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Founded in 1956 (and privatized in 1961) by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, People to People International (PTPI) is an international leader in promoting global awareness and understanding as a way of fostering world peace. Its Global Youth Forum attracts about 250 students ages 13-18 every year. This year’s forum was held in Chicago from November 7-11, 2007 and focused on the theme "peace and conflict." As a result of USIP’s extensive work with young people, USIP's Education and Training Center/Domestic (ETC/D) was asked to develop a program that would provide student delegates with the opportunity to understand the complexities of international conflict and resolution, and its relation to the child soldier issue.

David J. Smith and Joseph Sany of the ETC/D designed a program that involved role-playing members of one of 12 different non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations such as CARE International, International Rescue Committee, Christian Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, Gulu Support the Children Organization, and Human Rights Watch, among others. Delegates extensively researched the work of their organizations before arriving at the forum and designed posters and presentations that described their group’s work on child soldiers, particularly in Uganda, which was the context for this program. An NGO "fair" was held at which delegates shared with others their organization’s work. The culminating event was an All Party Conference where delegates participated in a two-hour simulation during which they developed a strategy to reintegrate former child soldiers in Uganda.

The week was an opportunity for students to learn about international conflict issues effecting young people, find out about the work of international organizations in the field, and hear from important individuals working for world peace including Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi; Mary Eisenhower, CEO/president of PTPI and granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower; Jimmie Briggs, activist and author of Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go to War; Bukeni Waruzi of Ajedi-Kas/Projet Enfants Soldats, as well as a former Congolese child soldier. Delegates also spent time volunteering at various Chicago-based non-profit and humanitarian entities.

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