Hello Hoy!

Dear Participants & Visitors,

A warm HELLO and welcome to our blog. We're a group of youngsters from Arad, Romania and Lutten, The Netherlands, who spent a great week together! Thanks to Youth in Action program of the European Commission, we could spend the first week of August together, learning about culture and experiencing solidarity. Our project, Local Color, aimed to make us familiar with the cornerstones of culture, with the unique traits and cultural elements that make Arad and its region special. Thus we learned about the cornerstones of culture and we visited those places, which are culturally and historically significant. Moreover through these  important places, tropes, Arad enriches the common European cultural heritage. We visited museums, walked in the city center of Arad, knowing more about its famous buildings. We also made a road trip, visiting Lipova, Radna, the Soimos fortress, Minis and Ghioroc. Thus we took a glimpse in all the richness of culturally significant places. We also realized their importance in enriching the common European heritage. The importance of a clean environment was underlined with our visit to Lunca Muresului, a unique reservation park. This reservation park it's unique due to its biodiversity and location. The other founding element of our project was solidarity and social inclusion. In every group, 30% of the participants were youngtsers coming from a weak economical background. They had the chance to interact with youngsters coming from a different culture, to make bonds, friends and to use their English. In our project we also aimed to make youngsters sensitive towards the current social realities. We visited poor families, bringing them basic food items. It was a truly emotional moment, seeing the youngsters next to the poor families or old persons. They were really touched by these visits and realized that a warm word, a handshake sometimes equals the actual food item. Everyone needs encouraging and warm words. After these visits, during the discussions, the youngsters formulated statements which underlined a more active participation and involvement in helping the needy. Helping the needy and solidarity were the themes of our painting. With the help of Hajnalka Siska-Szabo, a professional painter, we realized a work of art. On our painting the figures hold their hands, symbolically this expresses friendship and a sense of belonging together.We, young participants, hold our hands literally during the many activities, as well as the dances. We learned each others dance and presented it as a flash mob in Arad, at various locations. Moreover we presented a play, entitled Puzzle Heart that aimed to encompass such big themes as:solidarity, friendship, love and brotherhood. The protagonist of the play, young man, learns to help his fellows and enriches his experiences. By meeting new persons, he gains experience, wisdom, he helps them. Moreover he gives pieces of his heart to them, thus symbolizing their friendship. The last soundtrack of the play was the famous song, "We're the World". I wish to close my account with a quotation from this song: "We're the world/we're the children/we're the ones make a brighter day/so let's start giving." Let's start giving, sharing, and building a better and brighter tomorrow. I do believe that by working together on project, by spending time together doing different activities, we'll grow as persons, as individuals, and citizens of Europe. There are many opportunities, programs, let's make use of them, to learn about multiculturalism, intercultural aspects, tolerance. Let us grow spiritually and gain new experiences, wisdom in a non-formal way. Using Douglas Maloch's words: Be the Best of whatever you are!