SI NEWS 2006 eng Youth
From SI Exco News
Servas Group In Rosario Is A Pioneer In The Youth Exchange Project
SERVAS YOUTH, under the coordinator Pablo Chufeni, created a language exchange program for young people from adjoining countries with different languages. The pilot project was developed in the month of May with great success, when the Servas group from Rosario (Argentina) hosted a Brazilian girl for an intensive cultural and social program, which included Spanish classes and classes in an art institute. As a next step, Servas Youth plans to export this idea to other cities and other countries
... and a participant
My name is Nayara, I am from Curitiba, Brazil and I am participating in a youth exchange program set up by SERVAS YOUTH with Servas Rosario. I arrived here on the second of May and I stayed until the first of June. In this period I had various activities, in part donated by Servas members.
The group of Servas members here in Rosario is really together. I was hosted for a short time in each house, and I was very well received in all of them. I am taking grammar classes with Celeste and conversation with Pablo Grasso, and I am understanding Spanish well. Pablo Chufeni got me a complete scholarship at the El Circulo Theater, where I am taking classes in tango, theater, singing, jazz and stage management, with excellent teachers. Every Tuesday Marini and I go around the city. With Catalina I go to see plays that are running in the city. They gave me a cell phone to keep with me, and city maps, and we have various dinners and visits to parks and fairs. We had a welcome barbeque and a farewell meal by the river. Also I had extra activities like capoeira with Willi, guitar with Leo, film, history and Brazilian music with Pablo Grasso, folklore with Julia, drawing with Giuli and even a little astronomy at the city observatory. I fell in love with the city and with the hospitality of the people of Rosario. I am grateful to all the people who entertained me, taught me and helped me.
Nayara, Brazil
What is Youth?
(This is taken from a longer article in the Servas Monthly News for December 2005. Find it on www.siexco.org )
The definition of “YOUTH” is a big topic. Who is and who isn´t? Depends on the age, the spirit? We do not need to define a fixed and rigid concept of YOUTH. We can create an open idea with different positions and different points of view. We are Servas, we are multicultural and we can live with the others differences. I asked a few friends to help me this time. Dear friends. All of them are Servas members and we share some mails to discuss about a
SERVAS YOUTH DEFINITION.
Diane – SINGAPORE –
Being young...staying young...thinking young!
The secret is to "Be alive while you are alive!".
People who are young "by number," meaning by merely consulting documented age, usually appreciate people" in the higher numbers" who listen without criticism and who participate with enthusiasm. Today's youth hope today's elders will share their perspective in a positive and helpful manner. Servas....we have tried to give up those distinctions and look at everyone as We. Ojala!
Vipul – INDIA –
Youth doesn’t have specific meaning, but commonly, a youth is defined as being between age 12 to 25. As Youth is harvested at an early stage of development; it’s early time of life, and metaphorically the optimism and innocence thought accompany it. The nature of youthful experience is greatly affected by cultural and economic norms. The passage from youth to adulthood is frequently acknowledged by ritual formalities.
Cassandra – NEW ZEALAND –
Youth is a state of mind. It is a mad passion for life, a belief that you can do anything, be anyone, love everyone. As the years progress and we strike difficult times we often lose sight of our “youthful innocence”, our belief that the world is good, that we, as individuals, can really make a difference.
Through the Servas YOUTH arm we should encourage a new generation to hold tight to their idealism, passion, spirit and love of mankind, and help those that had once lost it to rediscover the youth inside of them. Let us love each other like children do – fully, honestly, without fear.
Pablo – ARGENTINA –
I reserved for me the closing. As you know I work with
YOUTH. Actually my currently job is on the design of
programs for youth in social risk in my country for the local
government. I must say that the YOUTH as concept is
massive. But we can define some lines. A young person
sees life with a long future to came, sees that the future
is absolutely bigger than the past. Also characteristic of
the youth is the position in front the new, something new is
not something weird, it is something to learn, to discover.
Definiing Youth only by the age is not enough, and we all
agree with that. Someone young is some one that still
needs to grow up. Still needs to learn. But who does not?
Pablo Chufeni, International Youth Coordinator
