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YAP INFO MARCH 2004

Welcome to the spring edition of the YAP Info - a very exclusive edition!
This, as you can see, is the electronic newsletter sent from the
International Secretariat every two months, with the idea to keep branches,
partners and interested individuals up-to-date about what is happening in
the YAP world. For those you could not join us, please have a look at the CD
report to be informed about the latest innovations like the International
Solidarity Fund and the new Steering Committee. The pictures will show you
what you missed: work, fun and an excellent kitchen! The YAP International
Activities section informs about the status quo of all EVS centralised
projects, presents Arte Diem 2004 and contains two reports of our EVS
volunteers in Palestine. Further on, you will read interesting news from
daily life in YAP branches and partner organisations! Please note the new
section following: Activity Reports, it will appear every time we have some
young motivated persons like Matthias to provide information about past
activities! So, get active to get your own article in the next Info :-)
Another "exclusivity" in this March edition is a the 20th March Special.
Dedicated to the International Day against War you will find some articles
as well as a Protest Coverage list and pictures! A lot of peo - ple out
there share the same wish: Peace all over the world! Please pay attention to
the seven pages full of interesting seminars, trainings and other events!
And take care of the deadlines ;-) Last but not least you will find some
articles in the "Food for Thought"-section relating to the recent bomb
attacks in Madrid and some relating to women issues.

ENJOY THIS PAPER PREFERABLY OUTSIDE WITH SUN SHINING ON YOU!

CONTENT

     News from the international movement
Spring YAP committee of directors... Time for a change?
     YAP' s internationalactivities
Evs unity in variety. No discrimination.
Evs in south-east Europe
Evs in the middle east
Arte diem or another way to understand diversity
Evs in Mexico
Evs in Russia
     Life of the movement
Trip to jerusalem, 28th of february
Changing clothes
Women and peace
Art. Ѓ feminine article 2004
How to promote the voluntary service?
New face in JAVVA...
     Activity report
Tool-kit about peace education
     20th march special
Protesters urge no vote for pro-war politicians and candidates!
M19 antiwar actions
20th march 2004: millions participate in worldwide
     Activities of other platforms / organisations
European youth conference
How to avoid conflicts in caucasus: european co-operation as role model
From gandhi to modern social and political movements
Islamophobia and its consequences on young people
The 2004 award for action on HIV/AIDS and human rights
Essay contest: making the most of my qualities
International peace and conflict resolution programme
Democratic leadership programme
Women's world summit foundation
Call for participants to the colloquium 2004: "worldwide cooperation"
Culture and the environment: management of water resources in china
1% solidarity activity 2004
     Food for thought
No war wins
YAP solidarity mail with Spain
Just for your information...
Women and migration
8th march - international women's day
The hard climb for women's rights

SPRING YAP COMMITTEE OF DIRECTORS... TIME FOR A CHANGE?
by Gisele Evrard

The CD I 2004 has taken place in Auvergne, France, in a lovely place called
"Le Creneau"... And this summary could not be a good one if we would not
start by thanking warmly the whole team of Le Creneau for their welcome and
for their huge help and support throughout the whole CD period ... So, merci
beaucoup :-) This CD was a bit special, and quite several serious issues
were to be discussed, among which the election of a new Steering Committee,
the adoption of a new constitution and internal regulation, and the decision
about the theme of our Congress 2005 ... What an agenda! But -as usual- we
managed, for at least most of the issues...
New Steering
"New" by definition means that there was also an "old" one... And again, we
will never be able to thank enough Adina Pop (ex-President) and Veronica
Andrade Romo (ex-Treasurer) for the work they did, for the dedication,
commitment and friendship :-) We'll miss you ladies... And so we welcome
Andras F. Toth (new President) and Wassim Khazmo (new Treasurer)... If their
experience as Steering members is not new, we still wish them the (very)
best during their new mandate... YAP is entering in a challenging period,
and thanks to them to take it :-) As an IS writing this little article, be
sure I will do my best to help you :-)
And yes, this is it for the new members... So you understood well, there
will be only 4 people in the Steering, until the next CD. The reason for
that is a proposal (could we call that "warning"?) the (old) Steering made
not to accept on the spot candidatures, as we were used to do, and which
lead to a lot of discussion right before the elections and prevented
branches (and boards) to discuss candidatures prior coming to the CD. Well
obviously the message passed, since the proposal has been accepted... So we
hope to receive a LOT of applications (on time :-) for the next CD, as two
posts are still open...
New constitution
Yes, we made it! As most of you know, the Belgian law on non-profit
organisations has obliged us to revise our current legal constitution... Up
to know, YAP functioned with legal statutes (registered under the Belgian
law) and with internal constitution and internal regulations, which
sometimes complicated a bit the work on a statutory level. Now the legal
texts and the internal ones have merged, and very soon, once registered, we
will be able to proudly present our new constitution :-) Special thanks to
Adina for her big help on this work.

Congress 2005

The Congress 2005 will take place in Alcobendas, Madrid... A more then ever
very big symbol for an international peace organisation, although we were -
of course- far to imagine the horror that happened over there few days
later... The main theme of the Congress will be "Immigration - Emigration -
Migration". There has been huge discussion around the Congress' theme. Not
because the one chosen is not appropriate, but because some member
organisations wanted a theme that can have a global understanding and
vision, and some other did wish to have something more specific... In
general, the theme will try to integrate issues such as:
ћ Immigration
ћ Emigration
ћ Multicultural, multiethnical, multireli gious societies
ћ Refugees (absence of international law)
ћ Diversity
A team will have to be designed in the coming weeks/months, as to start
preparing the Congress and to deepen its content, develop concepts,
methodology and methods.
The final dates still have to be defined, but it will be around end of
February - early March 2005.

Next CD

And it is under the Magyar Autumn sun that next CD will take place, on 15th,
16th and 17th of October, with a special commission on External
Representation and Lobbying on the Thursday 14th... Book this in your
agendas! As you can imagine, many more things happened at the CD (new
International Solidarity Fund, new projects, many thoughts and many talks...
The draft minutes will be ready very soon and can be obtained at the
International Secretariat.
Vizslat en Budapest!

EVS UNITY IN VARIETY. NO DISCRIMINATION
by Virginie Touzeau

On the starting blocks...
Our team is established!! Melodie from SJ, Bogdan from MTP Oradea, Andy from
YAP UK, Mariana from CFD Germany and Virginie from the IS are that 'new'
motivated Unity teamers!
We will gather on the 3rd-4th of April in springy Brussels for our first
meeting all together. During those 2 days, we will prepare the pre-dep,
think about the next steps of the project, think about different
possibilities for a common event. From organisational point of view,
hopefully the project is going well. All hostingplacements are now waiting
for their fully the project is going well. All hostingplacements are now
waiting for their new volunteer/s. Selection will be done around 5-8th of
April (as deadline for sending volunteers applications is the 4th April, as
you all remember). We have so far 7 applicants for that activity. As to
remind that selection of volunteers is done by the hosting organisations
directly. Team will be available if problems are raised but is not part of
the selection panel. The volunteers and the team will meet in Brussels for
the pre-dep at mid May. More news later, surely.

EVS IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE
by Virginie Touzeau

Testing each others' culture...
The pre-departure training just took place last week (18-21 of March) with
the 5 volunteers from Western Europe (France, Spain, Germany and Italy) and
4 from Balkans countries (one volunteer from Macedonia going to Portugal did
not get his visa on time). The team (Marie-Laure from SJ, Julien from YAP
Italy, Danijela and Jugo from SEEYN and myself) had an interesting
cooperation; we felt very well the importance of having team members coming
from the different regions the volunteersare going to. It certainly brings a
plus into the discussions and the relations with the volunteers! On the
first day of the pre-dep, the new from the attacks in Kosovo came to us; we
had a long and emotional discussion about it with the whole group. Firstly,
because it had been mentioned that if the conflict had consequences on whole
Serbia, we would had moved the on-arrival training from Belgrade, as
originally planned, to Zagreb (Croatia) until a bet- ter atmosphere in the
area. Secondly, because it appeared that the Western and the Balkan
volunteers needed to exchange about topics such as war, conflict,
discrimination. We had an update of the situation in Serbia very often, with
official news and feedback from the hosting organisations in Croatia, Bosnia
and Serbia; seen the peaceful atmosphere in Belgrade, we decided, together
with the volunteers, to maintain the on-arrival in Belgrade. Volunteers
finally left on Sunday 21st to Belgrade, Rome, Avignon and Nimes! Hum...
actually Jelena who was going to Nimes just left the day after as she missed
her train; it happens ... always ! After 3 days on-arrival training, the
Western volunteers will reach their projects in Montenegro, Macedonia,
Croatia and Bosnia, while one Spanish volunteer will stay in Belgrade, for
the next 6 months. We wait positive news from the Macedonian volunteer
supposed to reach Coimbra as soon as visa issue is solved. A mid term
evaluation will take place at the beginning of July with the 10 volunteers
and the 5 prep teamers, in Belgrade or around. For now, we wish the very
best to all 10 young volunteers, wherever they are!

EVS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
by Matthias Ghetta & Caroline Vanquaethem

All of you will remember the difficulties our EVS-group to Palestine has
faced in the end of January. Finally they all managed to leave Brussels and
entered the world of voluntary service. So read how they are and what they
experience ...

Palestine - Land of the Coffee Shops
Matthias Ghetta (volunteer at IPYL)

Three months ago, I made the decision to go Palestine and change my life,
hopefully for the better. I did not know what to expect, so I travelled here
without any preconcieved notions. I had some stereotypes obtained from
books, the Internet and, of course, TV. Now, I have been living for three
weeks in Hebron, located 35km south of Jerusalem, Palestine. The people,
culture, and the general living conditions are totally different than
anything I've experienced before. The biggest difference is not the culture,
it is the living under Israeli control - an occupation lasting now for more
35 years and affecting every single piece of their life. The people here
can't move freely in their country, nor even in their own towns. There is
lack of water and electricity, and a high rate of unemployment, due in part
to the continual curfews imposed here. As I see it, the main reason why the
Palestinians continue to stay is the belief in a better world, as it is told
them in the Koran. A strong belief in religion is perhaps the only way to
subsist for decades under occupation. For me, it is unfamiliar to deal with
people who are so religious, and who live their daily lives according to the
rules of Islam. According to Islam, they pray five times a day, and pilgrim,
at least once in their life, to Mecca. It is interesting to see and
experience this, and makes me think about my personal situation and where my
life will go in the future. In Hebron, there is nothing to do after work, or
on the weekend, which here is only one day a week, Friday. There is no
cinema, or places were young people can hang out and relax. The only places
to go are the coffee shops, were you can have a coffee or tea, and partake
of a water pipe or two. This makes life proceed in a smoother way; one talks
more to the people, and focuses less on the useless stuff around. What I
like most, and what influences my daily life the most, is the extremely
friendliness of the people. Whenever you have a problem or you need
something, they will help you, and it doesn't matter whether you've known
them for three weeks, or if you've just met them on the street one minute
ago. In large part because of this quality, I have enjoyed the last weeks a
great deal, and my personality has already changed for the better. However,
I hope I will build up, in the next five months, more relationships and
learn more about the culture and the situation. I then hope to bring this
knowledge back to Europe, and tell the people more about what is really
going on here.

My first weeks in Palestine (Feb.- March 2004)
Caroline Vanquaethem (volunteer at YDD)
About my voluntary work in YDD

Last November, I had the opportunity to meet the EVS 2003 team. I was so
happy that they openly shared their unforgettable experience in Palestine
with me. About the projects more specifically, most of them advised me not
to expect too much from it, that it would stay essentially an "intercultural
experience". That's why I feel happily surprised to discover I was going to
work with a very professional team, which already taught me very useful
skills about voluntary work. And there is no doubt I will still learn a lot
from them in the next five months. Nevertheless, I do sometimes feel some
cultural differences. Let's call it "the Palestinian organizational way",
which - according to me - is also partly due to the everyday situation of
the Palestinian people.

About the culture

There is a point I really would like to mention: even in Jerusalem (which is
still quite different from Hebron), I do feel the influence of religion,
which seems becoming stronger and stronger. Once again, it must come from
the increasing closure of the country, as much as from the "international
consequences" of the Sept 11... We have been to see a show of Palestinian
traditional dance: it was so great, men and women dancing together and
wearing so beautiful and colorful costumes! In those particular moments, I
am scared of Palestinians forgetting about what Palestine's culture was
supposed to be... Indeed, what I'm experiencing everyday (no women out after
dark, most of them stay completely black covered even when it is 30 degrees,
etc.) seems to be so far away from the ideas - namely the equality between
men and women - supported by a Palestinian nationalist such as Khalil Rabah!

Some everyday life's events

In one month time, I have experienced rain, snow, hot summertime and ... one
earthquake! There is no way to enter a routine with those natural phenomena!
Besides, I'm of course starting to understand what "occupation" and
"psychological war" mean... I feel ashamed to admit that I really needed to
come to Palestine to fully understand those meanings, despite all the
information I read and watched in the past few years... I'm going back to
Belgium tomorrow for my best friend's wedding... And also to become
"godmother"! First, I thought this return was coming too soon. But finally,
I'm sure it will help me to keep some distance toward all the unbelievable
events that we do witness everyday. I will also have the opportunity to
share it with many people, and I will feel even better when I'll be back
next week... Inshallah!
Two of the vols in Palestine have their own website. Visit
www.palestinediaries. com to read about their impressions and experiences!

ARTE DIEM OR ANOTHERWAY TO UNDERSTAND DIVERSITY
by Karin Jovic

Like most of you already know: this year's Arte Diem is hosted by Perpetuum
Mobile International (the Austrian associated group of YAP) and will take
place in Gnas and Straden from 20th August to 10th September 2004. The prep
team for Arte Diem 2004 was fixed shortly after the CD, and it is quite
colourful. The people that will carry out the selection procedure, work on a
programme for about 40 international participants and be involved in the
youth exchange are: Yvette (MTP Oradea), Salvatore (YAP It), Reiny (PMI),
Oana (YAP Ro), Niki (Via Pacis) and Karin (YAP IS). We are now impatiently
waiting for masses of applications ... of course, the deadline (20th May
2004) is far away, however applications coming in right now will be as much
appreciated as the last minute ones :-) The first prep team meeting will
take place in Straden, Austria from 29th to 31st May. After this weekend the
selection procedure will be finished and participants informed. The
international youth exchange offers five different workshops for the
participants:
ћ Painting and colours
ћ Metal sculpture
ћ Music and theatre
ћ Music and dance
ћ Media
Moreover a cooperation with an Austrian refugee centre is foreseen. There
will be an excursion to the centre as well as a visit of refugee youth to
our "camp". The final "outcome" of the workshops will be presented at the
"Stradener Strassenspektakel" - a festival featuring music from Central and
Eastern Europe with approximately 8.000 visitors. At this stage we would
like to invite all YAPies to join us on Saturday, 4th September 2004. If you
plan to come, please contact Reiny at perpetuum@lycos.at so that he can find
an accommodation ... you can imagine that it will be quite crowded this
weekend :-) I guess that was it as you have been informed about all the
details concerning the activity itself! In case you did not receive my mail
(containing the Infosheet, the Application form, the Travel and Visa
Information document and the International Solidarity Fund doc) feel free to
demand for it at the International Secretariat. In any case you can find
more about Arte Diem 2004 at
www.pm-reg.at.tt
We are using the same logo as last year - as we found it ... just GREAT
;-) - so please don't get confused!

EVS IN MEXICO
by Virginie Touzeau En route, already...

We also have a feminine prepteam: Beate from Perpetuum Mobile International,
Mimi from Nuestra Tierra and Virginie from the IS. Beate was a volunteer in
Mexico on the last YAP centralised project in 2002 and Mimi was involved in
many, many aspects in Nuestra Tierra, and was often tutor for European
volunteers in Mexico. This is the framework! We will organise the predep in
Brussels on the 16-17-18th of April with the 6 volunteers. The 6 volunteers?
Well, Nuestra Tierra is currently working in their applications and
motivation for selection. We have had this time 11 applicants from SJ, YAP
Italy, Grenzenlos, CFD Germany, Casa de la Juventud and JAVVA;
unfortunately, XARXA, who was originally a sending partner, could not find
interested volunteers within the deadline. All sending orgs and volunteers
will be told very soon about the result of the selection!

EVS IN RUSSIA
by Virginie Touzeau Summer starting...

The call for volunteers has been sent out last Wednesday. The project is
about 5 hosting placements in Moscow, Nizhni Novgorod and Voronezh for one
year, starting 1st of July 2004. The deadline for volunteers to apply is
24th of May, sending back application forms to the IS that will forward them
to World4U, the Russian co-ordinator. The sending organisations are JAVVA,
Solidarites Jeunesses, YAP UK, YAP Italy and CFD Germany; as said during the
CD in France, the priority will be put on those organisations. If one or
more cannot send volunteers, we will enlarge the call to other organisations
in order to fulfil the 5 hosting places! A preparatory team will be
organised as well, as all centralised EVS projects. A call for it will be
sent out soon, in order to find those supermen that YAP always looks for in
prepteams!! We wish you all good things to recruit 5 wonderful volunteers
ready for the Russian style of life!

TRIP TO JERUSALEM, 28TH OF FEBRUARY
by Barbara Hutter

On one of the first warm spring days of 2004 about 50 people from the
Association for Arab Youth, Baladna (Haifa), and YDD (Jerusalem) went for a
joint trip to Jerusalem. The first port of call was a 2-hours guided tour
through Jerusalem along the old city wall and through the poorest area, the
gipsy district. We could also see that the old city of Jerusalem is divided
into four districts: the Jewish district, the Christian area, the part where
the Muslim population lives and the Armenian quarter. Our guide explained
the problematic issue of how Jewish people are allowed to build their houses
and homes everywhere but others have to stay in their "apportioned"
districts. In reward for the hard climbs on the old city wall and the long
walk around the city, we had lunch, of course Humus, near the Bazaar. After
that we went to see the wall and to show solidarity to all relevant people.
We traveled by coach to Abu Dis and passed the checkpoint without
significant problems. The group listened to a short explanation about the
problems the building of this wall has caused. There are many people cut
from essential services and their place of employment, and who are forced to
take much longer route to Jerusalem than before. They are also afraid that
soldiers will not allow them out and close and open the checkpoints
depending on a whim, as has happened so many times in other places in the
past. It is also apparent that a lot of social problems, because of their
close connection to the service system of West Jerusalem, will take effect
immediately. Most of the citizens of Abud Dis work in West Jerusalem, attend
schools or the University there and also share the medical system there. As
we traveled to another part of Abu Dis we could see a big corridor where
Israel will build the next component of the wall. There are also plans to
fill the whole valley with earth to have a flatter terrain which is easier
to control. Some of the inhabitants showed us their already destroyed
houses, which had been demolished because they were to close to the wall. At
the end of our journey we listened to a lecture by Amira Salmi from the
campaign "Stop the wall" (for further information have a look at
www.stopthewall.org) The Campaign call is to:
1. Stop the Wall
2. Dismantle parts already built
3. Return all lands confiscated for the Wall, and
4. Compensate for all losses
Amira clarified with facts, what we had already witnessed, and gave us an
impression of how the situation is at other places in the West bank. It was
such a pity that we didn't have more time for a group discussion because the
lecture was really very interesting and inspiring. Overall we can sum up
that this trip was another important step to show Arab Youth political
issues which belong to their roots and to make them conscious about the
importance of being active in their community.

CHANGING CLOTHES
by Alfredo Garcia

In Waslala we continue with the same aim to "turn the world upside down"
like claim our new logo. Because you know? We've a new logo, and a new
webpage, and a new brochure, and a new board!!! It's like this ... we know
we need to change in order to just keep being the same. That's because we
modify our external appearance but inside our values, our wishes and
motivation are luckily the same oil that keep our machine moving. Our main
projects continue being the International Programmes Office (more
international than ever) and the Information Point for Volunteers (active as
we didn't see before). Besides it we do what we can at the local level, now
strongly preparing an activity about Basque Country. At the international
level ... enjoying the cooperation with all lovely YAP people ;-) That's all
we can tell about the butterfly of Waslala today ... and please ... please
visit our new web site ...
www.waslala.net
(also available in English)

WOMEN AND PEACE
by Sandra Frade & Sandra Silvestre

The Patricarchal System and War

The System where we all live depends on violence, war and arms as
instruments of power and domination, controlled by patriarchy of men. The
major part of humanity is socialized in an environment of competition,
aggression, defence and mistrust. Violence is the legitimate way of solving
disputes and differences being naturalized in all of us in a stronger or
weaker manner. Symbols of violence and war are rooted in all dimensions of
most of the societies and in human life: language is a very strong example
of it. This is all part of the Patriarchal System that survives through the
oppression of the feminine gender and by their exclusion from the centres of
decision and power. The notion that most of us have of safety and of well
being is the one that is given and guaranteed by armed men and by opulent
aggressive instruments of power. This notion is based on inequality,
discrimination, on making women inferior beings and on the rule of some
(men) over the many others (women).

Practicing Pacifism Actively - The Women's Proposals

The feminist pacifist movements have been making a path, a way towards
Equality and Intensive Democracy and towards a Culture of Peace, influencing
politicians and institutions and working for disarmament, against nuclear
power, the run for arms and the militarization of state and society. The
notion of Safety and Peace brought by these movements is opposite to the one
described above. Peace is not only the absence of war and can't be imposed
by armed force. Peace (Human Security) "is the protection against all kinds
of harms, is attending to all the basic human necessities, is experiencing
human dignity and is the respect for human rights in a good environment that
preserves human life." The Pacifist Feminist Movements bring also a
different notion of Power, and women that run for political power understand
it as co-responsibility and a capacity and not as domination, imposition and
coercion based on military power. These two notions are essential for the
building of a Culture of Peace and to abandon a military culture of arms.
The active practice of non-violence and the search for pacific ways of
solving disputes proposed by the feminist pacifist movements, in parallel
with the equality of rights and access to the centres of decision and power
in a truly democratic way are possible alternatives and the greatest
contributions of women to the implementation and consolidation of a Culture
of Peace. Therefore it's important to make visible what women have been
doing for the active practice of non-violence, without forgetting that Peace
is a daily life construction essential to come over the militaristic "common
sense".
YAP-Portugal has been trying through these 30 years to contribute to a Peace
for everybody without forgetting that the way to make is still long, but
urgent. The contributions that AJP has been making happen in the micro
level, but also in the macro level, trying everyday to advance one more step
towards another world, possible and necessary. We can compare Peace to a
puzzle, and think that the pieces of this puzzle are persons and that to fit
in each other is a act of pacific understanding between them. We can't
forget, however, that all the pieces of a puzzle are different. The same is
to say that is in each other's difference that is the possibility of
building something common and lasting... Peace.
The building of a better world is an every day work, in small and big
actions, all the ones that we can reach! In the next 20th of March, in
Lisbon, AJP will participate in a March for Peace. This demonstration,
decided in the last World Social Forum will happen at the same time in
several places of the world, meaning that very different voices will be
together against War, Injustice and Crime. We believe that our small
contribution that day, together with the ones in the rest of the world, can
be a way of building the Puzzle of Peace.
Another contribution to this other world will happen in Galicia, in Vigo, in
the 22nd and 23rd of May. AJP will participate in the European Action of the
World March of Women subordinated to the theme "For an Europe of all-
Different yes, Unequal no!" (More information in www.feminismo.org) This
action intends to be a space of reflection, debate, participation and
celebration, concerned mainly with the problems faced by all in Europe. The
participation in this action of the highest number possible of
organisations, women and men will be definitely a strong contribution to the
fulfilling of the Puzzle of Peace.

ART.? FEMININE ARTICLE 2004
by AJP

We are now preparing the 2004 Art. ? (Feminine Article), a Human Rights
Magazine exclusively written by women. We considered important to dedicate
this issue to the Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Women, in particular
because of the rising debate in Portuguese society about abortion. With this
magazine we would like to contribute in a responsible way to a dialogue
between different positions, assuming a complex vision and with dilemmas, as
it is in reality. We think that this kind of debate and reflection is
missing in the Portuguese society. Although we have as main line the Sexual
and Reproductive Rights of Women understood as Human Rights, we believe that
is important to focus on different themes linked with this debate. Like
this, the themes that will be talked about in this edition of Art. ? go from
The Concrete Realities of Abortion (in different countries, for example), to
the Feminine Sexuality, Feminine Sexual Life, Health, Prejudice, to the role
of the State and of Science and the Fights of the Social Movements for these
Human Rights of Women. Like this we hope to make possible an inclusive and
transversal debate. We would like to have a diverse magazine not only in
content but also in format, giving space to the creativity of women.

HOW TO PROMOTE THE VOLUNTARY SERVICE?
by Alexandru Baldinici

Dear friends, greetings from Oradea, Romania. I am writing these lines to
share with you the positive experience we had several days ago when we
organised a press conference on the promotion of voluntary service. For that
we invited 3 lively volunteers to tell the press and TV about their
experience as a short, mid and long term volunteer abroad: Ramona Mihis (6
month volunteer in Japan with NICE), Cosmina Petrita (one month volunteer
with IWO in Korea) and Claire Sourjous (3 month SJ volunteer in Oradea). At
the time when the press conference started we noticed that our office was
filled with journalists, photo cameras and filming cameras. They were simply
fascinated about the 3 volunteers and they stayed about 2 hours and asked a
lot of questions. The next day the newspapers presented on the first pages
with capital letters and large photos the MTP news, while the local TV news
were showing interviews with the volunteers. In two days the volunteers were
invited to an one hour TV talk show and Claire was invited once again in
another TV station for a live talk. This year two enthusiastic people will
be running the workcamp season: Cristina Ionescu and Vasile Marinca to whom
I wish a lot of success! Our work-camp we organise in September will be
about organising a world dance championship that brings together the first
30 couples in the world of Latin American and Standard dances. So I hope
that you can send some motivated volunteers to this camp. Cristina and
Vasile will welcome your enquiries and VEFs at yapor@rdslink.ro or on the
phone 00 40 259 411522.

New Face in JAVVA...
by Laurence Biron
Hello all of you!!!

I'm Laurence, the newcomer in JAVVA, Belgium. You surely will be in contact
with me about workcamps ... and as they are starting soon, we are waiting
for your volunteers :-)
Have a nice and fruitful season! Of course, JAVVA has to announce another
activity which is designated to all photomaniacs amongst you: The Workcamp
Photo Competition is opened and I am not only impatiently waiting for vols,
but also for interesting, bizarre, extraordinary pictures! So, if you have
something that fits into this category, do not hesitate! There is nothing to
lose! Unfortunately, there is also not too much to win except the honour and
the chance to have your picture published in the brand new YAP Infos and
perhaps in the forthcoming JAVVA-folders. Please send your photos to: JAVVA
<<photo competition>>
3, Avenue du Parc Royal
B-1020 Bruxelles
or mail to: javva@javva.org (please specify in subject <<photo
competition>>)

Tool-Kit about Peace Education
by Matthias Ruest

Maybe some participants of the peace seminar in Brussels remember the huge
list of concrete actions to promote peace we put together on the last day of
the seminar. One of them was (and still is) the creation of a tool-kit about
peace education, so basically the gathering of games, discussions topics,
theory parts and big question marks suitable to form different seminars we
could teach to students and pupils around the world. This project, all
organized by our fantastic Shashi, was first pursued last September in
Nizhni Novgorod, the third largest city of Russia (nearby Moscow, only 7
hours by express train ;o). Unfortunately there were only 4 of us who could
finally take part, Betty from Italy, Soyen from South Korea, Russian host
Shashi and my little Swiss unimportance. We stayed for about ten days, of
which we used the first five days to gather the information and put together
the seminars, to see the city, meet the people from the students union with
whom we had some joint projects and to fill up our agenda with names of
schools where we could hold our seminars. And we turned out to be quite
popular, at least we were asked to give over 10 seminars during the next 4
days. We had prepared 4 different main seminars which we adopted every time
regarding time available (most often 90 minutes) and the age of the students
(between 13 and 22). All in all we can say (with some pride ;o) that the
seminars were a great success, the students were always happy that we had
visited them, and our group learned quite a lot about teaching little kids
and students about different aspects of peace education and conflict
resolution. After this camp in Russia the subject got a bit forgotten, but
only to be re-awaken again now. We had already written several reports of
single seminars, the final and complete report is being written right now
(and should be done within 2 weeks), so if you are interested, ask the YAP
International Secretariat or directly me for a copy.
Since I'm still very interested in that topic, I'll teach the same seminars
(and hopefully some newly written one's) in my former high school (Zurich).
For now I'm still fighting against Swiss school bureaucracy, but I hope that
from the beginning of May they'll finally let me start. For this purpose I'm
about to translate all the seminars into German, and in the meantime I
enlarge and improve the original English one's. The final aim is to have a
coherent set of several seminars, if possible in different languages like
English, German, French and Spanish, so that different YAP branches could
use them. If there is anybody out there working on a similar project, let me
know so we could maybe coordinate: hitchvan@yahoo.de
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