From 29 July to 2 August, as part of the Go4Democracy project, a training course for 15 young multipliers from the three countries of the Danube region took place at the Seligstadt Youth Centre in Barcut, Romania.
The participants were encouraged to experience self-efficacy in shaping their living environment. On the one hand, modules were held to impart knowledge on this complex topic and, on the other hand, playful exercises were used to promote team spirit and the exchange of personal, even controversial, opinions. In addition, time was set aside for the rest of the group to organise activities independently in small interest groups. This promoted both personal skills and active participation.
weiterlesen . . .
For most participants, this was a new experience, as they were used to having the programme for such an event presented to them. After some initial uncertainty, everyone seized the opportunity and tried out new things. The youth centre, with its spacious grounds and wide range of possibilities, provided the ideal setting for this. The day trip to the breathtaking mountain world of the Carpathians was a highlight for most.
The training enabled the multipliers to pass on democracy education units they had developed themselves and to accompany groups of participants in exceptional situations or crises, and they can now apply this know-how in their field of work. Six of the participants accompanied the subsequent camp for young people.
In the third phase of the project, the multipliers met within their own countries in the autumn to hold workshops they had developed themselves with their own peer groups. Between internet outages and war reporting, the Ukrainian young people organised two units with discussions and colourful murals for pupils from two school classes in Odessa on the topic of democratic values. The Romanian team invited children from Roma and other socially disadvantaged families from the surrounding villages to meetings on the topic of diversity and uniqueness, where they created fabric pictures of themselves and discussed self-esteem and shared values. These will culminate in an exhibition. The German multipliers organised a spray workshop to design a wall of the Aalen town hall on the topic of democracy and a karaoke workshop with self-composed ‘freedom songs’. Many of the activities will continue in the new year.
The Baden-Württemberg Foundation, ifa and donors made this project possible, for which we are very grateful.
From 5 to 15 August 2025, a summer camp for 24 participants aged 14 to 18 took place at the Seligstadt Youth Centre in Barcut/Bekokten, Romania, as part of the Go4Democracy project.
With the help of the ‘Fairtogether’ concept, developed from the ‘Alternatives to Violence Project’ (AVP) for young people in crisis situations, the participants gained experience of self-efficacy and participation, tried out ways of non-violent communication, constructive conflict resolution and inclusion of all, and found their role in the multilingual community. In modules on diversity and shaping their living environment, a playful foundation was laid for a later artistic approach to the complex topic of democracy. In workshops such as circus, theatre and (visual) arts, the impressions were imaginatively processed and prepared within 10 days for a final presentation.
weiterlesen . . .
As the youth camp was attended by 9 team members, 6 multipliers and 18 young people from Germany, Romania and Ukraine, two translators had their hands full. In their free time, however, creative ways were found to bring the group closer together through various activities or simply with gestures. For many participants, the tranquillity of the tranquil village with the spacious and stimulating grounds of the youth centre meant a break from the daily reality of war in Ukraine or from the precarious domestic situation at home. The educational supervisors from the three partner countries repeatedly had to use their tact and sensitivity to make this place a safe and comfortable space. In addition, programme items such as a folk music concert, a visit to an outdoor swimming pool and a hike in the Carpathian Mountains also brought the group closer together.
This made it possible to present the results of the workshops in a final performance on the theme of Go4Democracy to an eager audience from Seligstadt, Barcut and Fagaras. Artists from the group individually demonstrated their skills on the trapeze, juggling, dancing and acrobatic jumps, ultimately coming together in their diversity to form a human pyramid in which each individual supported the others – a symbol of the necessity of uniqueness for a strong framework of diversity as a whole, as in democracy itself! This was followed by a self-produced performance by the theatre group, depicting the empty election promises and abuse of power of a selfish, ruthless dictator and the uprising of his servants. The ‘happy ending’, in which he was subsequently accepted into the circle of citizens, was particularly moving. The performers courageously recited texts they had written themselves about the power and importance of their own voices. Two boys even dared to perform as singers in front of the audience. The evening was framed by the art group's installation, which also served as the stage set: a colourful forest of protest signs on cardboard or wood, painted in bright colours and arranged in a wild and chaotic manner, calling for solidarity, nature conservation, respect and rebellion against injustice. The values of democracy, which the various working groups brought to the fore, clearly demonstrated their understanding of togetherness, which had grown during their time together.
The Baden-Württemberg Foundation, ifa and donors made this project possible, for which we are very grateful.