07 - 16.12.2012
Potsdam, Germany
SMIT "CREATOR" members were participating in a youth exchange titled “Europe BaGpackers! co-ordinated by Mostar Friedensprojekt e.V. and held in Potsdam, Germany.
The streets in the cities we are living in are the most spontaneous places, made for and of people; institutional information and personal reflections are performed here, either in big jumbo advertisements and shop-windows or small graffiti pieces and street art interventions. Following our realized Youth Exchange “Europe BaGpackers! Publicizing multicultural Europe by creating & carrying smart-bags with the anti-racism and anti-xenophobia street messages” which took place in March 2012, the follow up project with participants from all over the Europe, namely programme countries of the EU27 and neighbouring partner countries from South Eastern Europe, the participating young people will have the possibility to gain technical and content-oriented skills how to catch street visual narratives into the photographic frame, with special emphasis on those describing and/or reflecting united, intercultural and anti-racist oriented European community. Regarding to the gathered visual material, participants will try to find out the prevailing picture of contemporary European community, its future potentials, dangers, weak points in one side and promising advantages on another and will create new collages on the topic. During the variety of workshops they will have the opportunity to discover their own role and opportunities in building of common, multicultural European community. In order to distribute gathered street motives, reflections and visions of Europe, afterwards united and remade by collages, will be printed to cotton bags and later on, after exhibited in a exhibition hall of Potsdam, used as a tool of further spreading of critical and active approaches to the common future, while cruising around Europe and carrying personal “cargo” baGpacks along the streets of Europe.
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Paweł Baster (Sunday, 06 January 2013 23:37)
I got a great opportunity to take part in the YIA training course in Potsdam. Project called Europe BaGpackes focused attention of young europeans on social problems like xenophobia and racism. Even few days after everything I'm still full of positive energy I got during these few days with a group of fascinating young people. Meeting people from Spain, Croatia, Bosnia and Macedonia gave me fresh and new point of view on such problems like xenophobia and social problems. It will be very helpful in my law studies focused on human rights. Discussing with people from other countries is always best way to learn something new and explore new strategies of solving these problems. Joy and open mind of young people from these countries made me happy and full of energy for a long time. I spent great time during workshops and discussions. At the evenings partying with great folk was also great experience. I'm glad I spent these few days in Potsdam and now I'm back in home with a lot of fresh ideas and great memories.
Adrian Czajka (Sunday, 06 January 2013)
My name is Adrian Czajka, I was a participant on the project Europe Go BagPackers that took place in Potsdam, Germany between 7 and 16 of December. Main idea of the project was to gather young,creative and motivated people from all over the Europe, not only from EU to run an exhibition with bags that we made while the project. There were participants from Poland, Spain, Germany, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Macedonia. First days of the project were mainly about European Identity. There were many interesting forms of workshops. From discussions to activities that took place on the streets of Potsdam. The second part of the project was about technical aspects of photography and collaging and also about making an exhibition with bags that have collages designed by us linked with racism, xenophobia and discrimination. Unfortunately due to bad weather conditions we couldn't set up an exhibition on the streets, but instead of it we made short movies linked with main topics of our project. We also watched few short movies which were showing contemporary issues and problems that Europe is facing nowadays.
Thanks to this project I learned about different point of views on such an issues as racism, discrimination an European Identity. I also learned about social problems that European countries are facing nowadays. Thanks to many interesting discussions with other participants I've expanded my point of view on many important topics. I met many great people whose I'm looking to meet again.
Natasza Nowakowska (Sunday, 06 January 2013 23:40)
I had a great opportunity to participate in the Youth Exchange Program called Europe BaGpackers, which took place in Potsdam, German from 7th to 16th December. The main idea of the project was to spread tolerance notions and increase European awareness of that matter. It was very inspiring and motivating experience due to the fact that I had a chance to meet and work with people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Croatia, Spain, Serbia and of course Poland. We spend time disusing on topics related to European Identity, future of Europe or the way of building intercultural society especially by young people, which gave me chance to see these matters from different point of view. However our main task was to take photos with the anti-racism and anti-xenophobia messages, make collages using them and create smart-bags. At the end we presented result of our work to each other.
During this project I managed to develop my communication skills, creativity and team-building tools. Even though Europe BaGpackers was my first Youth Exchange I learnt a lot. Working in national mixed group gave me an opportunity to talk about aspects of tolerance in different countries. Discussions and workshops helped to broaden our horizons, wide range of European awareness, build stronger European Identity and connection with people from Europe countries.
Europe BaGpackers project was a great experience I will never forget. I recommend it to people, who want to change the way of typical learning. Non-formal education gave me many perspectives, knowledge and other tools, which I can use in taking part in another projects or organizing my own. The positive energy and spontaneity of the group also made this experience unforgettable. I am truly looking forward to meet those great and interesting people again.
Paulina Bukowska (Sunday, 06 January 2013 23:41)
I had a great opportunity and real pleasure to participate in the project called Europe BaGpackers which took place in December 7th to 16th in Potsdam, Germany. The main subject of this project was European Awareness and everything related to it. We worked together with people from Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Spain.
We spent time discussing subject of European Identity and focusing on aspects of discrimination. Our main task was to take photos and creating collages with the anti-racism and anti-xenophobia street messages. At the end we were presenting our bags to others.
During different workshops we had opportunity to discover our own role in building of common, multicultural European community. We took part in intercultural dialogue and exchanged experience with other participants. We discovered Potsdam and Berlin during photo safari sessions and collected a lot of photographs which were later used in collaging. Every day we had different subjects to discuss and tasks to do. We worked in mixed groups which was a chance to get to know more about other participants. All those activities created strong bonds between all of us.
Europe BaGpackers project was a great experience which I would definitely recommend. Working and spending time with people from various countries taught me a lot about different cultures. I discovered new possibilities and became interested in organizing projects. I am looking forward to be involved in similar project. I would also love to stay in touch with all these people I have met there. I also became more aware of European Identity and Europe itself. Now I am hoping to make good use of things I learnt on this project.
Roman Husarski (Sunday, 06 January 2013 23:41)
I had a pleasure to take part in the training course called Europe BaGpackers implemented in December 7th to 16th in Potsdam, Germany.
The main purpose of the project was to prevent xenophobia and racism. In our workshops we tried to do something about this issues. All seven participating countries had ther own leaders. They used their experienc to help us, so even harder traing was not impossible.
I really liked workshops with photography. In the end we were all preparing collages from ours photos. I think we made interesting work.
It was also great to meet people form different cultures, especially balkan people - i never before had opportunity to meet them closer.
After all i can say i learned something new, even organization was not perfect, Europe BaGpackers as a training course gave me very good experience. I will never forget time in Potsdam!
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