As a personal note of introduction, I am a father of two 8-week-old twin boys, Tiegen and Maddox. My wife, Abigail, and I moved with them from the United States to Sweden just last week. Between nursing and changing diapers, we are slowly settling into our apartment in a quiet and wooded suburb of Stockholm. We are very pleased to finally be here and look forward to getting to know the people, language, and culture of this Scandinavian country.

Before our short stay in the United States, Abigail and I studied at the University for Peace in Costa Rica. I earned a Master’s degree there in Environmental Security and Peace. Prior to our Central American experience, we lived and worked in Central Asia for three years, both with development and education organizations. I hold another Master’s degree in Education from Brown University, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature from Stanford University, USA. Finally, I am an outdoor enthusiast, with special interest in hiking, rock climbing, and mountaineering.

I am very eager to get to know all of the current ECYI members and to attract new individuals and groups into the network. The Youth Initiative finds itself at a pivotal moment, with great potential for growth. This is the first time that a full time Youth Coordinator is in place, in addition to our World Leadership Corps Intern, Leah Wener. Though we will support and coordinate such growth, this initiative depends on you for its vitality. To begin a dialogue with us about increasing your level of involvement in the ECYI or becoming an Earth Charter Youth Group, please write to us at youthcoordinator @ earthcharter. org. We look forward to hearing from you! (Please feel free to write in English, French, German, or Uzbek.)