LIFE+ | The Greek Youth Exchange “Prop@genda”

The Youth Exchange project titled “Prop@genda” took place in the beautiful touristic village of Arnaia, Khalkidhiki, Greece. From the second until the thirteenth of August five participants from six countries (Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia and Bulgaria) took part in activities of non-formal education and artistic workshops that addressed topics of the existent political propaganda in social networks (processing and analysis of such messages), strengthened the European identity of young people, broke any prejudices and stereotypes and created an intercultural dialogue on the pathogenesis of propaganda in different countries of the European Union.

After the first two days of ice breaking activities where we got to know each other better, we had a guest called Ana who was a well establish journalist and she thought us what propaganda is, its history, depiction of art and how to recognize it. In addition we were taught the notion of fake news, what their existence means in social media, and how it can determine whole voting outcomes due to rapid propagation. She was with us for four days and we did some fun and different activities like debates on social media, sketches, an outdoor treasure hunting in which we got to see and learn more about Arnaia and its history and we also did some more chill games. One favorite activity of mine was when we were split into 5 different groups and had full access to the beautiful stage in the educational center we were accommodated in.

We had the task of recreating a news broadcast and each team had a director, an editor, journalists, newscaster and a guest commentator. On our free day we went to the beach on a island close to Stratoni and we went there by a boat, we stayed there for almost the whole day and we could swim to the others islands that were near us.

Finally, the last day came. That day we presented our final task which was to make a video about raising awareness against propaganda. After that we played a goodbye game where everyone got to write a note to the others from the group and give them something to remember. I don’t know if the others cried but I most certainly did. Afterwards we just spent all the time we had left together creating memories we wont ever forget.

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by Ognyan Gabrovski

LIFE+ | The summer YE "Youth Unity and Inclusive Camp"

On the 20th of July, more than 30 people from all over the Balkans gathered in the mall village of Stratoni, Greece on a Youth Exchange funded by the Erasmus+ program, to discuss current world issues like Economic and migration crisis, social tensions, Schengen crisis, exclusion of minorities and similar matters particularly targeting young people with fewer opportunities.

We had discussion and intense debates on topics like gender equality, social exclusion, racism, politics, active youth, history of our respective countries of origin and much more. We did yoga, laughed, recounted stories, shared experiences, played sports, and gained knowledge from one another. We discussed our shared ideals and discovered that no matter how varied our life stories are, there is always something that brings us together.

We were able to accomplish all of this using non-formal approaches such as interactive theater, collaborative learning, peer teaching, ice breakers, work in pairs, daily evaluations among others.

It was a Youth Exchange filled with emotions, memories, good times, new friendships and connections, love and happy moments.

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by Detelina Marinova

LIFE+ | The breathtaking "Outdoor Rocks"

This youth exchange took place between 16 - 27 July 2021 in Bălan, Romania – a beautiful mountain town with amazing views and interesting opportunities, related to hiking and climbing. The first two days the whole group did teamwork activities and get-to-know-each-other games. These were the days, in which we took our time to learn everyone’s names, age, country and other interesting things about the other participants. The sessions were long, but pleasant and everyone had a good time. The accommodation was very comfortable, and the food was delicious.

The next few days were dedicated to learning about climbing, climbing equipment, hiking, dangers of hiking, etc. We had different activities related to the topic. We learnt how to properly tie the rope before starting to climb, what to bring on a long hike, what to do if someone gets injured and got introduced to the equipment needed for our climb.

After the first few days and activities, we finally went on the hike. It was three/four hours long and it was exhausting, but no one was complaining, and everyone enjoyed themselves. The views on the way were breathtaking and the group’s atmosphere was very fun. When we finally got to the top, everyone was tired, but the view became even more beautiful and we got to have lunch on a green meadow, in front of a big mountain hut, breathing fresh air and having a great time. When everyone took a break and was ready, the climbing activity started. For a lot of people this was their first time climbing, but we had a lot of help from the professionals, and everything went smoothly.

We also had a free day, in which we visited a nearby town and got to talk to some scouts. They showed us pictures from previous adventures and told us interesting stories. After that, we had the whole day for ourselves and everyone did as they wished.

The next day was also dedicated to hiking and climbing. It was in the same place as before, but we still enjoyed it, because we got to climb again, and everyone was happy. Some people came solely because of the climbing, some just wanted to take the hiking route again, we were all free to choose what we wanted to do. Those who chose to climb had the help of the professionals again and everything was safe.

Finally, the last day came. That day we did some final work on our Youth pass certificates and played some saying-goodbye games. Everyone got to write a note to the others from the group and give them something to remember. The atmosphere was sad, because by that time everyone made friends and we didn’t want to leave the beautiful Bălan. In the afternoon, we didn’t have anything planned so everyone went on a walk and had a picnic. We met some locals, got to visit their house and tried some of their homemade drinks. In the evening it was the Farewell Party and the end of the project.

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by Hristiyana Teova