THE SLOTH. - Issue 2

THE SLOTH.

This newspaper is brought to you by: (From left to right) Adam Borowski (Video Editor), Catherine Noonan, Aleksandra Bieluk, Alex Coates, Mara Balasa,Sara Jasionowska, Zuzana Kustkova, Magdalena Wilford, Onur Can Ucarer, Aaron Graham and Luke Thomas (Editorial Assistant)

Tabel of content:

16. Post Eurovillage

2. Editorial

17. IMCO

3. CULT II

18. JURI

4. EMPL

19. Kitsch Tunes and Bad Puns

5. Multicultural EYP

21. AFET

7. Never Judge a Book by its Cover

22. Le Languages

8. CULT III

23. Are We There Yet? 2.0

9. Euroconcert 1.0

25. Istanbul Insider

10. LIBE

27. CULT I

11. HO Like a Boss!

28. Opening Ceremony

13. EYP’s New Beat 14. SEDE 1

EDITORIAL Dear Delegates.

Apparently, some of you got scared about the first picture - the one where I was holding a gun. Don’t fret my precious, it was a laser tag gun. In fact, I am a really nice person, and I would never, ever shoot anyone!

The session is now halfway through, and I personally have enjoyed every second so far.

Working on the Issues have been an absolute pleasure, especially when you compliment me or my Journos. A girl even said that she would save Issue 1 for her first born child. I dare you all to top that compliment!

It is an absolute pleasure to speak with my Journos everyday, and hear how well you are treating them. If my Journos are happy, I am happy, and believe me, when I am happy, everyone’s happy. Thank you for taking the time to read the articles and keeping the Issues. You cannot imagine how much it means to me and the rest of the Media Team.

I hope that the heat is not too harsh on you and that you are constantly keeping yourself hydrated. Being half Irish and a ginger, the sun is slowly killing me. Fortunately, the dear Organisers have provided a fan for me, so that I can constantly be cooled down, and have a decent working enviorement that makes me more capable of producing a hopefully nice paper.

Finally, I really miss being around you Delegates. When you see me for the future, do not hesitate to say hi!

Yours as always, Christina Daubjerg Newman PS. Do not forget to like the facebook page at www.facebook.com/thewroclawsloths

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CULT II

The first day of committee work has passed, and CULT II turned out to be the right team to tackle the difficult problem of far right extremism. When I entered the committee room, extremely tired after a sleepless night, I literally revived. They were in the process of discussing problems and sources of Xenophobia. Eight people siting around a sheet of paper full of pink post its, with eight different approaches to the problem. That's what made the proceedings even more interesting and forced their lovely chair Anna-Clara to intervene and direct the team back to the main issue. One of the delegates lent a helping hand on several occasion saying “Guys, it is not relevant to the topic”. Was he really right? Yes and no. Some of the guys were just so into the discussion and so confident about their points that in order to convince the rest to their arguments, they ended up delivering elaborate speeches. And as we all know, in EYP you have to stay focused, because the time is running really fast. Eventually the chair came up with a genius system to give 3 post its to each delegate and make them stick one to the the floor each time they spoke – each post it on the floor was one chance to speak back. It calmed down the situation, nevertheless before the team started phrasing, a cooling off game was a necessity. They were told to count to twenty, in a random order, one by one with their eyes closed. You cannot even imagine how hard that is! But nothing can break the tough committee of CULT II! They managed to complete the task successfully twice in five attempts! All in all the guys came up with some awesome conclusions, but don't expect me to reveal them. I want CULT II to boss the GA, they definitely have the potential for that.

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EMPL Despite the horrifying weather and numerous obstacles, the fearless EMPL Committee on Unemployment and Social Affairs was struggling to complete their ultimate mission – building a strong and unified team. All the Delegates were doing their best; they became Ninja masters and managed to complete the ‘Touching Balls’ game in only 00:10 sec.

Everything was going so smooth that EMPL Delegates decided to go further. With the new skills and friendships, they were ready to play the hardest and the most demanding game in the history of EYP; the infamous ‘Connect 4’. All the members cooperated to create the artificial and completely new language. Not surprisingly after 10 minutes everything was done. Unfortunately, it occurred that everything went a little too smoothly… One of the delegates was so involved that she actually lost her way and ended up far outside the grid. And it was only then that EMPL delegates understood the integrally important principle of any EYP Session. They lost a battle but they are still in the game, because they know that all that matters is good old fun!

After realising that there is still a long way to go, EMPL Committee went back to the hostel with their flag proudly waving.

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MULTICULTURAL EYP

BY AARON GRAHAM The main theme of our EYP session is multiculturalism. In face of massive influx of immigrants in Europe in the recent past, it became one of the “hottest” issues around. The term multiculturalism itself is relatively young, it appeared in the seventies in Western European societies and refers to multiple cultures living within one country, co operating with each other and living in peace. Nowadays more and more people start to question it. German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, announced “Multicultural society in Germany has failed”. Is it really that bad? First, I have to come clean, I am an immigrant myself, so even though I try to be as impartial as possible, I might be incapable of that. But do not judge me to fast and give me a chance to prove my point.

In this article, I want to present you short profiles of t h r e e m a g n i fi c e n t p e o p l e I m e t t o d a y (Wednesday). They are walking examples that the differences don't have to cause tension and misunderstandings. Therefore show how is it possible for people to be part of two (sometimes even more) different cultures and at the same time be law obeying, tax paying, always smiling, citizens.

The first one I'll present to you is Tony. Tony is Russian who was born and raised in Estonia, very intelligent and confident man . Ever since he was a child , he visited his relatives in Russia and got to know the country very well. He is a fusion of both cultures. While in high school he planned to enroll in engineering programme and eventually completed his dream by going to Russia to attend university. As Tony said, he hadn't had any problems with adapting. Of course, he spoke the language and knew the country from past experiences, but it is not the end of the story. Later on Tony changed his mind and decided to study medicine in Serbia. Before moving there he had taken up Serbian language classes. Now he lives there and says that local people greeted him very warmly and he didn't experience any king of culture clash. What's his secret? Tony stated that learning the language and meeting the local people is the key to perfect integration. It's very hard to disagree My next interlocutor's name is William, tall, good looking guy with a terrific haircut. His dad is Sri Lankan and his mom Hungarian. Born and raised in the country of Ferenc Liszit and Goulash. He considers him self Hungarian, but always remembers and appreciates his Sri Lankan ancestry. His parents are Buddhists, they eat a lot of Asian food at home and visit his father's home land on regular basis .When asked how his background influenced his personality, he gave me a great answer. Namely, told me that it made him tolerant, culturally sensitive and more understanding of problems faced by all kinds of people. When talking

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to him I saw that we share the same values and it is hard to count how many times I said “exactly”.

And now, a delightful Czech-Vietnamese girl with an awesome smile, impressive American accent and a very exceptional story. Her name is Michaila, her friends call her Misha. Born in the Czech Republic for first six yers of her life she lived with her Czech nanny, who was than like a mother for her. Afterwards she moved with her parents and at first encountered some language barrier. But they found the most awesome solution possible, she taught them Czech and they taught her Vietnamese. Misha told me that she tries to take what's best from both worlds. She celebrates two new years, spends Christmas with her nanny and children's day (very important holiday in Vietnam) with her parents. She is truly living it! Once in elementary she was asked if she's Czech, her answer was simply brilliant “Yeah, I am kinda Czech, but with Asian features”. Her hope for the future is that with the development of schengen area and increasing movement of people, an Asian Czech girl will be noting exceptional, if so maybe even a Black Polish guy like me wont be anything special any more.

All three stories are so different yet so similar. All of them are examples of the very essence of multiculturalism, they live as fellow citizens and equals in their countries and still manage to successfully embrace their ancestry. Purpose of this article is not to glorify diversity, its to normalise it, by proving that negative generalizations about immigrants and minorities often promoted by certain people are simply incorrect.

Please, do not get me wrong, I am not trying to say that everyone is perfectly integrated and Europe has no problem whatsoever. I just want to show that the idea of diverse people not only coexisting in peace, but being fellow country man, loving each other and working together is totally possible. Not just in case in which one side commit to absolute assimilation. Tony, William and Misha sure agree on one thing. The future of multicultural Europe can be bright, but only if everyone employs the right attitude.

Wikipedia about “Multiculturalism” Multiculturalism (or ethnic diversity) relates to communities containing multiple cultures. The term is used in two broad ways, either descriptively or normatively. As a descriptive term, it usually refers to the simple fact of cultural diversity: it is generally applied to thedemographic make-up of a specific place, sometime at the organizational level, e.g. schools, businesses, neighbourhoods, cities, or nations. As a normative term, it refers to ideologies or policies that promote this diversity or its institutionalisation; in this sense, multiculturalism is a society “at ease with the rich tapestry of human life and the desire amongst people to express their own identity in the manner they see fit.”

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NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

BY ALEX COATES

It is in one’s human nature to behold prejudice. As a human being, one is also naturally curious; yet often this curiosity can manifest itself in misunderstanding. In the United Kingdom the public have a somewhat veiled view on immigration for many reasons.

Being realistic, there are a highly significant number of immigrants from all over the world coming to different parts of Europe looking for work and a better life. When they arrive in the chosen country looking night and day for any paid work they are too often greeted with hatred and conflict. It could even be said that many of the immigrants the public look down on so severely are actually the people who stabilise a country and keep it working. These are the people that will normally do jobs such as cleaning or building – heavy manual labour.

These are the jobs which keep countries running smoothly by providing the everyday person with what they see as basic necessities. These jobs are the ones which the typical resident would see as dirty and as lower than their personal standards.

Low paid, long working hours and unskilled jobs are overrepresented by immigrant workers. Let’s face it, people can be lazy.

A jobseeker may say they want a job, but still remain picky. This is huge problem for a European economy in crisis.

This competition for jobs on a more skilled level such as medicine or economics would most certainly be only a good thing as this pushes the native applicants further to make the country run more efficiently. In an ideal world, there would be a strong bond between the country of immigrant and emigration. This is not only to increase economic output between the two nations but also perhaps to find some balance on political or religious issues which the two may have.

By becoming an intertwined community with an immigrant, this further enriches the cultural understanding of the native resident and in some cases could reduce prejudice or even racism. Should the immigrant start to be seen in a different light, perhaps this is the first step towards breaking down stereotypes.

All in all, multiculturalism involves a group of people that are diverse and bring different things to the group. These specific ideas may be ridiculed or rendered immoral, however, migrants have just as much of a right to express their views as anyone in the public mind-set’s ‘normal’ category. Prejudice is often a catalyst for bringing communities further together; one hopes this will be the case across Europe at the present time.

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CULT III If each comma in this Committee's name were replaced with a heart, even this would not be enough. Heart is certainly something that this Committee has, and they are not afraid to demonstrate it. They covered almost the whole wall with pictures showing their interests and passions, their laughter is strongly contagious and it is always a pleasure to visit their room. But what is even more typical for them, is an obsession with #hashtags. They are ever ywhere (#almostbutnotreallyscared)!

This Committee demonstrated that it can overcome obstacles right from the beginning – there were sun blocks and cell phones flying around during the very first name game, because a tennis ball was nowhere to find.

Furthermore, they probably created a new record in the ‘Spider Web’ - they managed to accomplish this task in about three minutes! It doesn't matter that it was not their first try...

When it comes to favourite parts of the session so far, the kitsch party takes the lead, followed by Teambuilding and, quite surprisingly, ‘Abigail's Tale’.

After the first day, they stuck their hopes on the walls and threw their fears into a trash bin and fearlessly began the Committee Work. Many papers were written on and many ideas were introduced. So wait for the General Assembly to see the result for yourselves!

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EUROCONCERT 1.0

BY SARA JASIONOWSKA As Bob Marley used to say: “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain”. All of you who get inspired by music or simply are creative enough to come up with the stunning ideas with regard to any kind of performance will have a perfect opportunity available at Euroconcert.

The main idea of the event is to allow you to share your talents and interests with the rest of the Session participants. In general, the more original your performance will be, the better it will be. Since EYP is about working as a team, this is your time to cooperate. Some Committees have already started to prepare for the big night in order to receive cheers from the audience.

Moreover – multiculturalism, which is the theme of the Session – can be perfectly presented during Euroconcert. It is a chance to perform your national dance or song which underlines the uniqueness of your own country.

plenty of times during the session, EYP is also about crossing the borders. Therefore, if you want to show something you have been doing before or try something new you shouldn’t be stressed.

It will be your chance to show something outstanding and extraordinary. The most important decision for you to make is what you are going to perform. If you love singing just go for it. If not, you can always dance, or gather a group of people and do a stand-up routine. Already signed up for tonight’s Euroconcert is a selection of very promising singers, guitar players, piano artists and something special from your lovely Media Team. However, it is not the end of mysteries. The venue and hosts of Euroconcert will be another pleasant surprise for you.

Having that in your mind, get ready for one of the most special parts of the Session. Be creative and don’t forget to have fun

Although some of you may perceive participation in Euroconcert as a serious and demanding challenge, in reality it is a great experience that is a chance to show how talented and unique you are. As you have probably heard

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LIBE Have you ever witnessed a committee that has managed to finish the ‘Abigail Tale’ game in only 20 minutes? Or a committee that passed all of their Delegates to the other side of the ‘Spider Web’ in only ten minutes? The Committee on Civil Liberties is just perfect on timing. I was shocked when I saw Oliver opening his eyes right at the 60th second – with the precision of a Rolex – as they were requested. Our Delegates are also very fast to achieve the tasks that they are set. They have already finished the Operative Clauses in only the first day of Committee Work.

Finishing their work fast doesn’t mean that they are doing their job slovenly. The thought they give into every single solution is very detailed. Although this is the first EYP experience for most of our Delegates, it’s very nice to see all of them getting the idea of being a real team after the positivity of Teambuilding. We have a really good team spirit, which you’ll certainly notice this evening at the Euroconcert!

With the awesome Delegates who are very careful with their work, and the random craziness of our lovely Chair Artur, I can assure you that the atmosphere in LIBE Committee room is very unique and hard to find elsewhere!

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HO A SESSION LIKE A BOSS BY MAGDALENA WILFORT AND ZUZANA KUSTKOVA Almost a mission impossible. That is how we can describe the effort to get an interview with the Head Organisers of this Session. Their schedule is extremely busy, but Maria and Janek were kind enough to spend a short while with us and answered a few questions for you. So prepare yourselves to get to know them a little better.

Can you describe your EYP past?

Maria: Well, my EYP past is not that huge. I've only been to two Sessions as a Delegate and last year I was an Organiser in Wrocław. This year, together with Janek, we became Head Organisers.

Janek: My EYP journey started three or four years ago when I was at school. Dawidko Burejko invited me to Organise one of the Sessions in Wroclaw but I had many different responsibilities to deal with, so unfortunately I could not accept his offer. I changed my mind some time later and he found me a session in Ukraine. It was in 2010.

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So how did you become the Head Organisers?

Maria: Actually, I remember last year's holidays, I was windsurfing somewhere and a friend of mine told me that my cell phone was ringing all the time. So I came back from the beach and saw there was a call from Romilda. I haven't spoken to her for a long time, even though we were really close during the last Session and she just asked me whether I would like to be a Head Organiser for the next Session, because we had to decide if we wanted to have it in Wrocław again. She asked me whether I would do this with someone and both of us, Janek and I, we thought of each other, so we decided to do this together.

Janek: I was a Delegate for few times and I was an Organiser for a few times in Wroclaw as well; twice actually. People noticed that me and Maria were making quite a good team.

What are your expectations for this Session?

Maria: Well, from the Session, I want it to be very memorable for all the people. That is why there is the extra day of workshops and getting to know the city. Even though some people ask us whether as it is a Forum, is it much more serious than a Session - actually, we want to make it re m e m b e re d a s s o m e t h i n g re a l l y c o o l , extraordinary and different from other Sessions.

That is thanks to those workshops which makes the atmosphere as happy as possible. So I would like everyone to participate, have as much fun as possible, especially at the parties, and then work hard – every EYPer can have fun at night and not sleep, but still work really hard and make a perfect GA. So we just want everyone to have great fun.

Janek: I have high expectations of the Session but I also really want to have fun myself. It's been sometime since I've participated as a Delegate, so I've forgotten how it is. I really love the high level of the Journo and Chair team. I haven't really thought about any particular message for Delegates, I just want them all to cooperate.

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EYP’S NEW BEAT BY CATHERINE NOONAN By the time you read this, you will have already participated in the culture workshops, so bear with my attempt to predict the future.

I will say now, my track record isn’t successful. When I first heard about the workshops I, (who knows why), decided that this would include painting – specifically finger painting. I won’t lie. I’m mostly just disappointed I didn’t get to go around putting colourful handprints on people’s faces.

However, disregarding my inner four year old, these workshops have me absolutely fascinated.

This is partially due to the mystique. You absolutely don’t know what to expect. This proverbial blank canvas allows imagination and predictions to fill its space, building anticipation and excitement. There is no precursor to base your expectations on, no previous Sessions with which to create assumptions. In offering this exclusive opportunity, you have also been given the gift of an element of surprise.

As far as we know, you have been allowed to pick one of four workshops: Film, Media, Music or Photography. I’m not sure about the rest of you, but seeing ‘beatboxing’ and EYP on one page made my day. Pinhole cameras, film analysis and animation workshops are just a few of the things on offer – things rarely, if ever, associated with EYP. To attend such specialist workshops is a rare thing, let alone as part of an already incredible organisation and timetable. Few people would have the imagination and initiative to even think to combine polar opposites like gospel singing and a European Youth Parliament Forum. Whilst it is creative in its own way, EYP is a largely academic organisation, so including something so seemingly unrelated is a stroke of genius.

It is my genuine hope and belief that these workshops will exceed any and every expectation you may have. I’m looking forward to the day when speeches are given at GA with four-part harmony.

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SEDE Once upon a time there was man named Bogusz Olszewski.

Ever since he can remember, Bogusz always wanted to become an EYP Chair. The idea of participating in the International Youth Forum in Wroclaw germinated in his head, so one day he decided to send an application and... he got SELECTED! Big plans and preparations have been made by Bogusz; an info desk, a knowledge bank and many icebreakers. Later on, trembling with excitement, Bogusz arrived in Wroclaw and met his ‘F5’ (fantastic group of five Delegates). Friendships were made and cooperation began. "Unity, diversity, creativity and the ability of mutual cooperation" - that is how the team describe their work. Let me introduce the ‘F5’ to you! Please welcome: 1. Francesca (IT) – loves baking and her favourite book is ‘Hundred Years of Loneliness’.

2. Jerzy (PL) – although he's the youngest among the participants, Jerzy always takes an active part in the Committee Work. He loves criminal books. A fun fact about him is that he was born on the same day as his father!

3. Kate (PL) – Kate loves adventure movies and travelling. Her b i g g e s t d r e a m i s g o i n g o n a t r i p t o A u s t r a l i a .

4. Matteo (IT) – Matteo speaks four foreign languages: Spanish, French, English and Portuguese.

5. Kajetan (PL) – Kajetan lives in Wroclaw, so if you are having any troubles with reaching your destination, don't hesitate to ask him! He loves photography and extreme sports, such as freestyle skiing.

All of the ‘F5’ members are hoping for the same thing: they want to meet new people. Everyone knows that making fantastic friendships is one of the best things about the EYP. What they are hoping for is mutual agreement and the creation of an impressive resolution.

To sum up, if you are also looking forward to meeting amazing people, making new friends and getting to know other cultures and point of views, you HAVE to talk to ‘F5’!

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PRE EUROVILLAGE

BY ALEX COATES With over 70 delegates, from 15 different countries, if you want delicacies then the Eurovillage is your place to be.

When you are hungry and anxious to experience the true meaning of a multicultural event after a day of tough committee work Eurovillage will satisfy your appetite. Cultures will mix through the learning of new and interesting facts of the countries involved. The effort involved in creating stalls and explaining your country to a group of mixed nationality people is unexplainably difficult. This event should be one of the main highlights in the session programme where you can continue your tasty trip through EYP.

reinventing these dishes provides never-ending entertainment for anyone at the Eurovillage. You should not be disappointed with the array of meat on view whilst Italian cheese is also delicious, yet a little known fact.

It might seem like a cliché to say but this really is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of you. Never will you be in the same room with such dedicated and patriotic people willing to share their knowledge and goodies. Make the very most of this opportunity and enjoy the other countries! Who knows, you might get to visit them some day.

We have the following stalls – Sweden – The Swedes are always a group that light up any session in any way possible; their cuisine is no exception.

You can fully expect plenty of different types of meats, ranging from sausages containing potatoes – Isterband, to Julskinka – a typical Christmas delicacy of cured ham, boiled and breaded with mustard and egg. They are also of course famous for their love of pickled fish “surströmming”(a very odd thing to anyone else).

France – As a country close to my home, I have travelled to France many times before to sample the cuisine. You can expect expert baking in the form of long baguettes or even a sweet pastry dessert such as Chocolate Éclair. The French of course are also famous for their tasty, yet sometimes smelly cheeses. A large spread of Camembert may go especially well with your baguette.

Poland – You may expect the Polish stall to be ‘the boring one’ because we are of course in this wonderful country, however, one will find extremely tasty bundles of joy called Pierogi. You could expect to find Zurek – a soup typically containing meat and eggs, served inside a bread roll. As well as this perhaps you may encounter Susz – an interesting drink made from dried fruits and herbs. Barsz along with Uszka – a beetroot soup with pasta, is another thing on the list that I am personally looking forward to.

Italy – The kings and queens of takeaway and university food with pizza and pasta. Having so many different ways of

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IMCO IMCO – though two of the eight expected delegates did not arrive – is a surprisingly efficient committee. Differing opinions may seem like an obstacle in regard to writing a resolution and a good reason to quarrel, but in this case they are like nutrition and lead to fruitful discussions. Each and every one of the delegates is an individual with a passion.

Zuzanna (PL) is an ambitious girl from Lublin who has participated a number of times in the MUN sessions. Klaus (AL) studies Law and is fascinated by politics. Adam (PL) is a talented juggler and has just finished a course for being a bartender. Maciek (PL) is really keen on music and his creativity allows him to consider himself as a ‘hater-artist’. Adam and Maciek live in the same city and have known each other for a long time. Michał (PL) loves art, especially theatre. He organizes events such as musical plays and gets so dedicated that once, in order to make sure that everything would go perfectly, he missed three nights of sleeping. This resulted in seeing imaginary rainbow-coloured buses. Jędrek’s (PL) passion is football, and he represents a football club with a position of central midfielder. In future he sees himself as a journalist.

The effect of this mingling may be quite intriguing, as compromises are achieved by long, fascinating discussions, in which many contrasting points of view clash. This diversity guarantees a fierce combination of brilliant solutions and, due to the great atmosphere within the Committee, is an ideal background for life-long friendships.

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JURI

Intellectual property law, as stated previously, is a notoriously complicated and controversial topic. The JURI committee is no different. From extremely questionable games of ‘Honey Tell Me That You Love Me’ to suspiciously friendly personalities, JURI raises all sorts of red flags within the mind of this observer.

Uncanny ‘Ninja’ skills and poker faces seem to hint at something other than the usual Teambuilding, something darker, hidden behind the smiling, cheerful exterior of this Committee. This Journo is having considerable difficulty in believing that any ‘random’ group of individuals could be so quick in baffling the minds of some of the world’s greatest detectives and murdering people simply by winking. Unnatural skills and powers seem to have blossomed at a strangely swift pace within the group. They also bonded fast. Too fast.

From the very beginning, the Delegates seized upon the opportunity to gain further power and prestige, in the form of adopting ‘Mr Frawesome’. This seemingly arbitrary event gained JURI sole control and power over the entire Forum’s mascot, a figure with untold influence and authority. A figure dominant over Delegates and Officials alike.

Those innocent, smiling faces even managed to turn ‘Fruit Salad’ into a sordid affair, the likes of which never before seen by this Journo. They will use anything at their disposal in order to achieve their aims, as highlighted in ‘Honey, Tell Me That You Love Me’. Death, disease and dancing became deadly weapons against those who attempted to maintain composure – for all save one delegate, whose stony expressions would rival even those of Kirsten Stewart.

They know something. Something they’re not telling us. But rest assured, no copyright laws or patents could keep me from discovering the truth

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KITSCHY TUNES AND BAD PUNS

BY CATHERINE NOONAN Funny looks from other people, bizarre dance moves and excessively loud chanting. Some may call it a Saturday night, but we call it EYP. This Wednesday, however, was a night to rival even Nathan’s most enthusiastic game of ‘Alele’.

As everyone knows, the theme of the night was ‘kitsch’, but what nobody seemed to know was what ‘kitsch’ meant exactly. Even the ‘native’ English speakers struggled to fully understand the concept, beyond confused suggestions of ‘is it just like another word for hipster?’

However, as the night drew closer, rumours spread around about the true nature of the ‘kitsch’ lifestyle. It was bad. It w a s t a c k y . I t w a s g l o r i o u s .

even more than the usual stares, with more than a little awe - possibly mixed with a fraction of fear. The classic EYP chants and songs had an added bizarre depth, now that there were sequins and feather boas on show.

Undeterred by the gaze of the public, the troupe made their way to ‘The Grand Cafe’. A setting more suited for the theme is hard to imagine, as neon lighting and colours filled every corner that was not already filled with Delegates. The dance floor soon became the most colourful area in the entire place, as everything from Macklemore to Moulin Rouge blasted from speakers at every angle. Delegates and Officials alike broke out their best and worst moves, although I have to admit that it wasn’t always easy to tell which was which.

Neon colours, zebra print and mountains of jewellery were rampant – the more fashion faux pas, the better. The sight of the EYP hoard traversing the streets of Wroclaw inspired

For those who just wanted to chat using conventional vocabulary as opposed to body language, mingling was in full force away from the dance floor. From sofas to the

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edges of makeshift chairs, socialising took place across the café. Those who wished to pretend that the air outside was colder than the sweltering heat indoors chatted amongst themselves while relaxing around crowded tables, as chairs were pulled up from anywhere and everywhere to ensure maximum socialising.

Party has maintained the EYP tradition of making memories and friendships that will last far longer than any blisters and weary limbs.

Between the equally bizarre conversation and dance moves, EYPers did what they do best – make noise.

One particularly lucky Delegate was fortunate enough to become the centre of attention as they were serenaded with a beautiful chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ whilst surrounded from every angle. To the disappointment of certain Officials, the wonderfully awkward tradition of birthday kisses was not carried out, but I guess you just have to accept that sometimes life just isn’t always as hilariously awkward for other people as you’d like it to be.

Returning back to the hostel sweaty, exhausted and clutching at the remains of what was once a beautiful outfit has become a regular occurrence at this Forum, and the Welcoming Party most certainly continued the trend. The best part, however, is the ecstatic faces that accompany every one of these bodies on the verge of collapse. The Welcoming

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AFET Once upon a time, the European Union had some doubts regarding its integration policy. Being in desperate need of some answers, it relied on its citizens to try to find the right solution. Therefore, eight brave youngsters have chosen to help the EU and write a useful resolution because, after all, a tenacious team for a delicate problem it is the recipe of success.

Aphid, A-Feet, Two-Feet; their group has got different names, some better than others. However, it is not the name that truly matters; it is the spirit, the ambition and the perseverance that follows each of their discussions. At the beginning, this unbeatable team was incomplete. Five out of eight delegates were prepared to start this adventure.

However, it was only on the second day of the Session that AFET became complete. And when it did, tremendous things happened.

They speed-dated, walked with blindfolds on, untangled their human knot and achieved various other solutions to tasks. They surprised their Chairs when, instead of competing, they started cooperating, in order to “pass the river” faster.

Some of them still have to figure out the “Mag Blacic” game (which is their own version of Black Magic”), or “One Up, One Down”, but they certainly know how to make some authentic bird sounds.

The Committee Work was also magically cool. Each of the AFETers has spoken their mind and expressed their opinion regarding the topic. Their swamp break was like a breath of fresh air, since they returned with new ideas and a more relaxed attitude.

All in all, we are looking forward to other days full of surprises and last, but not least, to the main purpose of the session: the General Assembly, where you will have the opportunity to agree with me regarding this Committee.

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LE LANGUAGES ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS CONCERNING CULTURE IS IT'S LANGUAGE. AND SINCE IT CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO KNOW A FEW PHRASES FROM NOT ONLY ENGLISH, BUT ALSO FROM MOTHER TONGUES OF FELLOW DELEGATES, I PREPARED A BRIEF DICTIONARY FOR YOU. - BY ZUZANA KUSTKOVA Let's start with the essential sentence- My name is......

Now something much more important - I want the sloth!

SE: Mitt namn är …..

DK: Jeg hedder ….

IE: …. is ainm dom.

TR: Benim adim ….

PL: Nazywam się ….........

LU: Main Numm ass ….

FR: Je m'appelle …...

CZ: Jmenuji se …..

RO: Numele meu este …....

HU: Az én nevem …...

AL: Unë quhem ….........

IT: Mi chiamo ….....

LV: Mani sauc …....

DE: Ich heiße …....

EE: Minu nimi on …....

FI: Minun nimi on …......

SE: Jag vill ha sengångaren!

DK: Jeg vil have dovendyret!

IE: Ba mhaith liom an sloth!

TR: Tembelhayvani istiyorum!

PL: Chcę leniwca!

LU: Ech wëll den Fauldéier!

FR: Je veux le paresseux!

CZ: Chci toho lenochoda!

RO: Vrean lenesul!

HU: Szeretnèk cgy lajhárt!

AL: E dua sloth!

IT: Voglio il bradipo!

LV: Es gribu sliņ$i!

DE: Ich möchte dieses Faultier!

EE: Ma tahan laisik.

FI: Haluan laiskiainen!

And lastly, a special sentence from each language SE: Det måste vara lagom. = It has to be „lagom“. (lagom means the perfect balance between „not too much“ and „not too little“) DK: Kom nu lige ind i kampen! = if someone does something stupid, you tell them to „get back in the game“ IE: Cá bhfuil an cáca milis. = Where's the cake?

TR: Hayat nasil gidiyor? = How is your life going on?

PL: Nie chcę mi się. = I don't give a damn/I'm too lazy to do it.

LU: Bouf Loss d'Kierch am Duerf. = Boy, leave the church in the village. (Keep calm.)

FR: Je vouchais bien manger du saussissons-fromage. = I'd like to eat cheese 'n' ham.

CZ: Jedno pivo, prosím. = One beer, please.

RO: Nu este vina mea. = It's not my fault.

HU: Éhes vagyok. = I'm hungry.

AL: Kom uri = I'm hungry.

IT: Mi sto divertendo un sacco. = I'm having a lot of fun.

LV: Alus ir garšīgs un man ir kartupeļi. = Beer is delicious and I have potatoes.

DE: Ich mag dieses Schnitzel. = I like this schnitzel.

EE: Ma armastan oma riik. = I love my country.

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ARE WE THERE YET? 2.0

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BEING A HUMAN IMPLIES BEING SUBJECTIVE. BEING SUBJECTIVE IMPLIES BEING DIFFERENT. BEING DIFFERENT FEELS SO GOOD! THEREFORE, EVERY SINGLE PERSON EXPERIENCES DISSIMILAR THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING A JOURNEY. THERE ARE MIXED FEELINGS, UNIQUE EXPERIENCES, LONG LASTING MEMORIES AND DEFINITELY NEW FRIENDS. - BY MARA BALASA

In the previous Issue we have fortunately found out a little bit about the Officials’ trips and, more precisely, how they missed buses, had boring, embarrassing chats with the flight attendants, and paid extra money and so on. Now it is time to take it even further. How did the delegates arrive? Were they luckier than the Officials? After asking around for a (long) while, I have received many interesting answers. Thus, it seems like our beloved delegates have gone through some crazy adventures in trying to reach their desired destination: Wroclaw.

As the majority of Delegates are Polish, the bus and the train were the main means of transportation. Luckily, most of the youngsters travelled in big groups, so they had a wonderful time just being together. However, the main issue is the heat, since everyone complained at least once about it. Poor them...

Besides the unbearable weather, other events are worth being mentioned, since they brought about much fun in the Delegates’ trips. For instance, imagine what it is like to travel in the same train with a famous football player. Would you rather faint because of the heat or because of the sight him?

Tough question, I know.

Moreover, the sleeping trains could also bring some impediments in one’s trip. Imagine that in your wagon, there is a man who is snoring really loud. Besides that, it is too warm to have the window closed and too noisy to keep it open. Could you survive almost ten hours in these conditions, just like our Delegates did?

Having to change trains is not a good thing either. Even “better” was the fact that there were only four minutes to catch the second one. And, since when it rains, it pours, there was no information regarding the train on the general timetable.

Therefore the Delegates had to run to the information point, ask about the schedule and then sprint to the railway. After all of them hopped in, the wheels started moving, so they should consider themselves more than lucky.

Regarding the international Delegates, their trip was totally different. Firstly, they travelled by plane, because it would have been almost impossible to come from abroad by other means of transportation. Secondly, the heat was not such a big impediment, since the air conditioner was doing its job properly. However, be careful what you wish for, they say.

And they are right, since some of the Delegates were almost freezing.

Another usual problem was, of course, boredom. Since many international Delegates travelled alone, they didn’t have anyone to talk to during their trip. A nice coincidence is that, on one hand, some of them happened to meet Officials in the airport. In addition, some of them were even on the same plane, but, unfortunately, they were not aware of this fact (I’m sure that they will return home together though!).

However, my point is that gathering so many people in one place, offering them subjects to debate and expending their horizons are just a few of the rewards that a journey to an EYP Session offers. The best proof is the fact that two Delegates I encountered can easily keep a conversation going without even knowing one another’s names. And these two people met only after hours and hours of travelling.

Therefore, my last question is: was it worth it? I strongly hope that your answer is yes, because, all in all, EYP journeys have been glorious once again!

Editorial note: In the “Are we there yet?” article in the first Issue, I mistakenly forgot to put Maras’ name in. She of course wrote both articles brilliantly, and I apologize!

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Th

25

ISTANBUL INSIDER

BY ONUR CAN UCARER Troughout the last 20 days, most of you probably have heard about the unrest going on in Turkey. A small environmental protest with 50 participants has turned into a massive outcry against the Turkish government, by the people who believe that the government’s policies and decisions are excluding them. Although these events may seem like a surprise for many of us, the reasons behind them goes back to the beginning of 2000’s.

The governing party of Turkey (Justice and Development Party, AKP) was firstly elected back in 2002. Since than, they have been re-elected 2 more times and they’ve been ruling the country for 11 years. Although AKP has made big improvements in economy, healthcare and public services, their ruling has been one-sided, especially since the last elections in 2011 which they had nearly 50% of the votes.

The laws and regulations that concern the whole citizens are being changed by the government without even taking the opinions of other people. As the AKP have the majority in the parliament, they don’t seek for concensus and they govern the country without considering any other opinions. Criticism towards this misconception of democracy has been raising widely, especially after the last actions of the government, such as the new strict regulations on alcohol sales, the changes in education system and their attitude against the opposition on making a new constitution.

Everything began on May 28th with a small group of environmentalists objecting to the destruction of Gezi Park, a park in central İstanbul, in order to rebuild a historic building which was going to be used as a shopping mall. A group of 50 people met in Gezi Park and began camping to protest this new building project. The police’s reaction, however was very brutal. After waiting for two days, on May 30th, they attacked to the protestors in Gezi Park with tear gas bombs and water cannons. After the protestors were obligated to leave the park, policemen burnt their tents and didn’t let anybody get in the park afterwards. That was the first flame of a big civil uprising.

As a response to the police’s excessive usage of violence, lots of people poured into streets to get to Gezi Park and show their disapproval towards the police violence. The government’s way of handling these protests made the situation even worse, as Prime Minister Erdogan’s approach

to these happenings were nothing near tolerant nor understandable. He called the people in the streets looters, terrorists and alcoholics, dismissing their requests. In response, the protests broadened beyond the destruction of Park into a wider anti-government protests. They’ve spreaded to the other big cities as well. After having clashes with demonstrators for 48 hours, the police backed off and left the Park to the demonstrators, but the costs of this fight was already too much; 3 civillians and a police officer died in protests in different parts of the country.

Police having left the park, protestors started camping there again in a festival atmosphere. They lived at the Gezi Park in harmony for 2 weeks, having art classes, organising concerts or even doing yoga! Meantime, a group of protestors went to Ankara, the capital of Turkey, to meet the Prime Minister and discuss the problem democratically. The meeting came with a relatively constructive result; the government had accepted to make a public voting and ask the citizens of İstanbul to decide the future of the Park. After the referendum decision came from the meeting with the Prime Minister, the protestors at the Park made meetings to decide what to do next. After a day of discussing, they agreed to pack the tents from the Park and the majority of the people to leave. However, they wanted to leave a tent for a group of 15-20 people to stay there, as a remembrance of the people died during protests.

On the other hand, the government didn’t want this occupation to continue in the middle of the city anymore and started the most violent attack of the police towards the protestors. In the evening of June 15th, the government launched an operation and managed to kick all of them out of the park with excessive use of tear gas. Since then, the events has been relatively reduced, no more conflicts with police had happened. So, for the ones who will come to İstanbul soon, it’s a safe place!

What has happened in the last month in İstanbul shows us how a government can misuse their forces. How police treated the people, whom they are supposed to save from violence, was unbelievable. But despite the brutality they have been opposed to, the protestors have shown us that if a nation unites in order to make their voices heard, there’s nothing that can stop them.

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CULT I Once upon a time on a far away, deserted island lives a group of amazing adventurers lead by their magnificent King Caley. They are each elite language assassins trained especially to conquer every enemy in their way with clever English words and positive propaganda.

First in line to the throne is King Caley’s extremely challenging nephew, Aleksandër. He is a competitor to the death and explodes like deadly dynamite. Next in the line-up comes Anna; a charming, chameleon-like creature, ready to adapt to any situation she found herself in.

Justyna and Rafał come at you like two sneaky ninjas in the night. Never underestimate the quiet ones for they will indeed be your downfall. They will cut you so deep with their smart similes you will feel it in your soul.

Within this group there lives a lady who summons the spiders inside of you – Ewa. She is ready to dive into battle, crushing free spirits and tearing cuddly creatures apart along the way. Emelia comes in next and, as the quiet brains of the group, tortures delicate hearts like a hard-hitting surgeon. She’ll turn your mind into a maze with monstrous attacks left, right and centre. Last but certainly not least there is Regi, a bright bundle of joy packed with a punch that could floor even the fiercest foe.

You need to fear this fire-breathing committee because if you should be so brave as to try to fight them, they will crush you without pity. You have been warned. In General Assembly they will contemplate, assassinate and then obliterate the chances of your committee.

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OPENING CEREMONY BY ALEKSANDRA BIELUK After many months of preparations and unbearable waiting, all the participants of the Session threw away their casual clothes and put on formal suits and dresses to officially open the International Youth Forum. Rapt by the baroque themed assembly hall of the University of Wrocław it was not hard to feel like the ceremony is the proper beginning of something unusual. A splendorous atmosphere let the Delegates experience the formal side of EYP contrasting with a day filled with joy and free-spirited Teambuilding games.

The event was opened by the President of EYP Poland, Weronika Myck, who gave a heartfelt speech on her vast experience with EYP and she was followed by Member of the European Parliament, Piotr Borys. He expressed his appreciation of the fact that so many young people get involved into initiatives such as EYP. Ewa Gołąb-Nowakowska, the director of the Office of the Cooperation with Foreign Countries, was the next to speak. The President of the Session also approached the podium to say a few words. He gave everyone a warm welcome and stressed the most important qualities of the Session, and he also introduced Delegates to the most remarkable advantages they can obtain by participating in the IYF. He underlined the value of getting the better, more objective perspective thanks to acknowledging the points of view from people of varied cultural backgrounds. He encouraged Delegates to make as many new friendships as possible, which can be an amazingly pleasant way to broaden our knowledge and gain unique experience. The speeches given by the Editor and the Editorial Assistant cleared up the purpose of creating the Session newspaper and emphasised its significance as a rare souvenir to collect memories from.

Generally, the event boosted Delegates’ ambitions and clarified a bit the blurred picture of what the session is really about. The Opening Ceremony encouraged Delegates maximize their enjoyment of what is an inimitable happening currently taking place in Wrocław.

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INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FORUM OF EYP POLAND IN WROCﾅ、W IS MADE POSSIBLE BY

THE SLOTH. www.facebook.com/thewroclawsloths 29