Winter Euro Olypmics

22-30.11.2013

Agios Theodoros, Cyprus

 

SMIT "CREATOR" members were participating in a YE titled Winter Euro Olypmics co-ordinated by Nautilos Search and Rescue Team and held in Agios Theodoros, Cyprus.

Our project is an extension of our idea for a Euro Olympics project.  In our first project we looked at how we can cooperate through sports to understand the EU system better and see the strengths and weaknesses of each country and how other EU member states help each other.  This project will look at Europe during difficult times and times of crisis and see how we can help each other and how each country stands together or closes a blind eye to other countries in need.  We will work in large groups consisting of one participant from each country so that we can establish an equal distribution of countries. 

 

Our project will address current difficulties in the EU including youth unemployment, economic crisis, environmental concerns, mobility within the EU and discrimination.  We will also undertake some sporting activities to put us to the test during the cold winter period of the project trying to establish that if we can work together in teams for sports, perhaps our countries can also work together to help each other through the difficult times we face in each of our respective countries.  Other than sports our activities will include role playing, workshops, discussions and debates.  We will take real issues and discuss them to find solutions for our problems together.

 

We will address European Citizenship and see the advantages and disadvantages our youth see in it.  We will see how many youth are now looking for employment in other countries and how they overcome many of the obstacles associated with cross boarder employment.  We will look at how real the union within the EU is between our youth and our countries.

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Comments: 5
  • #1

    Renata Cisek (Monday, 20 January 2014 23:44)

    Participation in the above mentioned project was an unique experiene and possibility to work with wonderful, young people form Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Matla, Portugal, Spain and UK. Each of us brought positive energu and call to action. This exchange took place on the sunny island which undoubtedly Cyprus is, in the countryside called Agios Theodoros, closed to Larnaca.
    The aim of the project was to look into the EU structure and collaboration between people in the time of crisis, where very often instead of help, the thing which we can notice is unhealthy competition. Organizers were trying to attain those aims by dividing all participants into smaller teams, where we were working in during whole project. Every day we had a chance to both earn or lose the points. Solidarity and joint responsibility for each other were the factors which motivated everyone and pushed to do our best. Every person had a possibility which was really good at,
    starting with sport, artistic and ending with sientific ones. When we were observing this rivalary and commitment it gave us a lot of fun. On the other hand all of us, we have realised that competition at any cost does not help in anything. Very often we were able to notice different points of view what had demanded to convince other about our right. For me personally the best activities were those ones where we were supposed to present situation before and after EU structure when in
    comes to having education abroad as well as when we presented positive and negative points about EU structure in general. It was really surprising when I have found that positive aspect for me was
    not necessarily positive for others.
    What is more, every evening we had an ocassion to get to know culture of each country. Of course each participant was trying to present own country the best way possible for exapme through traditional food, unique clothes and dance as well local informantion which we would not be able to find anywhere else.
    I cannot also forget that this project allowed to to test my language skills and ability to work in intercultural society and which I am happy with that I menaged to do. I am happy with frendships which I made there and hopefully they will be longlasting ones. We were sharing the moments of joy and doubt and the same I believe that we will share our life tips in the future. I do not regret any moment which I have spent there and I am grateful for that because it allowed me to see how different but at the same moment similiar we are and thanks to cooperation we are able to attain any goal.

  • #2

    Mariusz Cwetler (Monday, 20 January 2014 23:45)

    From the 22nd to the 30th of November 2013 I took part in a project called “Winter Euro Olympics” organized by the Nautilos Search and Rescue Team on Cyprus. The exchange enabled me to spend a valuable time in an amazing place and with a group of wonderful people from all over Europe (Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Hungary, Spain and of course Cyprus). Through many different activities, both – mental and physical, we were all trying to understand the essence of the European Union and to see how it functions in spite of the diversity of its constituent countries. In addition, the exchange helped us to get to the conclusion that only by working together we are able to operate efficiently and counter any adversities. The place where the training was held created a friendly atmosphere which also encouraged the integration with other participants.

  • #3

    Łukasz Majchrowicz (Monday, 20 January 2014 23:47)

    The Euro Winter Olympic Games Project that took place in Cyprus in Agios Theodoros was simply amazing. Once again thanks to the Youth in Action project I came back to my normal life richer in new experiences, new connections with fantastic people and bigger knowledge about the countries of EU. Moreover, my language and interpersonal skills improved. I really liked the activities that were planned for each day. The activities that were taking place in the morning were helping us during the brainstorming and discussing things in the afternoon. In my opinion the thing was about taking into consideration small things and details from the competitions and challenges and responding them to our normal lives. It was helping in further cooperation and facing challenges. The activity that I liked most was the one with designing and promoting the special building in a fictional village “Honeypot”. It made us realize what are the most important places for each society. I think that the people handling the project did their best to create a great memory about the exchange that won’t be easily forgotten.

  • #4

    Małgorzata Urszula Fortuna (Monday, 20 January 2014 23:48)

    During the week we spent on Cyprus at the Winter Euro Olympics project (22.11-30.11.2013) we were divided into the competitive, international teams, in which we attended sports activities and quizzes about European Union and the Olympic Games – learning, how to cooperate in a multicultural group, was a very valuable experience. Thanks to cultural nights organized by the national teams I learned some traditional songs and dances from the participants’ countries, which was quite fun and I surely will remember them for a long time. Because we had plenty of free time to talk and get to know each other better, I made a few valuable acquaintanceships and I have definitely improved my English. We were accommodated in a resort placed on a beach, with a lovely view, which was a very nice rest from living in a big city. The thing I liked the most was the excursion to Limassol, where we were able to see a bit of Cypriot architecture and lifestyle.

  • #5

    Mateusz Górecki (Tuesday, 21 January 2014 18:30)

    Project Winter Olympics Euro implemented in Cyprus on 22 - 30.11.2013r . aimed at presenting and promoting pro-European values among young people from 11 countries from all over , uniting Europe through the issue of sport. Young people have the opportunity to not only experience needed at the present time , physical activity , but through the use of modern tools in the field of non-formal education were able to get to know the possibilities of cooperation in an international company. Five people were representatives of Poland and the association SMIT " CREATOR ". Participants showed extraordinary commitment and motivation in all proposed by the organizers of the workshop , often going out of their own initiative. In terms of integration with the rest of the project participants also did not have any objections . During my conversations with both the coordinator and other team members got very positive feedback about the Polish group. When our group arrived at the airport to Paphos encountered minor logistical problems facing the side of the organizers , but which have been resolved , it is understandable- as in coordinating the project for nearly 60 people , including the circumstances always happen. The project estimate, the most positive , including subject and the whole logistics .