Youth 1.1 ALL TOGETHER FOR A BETTER WORLD

The European Youth in Action 1.1. project „ALL TOGETHER FOR A BETTER WORLD – TOTI IMPREUNA PENTRU O LUME MAI BUNA” started its activities on 02/12/2011 until 30/04/2012, the main event, hosting all the youngsters groups (36 youngsters, including their leaders) from the participating countries (Turkey - Bolu, Italy – Palermo, Bulgaria – Sofia, Hungary – Sata, Romania – Pitesti) happening within 21/04/2012 – 29/04/2012, at Pitesti, Arges, Romania. The youngsters participated at non-formal educational activities, workshops and discussions on previously settled up themes as: volunteering activities in different EU countries, EU citizenship, EU youth policies as presentation of EU Youth projects, SALTO organization and all the possibilities youngsters could have to reinforce their participation in those EU actions, specially conceived for them, and all these during the whole 7 fully working days, except traveling days. Obviously, the intercultural dialogue has been completed by thematic visits to important cultural heritage objectives as County Museum of Arges (where the youngsters had the possibility to know better culturally the place where they were hosted), Poienari Fortress and Curtea de Arges Monastery, as treasures of our regional landmarks of identity. Youngsters could also interact with local authorities, as Arges County Council, where they have been received by the Vice-president, Mrs. Simona Bucura-Oprescu, having also the possibility to spread and to disseminate our project objectives and activities in the local media, at a large level (newspapers: http://ziarobiectiv.ro/index.php/social/zeci-de-studenti-straini-viziteaza-argesul.html,http://curier.ro/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34092&Itemid=373, as well as local TV News – Curier TV (on December 2011) and Arges TV: http://youthandfuture.ro/proiect_info.php?i=51&a=desc), besides our organization official press communicates: on 03.12.2011, at the start of the activities and on 21^st of April 2012, at the start of the week-activities.

The general objective of this project has been development of solidarity and promotion of tolerance within civil society generally, especially within youngsters, according to EU active citizenship and EU volunteering year, not forgetting about strengthening EU cooperation in youth field or consolidation of social cohesion in EU society, all those through non-formal educational activities.

So, during these 9 days, in Pitesti, from 21.04.2012 till 29.04.2012, the participants have shared EU main ideals, in one intercultural climate and awareness of the common European values!

„ALL TOGETHER FOR A BETTER WORLD – TOTI IMPREUNA PENTRU O LUME MAI BUNA” sustained also volunteering through human solidarity and social inclusion of the disadvantaged children, having one thematic visit and non-formal workshop activities with the children from Sfintii C-tin si Elena Centre, from Pitesti, on 25/04/2012, as well as making one donation consisting in educational books and toys for children (learning foreign languages tools, puzzles, books, bilingual books, children books, toys, colouring tools etc.), albums, posters from all EU countries, which will remain one source of information and new knowledge about EU countries and one agreable memory about this not so ordinary meeting for the disadvantaged children (orphans, poor or separated from their parents). Also, the effect for the EU youngsters was amazing, because they have been impressed how these children were obliged to live, without love and careness of one home and they realized how lucky they were and how they should appreciate from now on their richness – to have one family and one home. They have been emotionally touched and they understood that we should never forget that there are disadvantaged people who need our attention, that one responsible youngster should show sympathy and work for social cohesion and tolerance.

All the participants have had the possibility to gain new and different cultural knowledge, through non-formal educational methods (presentations in PPT, communication in one foreign vehicle language as English, speaking in front of an auditory – Public coffee place, developing analysis and resuming capacity through the activities, raising curiosity and emotional implication through various visits and interactions they had - Street events – Arges County Council, Childcare Centre and Museum of Arges), in order that they become aware of the EU fundamental principle: unity through diversity, in the spirit of main priority in YiA Action: development of intercultural skills within youth. All became aware concerning their mission of social integration of other similar disadvantaged youngsters, accomplishing other main objective in Youth Program: solidarity, tolerance in order to strengthen social cohesion inside EU borders and not only. Regarding back, I realize that every youngster has left our town enriched, because the success of the activities triggered the consciousness of their own personal success, raising though self respect, one subsidiary result, but with maximal effect on personal development of one youngster`s personality. Project encouraged promoting inter generational dialogue, fight against poverty and social exclusion, volunteering as one society integration tool, communication and tolerance. All those are EU actual policies and priorities till 2018 at least. It is vital to offer to youth possibility to accomplish their maximum potential, not only investing in them, but offerring them solutions to improve their life, making them responsible, thus contributing at one durable development of EU society.