Marieke van Woerkom

Marieke van Woerkom, Middle East Program Director, Global Youth Connect.

"Marieke has worked in the field of cultural exchange, conflict transformation and human rights for over ten years. As program director, facilitator and educator, she has designed, implemented and supervised hundreds of trainings, dialogues and related programs that raise awareness, promote understanding and empower diverse groups of people to make positive change in their own lives and that of their communities.  Marieke has worked with groups of Arab, Israeli, Cypriot, Balkan, South Asian, American and European participants in the US, Europe, Middle East and South Asia.

"Since 2005, Marieke’s focus has been on improving relations between “the West” and “the Arab and Muslim world.” She has designed and run a range of programs to that end both in the U.S. and the Middle East, most recently in Damascus, Syria where a visit to a predominantly Iraqi neighborhood inspired and encouraged her to initiate the GYC Iraqi Refugee Solidarity Initiative.

"In New York City, where she lives, she works in the public schools to help create more conducive learning environments. She, moreover, works with various cross-cultural and conflict transformation groups designing curricula, facilitating dialogues, and debriefing audience reactions to theater performances and movie screenings.

"Marieke holds a double Masters in cultural anthropology and international relations from the University of Amsterdam, with a specialization in identity and inter-group relations.  She has recently started work on a Ph.D. in social studies with a focus on encounter and dialogue work between “the West” and “the Arab and Muslim World”."

Affiliations

 * Cross Cultural and Continuity Facilitator, Ariane de Rothchild Fellows Program March 2010 — Present (3 months)
 * Process Facilitator, Building the Fulbright Future Conference - February 2010 — Present (4 months)
 * Curriculum Development, Trainer & Coach, Open Society Institute - September 2008 — Present (1 year 9 months)
 * Trainer/Facilitator, Respect for All (Government Agency; Education Management industry) - September 2009 — March 2010 (7 months)
 * Writer, International Center for Nonviolent Conflict - March 2009 — December 2009 (10 months) Developing a Field Guide to Training for Nonviolent Action
 * Director of Middle East Programs, Global Youth Connect - December 2007 — October 2008 (11 months)
 * Conflict Resolution Expert, Plan International - May 2008 — August 2008 (4 months)
 * Program Design Consultant/Facilitator, American MidEast Leadership Network (AMLN) - March 2004 — September 2007 (3 years 7 months)
 * Board Member, All City - June 2006 — June 2007 (1 year 1 month)
 * Curriculum Development Consultant, Just Vision - May 2006 — August 2006 (4 months)
 * International Program Development, Children of Abraham (CoA) - May 2005 — October 2005 (6 months)
 * Director of South Asia Programs, Seeds of Peace - September 2001 — August 2005 (4 years )
 * Director of Education, Seeds of Peace - September 1999 — August 2005 (6 years )
 * Director of Balkan Programs, Seeds of Peace - September 2002 — February 2004 (1 year 6 months)
 * International Program Coordinator, Seeds of Peace - January 1998 — September 1999 (1 year 9 months)
 * Research Assistant, United States Institute of Peace (USIP) - 1997 — 1997 (less than a year)

Related Sourcewatch

 * Rebuilding Hope Sudan documentary