What We Are
The aim of the Fellowship Programme is not to be a short-term scholarship, but a life-changing experience which brings new perspectives, long-term friendships, and a lifetime commitment to good governance.
The John Smith Fellowship Programme strengthens and deepens democratic awareness. The Programme targets outstanding young leaders working in politics, local government or civil society with an established interest in promoting democratic reform. Once a year, in June, twenty young people aged 25 to 35 come to Britain to take part. In 2002 and 2003, Fellowships were invited from Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. The Trust hopes to include further countries in Central Asia over time as resources allow.
The five-week Fellowship Programme combines a seminar series, placements and visits designed to give an insight into democratic practice. Core themes include the rule of law, social justice, tolerance and the need to extend democratic access to poor and disadvantaged groups. Fellows produce a project at the end of their stay indicating how lessons learned can be applied in their own countries. One aim is to establish a dialogue between Fellows within and outside their home countries, and to create links between a new generation of leaders and those working in similar fields in the U.K.
