issue 0 * yeu’s newsletter * november - … · issue 0 * yeu’s newsletter * november build...

ISSUE 0 * YEU’S NEWSLETTER * NOVEMBER

Build Bridges,Not Walls.

2003, Portugal, Internacional Youth Convention

Comunication as a tool to prevent conflicts

Past Months Activities on page 9

YEU * page 3 * YEU, NEAR FUTURE ACTIVITIES * page 6

* PAST MONTHS ACTIVITIES page 9 * FUTURE NGO’SINTERNACIONAL PROJECTS * page 13 * BUILDBRIDGES, NOT WALLS CONVENTION: MY OPINION* page 16 * HELLO, TO EVERYBODY * page 20 * THE NEWYEU ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES * page 21

This is not to be considered as SPAM, your e-mail address was in YEU's DataBase.If you don´t want to receive this newsletter just send a blank e-mail to

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

In the future this box can be usedfor the sentence of the month... PA

GE 0

3

“My dear YEU friends,

We live in a world of constant challenges due to high speed changes in all the dimensions of our local, national and global existence! YEU as an International Non Governmental Youth Organization is also in constant change and answering to the new challenges of this III millennium. 2003 is being a very important year for YEU. We started a process towards development of the network and its members in the Assembly of Participating Nations (APN) in March of this year where we adopted an action plan (reflecting our strategy for the next two years) that we have been putting in practice and from which I highline the following:a) Internal organizational developmentThe GB and Umbrella members present in the first meeting in Düsseldorf on the 2nd of March 2003 decided to constitute committees of work and propose a division of responsibilities within GB and Umbrella ( check box on the right ).

Any questions that you might have concerning one of these Committees, just contact them directly or the Head Office.We are preparing a new system that will develop our internet communication hopefully. Especially now that we need to send the newsletter and improve the communication inside the network.

One working Group is making the YEU Codex, a book with description of YEU international (YEU Philosophy, history, the logo, external relations, patronage, the structure of YEU, activities, human resources, working groups and thematic groups, education and YEU, network) and the local level (how to create a NB, NB management, fundraising, public relations, how to organise activities, NB rights and responsibilities). People for this group are still needed since the current team estimates to finish first version only in the end of 2004.

The Head Office room was rearranged this last weekend by me, Tanie, Jacques, Tiago, Margarida, Nuno and even Lili from Germany since she was visiting us. This rearrangement had mainly to due with the need to adapt the space to have a higher capacity to involve more volunteers and answer faster to their needs. Therefore we now have an organized library to support our work and we have a local network with three computers plus two laptops and space for one more computer to be acquired.

Public Relations CommitteeNikoleta [email protected] Pougioukkas [email protected]

Fundraising CommitteeLina [email protected] [email protected]

Human Resources CommitteeSener [email protected] Petrou

Events CommiteeMichael Mc [email protected] [email protected]

Communication CommitteeSener UnalBaris [email protected]

Networking CommitteeRuben BuhagiarMichael Mc CaulVusal [email protected]

Working Groups CommitteeTanja [email protected]

Ferhat [email protected]

YEU


At the moment, I am coordinating a number of projects and resources from the head office, Tanie is working on the accounts and also some reports and Jacques is taking care of YEU image, producing the design of this newsletter and also of the future webpage (it will be ready in the beginning of November with some surprises), the new leaflet and all the promotion materials. He will also be responsible for the YEU 20 year's celebration book that will come out next year. Nikoletta made a huge contribute to this book this summer when she made our database of activities since the beginning of YEU until nowadays. We have also three volunteers doing several things every now and then: Margarida is helping with some lobby actions to raise the budget of European Youth Foundation and with administrative stuff. Nuno and Tisha organized the library by categories and bookmarked all the books with colours. They are also developing a research in their university (in their course of “Community education and intervention”) to find out what extra curriculum needs especially in the area of non-formal education the students of their course might have. The future step will be to develop a partnership between YEU and the University of Algarve to have trainings, workshops and seminars in connection with the University specially designed to the students. Tiago is member of the working group responsible for the YEU Codex and he will support Tanja's effort to do this book.Unfortunately Satya Velez left in September his part time job with us as website and project manager due to other challenges in is life! He will continue working as volunteer with us and as a trainer in every interesting project that happens. Thank you for your contribute my friend! Free the mandinga!

b) Development of the Human Resources;The Creative Organizer Guide to organize international exchanges will be ready until the end of the year and will become a useful tool for training activities and to support the organizing teams in future YEU events. Satya and I are working on it to start using this guide in Mollina.The first YEU College will take place in March 2004 in CEULAJ in a small village called Mollina in the south of Spain and will offer the opportunity to our members to develop their skills to be National Leaders and manage groups or the skills to organize international youth exchanges in our network. The teams to organize these trainings are going to be created in November 2003.

Remember that it is always possible to have a practical training experience in the Head office through volunteer work from a period of one to three weeks to a period of six months to one year. Just contact the head office.

c) Expanding the network involving new countries; YEU Activities this year involved youngsters from new partners in countries like Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We still have contacts in countries that are not our members but wish to become involved and send participants to our exchanges. Contact the head office when you plan the activities to involve these contacts.

YEU (continuation)



[email protected]


We can use it for jokes??? PAGE

05

D) Improving the YEU representation on international levelWe continued our effort to become more active in the European platforms, especially in the European Youth Forum where Tanja Held was our representative in the Council of Members in Brussels in April. I had a meeting also in Brussels within the work of the Commission of Affairs of the Council of Europe and some outcomes from that meeting are very relevant to our future. One of them is the revised Charter of Youth Participation on the local and regional Authorities which will be adopted by the Council of Europe members very soon. This is a very good tool to lobby and make concrete actions to establish more participatory systems of youngster in the local and regional life around Europe and border countries. The document will be available in our new webpage very soon. The proposals for activities in the World Youth Festival 2004 (Venue: Barcelona from 7th to 15th of August) are open until Mid December and I invite the members that wish to develop activities there representing YEU, to contact me and send me your proposals since I wish to coordinate a YEU team for this event. For sure a lot will happen in the near future and I am very positive about the development of YEU to reach more effectively more youngsters from more regions and especially to become more inclusive towards disadvantage young people and those coming from border regions of Europe! YEU members have a lot to give to other fellow humans of our world and especially to act as promoters of peace, exchange and understanding among the cultures of the world! I wish that all of you embrace this challenge together and we will make our organization get in the place it belongs on the local, national and international level!

Sarava & Djumanja Uélé

Nuno da Silva Faro, 18th of October 2004

YEU (continuation)


November Seminar in Cyprus ! The group is analysing when will apply again.

New Years Eve 2003/2004 International Youth Seminar in Lithuania“Multicultural Europe: Where to Draw the Line?”

CANCELLED

If you want to participate just contact the headoofice or the Lithuanian group directly (Lina Buzelyta - [email protected]).

ndMollina Spain: Trainings and APN between 10 and 22 of March 2004

“Creative organizer Training How to organize an International Exchange” from 10 to 18 of March 2004

“Creative Leadership Training on intercultural leadership and networking”

Assembly of Participating Nations 2004 20 and 21 of March This activities will take place in CEULAJ Centro Euro Latino Americano de Juventude in the south of Spain!If you are interested contact head office [email protected]

Italy “Youth and Music: A bridge of Notes for European Youngsters”

th thbetween 30 of April and 8 of May 2004 in Bari south of ItalyIf you're interested in this project, send the travel cost and the p.a.letter very very soon by fax with the signature to:Fax : +39 0803340582 Contact YEU ITALIAVia Preti, 15Po. Box 6170056 Molfetta (Ba)<http://www.yeuitalia.it/> www.yeuitalia.it<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]

Tunisia “Modernity and Tradition: A merger for successful future of Young European”

st thBetween 1 and 8 of May 2004So if you want to contribute to make this wonderfull experience possible, please send us the partnership application before the 26 of October and by the way the travel cost from

YEU, NEAR FUTURE ACTIVITIES



[email protected]


Other issues... PAGE

07

your country to Tunisia.For any doubt or question about this exchange don't hesitate to write us on this address :

Turkey “Our Cultural and Environmental Heritage” in the first week of May

So..... Please write me as soon as possible what you think about this exchange.. Do you want to come and honor us :)?? And please answer me QUICKLY because the number of the participants in this exchange is going to be at most 40 and I' m sure it will be fullfilled very soon. We need travel costs from your country to ours and partnership agreement!Contact persons:Sener Unal: +90 536 5733996MustiMustafa Hulusi Sogutlu - [email protected]

YEU Partners Future Projects

[email protected] or [email protected]

Oruba Youth Center - Egypt “Sports and Racism”

st ndbetween 21 of April and 2 of May 200410 countries 1 leader and 3 participants for each country.

stThey are still looking for partners, and will apply until 1 of November to Euro-med programme. Contact person:Mr.Tarek Sherif Email: [email protected] [email protected]

Baladna Association for Arab Youth

Dear Partners, we in Baladna plan to submit an application to the euro Med youth programme action 1 ,in the 1 of November deadline .you can find below the basic idea and the Draft programme please let us know if you are interested to join this programme and if yes please fill theform attached and send back to us to fax number 0097248523427also we will happy to hear your feedback or opinions about this draft. SalamNadem

YEU, NEAR FUTURE ACTIVITIES (continuation)


Mediterranean Cultures sharing the common respecting the differences

This is a youth exchange that Baladna Association is planning to implement in August 2004 in cooperation with our partners.The exchange aims to give participants an opportunity to explore the common and the different in the Mediterranean culture (cultures) through exploring different levels of the culture like music, literature, History, religions, Archeology etc…We believe that after such experience the participants will have a bitter understating of the common values in the med area and will give a bigger respect to the differences. participants will be part of lectures study visits workshops and we will give more emphases for community activism and sharing experiences with local community in different ways for example music and food festival , art day with children in of one of Haifa neighborhoods. The participants will be asked to have different capacities and abilities in different levels of culture. So they can also produce together and share it with others. For more details please contact Nadem Nashef :[email protected] Phone +972-64-403634

Baladna Association for Arab Youth is looking for international volunteer

Volunteer tasks:

Writing grant proposals; assisting in all English language correspondence; maintaining and developing existing funding partnerships; researching and developing new funding; participation in project planning and design. Requirements:Good interpersonal and communication skills; native-level fluency in English is essential and working knowledge of Arabic is preferred; high-level writing and presentation skills; high-level computer literacy.

Experience:

Non-profit NGO experience (volunteer, intern or paid). Experience at grass-roots/community level an advantage; experience in youth work.The volunteering period should be for a minimum of three months. For more details please contact Nadem Nashef :[email protected] +972-64-403634

visit our web site at www.baladnayouth.org

YEU, NEAR FUTURE ACTIVITIES (continuation)



[email protected]


PAST MONTHS ACTIVITIES


In the future this box can be usedfor the sentence of the month...

PAST MONTHS ACTIVITIES(continuation)

International Youth Seminar in Turkey

“Youngsters' Dictionary: PARTICIPATION-Special Focus on the Way to the European Citizenship” 19-28 July 2003 at ERMAN CAMPING in Beldibi ANTALYA.Several youngsters from x countries participated in an international youth exchange that approached themes like participation, active citizenship, youngster and notion of nation, rights, freedom, culture etc. The exchange lasted 9 days spent in Antalya, in a fine camping place by the seaside! This was the second seminar of a long term GAD project about European Citizenship! Be aware…. They will keep on doing this wild activities!!!

International Y outh Seminar in Turkey

Fanatism Plays at Home! “A Youth Exchange on the Topics Fanatism and Racism”

This youth exchange explored the ideas and feelings on the topic fanatism and racism. Fanatism, especially in sports, is something that most of the young people practices, even without thinking enough on the possible bad results that it may create. On the other hand, racism is usually considered as a topic for historians and sociologists although it has a very big effect on the lives of people, lives of youngsters. Therefore, it was aimed to work on fanatism and racism, their similarities and differences, and give the ground to participants to explore the topic.The Partner Countries were:Cyprus, Tunisia, Malta, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Greece, Portugal and UK.

Congratulations to the Turkish team and specially to Sener Unal, Baris Kocabasoglu and Ferhat Butev for their efforts to develop GAD and produce such quality exchanges!

Jobshadowing Experiences in YEU Head Office

We had three YEU members doing practical work experience in the Head Office of YEU in Faro for three weeks this year!

Sener Unal was the first to come to Faro in February to support the preparation of the Training Course in Dusseldorf and the Assembly of Participating Nations that happened also in Dusseldorf! He learned some very important Portuguese sentences like “O pai já vai!” or “Tou de Férias” showing how much was the intercultural exchange and learning taking place!Nikoletta Petrou came to the head office in July and she made a database with all the activities of YEU since the beginning of it in 1983 and she even found out that we had an exchange in India in the 80's! That's for real people…maybe we can repeat it one of this days? She also worked on the Public relations affairs of YEU since she is the responsible for PR Committee.



[email protected]



Tanja Held also came in July, a little bit later than Nico! She had to catch up with Portuguese team speed to organize the Convention since she was Core Team member and her task was to support the organization of this event! She also managed to see a little bit of the archive of YEU to find data for the Operational rules update and for the conception of YEU Codex since she is the Governing Board member responsible for the working groups of this two documents.

Thank you all and come back soon! The office is empty without you!

Training Greek and Turkish Cipriots

See info already done!

Training Turkish And Greek Cypriots

th nd24 of April to 2 of May, 2003

Two years ago, in September 2001, the Cypriot group of YEU Youth for Exchange and Understanding (YEU presentation in next chapter) organized and international exchange in Cyprus under the theme “Culture of Peace” where 40 youngsters learned and debated conflict resolution techniques with intercultural educational tools and non-formal methods. One of the several outcomes of this exchange was the idea of developing another project to improve the contact between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

Today this project is a reality and is already in the last phase of reports and follow up. The fourth activity of the project was a training course on “Project management” for 20 young

th ndTurkish and Greek Cypriots between the 24 of April and 2 of May, 2003 in Arrábida Convent, property of Orient Foundation.

This training had two phases that provided in a non-formal way, tools and methods that would allow these youngsters to develop further common projects in the future. The first phase took place in the first two days and focused on intercultural education. We took the trainees in a travel towards their inner behaviours, tackling stereotypes, prejudices and cultural constructions to improve the awareness to this phenomena's. We also approached democratic values such as citizenship and youth participation in society. The second phase consisted in the project management training specifically. In this phase, the trainees learned how to conceptualize and develop projects in a multicultural environment.

We had a fantastic experience with this youngsters and the atmosphere was of friendship, joy

Project Development TrainingIntercultural Team Confidence Building

“You can change if you want !”


We can use it for jokes???


and hope and in the end all the group adopted the name Arrábida Cypriots!!!

As direct outcome of this training the participants held a youth festival in Cyprus in the beginning of October with music, traditional dances, handcraft and presentation of the experiences they had in our training. We expect to have an article about this festival in our next issue in November.

A big thanks to Demetra and Elena for taking the huge task of managing this Project and making it real and especially for giving us the opportunity to participate in it. Nuno da SilvaRui Afonso Satya Velez Natália Estrelo



[email protected]


OTHER NGO’S PROJECTSBalkan Youth Project

Dear members, The Balkan Youth Project offers a number of EVS projects to young people, through an agreement with the European Commission, aiming to promote a better understanding of the youth NGO reality in South East Europe and other parts of Europe. It supports non-formal education opportunities for young people through transnational voluntary service, which directly and actively involves young people in activities designed to meet the needs of society in a wide range of fields.

A BYP EVS project allows a young person to be a volunteer in another country for a specified period, between 3 and 6 months. Voluntary service activities can take place, for example, in the fields of environment, arts and culture, activities with children, youth policy, the elderly, heritage, or sports and leisure, media and communication, European awareness, etc. Volunteers will participate in activities that take place in a country other than where the volunteer lives, are non-profit-making and unpaid, bring an added value to the local community, don't involve job substitution and last for a limited period (maximum 6 months).

The EVS projects offered through the BYP are on a one-to-one basis (i.e. one volunteer goes from one country to another) and involves a partnership between a volunteer, a sending organisation, a host organisation and a co-ordinating organisation (European Youth Forum and Care International).

One organisation should come from the following countries or entities: - Albânia; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; Kosovo; Serbia; Montenegro; Macedonia.

The other organisation should come from a EU member state. Criteria for sending and hosting organisations: - EVS project should contribute to the development of the BYP; - Sending and host organisations should submit a list of activities over the last 12 months; - Organisations have to be democratic youth structures; - Only youth NGOs are eligible (not youth service organisations); - Clear planning and understanding between hosting and sending organisation; - Projects should involve young people with less opportunities.

The volunteers should know the local language or have a language of communication agreed with the host organisation and they have to submit their curriculum vitae and a letter of motivation with the application form. Priority will be given to individuals who have not been involved in previous international activities. Please also note that women are encouraged to apply.

More detailed explanation of the EVS exchanges inside the BYP can be found in BYP EVS user's guide. You can download the user's guide and the call for the application BYP-EVS from <http://www.balkanyouthproject.net/> or contact Luiza Bara ([email protected]) or Darko Paranos ([email protected]).The application deadline is January 30th. Please find enclosed the call for proposals EVS, the application form as well as the users'guide. We are looking forward to receiving your applications.


Other issues...

OTHER NGO’S PROJECTS(continuation)

Video Contest « Youth's Vision On Development »

Organised By Wfuna Et CongoOn the occasion of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), WFUNA (World Federation of the United Nations Associations) and CONGO (Conference of NGOs in consultative relationship with the United Nations) have the pleasure to announce the launch of a Video Contest for Young People around the World on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Why a Video Contest ?

Audiovisual is one proved way to educate and sensitise populations to a specific issue. Bringing Youth to think on how to show their views and ideas about the MDGs could be an effective way to start a discussion about this vast programme, central to the United Nations Secretary General. The video works we are expecting to receive, may not provide answers to questions related to the MDGs, but are likely to raise new debates.

The 1st World Summit on the Information Society will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 10 to 12 December 2003. This summit will focus on the possibilities of bridging the digital gap between the Northern and the Southern Countries, by gathering the various actors of this process namely NGOs, Governments and Private Sector.

The MDGs and the WSIS are two linked issues. We believe that bridging the digital gap is one step toward the achievement of the MDGs. Educating the youth to this essential issue and make them participate actively in the process constitutes a target in itself.

The video work dealing with any MDG can tackle the issue from any wished angle: Express any critic to the implementation of that MDG in the national context

· Showing a successful example of implementation of any MDG · Showing the difficulty of the implementation of any MDG · Showing your hope or action taken related to any MDG · Imagine any symbolic idea linked to any MDG Every Participant is invited to send a video work dealing with one single MDG. However, the participant can send up to eight video works, each one dealing with a different MDG. Selected video works will be screened in an open space made available for WFUNA and CONGO at the WSIS, on 10th December 2003.

To know more about MDGs please connect to:

http://www.ngocongo.org/mdg.htm To know more about WSIS please connect to the following links : · http://www.geneva2003.org/wsis/indexa03.htm · http://www.ngocongo.org/newsletters.htm to read the CONGO Newsletters covering the WSIS Prepcom 1-5 July 2002, Geneva We would very much welcome your participation in this special event organized by WFUNA and CONGO. Looking forward to receiving your contributions,

Kouraich Jaouhadou , CONGO Communication Officer : [email protected]

Béatrice Lueber , WFUNA Programme Officer : [email protected]



[email protected]


OTHER NGO’S PROJECTS(continuation)

Youth Information Fair "Teeviit 2003"...

th... is 10 of its kind and will take place in Estonian Fair Centre in Tallinn, December 4-6, 2003. The Fair is organised by Estonian Youth Work Centre. "Teeviit 2003" is an INFORMATION FAIR providing useful facts and other forms of information: - studying possibilities in Estonia and abroad- free time spending possibilities- hobby activities- youth camps- youth organisations - school equipment companies- publishers Target group of the fair consists of pupils, students, teachers, parents, youth workers and other professionals working with or for youngsters. Last year "Teeviit 2002" had 150 exhibitors and about 20 000 visitors, who were mostly young people. We are inviting You to participate at "Teeviit 2003", to introduce your activities at the biggest youth information fair in Estonia. Venue: Estonian Fair Centre , 28 Pirita Road, Tallinn, EstoniaFor further information please visit our web-site http://www.teeviit.ee or contact: Estonian Youth Work CentreUuslinna 10, 11415 Tallinn, Estonia E-mail: [email protected] + 372 638 0756

Project manager: Ms HELEN-LIIS RIDBECK tel + 372 638 0762Foreign relations: Ms ANNEKREET HEINLOO tel + 372 638 0763

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR “ Eastern Links: The Challenge of Barriers”

Dear friends,The ASSOCIATION EUROACCION is organizing an international seminar dealing with Education in Human Rights with Young People, in Spain from the 1st to 7th of November in Lorca (Murcia - SPAIN).

Interested people can send their expression of interest to [email protected]

PARTICIPANT COUNTRIES (ONLY PARTICIPANTS FROM THOSE COUNTRIES WILL BE ADMITTED)Sweden; Poland; Estonia; Latvia; Greece; Macedonia; Czech Republic; Hungary; Slovenia; Letonia; GermanyECONOMIC CONDITIONS 70% reimbursement of plane tickets (not exceeding from 350 Eur)- 50 Eur - participation fee (to be discounted from the reimbursement).- Board & lodging full covered for the organization.



“BUILD BRIDGES, NOT WALLS”My Point of View

THE 2003 CONVENTION in PORTUGAL

10th to 26th August - Faro V.N. de Gaia Alcochete

“ YEU's work towards Intercultural Education is very important for the times we are living now.

In european context, the boarders are being opened to the free circulation of people, which will

allow the enlargement of each one's options as well the increasing of mobility. At a youth level,

it is possible to prevent the possible problems that can occur, and this work becomes more

important as people realise the meaning of this kind of events.

My personal view of the Convention that occurred in Portugal is that it was a major event to the

people who participated. The subject, “Building Bridges Not Walls Communication as Tool to

Prevent Conflict”, is something that is very important to work on, especially if the group

gathered for this kind of discussion is rich in different cultural backgrounds, allowing to input

several particular knowledge and thinking to the subject. In this Convention, this happened,

improving the final personal achievements.

During the program, scheduled for 15 intense working days, the group reacted well and

participated in the most of activities planed; some were really hard to do: Voyage, a game

played in V.N. Gaia, won the price for the most difficult activity presented. By other hand, many

inputs to conflict resolution were given, using games and working group sessions, which gave

the people possibility do dialog and set common definitions.

The program was complete and it meant to develop in participants the ability to deal with

possible conflict situations and also to capacitate the people into resolution of those conflicts.

The major difference that I realise was the definition that each one had for conflict and, most

important, what is a conflict; from the countries represented, each one related their home

conflict situations as the only conflict situation: this makes us realize how different and unique

a conflict can be.

In general, all the time we spent together was productive, new relationships were started,

working ideas were presented and best of all, the understanding of the other's differences was

easily overcame by the will that all showed to have; this attitude is the start for Conflict

Resolution, so, this Convention was, again, a big success.To all the friends and organization, thank you for being a part of a such enriching experience!!! YEU rules!.”

Tiago Vasco



[email protected]



(continuation)

21/09/2003 Minsk, Belarus

“Build bridges, not walls” or International Youth Convention as a tool to change the world.”

Several months before the convention a series of interconnected mysterious events happened in my life the sense of which I still try to understand. These events have led me to Portugal, almost by a lucky chance, so to say.At first, the major aim of my participation in the Convention was to learn as much as possible about the activities of YEU as I strongly decided to head the national group of this organization. I expected the people planning to show up at the Convention to be national leaders and the Convention aim is to gather all together, discuss activities at the national level establishing contacts for further international cooperation. These were my expectations.

Besides, I was motivated to satisfy my “cultural curiosity”. Just imagine: 50 participants' international team from all over the world! When I saw the list of participants enumerating 20 countries, I was surprised. What a nice opportunity to learn about the countries I knew almost nothing of. And I wasn't confused by small representation of Eastern Europeans: only Estonians, Lithuanians, Moldavians and Romanians came to the Convention. The rest are inhabitants of southern European states and from the Mediterranean region. It should be fantastically interesting!

The Convention was not the first in the list of my foreign trips. Have been working in the non-governmental sector for five years I had opportunities to take part in various international youth activities. Thus, heading for Portugal I had a vision of what is going to happen: program, seminars, workshops, games, people, communication in foreign language, new friends, great expectations, fears to be misunderstood, disappointments, farewells and promises to start something like that in my own country...You know that feeling, don't you?

However!

At last I am in Portugal. A small town Faro in southern tourist area Algarve. Day One. Arrival.Acquaintance with new cultures broke all my stereotypes and went far beyond the measures of expected. Cultural features, making us so different, turned out to be an opening for me. Never could I think that behavior of people living in various parts of Europe can be so different. Having found myself in the group of 40 people I felt another-planet feeling. Let me not speak about various continents!


We can use it for jokes???


(continuation)

The first special thing to notice and experience was a traditional Portuguese smile-greeting and two kisses. We, Eastern Europeans or, in some others' interpretation “people from North “possessing “icy” characters and cold behavior got used to keep the distance. That's why we are not at ease and slightly shocked at the cultures where people name each other brothers, smile, give kisses and hugs. I am far from analyzing if that's good or bad. It is different. In any case, no matter how we feel, we should know and respect the culture of the country we are guests of.

The Convention program presupposed presentation by each participant of his/her country. We sang, danced, talked about politics, staged small plays, studied geographical maps, tasted national drinks and did hundred of other funny and serious things. Each of us had an opportunity to learn about culture and behavior of people from 20 world countries.

Let's come back to expectations. The first days brought a slight disappointment. Having learned the group members I realized that most of them were far from national leaders and had a vague idea of how the third sector and YEU function. Most of the participants didn't see clear Convention and YEU aims. It was a puzzle for me in what way am I going to work with these people and what can come out of this.The time went on. I had to be patient. The people became closer but at the same time more alert. Some days later I understood that my preliminary conclusions were false.

Never expect from the Convention what I did! That's neither seminar nor training, symposium, organizational meeting to discuss further policies (underline necessary). It is youth cultural exchange! This event has few similarities with events held by other youth organizations.

At the end of the first week two workshops were organized: «Story telling» (led by Ricardo Viegas) and «Body percussion» (led by Rui Afonso). These two were really the best ones in the whole program in my opinion and, maybe due to them, my life has changed!“Story telling” was like a small theater. Every participant could choose a role for himself, should master a puppet and stage a small play, composing a story. We all felt real actors.

“Body percussion” looked like lessons of collective meditation. The basic idea was to show incredible and impossible to the group. Everyone could be composer using just his own body. We played our fingers, stamped and clamped, made a plastic-bottle orchestra, emitted various sounds, danced. Everyone was proud of his success. This time we were musicians.

These workshops helped me to realize what the Convention is, what we gathered here for, and why it will be helpful! We had opportunities to do things I never suspected of before. A



[email protected]



(continuation)

man has immense potential! When you start doing things you never did before and what seems impossible for you, you start feeling self-confident! These tasks are just games but it is the game that makes you think about things you never thought of!

Before one starts doing something useful for the society one has to do something for himself. Many times I came back from international training on leadership or human rights equipped with information, materials, quality diploma and the wish to do something but all the attempts were vain. Why?!Because fears win over wish.Because there is no self-confidence.Because we drive ourselves into limits.Because there are things we can't do.

The Convention is the way to discover oneself! Learning of one's abilities and gain of confidence guarantees self-realization of a person. The first step towards success is to win over all one's fears and to destroy all doubts concerning one's abilities. That was one of the main Convention aims as well as to make new people friends, to show them variety of world cultures, to make them think about the things they never thought of before, to motivate them for work in the organization and to change the world together!When you learn yourself you can do much for the others.

The second Convention week was in the biology park Vila Nova de Gaia in northern nd

Portugal, not far from Porto. By the middle of the 2 week the group was inseparable. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, the people felt positive energy emitted by others, everyone felt at ease that simplified communication and work. As one of the basic topics of the Convention was conflict, at the beginning of the second week exercises and role games were held on this topic.

A new period of our staying there began not always the things go right way. In some cases in order to evaluate the events, to clear up the feelings we have, to analyze the importance of a moment in our lives or just to understand the people surrounding us we have to experience stress situation.

The role game “Voyage” provided for us such an opportunity. A conflict has grown inside the group and the people didn't know how to react, being full of negative emotions and disappointments. It is better to play conflicts, to solve the problems in the artificial situation. That helps to meet real challenge.

The last week we spent in the village of Alcochete, near Lisbon. We worked on the topic Conflict Glossary. I experienced a new role. It turned out that one mustn't be a scholar to


Other issues...


(continuation)

Give definitions for such notions as conflict, religion, politics, communication etc. Each of us can do that. Each of us will be right. We felt confident again.

Last days.Joy. Disappointment. Surprise. Excitement. Calmness. Tiredness. Hope. Communication. Silence. Mystery. Love. Friendship. Curiosity. Belief. Power. Fears. Loss. Gain. Conviction. Confirmation. Confusion.

Each of us felt that. Each of us thought of that.We are together!

Radaslava ViachorkaNational leader of YEU group

“HELLO EVERYBODY”

Hello everybody,I'm Jaques and i'm just starting to embrace this big adventure called YEU. Has you must know by now ( if you read this Issue ) i'm the new responsible for Yeu's image, in replacement of "big" Satya.The first thing that i feel, has i step into the internal of Yeu, and after the big "Build Bridges" Convention, is the need to exchange information, to know and to let know what's going on in our countries and this big “problem” is in some way transmited in this Issue 0 of this Newsletter.This Newsletter is still going to ghange, this isn’t the final format, and for the future, and to make it more usefull and practical we're going to create some basic "rules" that are going to be available for everyone who wants and needs to share info.Still much work on this.There are big ideas for the WebSite, and i´ve received some contacts of people who wants to help, like Baris, that i'm going to contact as soon as possible. I just need some time to put things in place, to organize the project so that from now on we can be just a little bit closer to each other.Thank You all, and see you next month.

Jaques [email protected]



[email protected]


THE NEW YEU ELECTEDREPRESENTATIVES

1. THE GOVERNING BOARD 2003 / 2005

President Ruben Buhagiar (Malta):

Vice-President - Michael Mc Caul (Northern Ireland):

Treasurer Natália Estrelo :Public Relations (PR) responsible Nikolleta Petrou (Greece):Fundraising (FR) responsible Lina Buzelyta (Lithuania):Human Resources responsible Sener Unal (Turkey):Working groups responsible Tanja Held (Germany)

2. THE UMBRELLA

a) General Assembly: - Chair president: Lina Buzelyta;- Chair vice-president: Barish Kocabasoglu;- Chair secretary: Nikoleta Petrou

b) Directors Board: - President: Ruben Buhagiar,- Vice-president: Michael Mc Caul;- Treasurer: Natália Estrelo- Member: Sener Unal;- Member: Tanja Held.

c) Finantial Committee: - President: Verenna Damm;- Reporter: Christos Pougioukkas;- Voting member: Ferhat Butev.

3. THE SECRETARY GENERAL - Nuno da Silva (Portugal):



issue 0 * yeu’s newsletter * november - … · issue 0 * yeu’s newsletter * november build...

Documents