Representing Youth

Appreciation for the effort at Rework the World

ndhct — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:44:25 +0000

Jim Wine, advisor to the Tallberg Foundation & Rework the World event in Leksand, Sweden 2-5 June 2010, shares his thoughts with our representers Amy Ilic & Phoebe Phillips in a surprising turn of the camera!

This one sums up our ethos, thanks for your kind words Jim!

Amy & Phoebe... and Action! photo Pieter Ploeg

posted by…

Nathan Daniel Heller
http://twitter.com/ndhct
ndh@representingyouth.com

THE GREAT GENERATION

Joney — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:25:49 +0000

“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great.
You can be that great generation.
Let your greatness blossom.”

Nelson Mandela

He’s right. The choices previous generations made have put us in a very serious situation with extreme poverty, climate change and food shortage. Yes, choices. These things are not a force of nature. It’s a force of human stupidity. Short term thinking and egoism have led us here. But the good news is that long term thinking and inclusion can solve these challenges. All we need is a great generation. A generation that have the knowledge and capacity to change the world into a better place. Nelson Mandela said this in 2005 as a direct appeal to the young people of the world. It’s our time to step forward and create the world we want to live in.

That’s why I’ve opened the blog Great Generation, which will circle around this issue and give the young people a platform where they can tell their stories, ask questions and raise demands for a better future.

Great Generations main focus will be to publish video interviews with young people, policy makers and experts. It will also show the latest news, have interesting guest bloggers and highlight interesting projects and people.

The blog officially opened on World Youth Day, August 13th 2010.

http://www.greatgeneration.org

During the summer I’ve attended two global events, Rework The World in Leksand, Sweden and World Youth Congress in Istanbul, Turkey. Two events gathering amazing people from all over the world for thinking and action on our big challenges. One of my committments during these events have been to take photos. And I’ve compiled slideshows from both events.

Jonas Eriksson
http://twitter.com/joney
jonas@joney.se

Take it personally

ndhct — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:11:07 +0000

If you were one of the lead organizers of this massive event, what would you say at the closing?

Well, here are the closing words from Joao Felipe Scarpelini, Project Manager for Peace Child International at the 5th World Youth Congress 2010 in Istanbul, 12 August.

Video by Jonas Eriksson

If you can’t view youtube: Joao Scarpelini – WYC 2010 closing from Representing Youth on Vimeo.

Joao Scarpelini wraps up ©ndhct

Posted by..

Nathan Daniel Heller
http://twitter.com/ndhct
ndh@representingyouth.com

A Day for the Future

ndhct — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:54:11 +0000

We invite you to attend “A Day for the Future” this Sunday 29 August on Skeppsholmen in Stockholm for a day full of great workshops, talks and cultural activities focused on Youth, Entrepreneurship & Sustainability. It’s free entrance – a great opportunity for everyone!

Representing Youth will be present, hosting sessions on youth involvement in global challenges. At 14h00 we will deliver 4 x 10min power talks followed by a 20min open dialogue session on “What are the strengths and challenges for the new generation?”. After 16h00 we will host an ‘open mic’ session where you have a chance to voice your perspective on global issues.

Power Talks – 14h00
Shafik Muwanga, 17, Sweden (Uganda). Student and Radio Reporter with a big interest in meeting people and discussing important things. Shafik will speak from a personal perspective about prejudice and injustice and how to create change on a local level.

Hanna Mia Brekkan, 18, Sweden (Iceland). Young musician and changemaker from Iceland who is involved in multiple youth initiatives and organisations. Hanna Mia will talk about how youth are a positive and nessesary contribution to politics, which is often forgotten.

Vanja Bajc, 24, Sweden (Slovenia). Junior PR consultant with big interest in digital media and a member of Young Investors. Vanja about her talk: I will speak about the challenges of young changemakers in the daily media jungle. Importance of media literacy, networking and partnership.

Nathan Daniel Heller, 25, South Africa. Young changemaker from Cape Town working in Social Entrepreneurship, Community Development and Participatory Leadership. Nathan will talk about expanding our worldview: from the challenges of a globalized society towards the opportunities of a globalized society; exploring creative collaboration.

Open Dialogue – 15h00
Following the power talks, we will be hosting a group discussion to allow for feedback and emergent questions.

Open Mic – 16h00
We will provide a stage for you to voice your perspective on global issues.

For more info please visit http://tallbergfoundation.org/Default.aspx?tabid=904
To register http://www.webforum.com/form/tallberg/form.asp?sid=59953466
Facebook event http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141890909179723

Organised by

Crossing Bridges

ndhct — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:30:20 +0000

This beautiful video was one of the products of the dynamic Young Journalists team at the World Youth Congress in Istanbul, made on our journey up the great Bosphorous, the divide between Europe and Asia.

Watch it below on Youtube or Vimeo…

CrossingBridges from Andrei Ioniță on Vimeo.

Excitement for the boat trip with 1500 youth from 150 countries © Li-Lian Ahlskog Hou

What is the longest bridge you’ve ever crossed? Video produced at the 5th World Youth Congress in Istanbul, Turkey, in August 2010.

Production team:
Ana Carolina Moreno (Brazil)
Andrei Ioniță (Romania)
Li-Lian Ahlskog Hou (Sweden)
Nelly Bassily (Quebec)
Valida Prentice (USA)

Music:
“22-11″ by O Teatro Mágico
“Fireworks” by Alexandre Boyes
“Life’s Things” by mindthings
“Disritmia” by Martinho da Vila

Special thanks to:
Andres Volmar (Puerto Rico)
Abdelghafour Hatim (Morocco)
Advan Tabakovic (Bosnia)
Albertas Dvirnas (Lithuania)
Anna Tanganova (Russia)
Anna Welpasa (Sweden)
Artin Pilibosyan (Bulgaria)
Boully Galissa (Senegal)
Daniel Fernandes (Portugal)
Danielle Bowler (South Africa)
David Wollcombe (UK)
Edenne Fournier (Quebec)
Edward Meza (Peru)
Friderike Ernst (Germany)
Hossam Gadou (Egypt)
Ibtihal Abdallah (Qatar)
James Bayanai (Zimbabwe)
Jaya Nepali (Nepal)
Juan Pablo Salazar (Colombia)
Larissa Finnochiaro (Brazil)
Laura Padovani (Argentina)
Lauren Nutter (USA)
Linda Tarjan (Hungary)
Luciana Abrahamsson (Brazil)
Mariam Shah (Pakistan)
Mohamed Mhmoud Adam (Sudan)
Najean Philip (Trinidad and Tobago)
Raquel Duron (Mexico)
Ribio Nzeza (D. R. Congo)
Sevgi Kocyigit (Turkey)
Tania Romero (Mexico)
Tariq Al-Olaimy (Bahrain)
Thug Duong (Vietnam)
Uliana Nastashchuk (Ukraine)
William Watterson (New Zealand)

Inspired by Fifty People One Question (to know more visit fiftypeopleonequestion.com)

posted by..

Nathan Daniel Heller
http://twitter.com/ndhct
ndh@representingyouth.com

Istanbul Action Past

curromartino — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 20:20:41 +0000

The Istanbul Action Plan is one tangible outcome of the world youth congress 2010. It contains thoughts and suggestions concerning the “Millennium Development Goals” which where set up by the United Nations in the year 2000. In order to mobilize “material and institutional support” for “youth-led development” projects, it highlights several key focus areas of global challenges – added by a list of hundreds of concrete projects which participants of the congress are about to start working on…

It is Sunday, the eighth of August, I am sitting next to the Blue Mosque on the old hippodrome – the ancient horse running arena. My eyes are wandering up and the down the old Egyptian obelisk – a huge piece of marble stone, in the sharp shape of a clear crystal – pointing to the sky. The Hieroglyphs – which were carefully carved into its surface – are thousands (millenniums) of years old. They look perfect, exact, clean and abstract. They show symbolic images, telling a forgotten story.-

Three snakes – woven into a spiraling upright copper pillar – stand next to the obelisk. Their heads are missing. The origin of the sculpture is Delphi – the old greek mystery center. Originally it was dedicated to Apollo – the god of light. I walk around it, following the snakes with my attention – a settle movement of constant transformation.-

My way leads me to Hagia Sophia – church of the holy wisdom. For one thousand years this church has been the most influential centre of Eastern Christianity. Built with marble stones from all over the ancient Roman Empire – just before its fall – it preserved the atmosphere of the antique world and wisdom – Sofia – all through the middle age. With the Turkish invasion of Constantinople in the 15th century, the antique wisdom reached northern Italy – the begin of the Renaissance.Today, most christian mosaics are gone, crosses are replaced by islamic ornaments. A giant Seraph still looks down from the ceiling.-

The sun became the centre of the world. European powers conquered the whole globe and installed huge empires. A global economy started to emerge.- The ancient order of society was no longer accepted and finally overthrown. National states were formed and the individual – capable of thinking for himself – was proclaimed as the new sovereign. After long struggles and with the help of technological innovation old europe succeeded in destroying itself in two disastrous wars, the answer: The United Nations. Then: The cold war, the fall of the Berlin wall.

And finally, by the end of the twentieth century: The rise of a global civil society movement starting to unite beyond economic interest and national boundaries. The history of humanity is our history – what is our future?

Curro Martino
curromartino.wordpresss.com
curromartino@gmail.com

Our Year, Our Voice

Joney — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 06:43:47 +0000

Our Year, Our Voice

Posted by Jonas Eriksson in Great Generation on August 11, 2011

Youth gathering to focus together. ©ndhct

I have been waiting for a long time and now it’s time for the UN Year of Youth to begin. Under the tagline “Our Year, Our Voice” young people from around the world will speak up for more participation, more empowerment and more cooperation across generations and work together for a future that they want to grow up in.

From August 12th 2010 to August 11th 2011 thousands of initiatives, projects and events will put youth participation in top of the agenda and create the foundation for a long term process towards a sustainable development.

The International Year is about advancing the full and effective participation of youth in all aspects of society. We encourage all sectors of society to work in partnership with youth and youth organizations to better understand their needs and concerns and to recognize the contributions that they can make to society.

Youth participation are important for many reasons, the two I usually bring up are;

* The young generation will grow up in the shadow of the decisions being made today, and should have some way to influence these decisions.

* If young people feel that their voices are being listened to it’s a greater possibility that they will use their energy and frustration in a constructive way rather then a destructive.

It will be hard work to change the world. But if we work together we can make it. Join the (r)evolution!

Jonas Eriksson
http://twitter.com/joney
jonas@joney.se

Finally: A Real Display of Imece!

Kartik — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:17:49 +0000

by Kartik Das

Trenchcoats and fancy leather shoes are the first things you see as you step into the Hayir Carsisi in the Pendik Municipality. What might otherwise be mistaken for a storage facility for fashion apparel is actually a “Donation Bazaar”, one of 60 such centres that exist in the many provinces of Istanbul.

Suitcases and wheelchairs for those in need. © Kartik Das

This particular facility is run by 10 people who spend their days working tirelessly at manual jobs that tend to revolve around preparing and packing items so that someone somewhere in their community can be in a more comfortable situation. At the 5th World Youth Congress (WYC), the theme of Imece or joint action, has been repeated on several occasions but only now has it been exemplified through a real life scenario.

Those in need have to fill out an application form that requires details like income, health conditions, family relationships after which they are subject to a visit from the Municipality which verifies their financial status.

Testimonials from neighbours are also taken into consideration as part of the application process. Once the applicant is deemed ‘needy’, the relevant items are mailed to their home address every 3 months. From new winter clothes and stationary for children to setting up tents and providing food for when the fast is broken during Ramazan, the concept of Imece is generously backed up with financial muscle.

With the municapility operating with a yearly budget of US$100 million, the Hayir Casiri is just one of the many projects that they run to sustain the region of Pendık. From setting up a regional library (Pendık Beledıyesı Kemal Tahır Kütüphanesı) to maintaining school buildings (Kırımılı Fazılet Olcay Anadolu Lısesı) and opening local parks (Bosna Park), the funds are directed solely to improving the lives of the diverse community that resides within the area. Water, roads, education and recreation all come under the responsibility of this municipality, which over the past years, has come to be recognised as the model for emulation in Istanbul.

In an global environment where family values amongst youth are said to be diminishing in favour of the individualistic approach that is required for financial prosperity, this example is a heartwarming reminder that family is unequivocally important. The concept of a larger Aile is something that communities worldwide need to adopt. At youth congresses, continuity is often forgotten because of the complexities of the follow up projects. This however is a perfectly simple and feasible mechanism that will allow those in need to get the aid they require. The extravagant budget aside, the concept of taking the effort to coordinate and sustain a simple donation bazaar for the community is something this writer refuses to let pass by without accolade.

So if you have embraced the concept of Imece as was intended, take this as inspiration and try to better the lives of your extended Aile, regardless of language, race or religion.

Remember this - If a society is to prosper, it must prosper as one.

The Congress Times

ndhct — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:21:59 +0000

The category of Young Journalists at the 5th World Youth Congress in Istanbul is an active and courageous group of 100+ budding young reporters who are contributing a huge amount to the sustainability of this conference by creating a flow of content that will continue to serve the congress aims long after we have all packed up and returned to our 140+ home countries. It is remarkable to see the growth of this collective effort by such talented and creative young minds as they strive to tell the stories that matter to the world.

The first edition...

A unique series of outcomes will live on through the different media being used in our processes, such as video, radio, photo, blog and a great local newspaper that was created by a dedicated team who produced 4 sterling issues in 4 days having only met each other on arrival last week. For me, this effort is a great little indicator that the young people of today show a conscientious and focused intention to work together for the greater good, regardless of the task at hand, and proves that we can transform many of the stagnant mainstream media channels if we carry this intention into the press offices and media conglomerates of the world.

An exclusive series of non-exclusive, leading young journalism...

The team of young journalists is being facilitated by an experienced group of media makers from around the world including (from left): Andrei Ioniţă (Romania), Anna Morawiec (Poland), Mühdan Sağlam (Turkey), Dumitru Iovu (Moldova), Emre Çalışkan (Turkey), Neil Carelse (South Africa)

I am glad to be able to support this initiative – and you can too!

Representing Youth is a collaborative platform for you to use and get involved in. You can easily share articles on facebook by clicking the blue “Like” button or on twitter by clicking the green “retweet” button, above. Our video stream on youtube is so far showing content from the Rework the World meeting in Sweden where we launched this project on 1 June 2010 and we will soon be posting the video content from this congress. Please browse the site for more info.

Please keep coming back for daily updates on this great commemoration of youth and join us on twitter and facebook.

Keep up to speed on twitter.com/representyouth

Like us on facebook...

Nathan Daniel Heller
http://twitter.com/ndhct
ndh@representingyouth.com

The beauty of Chaos

curromartino — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:00:14 +0000

The beauty of Chaos

The beauty of chaos

Neologismism is the suggestion to not only use new words (neologisms) but to dive into what they express. After one week of Istanbulism I think that I am allowed to report ohm mani padme hung my experience of – mostly – chaos and – not so much – order, of – some – improvisation and a – disturbed – vision: chaordic improvision.

The amount of random situations and bizarre scenes in the last seven days is astonishing. As I write the electricity keeps falling out – and coming back occasionally. Sitting on my bed – in a freshly built building for future technical university students – random pieces of speech and murmuring voices enter my room through an open window mixing with the wave like sound of an empty fridge. -

Sometimes turkish policemen pass by, taking care that no women enter the men’s dormitories. Outside of my window construction workers are smoking, sitting on plastic chairs and “His Excellence Mr. Nizah Gahib Abdelsallam, Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan” – as the A4 in his window proudly announces – is having a party next door. -

As I walked out to buy cigarettes beyond the military fence that protects us I saw a mosque in green light. Workers are fixing illuminated letters on the building that I am sitting in with a crane. Despite the unfriendly concrete dust scenario of the campus, people – from all nations – are gathering in small groups, hanging out.

On the way back to my room I came across the cafeteria building – which is far too small for so many people. During the last week this resulted in hundreds of meters long lunch queues and exhausting – permanent shouting style – communication circumstances.

I finally got me a chai from a garbage pile – a table with hot water and tea bags. All kinds of colorful, confusing messages were hanging from the walls, written on big pieces of paper. Surrounded by trash, strange languages, random people and objects – enjoying the air condition – I thought: “registration should be over by now – after a week.” What a massacre!

: ©ndhct

Tomorrow the “Action Days” will start. From friday to monday the participants will be taking part in twenty seven different “social change projects” all over turkey. My high expectations are nourished by the amazing disorganisation and undesign of this event so far. Everything is perfectly planned. Like the “Istanbul Action Plan”. – Twenty eight people were hired, eight have remained, to work out “the plan” to save the world which will then be presented as “outcome” of this summit.-

Which reminds me of the opening ceremony: twelve brilliant speeches by turkish politicians and other important people, on a huge stage in front of – after a while – mostly empty chairs. The whole place embedded in thick clouds of barbecue smoke carried by the wind from behind the scenes. Simultaneously a crowd of a thousand starving people, waiting for their meat, shouting: “We want to eat! We want to eat!”

Or the great Bosporus boat trip! Two hours late – just in time for the darkness after the sunset. A completely! filled boat full of outraging youngsters. At least nobody died! When else do you have the chance to have a conversation with one thousand five hundred people at the same time? But the highlight was definitely when the lights of the Ataturk bridge turned from blue to orange, everybody agreed.

“My dear president…” , “We are not here to have fun”, “We will change the world” – again bits of sounds are reaching my ears. “His Excellence” is arguing with a fellow. Oh man, this place is crazy! We will see what happens in the next days… I am ready for the beauty of total chaos.

Curro Martino
curromartino.wordpresss.com
curromartino@gmail.com