43rd Annual Meeting

June 3-5, 2007

"Our Stake in the Future: Youth and Rural Community Vitality"

Invitation

The Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development Executive Board invites members, guests and speakers to the 43rd annual program meeting to be held at the Holiday Inn Capitol June 3 to 5, 2007. The Holiday Inn is located at 550 C Street SW, Washington, DC. The annual program meeting brings together policy makers, research scholars, practitioners and leaders of the private and public sectors to deliberate on the critical issues of today regarding poverty, hunger and rural development.

This year, the program will focus on youth. We hear regularly of the shifting demographics in the world and the unique challenges to be encountered by our youth as they grow into adulthood. This program begins by taking a look at the dimensions of the issue from a global perspective. It will probe some of the most pressing problems that impede the well-rounded development of young people in the world today. Finally, several specific programs designed to reverse this trend by offering programs for youth that provide them education, positive leadership and marketable skills for productive futures in rural communities will be presented.

As in past years, this program will consist of representatives of organizations working on youth issues. A variety of individuals from policy makers to agents of change at the grassroots will share their organization's experience and analysis of the issues and their respective approaches to prepare the current generation of youth to be strong, productive citizens for rural community vitality globally. Participants at this event will learn from knowledgeable practitioners in:

• Engaging youth in a post conflict environments

• Serving the unique development and health needs of youth

• Youth leadership and entrepreneurship education

• Micro-enterprise training programs

We look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC for the 43rd Annual Meeting of AIARD. Please join us as we engage as a community of development change agents to discuss the multiple dimensions of policy, analysis and program implications required to ensure our stake in the future through our youth for vibrant rural communities.

John R. Vreyens
President-Elect 2006-2007