We are the future! Let’s partYcipate?!

Organisation: Bosporus International Network

Participants: Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Turkey

Application deadline: 07.02.2005

Description / Aims:

Historically the demand for participation is justified on the basis of human rights, rights of self-determination and human dignity. Hence, the concept pf participation seems to be defined. But what does participation actually means today to us? What is participation and what isn’t? Are there any requirements to participate?

Besides trying to find answers to these questions the project focuses on the problem how young people from all over Europe can participate in political decisions in their local environment. In general the possibilities for participation are wide spread, including membership in sports or cultural organisations, volunteer work for aid agencies or being a member of a political party. Thus active political participation decreased a lot within the last years. Young people are accused not to be interested in the political processes and decisions but only to be interested in their own advantages and "fun".

Therefore, the following main questions should be discussed during the project:

 What is political participation and what are the advantages of it?
 Which differences and similarities do exist between the European countries within structures of political participation?

 Which role does history play according to this?

 How can we regain youth’s confidence in politics and politicians?

 Do youth only participate if the "fun-factor" is very high and the "cost" are possibly low?

The answers to these and many other questions as well as discussions between young people with different social, local and cultural background are going to look closely at the European culture with its diversities and the way this culture participated in the forming of the European society nowadays.

The programme:

In general the project consists on two parts: a theoretical and a practical part, which are combined in the different activities. Although, the focus will be a more practical one, in the beginning there will be a more theoretical part where the use of presentations, interviews, portraits, role games, discussions in small groups should sensitize the participates on the issues linked to our general topic. After this Start-up Seminar the new knowlegde should be backed and enlarged through direct experience. Working groups, workshops and meetings as well as discussions with representatives from different insititutions, organisations and initiatives in Berlin and Wroclaw should show the practical point of participation and enable the participants to exchange their own point of views and experiences.

The programme consists on the following activities:

 Start-up-Seminar: presentations and working groups in Wandlitz (3 days)
 Workshops, meetings, round-table discussions, working groups and culture in Berlin (4 days)
 Workshops, meetings, excursion and working groups in Wroclaw (3 days)
 Presentation of the working groups, final discussion and evaluation in Berlin (2 days)
 Cultural activities in Berlin and Wroclaw

Criteria for participation:

 You are not older than 25 years
 You are able to communicate in English
 You are willing to:
 prepare and present a paper during the start-up seminar
 actively participate in the project activities
 prepare an experience letter at the end of the program

Participation fee: The participation fee depends on your place of living. For more information please visit the website: www.bosporus.org

Are you Interested?! For further information and applications please visit the website www.bosporus.org or just contact:

Kristin Dethloff

Email: dethloff@bosporus.org

Phone: +49 163 8635247