The eight-day community-building and educational program, in partnership with the Harvard Law School Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program, will be held at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland from August 1^st through August 8^th.

For the third year, this unique program will allow teens from the United States, Spain, Israel, Palestine, Northern Ireland, Ireland and Argentina to form a community of peers that contribute to international dialogue about terrorism, peace, and other issues that impact their lives.  This marks the first time that Common Bond is being held outside the United States and is hosting teens from nations in conflict.

Harvard’s clinical program serves as an important partner and has designed a curriculum focusing on conflict resolution and communication.  Led by a professional faculty including psychologists, educators, social workers  and health care professionals who are trained in leadership, peace-building, traumatic loss and resilience, the group will engage in discussions on global leadership issues, and will participate in team-based activities designed to foster trust, healing, cooperation and communication.

“For children whose lives have been directly touched by terrorism, the sudden, violent, and public nature of their loss becomes an overwhelming and defining characteristic of their lives,” said Terry Grace Sears, president of Tuesday’s Children.  “Tuesday’s Children created Project Common Bond so that children from all over the world who have experienced similar tragedies can build resilience and strength together and positively shape their own future.”

Sears continued, “this special program could not have been possible without the generous support of our Irish partners, the American Ireland Fund, the Ireland-US Council and Belfast Harbour Commissioners Chairman Len O’ Hagan.”

“What makes this project unique is that we’re weaving together skills training and conflict resolution in order to transform the experience of trauma into the positive experience of personal growth, ” said Monica Meehan McNamara, Curriculum Coordinator for Project Common Bond.

Project Common Bond is designed and directed by Tuesday’s Children with the active engagement of its international partners.  Organizations participating in the 2010 initiative include:

• European Network of Victims of Terrorism, an organization that aims to stimulate trans-national co-operation between associations of victims of terrorism and enhance the representation of victims' interests at European Union level;
• Mothers of Beslan, a support and advocacy group of parents whose children were among the more than 365 victims of the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis;
• The Parents Circle, based in the Middle East and works with Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost a loved one, helping turn grief and anger into a dialogue of trust and reconciliation;
• Russian Children’s Welfare Society, a nonprofit charity dedicated to improving the lives of orphans and other disadvantaged children in Russia;
• S.A.V.E.R./N.A.V.E.R., a distinctive European Structural Funds Programme aimed at reinforcing progress towards a peaceful and stable society and promoting reconciliation;
• Seeds of Peace, dedicated to empowering young leaders from regions of conflict with the leadership skills required to advance reconciliation and coexistence;
• Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, a secular, non-sectarian organization providing education and tools to resolve religious tensions in schools, at work and in war zones;

• The Gordon F. Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies at Adelphi University, internationally recognized for the extensive range of degree programs that reflect its ongoing commitment to scholarship, research and practice.

The young adults, ages 15 to 20, will participate in therapeutic group work and community-building activities such as mural painting, music, drama and team sports.  They will also take advantage of the culturally and historically rich city of Belfast, with a tour of the famed Peace Walls, and a day-long workshop at the world renowned Corrymeela Peace and Reconciliation Center in Ballycastle.

Major Corporations Turn Out to Support Tuesday's Children's 'Take Our Children to Work Day'

MANHASSET, N.Y., April 20, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- On Thursday, April 22nd, for the eighth consecutive year, Tuesday's Children will be hosting "Take Our Children to Work Day" for children who lost a family member on 9/11 and the children of rescue and recovery workers.

With thanks to the generous support from Concert Connection, over 100 children will participate in the day's event. Each child is offered the opportunity to work in a field of their choice enabling them to get first hand experience in a career and industry that interests them. Invaluable partnerships continue year after year with corporations such as American Express, Armani Exchange, Beacon Restaurant, Blue Man Group, CNN, Coach, DKNY, Michael Kors, MTV, National Hockey League, NYPD, the Mayor's Office, Madison Square Garden, NBC, Ogilvy & Mather, KISS FM Radio, Silverstein, and Teen Vogue. Additionally, new partners such as ABC, Friars Club and Goldman Sachs have joined the effort to bring the children of 9/11 into the workplace and provide a life-enriching experience.

"It is truly an honor to offer this important program to our families and children each year. It is a day where we remind the children who lost so much on September 11, 2001 of the many wonderful opportunities that are ahead of them. Many of the children who have participated in past year's events have been inspired to focus upon study and careers in areas directly related to their Take Our Children to Work Day experience," said Terry Grace Sears, Executive Director of Tuesday's Children. We heard from many of the families including Charlotte's mom - "My daughter Charlotte, has always had a love of writing and is interested in exploring journalism. It has been great to be able to allow her the experiences of meeting with writers at Real Simple magazine and to have the experience of meeting with Mary Snow personally last year at CNN."

About Tuesday's Children: Tuesday's Children is a non-profit family service organization that has made a long-term commitment to every individual directly impacted by the events of September 11, 2001. Our First Responder Alliance provides programs and clinical services to 9/11 responders and their families. Through Project COMMON BOND, Tuesday's Children has reached out to those whose lives have been directly affected by terrorism around the globe. To learn more about Tuesday's Children, visit our new website at www.tuesdayschildren.org.

SOURCE Tuesday's Children

New Tuesday's Children Website Launched

Tuesday's Children launches new website today after a 3 month period of

 design and development. 

 

"We wanted a fresh and elegant look that would appeal to our visitors," said Executive Director, Terry Sears.  "This new design reflects the core structure of our organization and groups information accordingly.  Users should find the information they need quickly and easily."

 

The new website features information about Tuesday's Children programs and services.  One new feature is a resource library that includes photos, video clips, news items, and a series of great articles that will grow over time.

 

Additional benefits are offered to visitors who subscribe to the website, including access to all newsletters and the Tuesday's Children event photo gallery, which is updated shortly after events.  Subscription is free (no credit cards required) and all information is strictly confidential.  

 

The website was generously created and donated by Phillip Brown, a friend of Tuesday's Children Board Member Irene Dickey.

 

"We've taken a fresh look at the organization and designed a site that is clean, functional and informative.  The site is easy to navigate and we've used a number of different ways to display information to keep it fresh and interesting," said Brown.  "The Tuesday's Children staff, along with board members, were great to work with.  It really was a collaborative effort and  I hope it serves the organization and the public well for many years to come."

 

The Tuesday's Children website is a resource for 9/11 children and families, first responders and their families and the general public.  The new website can be found at www.tuesdayschildren.org. 

  

 

 Tuesday's Children can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it