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 21st 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.