Programme & action: Youth in Action programme, action 3.1.2. training course
Venue: Struga, Macedonia
Dates: 2-10 May 2014
Participants: Julie Smilnická, Michal Sikora, Veronika Ďuranová, Zuzana Jurgová
Participating countries: Macedonia, Romania, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro
Project report:
If you visit Macedonia you will absolutely fall in love with it! I was pleasure to travel there within Youth in Action in order to participate in a training course E(urope) U(nited) Leaders that took place in a pretty good town Struga. This place changed into a home of twenty-four different people for nine wonderful days (2nd – 10th May 2014). Participants came from the Czech Republic, Serbia, Romania, Montenegro, Croatia and Republic of Macedonia. Our hotel Biser was situated about ten meters far from Lake Ohrid, the weather was mostly sunny, the great mood everywhere around us – the extraordinary place to motivate for a good job.
The main topics of the training were European Citizenship and European Union in general. Both issues were quite widely debated. For instance, we discussed differences of national citizenship in participating countries (EU and non-EU), what it is European Citizenship, what it means, how we imagine a perfect European Citizenship, which advantages we have if we are European Citizens. We also had a couple of sessions about fundamental information of European Union when we focused on EU’s groundbreaking dates and EU’s institutions. As well as learning these subjects we debate analysed non-formal methods of study and teaching that we used during a whole week. One session related to effective communication skills with the accent on facilitation of workshop skills. As usual intercultural nights took place too, so we tried new tastes, smells of traditional foods from different countries and at the same time we learned national dances.
Besides, we set off on a trip to Ohrid that is one of the most amazing places in Republic of Macedonia. We got loads of information about history of the town and we could see and enjoy the most significant historic sights there and wonderful surrounding nature. Awesome trip!
At the end of the project we made short promo video about the project, created booklet with loads of photos and information about our work and activities in Macedonia and final we thought up several games that present European Union and its working – the aim of all three things is to promote project like that and attract a huge future participants! I hope it will work!
Julie Smilnická
