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A Youth Initiative in the Western Balkans
This project is currently partially supported by USAID and the Balkan Trust for Democracy
INTRODUCTION
The Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe (CDRSEE) during the first week of September held a unique workshop that brought together 25 young curious minds from the region of the Western Balkans. At a small hotel in a Greek village by the sea, these 25 young participants were encouraged to think out of the box, come up with innovative ideas and become leaders of a better future in the region where they reside.
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“We must make way for the new generations for
if we do not, they will impose themselves anyway”
Luciano Lama |
‘The young delude themselves about their future;
the old folks about their past”
Decoly |
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The results were more than satisfactory. The youth participated in top-class training in transitional justice tools, leadership skills and management and, at the end of the workshop, came up with three original and creative ideas that reach towards their common vision for the region. These projects are the Balkan Cafe , CellNet and Caravan Fest . The young participants themselves are now the ones who are going to run the above-mentioned projects on every level (idea development, fundraising, administration etc), and CDRSEE is committed to facilitating their work.
The Second workshop also had very positive results. The group met again for 3 days in Skopje (22-25 January), where they briefed each other on the individual steps they took, the feedback they got from their communities and they set new goals for the near future. Apart from becoming a cohesive group and forming long-lasting relationships, the participants demonstrated genuine commitment and dedication, enthusiasm and passion for their ideals and purpose. The tangible results form this effort should be seen very soon…
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The objective of "Building a Future Together" is to facilitate a long-term, lasting, and genuine reconciliation process through creative but structured cross-cultural dialogue. The youth workshops will provide a platform for creative ideas for how the subsequent, younger generation can add value to the reconciliation process in Southeast Europe.
The long-term goals are to:
- Empower the youth of SEE to assume responsibility for their own futures;
- Cultivate inspiring and effective future leaders through dialogue and leadership training;
- Encourage agreement on the identification of a common set of values;
- Enhance the work of civil society by increasing linkages and synergies between NGOs and projects.
The shorter-term goals underlying the specific project activities are to:
- Openly discuss the importance of an increasingly multi-cultural and multi-national continent of being able to understand different value systems and points of view;
- Provide an opportunity for networking between young people from the Western Balkans who cannot travel to each other's countries as freely as their parents could;
- Counterbalance the brain drain by providing learning opportunities and stimulating experiences to the youth who stayed in the region rather than leaving for work or studies abroad;
- Give young people a voice in shaping their own future, thus giving them ownership and hopefully leadership of the process of reconciliation;
Project Action Plans
Below is a small desctiprion of the two project that they participants are currently developing, “Balkan Cafe” and “Caravan Fest”.
The Proposal of the Youth Empowerment group
Balkan Cafe
Mission Statement: To promote Balkan multicultural cooperation and communication among young people through the establishment of a chain of common "Balkan Cafes" that provide quality free time by offering music, books, newspapers, events and other cultural elements from around the region.
Goal: To set up a chain of Balkan Cafes that creates and spreads the "Balkan Cafe Culture" amongst youth.
"Balkan Cafe Culture": A shared appreciation of Balkan and pop cultures.
Phase I: Software
Internet site (www.balkancafe.org)
Workshop 2 (establishment of principles, instruments, cooperation with other groups, etc.)
Activities (music, literature, art, etc.)
Phase II: Hardware
Workshop 3 (specialists)
Workshop 4 (set up the first cafe)
CD compilation, etc.
The Proposal of the New Balkan Image group
CARAVAN FEST
- Young people promoting the “New Balkan” image
- A color screen of the Balkans, through an Omnibus documentary that is part of a wider Caravan Fest
- Presenting a new, energetic and creative reality in the Balkans
- Promoting top quality talent in the region
- Showing that THERE IS A POSITIVE BALKANS
Framework:
- One film/country
- Max 15 minutes
- Local stories, Local crew
TIME FRAME: (preparatory)
- March 15 Deadline for synopsis, crew list, samples, budget
- March-June Fundraising
- 1 June Start of filming
- 1 August Editing begins
- 15 August Post production
- 1 September Party at the BALKAN CAFE!!!
- Rest of the year Caravan Fest!
New Balkan Image Group
TAKING OWNERSHIP! |
