SFL Around the World: June 2017
Here’s what SFL-ers around the world accomplished this June:
Charter Teams
In Southeast Asia, our leaders have been busy preparing for no less than three major events: Two regional conferences in the Philippines (July 21-22) and Korea (July 29) plus the eagerly-awaited Asia-Pacific Conference in Indonesia (August 18-20). Still, besides all the regular meetings, we have witnessed the formation of a new group that held their kick-off event just a few days ago. “LGBT Rights and Market Capitalism – Friend or Foe?” organized by SFL Singapore, drew over 50 students, despite the lack of well-known speaker. And let’s not forget to mention that the new training for the Charter Teams Program was finished and uploaded – why not apply today? See more here!
Africa
On June 24, 2017 Eritrean Students For Liberty led by Executive Board Member, Bekit, with support from Network For a Free Society hosted a full day seminar on “Liberty & Free Society from the Eritrean Perspective.” The University of Nigeria, Nsukka also hosted an event with the Campus Liberty Train for 36 students from three universities across south-eastern Nigeria. The focus of the forum was Economic Freedom, Entrepreneurship, and Youth Participation in Governance.
In Kenya, the Caravan of Liberty wrapped up with a two-day training for the Youth Ambassador program. This project, with support from Liberal Alliance Denmark, in conjunction with the Eastern Africa Policy Center and Kenyan Manufacturing Association was focused on promoting issue-based political dialogue as opposed to identity politics. Read more here!
North America
After 10 years of consistent growth as the International Students For Liberty Conference, we’re beyond proud to announce the unveiling of the new face of our conference on global freedom! From March 2-4, 2018 SFL will host LibertyCon at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park in Washington D.C!
Confirmed speakers include economist David Friedman, MEP Daniel Hannan, ACLU President Susan Herman, and John McAfee! SFL’s LibertyCon is more than just a student conference, it’s a place for Liberty lovers of all ages to come together as we usher in a new chapter for the global liberty movement — just when we need it the most!
This month, North America also hosted the first Top 100 Leaders Retreat in Nashville, Tennessee! In Nashville we were able to supply our student leaders with valuable training that will prepare them to advocate for liberty on their campus. Read more here!
Europe
Over 80 people met in Graz, Austria to hear from economist David Friedman on his vision of an anarcho-capitalist society. Follow Austrian Libertarian Movement | A-L-M for more updates!
European Students For Liberty also hosted a conference on the “future of money” in Leipzig, Germany. Covered topics included interest rates, the decline of the monetary order, the block chain and bitcoin revolution, the future of money in the Information Age and more. And many new leaders joined ESFL as a result of the event.
SFL Spain celebrated this year’s Tax Freedom Day as a part of the Defend Your Wallet campaign (see video) on June 30th in front of the Ministry of Finance in Madrid.
And ESFL launched a new blogging site — Speak Freely — an official brand of European Students for Liberty, which will feature news commentary, policy analysis and blogposts on economics or philosophy. Read more here!
Brazil
In Brazil, Students For Liberty held the annual Leadership Retreat in Sao Paulo, gathering our Regional Coordinators, national staff and Board of Advisors to discuss the organization’s future, vision, mission and how to empower as many people as possible in the next three years. More than ever, the core of our volunteers had the opportunity to have their voices heard in regard to how SFLB’s daily work should be improved.
Moreover, the Local Coordinators Selection Process came to an end, with all interviews being held and more than 1000 candidates approved. From that, SFLB started July with a whole new perspective: be more bottom-up; focus on our Coordinators’ own initiatives to create a freer future and provide for those who are starting into our movement a zone where their voices can be heard in order to build a better organization. See more here!
South Asia
The month of June was also full of excitement for South Asia. After receiving about 600 applications for the Local Coordinator Program 2017-18, including applications from new regions from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh as well as Sri Lanka; we closed the applications and began interviewing the applicants. After conducting interviews in the first week, a total of 222 applicants were enrolled in the Local Coordinator Academic Training, which has been designed by the new Chairs of Academics and Research keeping the unique South Asian perspective on liberty in mind. The training started off in full swing and will continue throughout the month of June and July, at the end of which the Executive Board will recruit the new Local Coordinators. Read more here!