Association
for Culture and Education PiNA from Slovenia, Loesje e.V. from Germany, Juzoor from
Palestine, One Voice from Israel, Xchange Scotland from Scotland and
Development NO Boarders from Egypt have started an international project Loesje
crosses the Mediterranean.
Although the reality of young
people in Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Slovenia, Germany and
Scotland appear to be quite different, the youth on both sides
of the Mediterranean sea faces similar challenges. They are asking themselves
how to overcome general apathy and freely express their opinion. What all have
in common is the need to claim once again the public space and use it in order
to increase the level of dialogue and democracy, to raise the awareness about
the diversity and to contribute to the societal development.
Kick-off meeting quote: “Global society depends on the people that are
part of it. Its quality is directly connected to the active participation of
all that recreate it. Seeing fragments of efforts to live better on different
parts of the world is a reminder of how things could be”.
The Loesje method of creative writing and poster
dissemination is a great way, proved best practice in many EU countries, to
encourage individual reflection and collective response of people in public
space about relevant political and social topics.
Kick-off meeting quote: “To create a better understanding of the
everyday life people experience in this region, not only the one we get from
the mainstream media, and to create a living dialogue between the youth in
those countries”.
The aim of the Loesje crosses the
Mediterranean is through Loesje seminar and training; local Loesje workshops
and local exhibition; coaching and Loesje handbook mobilize and empower young
people by improving conditions for actors for change to work for enhanced
democratization and freedom of expression.
Kick-off meeting quote: “Because I am for the
freedom of expression and also because Loesje methods are very simple and can
reach to the vast majority of people. Also because Loesje posters make you
think and urge you to take an action”.
Seminar part of the kick-off meeting in Scotland was
an opportunity for all six project partner organizations to get to know
each other’s methodology. The Kick-off meeting in Scotland itself was as an
opportunity to start the project together and build grounds that will enable
close cooperation during project implementation and quality project activities.
The next step for all partners is to introduce the project and present Loesje
methods locally, join motivated youth into local Loesje groups and for them
together with other project partners create quality international Loesje
methodology training course. Quality project implementation and partner
cooperation is highly expected, recognizing on the kick-off meeting that there
is no greater motivation than the one that leads towards a more democratic and
fulfilling society.
Kick-off meeting
quote: “Because Loesje crosses the Mediterranean will help us to grow and
spread: as an organisation as a person and as a part of my society”.
