“With every new place of worship that we visited, my mind became more and more open to the new experiences and concepts. I left with the desire to continue to expand my knowledge and experience of other faiths.” - A RYS participant from New Jersey, USA said after their experience in the Netherlands in 2008 When asked about my experience in RYS, I usually go with the one word response of "amazing." It's hard to begin to describe what RYS has given to me on a personal level. I had applied with the incentive of a change, a dramatic change of environment that would procure a dramatic change of heart. But I never expected so much. What I gave through service I cannot compare to what the project has given to me. I feel as though I have broken through a wall, a wall of insecurities and self-deprecating thoughts, of pessimism and anger. A wall that I have been living in for the past lifetime, out of a warped sense of comfort, and a fear of what lay beyond. - A RYS participant said after their experience in Suriname

Through the work of our dedicated project developers and educators, the RYS social service learning experience was shared with many new people around the world. This year RYS has given special attention to expand project developer and “Train the Trainers” seminars aiming at educating more people in the RYS methodology.

40 Days of Peace January 21 - February 29 | USA Maintaining Peace is a Shared Responsibility Feb. 8 | Australia A Unique Education March | Netherlands A Next-Gen Encounter March 30 - April 17 | India Put Your “PEACE” in... April 22 | Montclair, NJ, USA “...A Moving and Unforgettable Experience...” April | South Jakarta, Indonesia Interfaith Youth Celebrate Global Youth Service Day April 26 | Bristol, England Eat What We Grow... Grow What We Eat... May 23 | Portland, Jamaica “I Can Change” March 1-7 | India Piano Keys March 21 - April 3 | Elubo, Ghana

Integration into a Mayan Community July 7-17 | Antigua, Guatemala “They are All Different but All One” July 7-17 | Utrecht, Netherlands“Fixabroko” August | Brokopondo, Suriname Reaching out Together for Peace August | Columbo, Sri Lanka A Gift to Newark August 30 | Newark, NJ, USA Housing for Teachers Sept ember 7-14 | Amanvi, Ivory Coast It’s Not About Breaking and Blasting, but Building and Growing Together September 21 | Agartala, India RYS Teams Up October | Guatemala City, Guatemala Learning, Serving and Trekking November | Lalitpur, Nepal “Make A Difference” December 2-8 | Northeast India