When? 22 to 30 June 2012
Where? European Youth Center Strasbourg
Call for participants Youth Peace Camp 2012
Who? non governmental youth organizations and networks, formal and informal youth groups, youth councils and youth leaders within your network in the regions of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Georgia and the Russian Federation (specifically young people from the region bordering Georgia), Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Participants are expected to be engaged in youth or community projects and motivated to implement youth initiatives for peace building within their own communities. The applicant should preferably be involved in an organization, network or formal and/or informal group that is ready to support them throughout the project and afterwards when implementing youth initiatives for peace building. The applicant should be able to work in English, be curious, open-minded, appreciate diversity and posess a sense of responsibility for their own actions and a commitment to personal and community development

All interested applicants should apply on-line, completing the application form under this link: http://courses.opencontent.it/ and attaching a support letter from their organization, network of formal or informal youth group.

Deadline for applications: Monday 16 April 2012

Palermo, Italy

08. July. 2012 – 16. July. 2012

“Peace towards a new World” is a TC targeted to youth working with young people with fewer opportunities and it involves youth from 15 organizations from Italy, Malta, Lithuania, Netherlands, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldavia, Belarus, Armenia.

The TC will introduce participants to knowledge, values, skills and behaviours based on the culture of peace, with emphasis on education as a space for nurturing peace and tackling social exclusion challenges. Indeed, youth peace educators have the responsibility to dialogue with other youngsters and engage them in active citizenship towards the transformation of society and the construction of peaceful futures. The TC includes a theoretical part which will provide: an overview of the history and main concepts within the field of peace education, the concept of social exclusion, the major obstacles to a culture of peace that lead to exclusion, analysis of contextual conditions that interact positively in the construction of peace. Emphasis will be placed also on the results of the European Year For Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 2010 and the European Year of Volunteering 2011. In the practical part, the participants will actively experience different educational approaches and pedagogy for peace to engage youth in active commitment to realize a shared and preferred future, such as the critical pedagogy, the reciprocal maieutic approach, the forum theatre and the creative thinking.  Moreover, they will learn together how to develop and implement inclusion projects, both at local and international level. Overall, the TC will provide a frame for intercultural exchange and reciprocal reflection on the role of youth in promoting a culture of peace, with the aim to counteract social exclusion and promote global harmony and human development.”

Attached application form contains all details concerning the project. Deadline: 30 April 2012

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In case of the questions do not hesitate to contact us.

WIYU team

Dear friends!
Interested in EVS (European Voluntary Service)? Want to spend about a year in Europe as a volunteer? Then we are inviting you on 19 of March at 7 pm to Cluboratoria where Ani Grigoryan from WIYU NGO will tell you everything about EVS, all related processes and find out your possibilities and opportunities to take part in it, and of course will share her personal experience with you. So come to enjoy delicious chocolate cocktails and sweets made by Ani, to have a nice time in a great atmosphere. We are waiting for you! Come to Cluboratoria and discover what is EVS all about.

    Youth video competition: share your vision of a sustainable future and win cash prizes
What is your vision for sustainable living in 20 years’ time? Competition “Generation ’92″ offers the opportunity for young Europeans born in 1991, 1992 or 1993 to make a video showing their vision of a sustainable future. The winners will be invited to take part in an event on sustainable development in Copenhagen on 5 June. The best entries will also win a total of € 6,000 in cash prizes. Entries may be submitted between 1 March and 2 April.
Twenty years ago, heads of state met in Rio de Janeiro for the first ever Earth Summit. The conference was a historic event, leading to several environmental treaties. This June, leaders will meet again, hopefully marking another positive turning point for the environment.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) is looking for young people with a fresh vision of how we can solve the most pressing environmental problems. Like the Rio summit, eligible contestants will be around 20 years old (born in 1991, 1992 or 1993), a citizen of an EEA member or cooperating country, or Greenland, and have a passion for the environment. More information on submission of videos will be made available in the coming weeks.
Videos should be between 30 seconds and two minutes in length, and show the contestant’s personal vision of sustainable living. Contestants may wish to show the main environmental concerns in their country, and their vision of how these problems can be resolved. Another approach could focus on how their generation can lead the transformation of Europe to a more sustainable way of life.
The competition is open to a range of approaches – for example, contestants are free to choose journalism or fiction, live action or animation, interviews or images. If the videos are in a language other than English, they must have English subtitles.
The public will also be given an opportunity to vote the ‘Buzz’ Prize, nominating their favourite video via social media.
Prizes

We are glad to inform you that WIYU is launching an open call for Armenian participants for the Training Course: “AVE! AVE! – A(CTIVE) V(OLUNTEERS) IN E(UROPE)”. This Training Course aims at facilitation of two processes – one being increasing the competencies of participants over local and international volunteer project management, the second – promotion of European Voluntary Service.
Both local and international volunteer projects are complex actions that need to ensure effective planning, implementation and management in order to be well done, achieve a good impact and benefit both the hosting environment as well as the volunteer himself. They also require cooperation, trust and especially good communication – three factors that can influence whether a project was a success or a failure.
Sharing skills, solutions and ideas with other partners and learn from each other is extremely necessary in order to achieve good results. Each has a different experience and revealing how each has solved a problem or worked on a particular issue leads to the extraction of good practices and increased quality of projects. This learning chance will be given to 26 participants the chance to participate on this training course and be able to act as multipliers in their communities and Europe encouraging, promoting but also working for Voluntarism.
The coure will take place in Kocani (Ponikva), Macedonia (01– 07 April, 2012)
The deadline to apply for the course is Deadline 3 February 2012

Attached application form contains all details concerning the project.

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WIYU team

We are glad to inform you that WIYU is launching an open call for Armenian participants for the Long Term Project “YOUTH PROTAGONISTS OF CHANGE”. “YOUTH PROTAGONISTS OF CHANGE” aimed to empower young people to promote sustainable social change and a culture of peace and human rights in their communities and at global level.
The LTTC will include the following phases:
Act. 1 Training of young leaders and young people in general (volunteers, peer educators, etc) on peace-building and protection of human rights, offering them tools and competences necessary to bring about positive change in their communities and at global level too. 17-24 APRIL 2012 PALERMO, ITALY
Act. 2 Training of local group of young volunteers that will deliver the local activities.
This activity will last for 4 days and will gather 15 young people in each country.
Act. 3 Advocacy and information/awareness raising campaign at local and world-wide level aimed to reach society and young people and involve them in positive social change.
This activity will last for 4 months and will reach 100.000 people and 5000 young world-wide.
Act. 4 Educational workshops and activities with young people at world-wide level aimed to multiply the competences and tools acquired by the 1st group of young people.
This activity will last for 3 months and will reach 500 young people world-wide.
Act. 5 International conference on “the role of young people in peace-building and social change: good practice and future perspectives”. 05-11 DECEMBER 2012 PALERMO, ITALY

The deadline to apply for the project is Deadline 22 January 2012
Attached application form contains all details concerning the project.

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In case of the questions do not hesitate to contact us.
WIYU team

Project photos are here.

     “Dzmer Pap” /Santa Claus/ is an annual project carried out by World Independent Youth Union (WIYU) NGO. Starting from 2007 WIYU members have been actively involved in making holiday celebrations for children with disabilities. Members of the organization prepare presents for disabled children. Depending on the year, the number of children with special needs varied from almost 50 up to 100. This project is of great importance as it develops the sense of responsibility of NGO participants and promotes their civic participation.
This year, as always, the young and motivated volunteers of our organization demonstrated activeness, commitment and enthusiasm to contribute to the implementation of this event. Throughout the whole year, the members of our organization were involved in a long but still very pleasant preparation process of the project. Almost 85 gift packs containing toys, candies, books, etc. were sorted out, packed and decorated for children from about 60 families residing not only in Yerevan but in various regions as well.
This year the project got financial and other kinds of support from various sources. One of the essential sources of support is the IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) Armenia office which distributed boxes to different organizations and helped us collect toys, goods, clothes, etc. for children with special needs. Moreover, we’d like to point out especially the fact that the financial support of the participants of the TC “Volunteerism and Disadvantaged Groups in Europe” proved very valuable. The amount of money raised by means of an auction organized in the framework of this training course held in Armenia was totally spent on the project implementation.While it’s noteworthy that some of the WIYU members initiated also a fundraising campaign to cover numerous expenses related to the project.

     We are very happy and proud as this year “Dzmer Pap” /Santa Claus/ project was definitely a success. This event is an absolutely amazing possibility for us to try to bring joy and happiness into the families of all these children. For some of them it has even become an integral part of the New Year’s Eve. Furthermore, this event is similarly significant for WIYU members, as it provides us not only with warm feelings but also with energy and enthusiasm to continue carrying out our future plans and volunteer projects.

Tsakhkadzor, Armenia
01 August 2011 – 07 August 2011

Photos you can find here.
There are experiences that last for a lifetime. Among them, indeed, was the training course “Volunteerism and Disadvantaged Groups in Europe” hosted by WIYU (World Independent Youth Union) NGO that took place in Tsakhkadzor, Armenia. When on August 01, 2011 all of us gathered in one of the most picturesque cities of Armenia, it was both very interesting and at the same time a little bit unusual to meet so many different people from various social and cultural backgrounds.

But, nevertheless, it was not long after we got to know each other and became good friends. The 7 day lasting training gave us a great opportunity not only to get acquainted with different cultures and traditions, but also explore very important and urgent topics.
The numerous workshops and presentations were extremely important and useful as they gave us the opportunity to discover the reasons and situation of volunteerism in different countries, to analyze in reflection groups the possible solutions to integrate young people with fewer opportunities into the process of creation and implementation of local and international volunteer projects.
What we appreciate the most in this course is the fact that we were provided not only with strong theoretical background, but also very valuable practical knowledge. During the NGO market, we had the chance to present our own organizations and implemented projects, thus exchanging skills and experience related to the implementation of different local and international projects in the field of volunteerism. Besides this, very knowledgeable and friendly trainers provided us with considerable practical knowledge on volunteer projects in general and EVS in particular.
And finally, during the training course an important space of cooperation was created, as we could reflect on our own project ideas, assemble them and elaborate the possible ways of their implementation. Thus, we gained maximum knowledge and skills during this course and we were ready and full of enthusiasm to help and work with disadvantaged people.
Apart from this we had other memorable experiences, namely the creative workshop. During this, we were to promote the idea of volunteerism and EVS by making creative T-shirts. We were given black and white T-shirts that were going to become the creation of our imagination and creative tools of promotion of volunteerism and EVS in our communities.
The most important thing is the fact that we realized that we are able to change this world and make it a better place for us and our future generations. We realized that we could be “A little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world” as Mother Teresa puts it.
One of the interesting parts of the training course was the “Intercultural Evening” when the participants from Sweden, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Armenia, Georgia, Egypt and Belarus were given an opportunity to introduce their country and cuisine.
Another interesting day was spent in the capital of Armenia, Yerevan. The participants walked through Yerevan and visited a lot of places of interest. The evening was unforgettable as we were fascinated by the beauty of the singing fountains in the Republic Square.
When on August 08, 2011 we were to part we couldn’t believe the memorable experience was over. The moment we said good-bye was the most difficult one, as we had become good friends and it was as if we had known each other for years. Nevertheless, we hope we will be in touch and maybe we will meet some day, who knows?
ANUSH MKRTCHYAN

We are glad to inform you that WIYU is launching an open call for participants for Training Course “Volunteerism and disadvantaged groups in Europe”  which will take place in Tsakhkadzor, Armenia from 01 to 07 of August 2011.

The project “Volunteerism and disadvantaged groups in Europe” is an international training course where 24 participants from EU (Sweden, Italy, Spain, Lithuenia) and Neighboring Partner countries: EECA (Armenia, Georgia) and Mediterranean Partner Countries (Egypt, Morocco) will develop competences related to practical management of volunteer youth work with disadvantaged young people (young people from drug addicted, refugee, migrant families and disabled). Particular attention will be paid on development and implementation of projects in the frame of Youth in Action  for socially excluded and marginalised youth, in line with the priorities of the Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities.

Feel free to disseminate the information about the activity among your friends.

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A long trip to Vilnius to live 7 days with new expectations, new people of other nationalities, other views in terms of cultural features, but hopefully and even surely with future friends. 7 unforgettable days, each day with new feelings, new knowledge and perceptions…
09 May 2011: Young people from Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania and Armenia gathered together in very pleasant and very beautiful Vilnius to take part in Youth Exchange “Live the Day” to discuss problems of drug addiction, social exclusion, poverty and unemployment, to exchange their experience and attitudes and make some preventive activity to have even a little contribution to healthy future both in Lithuania and participant countries.
First of all the participants and leaders hurried to introduce themselves and get acquainted with the others. Acquaintance happened in a very funny and memorable way: each of us said his/her name and named an animal, which first letter was similar with the first letter of participant’s name. We all tried to repeat participant’s name and name of the animal by turn.
After discussing main activities of the project and naming personal expectations, the participants left for sightseeing tour – Treasure Hunting, in the frame of which there were created 4 international groups, members of which had to find and take photos of the most famous and historically essential places in Vilnius. Most of the participants went to Cathedral Square which was very recognizable sight, with its Vilnius Cathedral and Bell Tower. It even has a tile stone – Stebuklas (in English – miracle), where you can make a wish – standing on it, making a wish and turning around three times counter-clockwise and your wish will come true. There were taken lots of photos and made the most cherished wishes. The participants should also ask passers about their knowledge of participant’s countries, cultures, traditions etc. As representatives of Armenia we were pleased and happy to hear from passers that they knew about Armenia, especially Armenian cuisine, dances, national symbols (in most cases about Ararat) and even most of asked young people had Armenian friends. It is notable that Lithuanian participants provided all of the other participants with information about Vilnius city, some historical facts and traditions…So that the international dialogue already had a ground…
After the wonderful tour, groups hurried to prepare presentations about everything they saw, learned and photographed.
On the second day it was planned group presentations “Drug problem in my country”. All the groups prepared very well to clearly and visibly introduce drug problem in their countries. Then, during the discussion of the problematic situation introduced by the groups, participants compared the problem and understood the main reasons of the drug addiction in general and particularly in participant countries. The presentations were constructed by MS PowerPoint, posters, movies and also with a fairytale.
Taking a little rest, participants started to create a sign “Live the Day” on their T-shirts as a real reflection of the project.
- EVERYTHING IN YOUR HANDS
- NO DRUGS
- TAKE A STEP FORWARD
- LIVE IN A REALITY
- ANTI DRUGS
- YOU ARE THE ONLY OWNER OF YOUR LIFE
- BRIGHTER WITHOUT DRUGS
- LIVE YOUR LIFE, YOU WON’T REGRET IT ….
Above mentioned and more other signs found place on T-shirts with pictures also created by participants showing the denial of drugs and healthy future without drugs. Then all chose the one which best reflected the project itself. The main idea of the winner sign was ‘THE DAY AS ONE CADRE OF THE LIFE’.
The third day: we’re in Roma settlement – separate settlement a little bit far from Vilnius downtown, where people live with different lifestyle, unique cultural values and lots of social problems that really hard to imagine, such as unemployment, drug addiction, social exclusion, language barriers, educational problems, etc. But the most important problem, as one of the workers of the community center said, was the lack of motivation to find a job, learn Lithuanian language and live as a sterling member of Lithuanian society. Besides, there was one more very important problem with transport. But in spite of this hard situation, Roma community had also a problem of drug addiction. Anyhow, children of that center prepared and danced national dances for us, which they performed with special skills! Before saying good-bye, participants of the YE played several funny and active games with Roma children and youngsters.
Participants and leaders spent the second part of the day at hostel, where the main sessions of this exchange were implemented. After healthy lunch participants greeted an amazing Japanese woman who was born in Japan and visited more than 45 countries and now decided to live in Lithuania. The story of her life and the following discussion was a great experience to break a lot of stereotypes concerned with habits of other nations, relationships with people of other nationalities etc.
This day was really very informative and full of interesting and constructive meetings and talks. But it’s not the all reflection of that day! Evening of May 11 was unusual with its national approaches: national dances, music, food, exchange of souvenirs and good mood made fantastic evening! Participants of Belarusian, Latvian and Armenian groups made some national dishes and desert in the kitchen of the hostel, particularly, with active involvement of Belarusian group members there were prepared national dish named “Draniki”; members of the Latvian group prepared Latvian dessert – Bread Soup; and finally the participants and leader of Armenian group prepared Armenian national desert – sweet bread – gatha. The important part of the Lithuanian table was Lithuanian bread and apple cheese and other tasty food. Besides, groups treated each other with lots of other national tasty food and drink.
On the fourth day one of the most interesting events during the program was the visit to KGB museum situated in the same building where was functioning Committee of State Security of Lithuania during Soviet period. The prison cells with notes on their walls made by prisoners, cells for tortures, the personal things of murdered political prisoners made enormous impression on us. The only gladdening fact was that there isn’t real KGB anymore and what is now left is just a museum. On the same day a talent workshop ‘See what I’m capable of’ was organized during which those participants who had special talents on doing something shared their skills with others. Due to this workshop we got aware of origami, playing the tam-tam and guitar, dramatic action, etc.
One of the means of informal education and cultural communications used in the exchange was intercultural quiz. Each group had prepared a quiz on its country’s history, geography, traditions and customs. Another three groups had to find the answers during the fixed time. According to the results of the quiz Armenia and Lithuania shared the first place and got presents. The quiz was really effective way to explore and learn new thing about participant countries.
The evening was full of a little bit shocking but exciting impressions: during that evening one of the remarkable parts of the program took place – it was meeting with people who had won over drug addiction. The meeting was during the dinner in ‘Mano Guru’ salad bar. It was one of the most interesting bars of Vilnius where only former drug addicted people worked. “Mano Guru” is an international project and the only bar in Vilnius, where you can’t find even a drop of alcohol. They told us about their life stories, how they became addicted, how they could overcome it and how the work in ‘Mano Guru’ helped them to return to normal social life. Besides, they treated us with really delicious meal and dessert. By the way all the meals we had during the program were made by the employees of ‘Mano Guru’.
Day 5: As the most vulnerable group for drug addiction are children especially teenagers without families our program organized a visit to ‘Gile’ children foster home. Beforehand we prepared presentation on the activities of the project ‘Youth in Action’, youth exchange ‘Live the Day’, drug problem and importance of healthy lifestyle. To be easily perceived for children we presented these topics with the help of fairy tales, performances and songs. Besides, each group presented its national folk music, a dance or a song. Also children sang and read poems for us. After it we had an art workshop where we played games with children and drew pictures with the title ‘City without drugs’. We reached the main aim of our visit to the ‘Gile’, as the children reflected their attitudes toward drug use and described their pictures and thoughts in a quite constructive way!
Next day we left for the second largest city of Lithuania – Kaunas. On our way to Kaunas we had a language lesson trying to teach and learn the most common expressions in our languages. It was a bit difficult to pronounce words in a foreign language but we tried hard. As a result we had though little but useful baggage of vocabulary and real fun. In Kaunas we visited Addiction rehabilitation community ‘Return’. The community, which clients came on their own will, was helping drug addicts to rehabilitate social – psychologically. The center had its specific rules and approaches for rehabilitation which were strict but effective. One of the most impressive punishments was destruction of brick wall very carefully for listening chanson or R&B songs with not proper words, smoking etc. The prove of its effectiveness was the stories of community members who had returned to healthy social life and got rid of former social environment with the help of ‘Return’.
Last morning of our being in Vilnius with all the participants – our new friends, was very touching, as we had to say goodbye. After funny energizer we left with a lot of knowledge, skills and good mood despite the farewell hugs…
Thanks to all organizers, leaders and participants for very fruitful and really unforgettable week…
Summarizing our project we just want to mention the words of wisdom:
What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it…

Arpine Mazhinyan
Susanna Kardashyan
Meline Aslanyan
Shahe Tajiryan