The training course: "Creativity and Innovation in Intercultural Learning: The use of Experiential learning trough Outdoor activities" in Mali Idjos, close to Novi Sad, Serbia in July 2009. We hereby kindly ask you to recruit participants from your organizations that will be able to participate at the training course and give back their knowledge and skills in the topics to the projects dealing with intercultural and experiential learning within the organisations.

 The training course will take place in Serbia (Mali Idjos, Novi Sad) from 2^nd July (arrival in the morning) to 9^th July (departure in the afternoon) 2009.

 About the training course

 This 7 days long training course on creativity and innovation in intercultural learning through experiential learning and outdoor activities will be organised in Novi Sad, Serbia and will gather 20 participants from 7 organizations from Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, FYR Macedonia, Lithuania, Portugal and Turkey.

 Aim of the training course is to equip participants with the knowledge, attitudes, values and skills of creative and innovative application of experiential learning in intercultural and international settings

 Some of the specific objectives are:

•           To expose participants to an intercultural process;
•           To ensure that the process is based on an experiential learning cycle;
•           To familiarise participants with the theory and methods of experiential learning and intercultural learning;
•           To encourage participants to develop new methods and approaches in ICL activities;
•           To provide the tools for participants to introduce outdoor activities in intercultural and international settings;
•           To disseminate the principles and practice of experiential learning through a variety of mechanisms.

The training course will follow the non-formal education approach. A combination of different creative and interactive methods with the accent on the outdoor activities will be used by the international training/facilitating team and designed upon the profile of participants. The course programme and contents are organised to allow for the maximum participation of the group using active and participatory methods.

 The language of the training course will be English.

 The participants should fulfil the following criteria:

•   Age above 18
•   Willing to get involved in international/intercultural projects afterwards
•   Able to work in English
•   Willing to share the new knowledge with the members of his/her organization once he/she gets back
•   Able to attend the entire duration of the course

 Partner organizations:

According to the project application there are 6 partner organizations involved in the project:

• Volunteers’ Centre Zagreb, Croatia
• Center for Intercultural Dialogue, Macedonia
• SRAP Omerli Youth Group, Turkey
• Youth for Exchange and Understanding (YEU), Lithuania
• ARCA, Portugal
• Zavod Voluntariat, Slovenia
• Centre for Non-formal education and Lifelong learning, Serbia (project applicant)

 There is place for 20 participants altogether.

   Travel and visa costs reimbursement

70% of travel costs will be reimbursed only for the cheapest way of transport and preferably for the return tickets.

All visa costs for participants coming from Turkey will be reimbursed 100%.

The travel reimbursement will not be done on the spot, but after the return of the participants to their homes and after they send the original tickets to CNL. The transfer of money for travel reimbursement will be done by direct transfer to individual’s bank accounts.

 Participation fee:   NONE!

 Applications

Please sumbit your expression of interest to marius.ulozas@gmail.com 5^th June 2009.

Selected participants will receive the detailed infosheet till 9^th June 2009.

Žodis kultūra kartais atrodo panašus į keiksmažodį, ar bent – parazitinį žodelį, kurį galima “klijuoti” beveik prie bet ko. Kas nežino, kad egzistuoja ne tik grūdinė, bet ir vartotojų, populiarioji, aukštoji ir net kūno kultūra. O kur dar visa krūva jaunimo subkultūrų!?..

Tad apie ką mes čia?

Net ir gilus bei platus skirtingų kultūrų vandenynas gali būti perplauktas, jei valtyje – būrys linksmo ir entuziastingo jaunimėlio. Visi, kuriems įdomu aptarti kultūringus ir nekultūringus kultūros klausimus, kviečiami jungtis į 27-osios Tarptautinės jaunimo konvencijos dalyvių būrį!

Kasmetiniu tarptautinės jaunimo organizacijos “Youth for Exchange and Understanding” (YEU) renginiu šiemet rūpinasi “Jaunimo mainai ir bendradarbiavimas” (JMB). Šią vasarą būrys jaunuolių iš aštuoniolikos skirtingų šalių susiburs Lietuvoje. Juk kažkas turi išsiaiškinti, kas ta kultūra bei su kuo ir kokiais kiekiais ji vartojama… O gal galimas ir šalutinis poveikis bei alerginės reakcijos?!.

Grįžta į Lietuvą

Gilias tradicijas turintis kasmetinis YEU renginys trunka beveik tris savaites. Šiemet jis kvies į susitikimus su kultūros veikėjais, skatins susimąstyti diskusijomis ir linksmins kūrybiniais užsiėmimai. Konvencijoje, kurios pavadinimas – “Jaunime! Priimk kultūrą į būrį!” (angl. “Youth! Bring culture on board!”) – dalyviai ne tik patys gaus nemenką kultūros dozę, bet ir vieni kitus bandys užkrėsti savosios tautinės ir tarptautinės kultūros virusais. Negana to, interaktyvių renginių metu šiuos nepavojingus virusus jaunimėlis skleis ir Lietuvos miestuose bei miesteliuose.

Konvencija Lietuvoje vyks rugpjūčio 7-20 dienomis, net trijose vietose:  Kaune, netoli Trakų, ir pačioje šių metų Europos kultūros širdyje – Vilniuje. Simboliška, kad renginio dalyviai susipažins su visomis trijomis Lietuvos sostinėmis: istorine – Trakais, laikinąja – Kaunu, ir dabartine – Vilniumi.

Tarptautinė jaunimo konvencija – svarbus metinis organizacijos YEU renginys, organizuojamas vis kitoje šalyje. Šiemet organizacijos YEU narė JMB renginio šeimininko teises perėmė iš pernai konvenciją organizavusios Vokietijos. Tarptautinė jaunimo konvencija paskutinį kartą Lietuvoje vyko daugiau nei prieš dešimtmetį.

Ilgametės tradicijos

Įdomu, kad pačios organizacijos YEU gimimas yra labai susijęs su Tarptautinės jaunimo konvencijos renginiu. Istoriją reikėtų pradėti skaičiuoti dar 1980-aisiais, kuomet neformali katalikiško jaunimo grupė iš Vokietijos nusprendė suorganizuoti tarptautinę stovyklą. Tereikėjo vienerių metų ir ši idėja virto įspūdingu renginiu Bavarijos Alpėse. Tuomet stovykloje dalyvavo jaunimas iš Italijos, Austrijos bei Vokietijos. Dar po poros metų (1983-aisiais) toje pačioje vietoje įvyko pirmoji Tarptautine jaunimo konvencija. Stovyklavietė buvo suskirstyta į keturias grupes, vadinamuosius kaimelius. Kiekviename tokiame kaimelyje stovėjo keletas palapinių, skirtų dalyvių poilsiui ir po vieną didesnę – bendroms diskusijoms, užsiėmimams ir renginiams. Dabar sunku pasakyti, kiek tiksliai jaunuolių dalyvavo, tačiau manoma, kad renginys subūrė apie 120 – 140 dalyvių iš įvairių Europos kampelių. O kur dar renginio animatoriai ir organizatoriai! Beje, daugybė prieš daugiau nei dvi dešimtis metų užsimezgusių konvencijos tradicijų – gyvos ir šiandien. Pavyzdžiui, dalyviai renginio metu vis dar skirstomi į vadinamuosius “kaimelius”.

Organizacija YEU buvo įkurta  1986-ųjų rugpjūtį, Strasbūre, 120-ies jaunuolių iš 11 skirtingų šalių iniciatyva. Šiandien YEU yra Europos jaunimo forumo Briuselyje narė, o Europos Sąjungos ir Europos Tarybos laikoma nevyriausybine, nepelno siekiančia organizacija.

Daugiau informacijos:

Simona Šileikytė (JMB pirmininkė)

+370 699 11301

simmonn@gmail.com

Simona Žemaitytė (Konvencijos atstovė ryšiams su žiniasklaida)

+37067112129

s.zemaityte@gmail.com

• atnaujintas JTB puslapio dizainas, valdyba intensyviai dirba ir prie turinio;
• atnaujinta mūsų grupė Facebook'e;
• Patvirtinti JRD institucinės paramos ir EEE fondų projektai, intensyviai vyksta parengiamieji darbai.
• grupė mūsų kolegų artimiausiomis dienomis išvyksta į mainus Turkijoje! Sėkmės jiems;
• toliau intensyviai rengiamės YEU Konvencijai - juk tai didžiausias kasmetinis YEU renginys, todėl atsakomybė yra didelė, bet mes tikrai šauniai susitvarkysime. 
  

Lapkrièio  19 Novi Sad, Serbijoje prasideda tarptautiniai mokymai „Balkan/Baltic cooperation: Making projects with impact“. Ðiuo mokymus, kartu su Serbijos ir Latvijos partneriais inicijavo Jaunimo mainai ir bendradarbiavimas (JMB).

Bendradarbiavimas tarp ðiø ðaliø organizacijø vyksta jau antrus metus ir dþiaugiamës, kad bendrø projektø daugëja, o prie iniciatyvos sujungti ðiø dviejø regionø jaunimo organizacijø pastangas prisideda vis daugiau ðaliø – mokymuose dalyvauja ir Makedonijos, Kroatijos bei Estijos atstovai.

Mokymø „Balkan/Baltic cooperation: Making projects with impact“ tikslas yra supaþindinti Baltijos ir Balkanø regiono organizacijø atstovus su kitø ðaliø jaunimo gyvenimo realybe ir kartu ieðkoti sàlyèio taðkø, kurie peraugtø á ilgalaiká bendradarbiavimà.

JMB á ðá renginá delegavo keturis atstovus bei mokymø vadovà, todël tikimës, kad á Lietuvà parsiveðim daug ákvëpimo ir þiniø.

Ðiek tiek informacijos apie Serbijà i Vojvodinà (regionà, kuriame vyksta renginys)

SERBIA – BASIC FACTS

Population    Approx. 10 million. The majority of the population of Serbia are the Serbs (66%), but another 37 nationalities also live on its territory (the Albanians 17%, the Hungarians 3,5 %, followed by the Romanians, Croats, Bulgarians and others). All citizens have equal rights and responsibilities and enjoy full national equality.

Capital                                Belgrade, with a population of 1,6 million, is the administrative, economic and cultural heart of Serbia.

Language      The official language is Serbian and official alphabet is Cyrillic, but Latin is well used, especially in Vojvodina – the northern province of Serbia. In the areas inhabited by national minorities, the languages and alphabets of the minorities are in official use, as provided by law.

Religion:       The main religion in Serbia is Christian Orthodox. There are also other religious communities in Serbia: Islamic, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and other.

AND A LITTLE ABOUT VOJVODINA... J

Vojvodina is the northern province of Serbia. It borders with Hungary in the north, Croatia in the west, Romania in the east, and in the south towards the Central Serbia, a border is partly the river Sava as far as Belgrade, and then the river Danube. It is the home of a vast national park, winding rives, castles, baroque architecture, and rich cultural heritage. It has always been a crossroad between the East and the West in Europe. Many of the nations that came across it in their migrations, settled here for good, attracted by the mild and friendly character of both nature and the local people. Despite the wars in former Yugoslavia, this peaceful region has retained its centuries-long and recognizable points: its multinational, multicultural and multi-confessional features.

Culture                               Vojvodina's great cultural tradition and valuable heritage have been enriched by all nations of this region. People speak and study in five native languages: Serbian, Hungarian, Rumanian, Slovak and Ruthenian.. The earliest literacy was in connection with Catholic and Orthodox monasteries. Vojvodina by its geographical position is at the borders of two civilizations, western and oriental, although the major characteristics to the social life were given by the Middle-European culture. The food and wine of Vojvodina are not to be missed. The region blurs culinary borders, with a cuisine that includes tastes from Turkey, Hungary and from all the national cuisines of different nations living here. Fruit grows everywhere, and the locals like to enjoy their harvest year round by fermenting grapes, apples, or stone fruit into a "brandy" called rakija or surprisingly strong home brew plum brandy, sljivovica.

Geography    Vojvodina has a total surface area of 21,500 km² (8,299 mi²). It is a plain, interrupted by only two mountains - Fruska gora and Vrsacki breg. It is very rich with waters and one of rare European oasis with preserved nature. The climate is continental and temperate. Maximum summer (June to August) temperatures are around 29 degrees Celsius - though it can get much hotter than this. Due to its extraordinary soil and climate, this agricultural and mainly flat region has been not only the breadbasket of the country but also the most developed area of Serbia in general.

    Basic Serbian

JMB informacija

JMB/YEU Lithuania would like to invite you to 5 day long Study Visit in Iceland, Reykjavik, with the aim to explore the realities of youth participation and youth policies in Iceland, with special focus on the understanding of active citizenship and European values, Voluntary work and status of non formal education, youth participation.

The exchange of experience between partners should serve as background for future YOUTH projects.

Participants with various youth work experience will interact (by street interviews, meetings, simulation games, debates etc) with local young people, youth NGOs and different stakeholders.

From Lithuania 3 participants are invited (2girls+1boy), 70% of travel cost Vilnius-Reykjavik-Vilnius are reimbursed (if participation and itinerary are approved) and small participation fee might occur.

How to apply: send and expression of interest (why do you want, why you should be selected and how you plan to follow up the participation in the study visit) to marius.ulozas@gmail.com by 6^th of January.

And don’t forget – HAAAAPPPYYY NEW YEAR :)
Jaunimo mainai ir bendradarbiavimas / YEU Lithuania  

Lietuvis? Europietis? Jaunas ir veiklus!

Conference of YEU Lithuania on Nation Identity and Multiculturalism

On the November 21, YEU Lithuania organized conference �National Identity in the multicultural environment: role of youth organizations�. This conference aimed at clarifying the concepts of identity, multiculturalism and European Citizenship and to find out what is the role of youth organizations in educating youngsters about these core issues.

Conference was symbolically held on the 31^st floor of Conference centre called �Europe� � close to heaven and expressing core value of YEU � attachment to European issues. 

Invited guests shared their insights on the role of education and role of youth organizations in educating youngsters. Former minister of Education, Mr. Monkevicius expressed that youth organizations being vibrant and fast to change can adapt best to the changing reality and they involve young people and educate them in the areas/issues where school and university fails to address.

Marius Ulozas, board member of YEU Lithuania presented the YEU work and the process of introduction of European Citizenship into youth work. The participants of conference came from various Lithuanian youth NGOs and they have expressed their commitment to stay in the field and to educate youngsters in both - Lithuanian and European spirit.

• Mindaugas Veromejus,  YEU Lithuania board member
• Neringa Greiciute, YEU Lithuania / JEF Europe
• Andrius Degulys, YEU Lithuania
• Teresa Uloziene, Lithuanian National Youth Council vice president

We are happy to announce that in the 18th general assembly of Lithuanian National Youth Council (LiJOT) YEU Lithuania became a full member. Until now, YEU Lithuania was associated member and was actively involved in the work of LiJOT; from now on we can contribute and get involved to even higher extent.
more about Lijot: www.lijot.lt