"You and Me Equal in Gender"

Youth Exchange
Stip - Macedonia, 20-28 September 2008

"50 / 50 Campaign !!!"

No Modern European Democracy Without Gender Equality
The average gender pay gap in Europe is 17 %, women are largely underrepresented at decision-making levels in EU institutions, violence against women is persistent throughout Europe, and women’s right to abortion is being denied or restricted in several EU countries. These are some of the reasons why women’s movements remain mobilized throughout Europe.

With the financial crisis and the evident systemic challenges, a gender perspective is needed more than ever. It is also important to realise that women in Europe face different realities and struggles. Therefore, the possibility to create a more just society will largely depend upon integrating migrant women, lesbians, and disabled women into the core political processes. In view of the importance of the upcoming European elections in June 2009, European Women’s Lobby is running a campaign ‘No modern European democracy without gender equality - 50/50’, calling for more women in decision making at all levels.

Young Society Initiative supports the campaign "No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality", initiated by European Women's Lobby.

"A Dialog for Change"

Youth Exchange
Kosice-Chisinau-MD, 22-29 August 2008

"A Dialog for Change" youth exchange gathered 36 young people from Armenia, Estonia, Georgia, Italy, Moldova, and Turkey. The participants discussed on the origins of belief and religions. They tried to come up with a way of creating dialog between societies with different religious backgrounds.

"Baracouda Nymphonik Orchestra"" shared their tunes with Izmir!"

Free Open-air Concerts & Workshop
Izmir-TR, 18-20 August 2008.


Baracouda Nymphonik Orchestra visited Izmir between 18th and 20th August 2008. They gave two free open-air concerts with the organisation of Young Society Initiative.

The orchestra gave their first free open-air concert (above) in Kıbrıs Sehitleri Caddesi at 19:30 on 18th August 2008. Then they played another free concert in Sardunya Bar between 22:00 and 00:30.

After official act in the Festival Stage(above), Baracouda Nymphonik Orchestra gave another concert on Kordon seashore between 22:45 and 01:00 on 20th August 2008.

Baracouda Nymphonik Orchestra is a brass band made up of 17 musicians that resides in Paris, France. They play a mixture of acoustic jazz, big beat and funk with the addition of different tunes around the world.

Young Society Initiative thanks Baracouda Nymphonik Orchestra for the joy and friendship that they shared with us in Izmir...

http://www.myspace.com/nymphoniks

"A Dialog for Change"

Advanced Planning Visit of Youth Exchange
Chisinau-MD, 1-3 August 2008.

The youth leaders from Armenia, Georgia, Italy, Moldova, Latvia, and Turkey came together in Moldova to discuss on the details of the youth exchange project "A Dialog for Change" between 1st and 3rd of August 2008. The leaders discussed on the principles, the schedule and the workshops of the youth exchange. In addition the task division among the youth leaders is agreed upon.

"A Dialog for Change" youth exchange is a project that focuses on interreligious dialogue through intercultural learning. Young Society Initiative will attend the youth exchange with a youth leader and 5 youngsters.

"You and Me Equal in Gender"

Youth Exchange
Macedonia, 20-28 September 2008

Young Society Initiative is going to attend the youth exchange "You and Me Equal in Gender" between the dates 20-28 September 2008.

Young people from Albania, Macedonia, Latvia, Portugal, Serbia, and Turkey will gather to discuss, share, understand, and learn on gender and equality via human rights education. They will search for common effective ways to fight against gender prejudices and discrimination.

Aim:
The aim of this youth exchange is to get together 36 young people from all across Europe and to meet all together in order to share experience, feelings, to find common ways to fight gender prejudices and stereotypes and look around for solution for the negative behaviour in order to raise the awareness about gender issues and their importance on European level and to promote gender equality.

Objectives:

- To collect and share the realities providing positive example;

- To make the participants reflect on their country gender issues situations;

- To explore gender roles in our countries and give best practice;

- To allow the participants to reflect their understanding of gender issues and their experience;

- To gather educational experiences useful for follow up activities in their organizations;

- To equip the participants with some tools in order to increase their capacity while dealing with gender prejudices in their daily life and intercultural groups;

- To help participants to fight gender prejudices and stereotypes.

"Youth Empowerment for Local Participation"

Seminar
Porto-PT, 22-28 June 2008

Young Society Initiative representatives attended the seminar “Youth Empowerment for Local Participation” in Porto between 22^nd and 28^th June 2008. The seminar was organized by Porto Federation of Youth Associations, with the financial assistance of EU Youth in Action Program.

The seminar “Youth Empowerment for local participation” brought together youth leaders and youth workers from Europe, ready to share best practices and to work on joint projects on empower youth in general but specially to empower local/ international youth participation.

The 5 day-long seminar aimed to empower 18 local young actors with knowledge and skills. It was also a learning opportunity for youth leaders/youth policy makers and youth workers to exchange good practices and methodologies on local youth policies and youth empowerment.

"Sailors on the Citizenship"

International Training Course

Srebarna Gora-Wroclaw-PL, 3-11 February 2008

"Sailors on the Citizenship" is a training course that aims to support the professional development of young trainers and to raise the quality of their projects concerning (European) citizenship.

The idea of citizenship is discussed on three different levels: locally, nationally and in the European context. The work was based on cases, examples and europe in practice.

The team worked on improving the 'sailors’ toolkit' on how to motivate youngsters for participation in their community and beyond.

"UniteD FoolS" was hosted by Young Society Initiative

Music is a great tool to connect the young people...

Free Open-Air and Venue Concerts and Workshops
Izmir-TR, 16-18 March 2008.

Young Society Initiative hosted "United Fools" on 16, 17 and 18 March 2008 in Izmir. Young Society Initiative organised the two days of free event series;

- United Fools' members held one workshop with local young people in Kordon Park. (seen above)

- United Fools gave a concert in Sardunya Bar between 21:00 and 23:00 on 16th March 2008.

- United Fools gave an acoustic concert on Gazi Kadinlar Sokagi, Alsancak at 18:30 on 17th March 2007. The night went on with a jam session in Sardunya Bar until 23:50...

United Fools is a "collectif electro instrumental" nu-jazz band from Bordoeaux, France. The band's line up includes 6 musicians, 1 dj-beatmaster and 1 music engineer. They combine Indian melodies with Balkan tunes and mix with the improvisational jazz tunes and add some electro-beat spices...
http://www.myspace.com/unitedfools

Young Society Iniative thanks "United Fools" for the great moments they shared with us... and their friendship...

The band's tour in Turkey is sponsored by French Cultural Centre. They gave their first concert in Izmir on 15th March 2008 on the occasion of the official closing party of Izmir European Jazz Festival.

Free Hugs!

Sharing the love...

Young Society Initiative celebrated "International Free Hugging Day" in Izmir on 22nd of march 2008. Young Society Initiative co-organised Free Hugs Campaign in the entrance of Kıbrıs Sehitleri Caddesi, Izmir together with the volunteers of Couch Surfing and Hospitality Club.

The Free Hugs Campaign is a social movement involving individuals who offer hugs to strangers in public places. Founded in Sydney, Australia by Juan Mann in June 2004, the campaign was widely publicized in 2006 by a music video on YouTube by the Australian band Sick Puppies. The campaign is an example of a random act of kindness, a selfless act performed by a person for the sole reason of making others feel better by sharing goodwill, peace and friendship.

Young Society Society thanks all the young volunteers who have the courage to share their love with the others...

CU(P)ID Training Course

Two representatives of Young Society Initiative attended "Cultural Identity - CU(P)ID" international training course organised by MOTYKA Association in Gorzno between 23 and 30 October 2007.

One of our representatives, Duygu KANDEMIRCI wrote the words below remembering the times in Gorzno... Thanks for the feedback and your active participation Duygu...

"Once Upon a Time…

It all began with a warm, sweet “hello”...

“Hi” I replied, and that was the start of this story. “I’ll help you” said Janek, and took my giant luggace to the bus which would take us to Gorzno.

Gorzno… somewhere in the world... A small, unknown town, very far away… (Four hours from Warsaw). A hostel, seventeen young people… From ten different countries; ten different languages… Seventeen different people, seventeen different worlds…

A training course, CU(P)ID! When I remember those days, I always have a big smile on my face. We worked on cultural identity for a whole week. We learnt that, there is much more inside people than in books. We learnt that, we don’t even need our languages to understand each other. We may come from many different cultures, but we all have the same sparkling eyes; looking at each other and revealing everything that our words cannot tell.

Seventeen young people, hundreds of interesting ideas and many enjoyable activities... I don’t remember even one minute that I felt bored. No computers, no TV, but we learn about the world. Playing games, talking to each other and sharing our ideas, we learn about ourselves. I know that I’m not the same person after I lived that one week. And I strongly believe that every young person must have the chance to be a part of such projects.

Finally, I want to give my special thanks to our host in Poland; “Motyka” members. They worked non-stop, just to make sure that we are pleased. Of course our trainers; Mara and Aga… With their smiling faces and creative activities, we didn’t even realise being on a training course; they made us feel that this is all a thrilling game. I do hope to see these seventeen people again in the future; because I know anymore that the world is just smaller than I imagine..."

CU(P)ID training course was organised and co-funded by MOTYKA Association and ten Europen youth organisations funded by Polish National Agency in the framework of EC Youth in Action Programme 4.3.