Active Solidarity Youth Project brought together 36 young people from 6 European countries, to explore the topic of activism and LGBT+ spectrum within non-formal and informal learning activities. The program took place in Nea Makri, Greece between the 27th of September and the 6th of October 2019.
Read what the Slovene Team is sharing about their experience:
At the end of September, six participants from Slovenia attended the youth exchange Active Solidarity in Nea Makri in Greece. We had the opportunity to learn and grow in beautiful nature by the sea. At first, we got to know each other and then stepped into the world of activism. We learned about LGBTQ+, sex, and gender. We got the chance to meet with local activists, NGOs, and collectives. We used the inspiration for video making, creation of our zine and for doing street actions. All the activities we did were in an international setting. Connecting with people from other countries in Europe, sharing ideas and experiences made the 10 days we spent in Greece even more unforgettable.
Klara: For me, the exchange presented a new challenge, since I stepped into the role of a group leader for the first time. It was hard but unforgettable. Besides that, I deepened my knowledge of gender, sexuality and the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Creative work we did, shooting films and making zines, gave me a chance to express myself freely.
I’m most proud of the street action we did in Athens. Raising awareness about violence and hate crime against LGBTQ+ people in Greece. Informing people how they can act if they see an attack happening in the streets. How they can help and prevent injustices. And I had the chance to do activistic work with international friends, which otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do. I’m thankful I got the chance to reconnect with people on a more personal and deeper level and form friendships that will last.
Ajda: The most important thing that I’m taking from this experience is the realization that you don’t need a whole month and 2000 people to create something big. For example, we managed to prepare a whole street action in less than a day, wrote zin in less than 3 hours and If that’s not something you need in your day to day life, I don’t know what is.
Maja: When I came back to Slovenia, I wasn’t the same person who left it. During this exchange project, I’ve been given a space to get to know myself and accept who I am. It is a difficult process for me but people I’ve met in Greece and ideas I’ve been exposed to have helped me start it.
I can hardly define what allowed me to grow so much in such a short time. The international community that I’ve become a part of here has given me more than I can describe and I hope to give that back when I’ll be able to.
Working with media and communicating with more experienced activists and the public allowed me to express myself on a new level. The project was difficult for emotionally but that challenged me to learn to take care of myself and find my limits. All in all, it really was a life-changing experience, excuse my saccharine language. I believe everyone would benefit greatly from enjoying such exchanges and projects.
Neja: This exchange was life-changing for me. I learned a lot about myself and pushed myself to new limits, at times it was very hard, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it, because of all the people that I got to meet, because of them, this experience, all the hardship was worth it. I loved exchanging knowledge and experience with others, I know that I am a better activist now than I was before I came to Greece.
The project was funded by the Erasmus+ Programme, through the Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation (INEDIVIM) of Greece.