| Youth activities |
Youth exchange on Åland 2010
From 6th to 13th of August 30 young people from Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, and Åland will gather on Prästö/Vårdö, Åland, to discuss issues of boundaries and identity.
During the six-day exchange, participants will take part in workshops, excursions, cultural evenings and other social activities. The purpose is for young people from different countries and cultures to get a chance to meet and discuss important issues.
The exchange, directed at young people aged 16-19, is financed by the EU's Youth in Action programme.
Experiences from Living Bridges
The "Living bridges" training project was based upon three cornerstones: feminism, intercultural dialogue and conflict resolution. Young women from Sweden and Finland (mainland and Åland) and Azerbaijan and Armenia came together on the Åland Islands between the 17th and the 22nd of August 2009 to discuss these issues in the light of the Åland example. Sarah Stephan, who was the project manager of this event has now summarized the main experiences from the project. Her article can be downloaded (in pfd) here.
Pictures and stories from peace camp in Holland
Six young people from Åland traveled in July 2009 to a week long peace camp in Ysselsteyn, the Netherlands. At the camp they discussed personal, cultural and national borders and boundaries with participants from the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Turkey and Hungary.The Ålandic participants where sent to the camp by the Åland Islands Peace Institute, and the trip and the camp were financed by the EU Youth in Action programme.
A pdf with pictures and stories from the camp can be downloaded here.
Love does not start with fighting
The Åland Islands Peace Institute, in cooperation with Folkhälsan på Åland, participates in the project "Kärlek börjar inte med bråk" - "Love does not start with fighting". The project aims at triggering the discussion about sexual harrasment in schools and strengthening the students' respect for their own and their fellow students' physical integrity. The concept of the course has been developed by Malin Gustavsson. In 2008-2009 the course is offered to all 7-grade classes on Åland. The course comprises two seminars held by educated trainers from Folkhälsan på Åland and the Åland Islands Peace Institute. Within the courses trainers and students discuss what is ment by sexual harassment and sexualised mobbing, which appearances it can take and which consequences sexualised insults and actions can have. The students reflect on situations in their school-life and thereby increase their consciousness and learn how to handle these issues. The courses are funded by the school department of the Government of Åland within the framework of the project "Skolfreden på Åland" - "Peace in Schools on Åland". Thus far Justina Donielaite from the Åland Islands Peace Institute and Petra Berg from Folkhälsan på Åland have held courses in schools in Strandnäs and Kyrkby. In February 2009 they will visit the elementary schools on Föglö, Kumlinge and Brändö. Ship for World Youth
Ship for World Youth is an international youth exchange programme arranged by the Government of Japan. During the programme, 120 young people from Japan and 140 from other countries share daily life on board a cruise ship in around 45 days. The participants study and discuss topics of common interest and global importance, through lectures, cultural exchanges, sport, seminars, club activites and other activities. Petra Granholm from the Åland Islands takes part in the programme. Petra worked as a trainee at the Paeace Institute in the summer of 2007. She has written two personal reports (in Swedish) about the life on board: Report 1 [pdf 382K] and report 2 [pdf 760K].Games and workshops
The following is a collection of a wide variety of games, workshops and other ideas suitable for youth groups, school classes, festivals, adult groups and other situations. I have come across them mainly through working with peace organisations and some do refer to particular local situations (particularly Northern Ireland) - however they should all be easily adaptable to other contexts.The collection is found here.