Programme and Action: Youth in Action programme, action 4.3. training course
Pax: Marek Trav Viet, Irena Pavlíčková
Venue: Lecce, Italy
Dates: 21-28 September 2013
Project report:
Together with Marek we were the only Czech participants at the “Embedded Conflicts Management” Training, a project which started on 21st September in Lecce, Italy and lasted for a week. It was the first time that we had been to Italy and we were truly taken aback by its beauty: its awe-inspiring architecture, its nature, the endless sea full of crystal-clear water and romantic coasts.
In this wonderful environment, young people from 7 European countries came together to learn about conflict management, always accompanied by the metaphor of fire: First there is the spark (the causes), then there comes the smouldering (outbreak of a conflict), the fire with the blaze (conflict escalation) only to turn into ashes. One might get burnt as well as come out strengthened like a phoenix.
Of course, after dealing with fire on a daily basis, we just couldn’t resist the temptation to cool down in the sea one sunny afternoon. Another great method to reduce the heat was by eating a gelato (an ice cream) or drinking a cold coffee.
Our diverse team developed a strong dynamics, as we played with conflicts and other difficult situations. We faced many challenges during the day and made peace by a coctail every evening. We learned to distinguish various conflict triggers, stages of a conflict and its end. All of us have a unique personality – some are active, others rather passive, some behave in a shy way, others are bold, some people feel comfortable in a conflict, while others tend to avoid them. The cultural variety added to these differences and so we had a great opportunity to discover many conflict constellations.
In conclusion, both me and Marek greatly enjoyed our stay and would like to express deeep gratitude for EYCB’s support and assisstance in sending us to Lecce. Thank you!
Irena Pavlíčková
