Words of Wisdom from the Seliger Ambassador Team

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FORUM SELIGER 2011

Building a Global Team

Dear Future Leaders,

The handbook will help you to be ready to the unique experience that is on the way. By

reading it carefully, you will get more knowledge about the event; know how it can

impact your life and how to get the most out of the forum.

The Seliger Handbook – Words of Wisdom is divided into 10 parts, described below:

1. Memories from Seliger 2010;

2. Discover yourself and the role of your national identity at Seliger;

3. Define your expectations;

4. How to successfully present and communicate your ideas;

5. Discover your potential;

6. Business Plan;

7. Your Contribution to Seliger;

8. How to get the most out of a discussion/debate;

9. Staying in touch with Seligerians.

10. Preparing for Seliger;

Before we begin, remember the official details

Seliger is an international project aimed at uniting the world leaders of tomorrow. 700

exceptional individuals will come together to build an international network.

Seliger offers you a place where one makes lifelong friends and builds strong networks

among today‟s and future business, political, and academic leaders of the world

The Forum seeks to set up a global network to promote mutual understanding,

cooperation and education among the young people and to foster conditions for them to

work together on designing joint international projects and initiatives.

To attain this goal the participants of the Forum will be offered an intensive educational

program consisting of 4 modules:

Mass Media and Public Relations – you will publish your own newspaper,

develop innovative pr-strategies for real cases and learn to make a state-of-the-

art blogs and webpages;

Business and Enterprise – with Russian and international businessmen telling

you their stories of success and companies giving you business cases to solve

you will get an in-depth knowledge of innovative entrepreneurship;

Civil and Social development – discuss the most pressing issues of social

development with the like-minded committed peers and renowned experts, learn

the best practices of the most efficient international NGOs and make a

difference;

World Politics – add new edges to your analytical framework discussing the

future of global development with leading think-tank representatives, career

diplomats and researchers; enhance your vision and ability to predict events in

order to lead and not to follow in tomorrow‟s world

Each module will include lectures and workshops, conferences and panel discussions

moderated by the leading experts and researches in each of the above spheres.

Who is going to be part of our team? Seliger 2011 is open to leaders between the ages of 18 and 35. Young, talented, and

creative individuals from diverse backgrounds with one passion: making a difference on

a global scale

Interested in learning about Russia, utilizing its potential to drive global

innovation and develop mutually beneficial cooperation with the international

community

Entrepreneurial, adventurous, and full of creative energy to develop new ideas,

launch new projects, and make intellectual breakthroughs.

So, let us make it clear – Seliger is a camp! In the forest!

But everything you need will be just at arm’s length!

Comfortable camp tents with mat and sleeping bags

Camp-wide Wi-Fi and electric sockets located around the camp site

Sufficient number of outdoor eco-friendly toilets, shower cabins, and

washstands

24/7 security with access restricted to participants only

3 healthy meals per day

Medical personnel present 24/7

The most outstanding and encouraging environment

Interpreter always ready to re-translate your thoughts and ideas

Why in the woods?

Seliger offers a unique chance to break away from the glass and steel jungles of

big cities and gain a different perspective of your life

No more formal and tiresome conferences. Informal atmosphere of an open

dialogue, the sense of true partnership – that is what Seliger 2011 is about.

Open-air discussions will generate open-end initiatives.

Fresh air, amazing nature and sport will boost your activity

Where and when it is going to take place:

Russia, Tver region, Lake Seliger, 1-9 July 2011

Memories from Seliger 2010 – Reflections from Ambassadors

“Seliger 2010 was for me much more than a Summer-escape from my everyday worries

and duties and a busy day in general. It was an opportunity for me to learn and develop

in a new environment and a fantastic atmosphere as well as meeting endless amount of

great people that I have since shared great projects and moments with"

Christopher Lilholm

“One of the great memories from

Seliger 2010 was the day when we

went for rafting. Rafting was one of

the adventures which was in my 'to

do' list, and to go for rafting on Lake

Trevor in Russia with the youngsters

full of energy and passion was the

greatest experience I could ever had.

We went from one end of Lake

Trevor to the other end on our raft,

and then we got off from our raft to

pick up the fresh berries from the

plants there. Our group was the only

one who went so far, therefore on

the way back, we all got tired enough to move the peddles of our raft. However, we

were lucky to get the help of the Lake police, who came for our help to take us back to

the destination from where we started. It was indeed one of the memorable days of

Seliger Forum 2010 which is hard to forget.”

Sheraz Ali Khan

“One of the strongest memories I have from

Seliger was the model UNESCO to discuss the

validity or not of a universal teaching model

regarding the II World War. During that

afternoon I realized the diversity of arguments

in a sensitive issue as that one. Even more

impressive was the ability of different

sensitivities and sociopolitical cultures to built

consensus and draw proposals. I was dazzled

by that experience.” Tiago Ferreira Lopes

"I do recollect memories of having

spent good time with my group. The

morning breakfast, lunch and dinner

time was amongst the most memorable

time spent in knowing each other,

cracking jokes, singing and dancing.

Our group mates made Indian, Japanese

and Russian delicacies, they were very

fond of sports and so we did all the

activities together. Sailing and

Kayaking were one of the best

experiences we had. Guess what they

kept my name for their football team as

"Team Umesh”. On the first day of

Seliger i had thought how I would

survive..! But I didn't even realize that

7 days passed so quickly..! I was

leaving with Japanese colleagues on the last day, while leaving all our group mates

accompanied us till the main entrance. The last moments were those hugs while saying

good bye and take care to them. Suddenly one of our group mates started crying and so

did others. Everyone got emotional. I was touched by the thought of having touched

their lives so much, that we were crying there .It was a moment where everyone just

wanted to have a "Flashback of Seliger" but nevertheless Life has to go on.! we boarded

the for Moscow and I saw them from the window still waiting near the gate. Wishing us

good luck.“Knowledge, Experience,Love,Emotions,Life, Friends all appear to be

Splendid at this point of time amidst nature only at Seliger .! I am still in touch with

them I really look ahead to meet them again someday. : Umesh Mukhi

Needless to say we naturally hope that Seliger 2011 will be even better

Define your expectations

What you get from Seliger largely depends on what you give to Seliger. The more you

expect to give, the more valuable returns you should anticipate.

How does this work? Let us now illustrate the simple logics behind it

The conclusion is; if YOU are not part of the equation and thereby not part of the

process you will experience only small changes, but if you have an open mind, set

realistic goals and help others achieve their goals, big chances that you will find

yourself achieving much more in return.

Seliger can help you in various ways by:

- Providing you with tools, insights and inspiration within your topic

- Allowing you to debate and learn in a global forum

- Discuss and share business ideas

- Get more familiar about Russia and Russian culture

- Develop your team and presentation skills

- Become updated on latest world trends

and to some extent understand them and why they take place

- Become part of a highly competent global team

Understand differences in cross-cultural communication

Represent your country

- Build and enlarge your network

Seliger can NOT and does NOT promise you a job, but Seliger helps you develop in

ways that will strengthen you in your future life, career and even improve your CV.

How to successfully present and communicate your ideas

Discover your unique knowledge and how you can transfer it constructively to

others

At Seliger you will face several opportunities to present your ideas, your work and your

reflection. No doubt that quality and substance matters most and that others on Seliger

are to a large extent capable to avoid judging the book by its cover – but having

developed good presentation skills still matters even to an extremely qualified and

analytical audience.

If this was not the case, then ask yourself why the world biggest consulting firms put

such a large emphasis on their presentations – their clients are typically profitable

businesses who in some cases know even more about the industry they talk about than

the consultants do.

First of all there is a difference between having good presentation skills and being a

good communicator – We try to help you to develop to become the last.

Why? Presentation skills are just instrumental rule of thumbs

Make it clear and simple

Make it interesting

Make it relevant

Make it worth listening to

Make it short

On the contrary, a good communicator is someone who understands the above, but also

who can communicate on different levels and platforms than just on a PowerPoint slide.

Finally, a good communicator is also able to:

Attract audience and find support/participation before speaking

Adapt to the context of communication

Listen to the audience

Engage the audience

Make yourself interesting, people are listening to YOU

Involve the audience

Ensure and follow-up with the audience in the future

Last point is crucial, because many very experienced presenters give the most

interesting speeches and presents the message so beautifully – like turning science into

poetry, but they forget to send out those slides they promised with valuable information.

Deliver your promises to your audience, make that beautiful speech and if you assure

someone in your audience to bring examples or more information at a later stage – take

note and DO IT!

“You do not only turn science into poetry but also turn poetry back into science”

Having people listening to you is like a compliment, when you promise them something

and you do not give it to them, then do not expect them to support your idea or listen to

you again in the future. It does not matter how good presentation skills you have, but

ignoring this point will not get you very far.

Being a good communicator is not just about being confident/showing confidence and

speaking clearly and having some fun jokes, although they are important parameters.

Not everyone is fun, fascinating, witty, amusing, entertaining and so on and if you are

not born a comedian– don‟t be! Be yourself and accept yourself.

by being true to yourself you are also true to your audience and you will get much more

respect this way than trying to be funny.

A good communicator is as prepared as possible and in situations without time for

preparation a good communicator must also master the art of improvisation and how to

present under pressure. Everyone can master the art of communication, but not everyone

can dazzle a large audience and not everyone needs to, but usually the biggest obstacle

to public speeches is YOU.

Do not judge yourself to hard, start presenting ideas in small groups then bigger groups

and you will most likely realize it was not as hard or difficult as you expected.

Remember everyone is to some extent nervous, if they are not – they are probably not

committed to what they are talking about. Direct this nervous energy into a greater

enthusiasm – because it is a lot more interesting to hear people talk about this they are

sincerely enthusiastic and interested in than things they are not.

Now a few practical considerations before you begin:

What would you talk about?

o Is the audience aware of the issues you are presenting?

What do you know about your audience (cultural and educational background)?

o Do they know you?

What is the goal of your presentation?

o How will you reach your goal?

What will they learn from your presentation?

o How will you make sure they do?

Discovering your Potential

First, you need to determine what do you like - something that excites you, that

if you happened to meet a stranger who showed a meager amount of interest, you could

talk about it for hours! Well, maybe that much, but you get the point. These things have

a way of striking a chord and resonating throughout your life, so be careful and

objective, but most importantly - listen to your heart!

Sit down calmly and answer the next question. What are my hobbies? What do I

already like to do? What are my favorite subjects in school? What subjects do I make

good grades in? Do I like teamwork or work alone? If teamwork what kind of it (sport

activities, workshops, projects, charity…) How would my friends describe my

personality (communicative, calm, honest, charitable, adventurer, safe player, brave…)?

Now, when you have answered on the above questions let‟s find the most appropriate

activity or science for you! Put all your answer logically together and see, firstly, are

they connected to social or natural sciences? Which social or natural science (see

answers c, d and e)?

Ok, now when you have decided in which area you want to devote yourself let

us see all factors of self-development. These factors are the behavior code of all

successful people in the world, and there is no doubt that if they have been practiced

everyday on regular base, the result for you will be the same.

Now, read carefully and think about all key factors of self development:

● Be ready always and in every situation to accept personal responsibility for all

things. Be sure that your current position is a result of past wishes and actions.

● Life is neutral. It gives you back what you put in, no more and no less (You reap

what you sow).

● You can learn anything you need to learn to become anyone you want to become.

● You feel positive about yourself to the degree to which you feel you are in control

of your own life. Write down all your short and long-term tasks. Develop strategy

and start to work on them now!

● Always ask yourself: ”Should I change something to be better”. “What I need or

will need to achieve my goals (which persons, knowledge…)?” Make a clear plan

how to acquire them!

● Never use the word „failure‟ or „defeat‟ but instead of them „valuable learning

experience‟.

● Do not lose time in useless activities, aimless socialization and in trying to change

people. Accept them as they are. Forgive, look for the good in every person and

never speak about other people.

● Have in mind that time is limited. Seize every day.

● You must accept that temporary setbacks and obstacles are the inevitable price you

pay to achieve any great success in life (it‟s not possible succeed without failing).

Now write this word down, yes do it!!:

PERSISTENCE

Success does not fall in anyone‟s lap, and it does not always come easy. If you have a

goal, you need to be persistent in order to achieve success.

P_____________ means never giving up, even when results aren‟t possible.

P_____________ means being adaptable -- you may need to take several different

approaches to a problem before you succeed.

P_____________ means being patient -- not everything can be planned for, and giving

things time to work out on their own can be a much appreciated assett.

P_____________ means being resourceful! Know your friends and contacts and always

seek to develop new ones -- they will be your closest allies in making something great.

P_____________means

___________________________________________________________________.

Now go back up and read “Success” in place of “Persistence”.

Finally, consider the 7 “P”s of Success:

Persistent Prior Planning Prevents Pitifully Poor Performance!

In the end don‟t forget that your inborn potential is endless! From today resolve to work

enough and hardly on your goals without any fear and self limitation and success is very

near! A Classic phrase or cliche if you like, nevertheless worth remembering:

“Shoot for the moon and land among the stars”

Further reading (references):

Brian Tracy (2000), The 100 absolutely unbreakable laws of business success, San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publisher, Inc.

Brian Tracy (1993), Maximum Achievement, New York: Simon & Schuster.

How to get the most out of a discussion/debate

Seliger 2011 is a unique hub for healthy debates and discussions among participants.

Like last year‟s forum, this year‟s forum will see 700 intellectuals arguing, discussing

and converging towards a healthy conclusion. One important point to be noted here is

that participants come from various backgrounds and different perceptions and

capabilities hence it becomes very challenging to put forth our points for better

comprehension during the discussion.

Diversity is always an advantage but an asymmetry in communication as it is often

observed in multicultural environments.

We therefore bring forth our experiences to facilitate your discussions and debate

experience in these unique conditions

1) GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Seliger would provide you a unique platform to have group discussions with people one

can hardly imagine (certainly not maniacs…! But intelligent). Of course you would be

discussing on Social, Political Issues or a Business Idea or a proposition of your

thinking. The aim of the Group Discussion (GD) here is to share the knowledge and

reach a conclusion from where on you have made a decision to be implemented in

certain amount of time. GD‟s in Seliger are filled with fun, emotions, comics and

intense charged environments portraying power of Individual Knowledge thereby

making a difference to collective group of people. Hence we put forward our

experiences of GD to help you prepare forehand to have a healthy GD in Seliger 2011

Speak fluently

If you are the head of the discussion group, it is very crucial for you to speak properly.

Even though the group should be responsible for making the final decision, the

members will look to you to lead them. If you cannot speak in a proper manner, your

leadership abilities may be questioned. If you have to repeat yourself to the group, this

will delay the amount of time it takes for the group to achieve important goals. If you

are speaking about a topic that is complex, it may be helpful to use analogies that can

help the members grasp the concept.

While it is important to speak fluently, you will want to avoid using technical terms that

are not understood by the group. Being able to explain complicated concepts in a simple

manner will allow the group to quickly grasp what you are trying to tell them. The

cultural background of an individual will also play a role in how they speak. When

group discussions are held, there are a number of things you will want to remember

about your speech.

Because most group discussions are restricted to time, it will become tedious to both

you and the other members if you have to repeat what you are saying because they do

not understand you. This could be a major problem for someone who is speaking a

language that is not their native tongue. When you make a statement, it is important to

make sure you speak clearly. It is also important to be concise. Speak in a manner that

will allow the other members to understand exactly what you are saying. This should

occur the first time you make a statement. You should not have to repeat yourself.

If you don't speak in an intelligent or respective manner, the other members may assume

that you are unintelligent, even if that is not the case. If you need to interrupt someone

who is speaking, it is always important to interject their conversation in a nice way.

Some groups may require you to raise your hand and be called upon before you can

comment on a statement or idea. If you disagree with a statement that has been made, do

it in a manner that is tactful. Always talk in a manner that is courteous to others. You

should not ridicule or attack someone personally because you don't like their idea.

Here are some of the most important personality traits that a Seliger participant is

expected to possess to do well at a GD:

Team Player

Reasoning Ability

Leadership

Flexibility

Assertiveness

You must put forth your point to the group in a very emphatic, positive and

confident manner. Participants often confuse assertiveness with aggressiveness.

Aggressiveness is all about forcing your point on the other person, and can be a

threat to the group. An aggressive person can also demonstrate negative body

language, whereas an assertive person displays positive body language.

Initiative

A general trend amongst students is to start a GD and get the initial kitty of

points earmarked for the initiator. But that is a high risk-high return strategy.

Initiate a GD only if you are well versed with the topic. If you start and fail to

contribute at regular intervals, it gives the impression that you started the GD

just for the sake of the initial points.

Also, if you fumble, stammer or misquote facts, it may work against you.

Remember: You never ever get a second chance to create a first impression

Creativity/ Out of the box thinking

Inspiring ability

A good group discussion should incorporate views of all the team members.

If some team members want to express their ideas but are not getting the

opportunity to do so, giving them an opportunity to express their ideas or

opinions will be seen as a positive trait.

Caution: If a participant is not willing to speak, you need not necessarily go out

of the way to ask him to express his views. This may insult him and hamper the

flow of the GD.

Listening

Awareness

2) DEBATE

Debates were created as an opportunity to educate and be educated. Originally intended

to elevate the collective psyche, effective debating is an art-form worthy of study of

debating issues is rapidly falling by the wayside. Constructive debating, that is debating

with the goal of educating and being educated on issues in order to elevate all involved

is an art. With all this in mind, the following suggestions are offered for effective

debating

Do Your Homework before the Debate & Make Your Points in the Debate Clearly

Before entering into either debate/discussion there are two things you should

understand: your position and that of your opponent/group. If you don‟t have a thorough

understanding of your position you‟ll never be able to explain it to anyone else. The

same goes with the holes you are attempting to poke in your opponent‟s logic. If you

don‟t thoroughly understand all aspects (of his argument, you stand a good chance of

proving his point instead of your own. One technique is to take the position with which

you do not agree during a discussion with a colleague or friend as a way to grasp all

sides of the issue. It‟s been said that if you can defend it you can break it down in a

debate.

In addition avoid these common traps:

1. Attacking the arguer, not the argument.

2. Assuming an answer with the phraseology of the question.

3. Misunderstanding and/or misrepresenting statistics.

4. Confusing cause and effect.

Following these simple, logical guidelines may not make for tantalizing discourse but it

will empower you to hold your own in an intellectual debate with just about anyone.

Reference Facts Accurately During the Debate

What is the source of your information? If it is a newspaper or a magazine, are you sure

that the information hasn't been "slanted" to agree with that publication's political bias?

Where crucial facts are concerned, it is best to check with more than one source. Often

international publications will give you a different perspective than your hometown

newspaper. Check to see whether the book you are using was published by a regular

publishing company or whether it was published by some special interest group like the

John Birch Society or a religious organization. These books cannot be trusted to present

unbiased evidence since their motivation for publishing is not truth but rather the

furtherance of some political or religious view.

Understand your opponents' arguments. It is good practice to argue with a friend

and take a position with which you do not agree. In this way you may discover some

of the assumptions your opponents are making which will help you in the debate.

Remember that everybody thinks that his position is the right one, and everybody has

his reasons for thinking so.

Clarity: Avoid use of terms which can be interpreted differently by different readers.

When we are talking to people who substantially agree with us we can use such terms

as "rednecks" or "liberals" and feel reasonably sure that we will be understood. But in

a debate, we are talking to people who substantially disagree with us and they are

likely to put a different interpretation on such words.

Evidence: Quoting an authority is not evidence. Quoting a majority opinion is not

evidence. Any argument that starts with, "According to Einstein..." is not based on

objective evidence. Any argument that starts with, "Most biologists believe..." is not

based on objective evidence. Saying, "The Bible says..." is not evidence. Authorities

and majorities can be wrong and frequently have been.

Emotionalism: Set Aside Your Ego and Emotion during the Debate

Avoid emotionally charged words-- that are likely to produce more heat than light.

Certainly the racial, ethnic, or religious hate words have no place in rational

debating. Personal attacks on your opponent are an admission of intellectual

bankruptcy. A suggested solution is to make a general statement rather than one

referring specifically to the opponent. In other words, rather than saying "and that's why

you are such an undisciplined wreck" say, "a person adopting your position is, I believe,

likely to become an undisciplined wreck because ..."

A (Short) List of emotionally charged words and phrases:

Liberal!

Tax and spend!

Conservative!

Politically correct!

(The opponent) is spouting! His (whatever)!

All pejorative names for races, sexual preference, ethnic groups, or

religions

Baby killer!

Socialist!

Hippy!

Fascist!

Saying that your opponent trots out his argument

Do not impose ridiculous ideas to your opponent. An example of this is the

statement, "Have you stopped beating your wife?" This presupposes that your

opponent has beaten his wife. One frequently sees references by conservative

speakers and writers to the idea that gay activists want "special privileges." This

would be ridiculous if it were true. It is probably always wise to treat your opponent

with respect, even if he doesn't deserve it. If he doesn't deserve respect, this will

probably soon become obvious enough. There are all sorts of subtle ways to express

hostility toward your opponent and it is almost always unwise to give in to them.

That doesn't mean that you can't vividly and saliently present your criticisms of your

opponent's beliefs or behavior. But beware of phraseology which simply makes him

look ridiculous. An example of this came up recently.

It has been pointed out by various participants that following these recommendations

to the letter might make for dull reading. The idea is that a little invective is a good

thing because it adds spice. But I would like to point out that a political debate and a

scientific debate are two quite different things. But to concede the point somewhat I

have a suggestion. Perhaps we could agree to divide our debating messages into two

parts. In the first part it would be illegal to mention the opponent at all. The word

"you" would be forbidden. Then the second part would allow judicious use of

personal remarks. Writing a debate without using "you" is a very interesting

exercise. I urge everyone to give it a try!

Making your business plan simple and internationally understandable

Why do you need a Business Plan?

Let us be clear Seliger is not a summer camp. Of course you can have some fun. Of

course you can enjoy the lake, the sports activities and the computer-tent, but that is not

why you will be selected to Seliger 2011. At Seliger you will begin new projects and

give them an international dimension. That is why you need a Business Plan to be

selected to Seliger 2011.

What should you write in your Business Plan?

Seliger 2011 will reunite 700 outstanding youth leaders on four different areas of

expertise. Don‟t be frightened. Thinking in your Business Plan will not be that hard.

There is a famous Portuguese fashion designer that says

“If you can do it simple, why do you complicate it?”

In business the same thinking works – it is called the KISS principle:

“Keep It Simple, Stupid!” or another similar variant: “Keep it Short and Simple

A Business Plan is a guide to prepare you to Seliger 2011. Think one idea that could

help the world move forward. Usually great ideas are easily achieved in group

discussion so challenge your friends to debate and improve your different plans. In the

Business Plan the idea must be attractive, innovative and able to reach other participants

across the globe.

After reaching that basic idea you can start to think what steps are needed to achieve

your goals? Do a list of those steps and include them all your Business Plan. A step by

step action must have in mind the need to be flexible (global environments are always

changing so ideas that are unable to follow the change will be inaccurate after a short

time) and the need to be accurate (identify clearly what you want to achieve with every

single step).

Outline objectives in order to guide those who read your Business Plan for the first

time. Another advice is that your ideas should be as simple as open. If you want to

achieve the support of other participants and if you truly want to built a global network

your ideas must be open to a broaden set of opinions and thoughts.

It‟s also quite useful to include examples of what you mean with your words. We all

know that an image values more than one thousand words so a good technique is

illustration, graphs and other visual tools. Avoid literary clichés that do not show your

competence and reveal your inability to think outside the box, as you are expected to

during Seliger 2011.

When will you implement your Business Plan?

Luckily your travel to Russia will be the beginning of a wider voyage in which yours

Business Plan it is the captain. You will perfect and begin to implement your plan at

Seliger but the adventure of exploring your ideas will definitely go long after it. Be

responsible when writing your plan because the Organizing Committee will want to

account on the standing of your business plan achievements.

And if my idea is not as good as I think?

Evolution is made by trying new paths and new formulas. If in the end of Seliger you

find out that your idea needs to be re-thanked and recycled that is an achievement and

not a defeat. Your ability to overcome difficulties and the strength of your resolutions

will be tested at the Seliger experience. Your Business Plan will always be improved in

the end of Seliger.

Also if you business plan is not satisfactory, it is better to find out immediately or

through Seliger International Youth Forum and save development costs, rather than

finding out later once you have lost a lot of your time, money and opportunity costs.

Remember to analyze the competition carefully and even if competition is hard to

identify it always exists just at different levels in the supply chain. To summarize this:

“A good business idea does not seek fierce competition, but it seeks to satisfy a market

need and wherever there is a market there is always other suppliers – the point here is

to leapfrog the competition with either a different approach, a better team, at a lower

cost/better quality, a faster process and to be able to continue satisfying those needs in

new and innovative ways”.

We wish you the best of motivation with defining, designing and developing your ideas.

Your contribution to Seliger

Now, learning from what you read before and applying the Seliger mindset naturally

prepares you pretty well for the forum in terms of improving and training your skills

and capacities.

So how do you also make a positive impact on others and the Seliger community as a

whole?

Let me propose you to begin reflecting about this sentence, which as you probably

realize is strongly inspired by the famous Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy -

January 20th 1961

“Do not ask what Seliger Forum can do for you, but ask what you can do for Seliger”

As with any other Forum, the value of Seliger is more than just the sum of its

participants it is also the value in the synergies developed between and among the

participants.

The great thing about Seliger is that it lasts for more than a week, which gives you

enough time to develop trust and understanding, which is a natural prerequisite for

discovering real synergies.

We therefore encourage you to be honest to yourself and to others – be open-minded

and do not be afraid of receiving criticism or shy in giving criticism and feedback. Only

then trust will happen and ideas will evolve and mutual creativity will flourish. In

practical terms this means:

“Speak as you think, but think of what is best beyond your own position”

You might not be the best in football, climbing, sailing, music and so on, but stay

positive and enjoy doing things even if they are new for you. If you are experienced

think less of winning a competition and impressing others, but teach your talents.

Do not feel threatened by others superiority, but embrace it and learn from it.

“It takes a smart person to recognize another smart person”

You might not agree with everyone‟s initiatives, but in order for you to gain support for

your own initiatives then be flexible and collaborative, but remember never to sacrifice

your integrity.

Think not just about how I can contribute to Seliger from today, but think in general.

Can you do something particularly before you go? Maybe it could be bringing

something unique and interesting from your country, support a cause, involve your

university/company in the event, help others in the forum with their questions,

coordinate arrival times with others and maybe to learn a few sentences in Russian and

if you already know some, teach others. As you see there are many different ways in

which you can contribute and it mostly depends on your own creativity.

On the other hand, creativity has little value unless you are

“Present, Proactive, Paramount and Positive”

Finally we have reworked and old and famous quote by Elizabeth Bibesco (1897 –

1945) to truly prepare your attitude and perspective and most importantly your

contribution:

“Happy are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting”

Staying in Touch With Seligerians

In this age of rapid technological advancement, the world has become a global village,

and the increased level of connectivity has made easy for us to remain connected with

our friends and fellows. There are various ways to remain in touch with the talented and

inspirational fellows with whom you would meet in Seliger 2011.

Facebook The social media website of 'Facebook' is the biggest and most recognized networking

platform among the youngsters of today to remain in touch. That is the reason why after

Seliger Forum, the workshop participants create separate Facebook groups to remain in

touch with their group members. In this way, you would also be able to share pictures,

videos, and any other memories of Seliger Forum with your fellow participants and who

are likely to also become your friends.

Seliger Forum (Inter Forum) The organizers of Seliger Forum 2011 have created a separate forum on Seliger website

for the participants this year. On the forum, you would be able to introduce your action

plans and exciting projects to other attendees of Seliger Forum, which would help you

to connect and at the same time strengthen your project by involving the motivated

participants of Seliger Forum. Every accepted participant of Seliger Forum would be

able to login in the forum by using his login ID and Password.

Naturally you can also share your e-mail, business cards and maybe even your twitter

account, but the best way to stay connected is to visit other Seligerians afterwards.

Travel to their place or host them at your place – Now you are true Seligerian ;-)

Preparing for Seliger

So, you almost got confirmed to Seliger 2011, in Russia. First of all, well done! We're

really happy for you so far, and because you're showing an active interest in become

part of a global team of future leaders.

Well, what next? You're just getting on train or plane and take off to the week/year of

your life? If that's the case, happy you. Still, here's some advice that should help you

prepare your trip pleasant and lean, really an event to remember.

And still, one day you will receive an invitation. Shortly after celebrating, take a look at

the letter of invitation and get an extra PHOTOCOPY. Broadly speaking, Seliger covers

Airport Transfer, accommodation and meals. It is better in advance to ask organizers or

Ambassadors to ask average expenditures apart from Seliger 2011, your expenses in

transit time and other personal expenses in Russia.

When waiting for the answer regarding Visa, Forum Confirmation, pay attention to the

timeline the organizers announced for the publication of the results of the application

process. If there is a clear date, and you don't get your answer in two weeks following

that date or the date of the event comes to close, and you're afraid you won't be able to

make it, try an email, reminding the organizers you're waiting for an answer. You never

know when the letter or email gets lost underway

In any case, call the embassy and ask for all these details in advance. Policies may vary

from country to country and from embassy to embassy. If you're travelling by plane,

don't buy the ticket before getting the visa; just make a reservation, which costs nothing.

In any case, secure transportation well in advance, be it by plane, train or bus.

Especially during the summer and around public holidays seats fill up quickly. Also, in

the case of the planes, the earlier you get the ticket, the less it costs.

No matter how much of the costs is paid for you, you will still need some pocket

money. If you have a card, see if it is accepted at ATMs and stores in the country you're

travelling. A Maestro, Visa or MasterCard compatible card should do. A multicurrency

card - which gives you local currency abroad as well as in your country - is probably the

best option. If you decide to carry cash, try to secure some of the currency of the

country of destination before leaving. Should you not manage to, get some widely

accepted international currency like USD. When you're changing money at the

destination remember that exchange rates in airports, train stations and hotels are

traditionally worse that what you can get in a bank or in town. So don't change all your

money at once. Check at the exchange office whether you'll have to pay a commission

for the operation and how high that is.

Just before leaving home, check whether you have on you: passport, a copy of the letter

of invitation, name, address and phone numbers of the organizers, the address of the

place where you're going to stay, cash and/or cards, transportation tickets and a copy of

this guide :)

WHAT TO BRING…?

We recommend you to travel LIGHT. With all the ensured basic necessities

The Basic necessities ideally would be your baggage along with a raincoat, sport

shoes, torch, first aid kit, a bed sheet and personal care products

It is Recommended to get some souvenirs from your country to give gifts to

your new friends

AT SELIGER

Keep track of events happening on website beforehand about the speakers and

professors participating in your sessions.

It is also advisable to start discussion on Seliger Webpage Forum and Facebook

Page to discuss your ideas beforehand. Likewise you will be able to

communicate much better during the Forum

In the forum make sure you take notes of the different programs being displayed

on the HUGE BOARD about what‟s happening in different Tents.

Participate in in the extracurricular activities which usually happens in the

evenings

If it is possible to bring some musical instruments, bring it. You increase the

possibility to enjoy campfire followed with dancing and singing in your group.

Please do not miss any of the programs as it hampers the spirit of the forum

Farewell!!

This being said, we wish you more than just a very pleasant time. You're there to enjoy

the results of your work and the works of others, so enjoy it! :) And when back home,

maybe you'll find time to write us about your impressions. We'll greatly appreciate it.

Yours Sincerely,

The Seliger Ambassador Team