SI NEWS 2006 eng Youth Events
From SI Exco News
Patagonia, Jan 2006
PATAGONIA’06 is no more a weird word to us and we hope it is not to any of you. All the Servas family at an international level knows that in the third week of next January will take place the first international youth meeting in the southern hemisphere. It promises to be the biggest ever.
In Bariloche we will be Servas getting together from all around the globe. To me, Pablo Chufeni, it is not a minor pride to say that PATAGONIA’06 will have presence from every continent. Europe, Oceania, Asia, Africa and all the Americas.
People that will arrive with the goal of imparting their opinion, their wish to take a stand in Servas. People that, I do not have any doubt will help to convert Servas Youth into a more dynamic impulse and stronger inside Servas.
I can testify the importance that these kind of events are. It is not tourism, it is not social, it is not to get some fun, to take pictures or be on holidays. It is not just that. All these happen and it is great because they increase the real objective of these meetings. Move us, transform us, help us to remember the infinite pleasure of the task that we have in front in Servas, and how key is this task.
It is in these meetings when the projects take shape, when we can put a face to that e-mail address that we see so often in our mail box, and that improves a lot the ways of communication and more than nothing the perspective of action. The action, as a concept, is my axis in Servas, and the one I want to give to Servas Youth. We have a huge human network ready to help and provide its amazing resources to do very concrete actions. People around the world have offered their time, energy, skills, to this noble task. Develop the inter-cultural respect and build a new and peaceful culture.
Servas Youth want to offer the space of PATAGONIA’06 to link us with other organisations with perspectives and objectives compatible with ours. We will run workshops of some of the NGOs that work on social development and multiculturalism. FALE (Brazil), Development Youth Council (Bangladesh), Ecoclubes (Argentina), Panafrican Youth Congress (Senegal) and we are working with some others to invite them and build a bridge with them.
The agenda of the meeting is dedicated to the development of Servas issues: Group integration, to celebrate our cultural diversity, to design new programs and projects oriented to the youth area, focus on increasing the growth of the youth area of our organisation so that they can contribute in actuality to the major functions of our world.
Promote new active local groups, promote international actions, promote the interaction inside each region or country, and for that a young perspective and energy is vital. The distinction between that person young of age and of that one of spirit is clear for all of us, we look for this young energy, the energy that creates programs, projects, actions! Servas Youth and PATAGONIA’06 look for these people to move them, to use their support to grow in Servas.
Mi mas fuerte y sincero abrazo a todos ustedes
Pablo Chufeni Coordinator International of Servas Youth
Summer Youth and Family Event in Britain 2007
Servas Britain is planning to invite Servas young people and families from around Europe, and maybe beyond, to an event here in Britain in 2007. We are at an early stage of developing ideas but we want to include anyone who is interested in preparing for the event. We hope that the event will include young people between 16 and 25 in a group project alongside families with children and teenagers of all ages. Everyone is welcome to join in regardless of age, with or without children. This will essentially be an international youth and family event with a range of activities to suit all interests. Just as at the European meeting at Carroty Wood in 2000 there will be an opportunity for some of the older young people to gain experience in leading activities with teenagers and children as well as having the chance to enjoy their own time together. We are looking at the possibility of applying for funding from the Youth for Europe initiative.
Originally we had hoped to hold this event in 2006 but we now feel that we should spend a year making links with other Servas national groups that are interested in taking part. We want young people to be involved as much as possible in planning for the event and hope that they will be able to meet together in their own countries beforehand. The Extraordinary General Assembly of Servas International in Rome in April 2006 will also be a good time to bring together ideas from Servas groups around Europe.
We are likely to hold the event at the end of July 2007, when British school holidays overlap with the majority of holidays in Europe. We will be looking for a suitable venue in the North of England. Ideally we would want somewhere that can offer both camping and self-catering accommodation. Any suggestions would be welcome.
Summer 2007 may seem a long time away, but we are keen to hear from anyone interested, especially if you are:
- a young person aged 14 - 25
- a family with teenagers
- a family with younger children
- able to offer skills in activities with young people
- keen to take part in an international Servas event.
Ann Greenhough, International Youth Co-ordinator
info[at]servasbritain.org
