“F.O.C.U.S: GLOBE!” FOSTERING OPEN AND CREATIVE URBAN SUSTAINABILITY: GLOBE

THE YOUTH EXCHANGE “F.O.C.U.S. GLOBE!” AIMED TO BRING TOGETHER YOUNG PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS

AND REPORT ABOUT SUSTAINABLE URBAN ECOSYSTEMS ISSUES, AS WELL AS BE INVOLVED AND COLLABORATE IN THE ECOLOGICAL ACTION “CLEAN-UP DAY” ON THE

TOP OF THE VODNO MOUNTAIN, LOCATED A FEW KILOMETERS FROM THE CITY OF SKOPJE. 

 

Organized by Mladiinfo FEJS MK and supported by the European Commission through the EU program

Youth in Action.

SKOPJE, MACEDONIA13TH TO 20TH MAY 2013

THE EVENT INVOLVED 34 PARTICIPANTS FROM 6 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES:

MACEDONIA, UKRAINE, BULGARIA, UNITED KINGDOM, LATVIA AND SERBIA

 

WHICH TYPE OF EVENT HAVE YOU SELECTED AND WHY IS IT THE MOST SUITABLE AND HOW WILL YOU HELP YOUTH TO DISCOVER, ACTIVATE AND DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIALS?

THE “F.O.C.U.S: GLOBE!” INITIATIVE STARTED IN MAY 2013 THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION ON ONE YOUTH

EXCHANGE AND ECOLOGICAL ACTIONS. DURING 7 DAYS OF ACTIVITIES, 34 YOUNG PEOPLE FROM 6

DIFFERENT COUNTRIES HAD THE OCCASION TO DISCUSS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.  DURING

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT, YOUNG PEOPLE FROM MACEDONIA COLLABORATED WITH YOUNGSTERS

COMING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, COMPARED THE ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION OF EACH COUNTRY, WORKED

TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO RAISE THEIR AWARENESS ABOUT GLOBAL CHALLENGES, THE ENVIRONMENT AND

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THAT AFFECTS THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES AND THE ECOLOGY OF A CHANGING

PLANET, WHILE LEARNING ABOUT EACH OTHER’S COUNTRIES AND CULTURES.

THROUGH A RELAXED BUT ALSO PRODUCTIVE ATMOSPHERE, YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE EVENT HAD THE

OCCASION TO BE INVOLVED IN ALL THE ACTIVITIES OF THE EXCHANGE AND WORKING ON THE TEAMBUILDING

OF THE GROUP, GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER BY SHARING THEIR BACKGROUNDS, CULTURE

AND EXPERIENCE. THEY SUCCEEDED IN THEIR MISSION AS A GROUP: TO CLEAN THE TOP OF VODNO

MOUNTAIN AND TOGETHER, THROUGH NON-FORMAL LEARNING METHODS, THEY HAD THE OCCASION TO

PROPOSE DIFFERENT “EVERY DAY ACTIONS” TO MAKE SKOPJE MUCH MORE LIVABLE, AS UNFORTUNATELY IT

IS A CITY WITH A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF POLLUTION.

WHAT IS THE ADDED VALUE FOR EVENT PARTICIPANTS?

ADDED VALUES AND EXPECTATIONS: TO ACT TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND MAKE A CHANGE; TO DISCUSS AND REPORT ABOUT SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEM ISSUES

AND RAISE THEIR AWARENESS ABOUT GLOBAL CHALLENGES; TO FACE THE REAL SITUATION ABOUT POLLUTION IN SKOPJE AND RAISE

THEIR AWARENESS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN THE CLEANING ACTION;

TO FOSTER MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY AMONG THEM BY SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS;

TO EXPLORE SKOPJE DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTIVITIES, RESEARCH ABOUT THE REAL ECOLOGICAL SITUATION AND DISCOVER ITS HISTORICAL AND MULTICULTURAL BACKGROUND;

TO RESPECT DIFFERENT CULTURES AND BUILD NEW COLLABORATIONS\FRIENDSHIPS;

TO RESPECT AND SHARE COMMON SPACE;.

“F.O.C.U.S: Globe!” in ACTION34 participants from 6 different countries: Macedonia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Latvia and Serbia

TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES

LEARNING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND SHARING EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE

CLEANING ACTION ON THE TOP OF VODNO MOUNTAIN

SHARING KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, CULTURE …

REPORTING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

DISCOVERING MACEDONIAN NATURAL BEAUTIES AS AN EXAMPLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

HOW DID THE EVENT EMPOWER YOUTH?

THE EVENT GAVE PARTICIPANTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO FEEL PART OF ONE UNIQUE GROUP AND ACT TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

THIS IS WHAT WE CALL: LEARNING BY DOING!

“LET’S ACT TOGETHER AND MAKE A CHANGE!”…

THIS IS THE MOTTO OF OUR EVENT THAT AIMS TO FOSTER MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE BY SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, AS WELL AS INVOLVMENT IN VISIBLE AND EFFECTIVE ACTIONS THAT CAN RAISE THEIR AWARENESS REGARDING GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

CLEANING ACTION ON THE TOP OF VODNO MOUNTAIN …

LET’S ACT TOGETHER AND MAKE A CHANGE!

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES THAT THE YOUTH AROUND YOU LACK?

EXPERIENCE SELF-CONFIDENCE INFORMATION IN GENERAL QUICK ADAPTATION AND MULTITASKING SKILLS INFORMATION ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TIME MANAGEMENT AND EVENT MANAGEMENT SKILLS TEAM SPIRIT BEING CREATIVE AND CONTRIBUTING WITH OWN IDEAS THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX PUBLIC SPEAKING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS WRITING SKILLS SHARING SKILLS PERSISTENCE AND DEDICATION

HOW COULD THAT BE SOLVED AND HOW DID YOUR EVENT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT?

THROUGH ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC LIFE THROUGH THE PARTICIPATION OF INTERCULTURAL AND

LOCAL\NATIONAL EVENT THROUGH VOLUNTEERING ACTIVITIES THROUGH EXCHANGING GOOD PRACTICES BY RAISING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY’S AWARENESS OF

CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT ESPECIALLY THROUGH SMALL EVERYDAY ACTIONS

YOUTH PARTICIPATION AND YOUTH INFORMATION TEACHING GOOD PRACTICES FROM CHILDHOOD USING NEW MEDIA AND SOCIAL NETWORKS TO PROMOTE

AWARENESS AND GOOD PRACTICES

WHAT CHANGED IN PARTICIPANTS LIVES AFTER PARTICIPATING IN F.O.C.U.S. GLOBE:

TAMARA BORCIC, PARTICIPANT FROM SERBIA: “After FOCUS Globe I came up with the idea to

start composting, and not only in my apartment but

sharing the idea with neighbors and make it a big action.”

TAMARA MILETIĆ, PROJECT COORDINATOR: There is much more behind the organization of one youth exchange or a cleaning action. During the implementation of this project we acted as a group. We worked together, shared our knowledge, experience, common space and backgrounds. We learned how to respect each other’s cultures and values…and that’s the real change and motivation for my future work. There are no difficulties you can not handle if you act as a group and you have the support of your team. It’s time to think “SUSTAINABLE”! How? …let’s act together and make a change!SANJA MIHAJLOV, PARTICIPANT FROM MACEDONIA: “I am very pleased that there are people who care about the environment, and I am glad that I found this group, for our collaboration and I learned a lot from your reactions, thinking, and acting”

HELVIJS JANIS KLEINMANIS, PARTICIPANT FROM LATVIA: “When I go out of home, I always take water with me. It's such a small thing, but it not only helps the planet(not buying new plastic bottles, not wasting water) but also benefits your life - you don't need to spend money on soft drinks that nowadays cost not that cheap at all plus drinking a lot of water is extremely healthy. Not to mention that nothing quenches thirst as good as water does.”

ALONA GLAZKOVA, YOUTH LEADER FROM UKRAINE: “Soon we will make a point of collecting batteries in our office!”

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!

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