Ballard resident Susan Partnow is traveling to Nigeria later this month as part of a local delegation to help open a new library in the Ijaw village of Oporoza.

She will join a group of 16 others brought together by Seattle-based Global Citizen Journey (GCJ) whose goal is build understanding, peace and friendship among different cultures of the world.

GCJ delegates work on service projects, hold workshops and dialogue, and do other work while establishing grassroots relationships with the people they visit.

Last month, Partnow was in Oporoza to attend the ground breaking for the library. "It one of our most powerful and inspiring moments," she said.

GCJ is working with the Niger Delta Professionals for Development, which is coordinating the logistics of building the library which is intended to serve the entire region.

The library is in an area with only 40-percent literacy and classrooms currently lack textbooks. Nigerians value the importance of their children's learning as a way to empower them to advocate for their community.

The library project brought two tribes who were at odds with each other together. The Ijaw and Itsekiri tribes who had been fighting put away their differences. Some of their mistrust is the result of oil and the problems it created in their homeland. Partnow explained that oil was discovered in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria in the 1950s and drilling devastated the environment.

Partnow said every major oil company is doing work in the region, including Chevron. The oil pumped from the region has become a major supplier to the United States and the Niger Delta has become the seventh largest oil-producing region in the world.

Despite the rich oil reserves, Oporoza is in the poorest region of the country. There is no sanitation, electricity, running water, clinics or transportation. The local population, consisting of 40 regional tribes, had been used to living off the land through fishing and agriculture. Now, much of the water and land are polluted.

"The (oil) companies do not mitigate their impact on the environment. They are not listening to the plight of the people," said Partnow.

On this latest trip, Partnow and her fellow delegates will have do finishing work on the library. Volunteers will do planting, painting and make a peace pole.

The Seattle delegation will join a delegation of Nigerians to work on the library together. Its small by American standards, only the size of two classrooms.

When the library opens with a celebration, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell plans to attend.

"We're going as citizen diplomats, meeting with various people in the community, the government, Chevron, the U.S. Embassy and traditional Nigerian leaders," said Partnow.

Partnow and her colleagues will hold talks with Ijaw and Itsekiri members to listen to their stories and concerns.

"The events that unfolded last month taught us that as international citizen diplomats from outside the country, we arrive with tremendous power. We are learning to 'leverage our privilege.' It has opened many doors and allowed us to bring much needed attention and support to this significantly challenged part of the world," said Partnow.

"I see our world is in deep trouble. I ask myself how we can create a world of peace and a sustainable world. Change has to come in an individual's heart and between us as human beings. This project is my answer to create a live global network to awaken us to our global citizenship to give hope and inspiration," said Partnow.

The Seattle delegation includes teachers, a librarian, environmental engineers, and environmental policy students ranging in age from 21 to 72.

Delegates are chosen for diversity of age, gender, ethnicity and religious affiliation with a wide range of skills like high technology, business, agriculture, public health, education or the arts.

Each participant pays for their own $1,350 airfare and raise their own money to support the projects they work on.

"We as Americans, we have a lot of privilege. This is grassroots diplomacy that gives us way to leverage and share that privilege in a way that benefits the host country where we go," said Partnow.

The Seattle group leaves on November 16 for two and a half weeks. There will be a send-off celebration on November 10 from 7-9 p.m. at Antioch University, 2326 Sixth Ave., Room 201. Call 282-0880.

Visit www.globalcitizenjourney.org for more information or to make a contribution.