Call for participants: Youth exchange in Brezovica

MOUNTAINS CONNECTING PEOPLE

WINTER PEACE IN BREZOVICA

Youth Exchange in Brezovica, Kosovo, 12^th – 23^rd of March 2015

CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS

Our only planet is being challenged by the industrial civilization. Our society is constantly facing some kind of crisis – financial, social, environmental, energy, food – just to name the most pressing ones. Climate crisis is being the biggest challenge, which affects lives everywhere and threatens survival of many species, including human. Additionally, social climate in the Balkans has not been stable as well. Behind the scary story, there are many inspiring alternative and sustainable examples of projects, communities, towns, initiatives… and this project is about them and ways for creating a climate for peace.

Winter Peace in Kuterevo, January 2014

THE YOUTH EXCHANGE

In the mid of March, 25 young people coming from Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria and Russia will gather in the mountain village of Brezovica, Kosovo, for 10 winter days. Through visits, workshops, debates, games, we will explore the biggest challenge of our civilization, mostly related to climate change and climate justice, translated into local reality and possible solutions.

During these 10 days, we will:

…learn and share about climate change, impacts on humankind and nature,
…discuss about climate change impact on human rights, equality, peace, and the future of the world,
… get to know the local community, customs, tradition and lifestyle,
… visit inspiring natural and cultural places around,
… learn about and from wilderness,
… create small projects on the topic (ie. video, photo essay, comics…etc),
….welcome the arrival of Spring,
…enjoy, have fun and much more 🙂

LOCATION

Brezovica (Municipality of Strpce) is a small mountain village, with around 400 inhabitants, situated in the north-eastern part of the Shar Mountains in Kosovo, which is also protected as National park. Shar Mountains is the habitat of the lynx, bear, chamois, wolf, roe deer, wild boar, vultures and many plant species among which many are endemic and relict. The group will be accommodated in a motel, with warm hosts, tasty domestic (vegetarian 🙂 food and magic views on the mountain and relaxing sound of a stream…

MOUNTAINS CONNECTING PEOPLE

The Youth Exchange “Winter Peace in Brezovica” is part of the bigger project called “Mountains connecting people” and part of SCI (Service Civil International) worldwide campaign “Create a Climate for Peace”. This project includes three Youth Exchanges, which will take place in different seasons in Kosovo, Bulgaria and Croatia, in small mountain communities separated by distance and history, but which have in common a close link to nature and traditional lifestyle.

Participants have the possibility to take part in one, two or all three Youth Exchanges:

WINTER PEACE IN BREZOVICA, Kosovo, 12^th-23^rd of March 2015.
AWAKENING OF SPRING IN VLAHI, Bulgaria, 10^th-21^st of June 2015.
ACTIVE SUMMER IN KUTEREVO, Croatia, 24^th of August – 3^rd of September 2015.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPANTS:

We are looking for 5 participants, among which one will be chosen as a group leader. Previous experience in international youth gatherings (exchanges, seminars, workcamps…) is not required, but here are several points which will be taken into account:

be interested in topics and willing to get prepared before the youth exchange
be willing to disconnected virtually, but connected naturally
be willing to live sustainably and in an international community in a remote place for 10 days
be ready for active participation and contribution
be ready to travel by train or bus to the youth exchange and back
to be between 18 and 30 years young

PRACTICAL CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION