For the first time this year a Bulgarian participated in the European summer school in Georgia. Every year, 100 young people from European and neighboring countries of the European Union, for 7 years, gather in Georgia to: support and train adult educators with common European civic values and foster cooperation, multicultural understanding and tolerance among young people in Eastern Partnership region. Here is what the participant from Bulgaria shared: Dimitar Chotorov after his return home:
“Before you read what is written below, I want to say that it took me almost a month to collect my thoughts in a short text and to show to you how amazing the camp for me was. It was the most useful thing that has ever happened to me, in only 21 days I learned more things and useful knowledge than for 12 years in school. If you are hesitating to apply or not, the answer is YES, without exaggeration I can say that it’s a lifelong experience, and for sure it will change your life for better,
In the EU school summer camp, I have developed a lot of skill, most of them related to peer education and project writing. Before I came to the camp, I had no idea what are the steps to prepare a project and I was unsure how to start a project, what are the steps that transform, a great idea into a complete project with a clear goal. Most of my friends have the same problem and they are afraid to stand behind their position, to fight for a better future because they are afraid that their voice is not going to be heard. They are unsure of their public speaking skills, they have no idea where and how they can defend their self’s in the world of the adults. They are totally uninformed about their rights, and they don’t know how big an influence they could have, on problems that could be in their community or maybe on the world stage. So was I before I came to the camp.
Here in the camp, through interesting games, a lot of fun activities, and with the irreplaceable help of our trainers and leaders, we gained the basic knowledge to be active citizens. We have developed skills, for public speaking and speech writing, a project developing and realization and how to present our idea in only 2 minutes. All these competencies and many more, are not learned in school, they are not inborn, and you can’t gain them on the street, but you need them almost every day. Every day we are manipulated form media, adults, we are told that we are too young to change a thing, but do you think that only because you are young, you can’t create a project, or only because you are 14 you are not able to prepare a speech, is it a boundary for you your age not to be a full participant in the world, to fight for your future and to be aware of your rights? For me, the answer is no, and after the camp, I found out where and how I can achieve my goals.”
This project is supported by the European Commission and is implemented by
LEPL “Children and Youth National Center” – www.cync.ge
Pictures: Dimitur Chotorov