is designed "to convert some facilities for international military confrontation to a platform for international civil communications, in the Spirit of the United Nations Charter".
This is one local way to achieve some "peace dividend",
develop some "common ground"
and create capacity for cooperation.

One long-term priority is to develop working relations with other military base conversion efforts.

An initial contact was with the PRESIDIO in San Francisco, California, USA, and the Institute for Global Communications established there.

Co-operative Production

 The platform is designed to encourage the co-production, the creating, writing and the "playing through" of "case studies", "role games", "simulations" and other forms of inter-active educational activities between participants.

A priority is the creation of case studies etc. adapted for internet activity and "participatory education".

Envisioned is a "camp site" for school and youth activities, with adult coaching teams.

A hope is to enable such co-production in a way that is open for adaptations and improvements.
The intention is to enable consciously "iterative" improvements and thereby value creation --
by and for participants, now, and for future use.

Model United Nations Work

The motivation is to contribute to the development of Model United Nations Work in the extended sense,  from "simulating" security council considerations to developing local "Agenda 21"  work for environment and development. "Role games", "case studies" and the like can be relevant also for "citizens' diplomacy" and "school yard diplomacy" as well as local development efforts.

An intention is to help youth gain experience in "conflict-recognition / conflict-resolution" efforts. To the extent possible this includes gaining experience in "problem-recognition / problem-solution" efforts also for the local community environment and economic development work.

A desire is to enable youth to engage in co-production of role games, cases studies and the like and thereby also gain experience with value creation, now, and for the future.

A long-term vision is that perhaps some of the youth Model United Nations work can also be a challenge or inspiration to the people working at the real UN.

(Back to Secretariat Headline?)
Overflight of the work areas ...
We are working on this...Follow the bird ...

(Back to Priorities and Introduction?)
(Back to Secretariat Headline? )