Link56

May 2014

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EDITORIAL One more Kalamata Street Festival is approaching in about 75 day... 10-11-12 of July you need to be prepared for the biggest and better street festival so far!

Kalamata Street Festival is a synthesis of proposals and actions resulting from collaborations of active organizations, informal groups and citizens with starting point the group work and voluntary offer. With this way

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you get a festival of 20 parallel events and 7000 visitors with a budget of a small celebration!

And this is magic. Magic is to prove that when citizens want to make the change, they simply DO IT! No need to analyze this more.

JUST BE PREPARED! visit: www.streetfestival.gr and be part of a unique experience!

Filaretos

Editor:

Lina Šuminaitė

Contact us: K.A.NE. Social Youth Development Youth Centre of Kalamata Plateia Othonos 10 Kalamata 24100 Greece

Staff Members Of Kane:

Tel:

Ahmad Ayyash

Cover fotos:

Lina Šuminaitė Eda Tandoğan

Design:

Filaretos Vourkos Fotini Arapi Jelena Stepanovic Marilia Petrou Argyris Papadopoulos

Long Term Evs:

Melina Savvidis Fiachra Mckeever Carmelo Márquez Eda Tandoğan Ahmad Ayyash Amaia Vilas Erika Funa Danae Lehmann Mehmet Ali Şirin Uğurcan Pehlivan Abdurrahman Ermiş Ece Zihni Lina Šuminaitė

+302721110740 e-mail:

amaiavilasarasua@gmail.com; info@ngokane.org url:

http://www.kentroneon.wordpress. com http://www.ngokane.org facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/kentroneon

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ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΕΡΓΑΣΤΗΡΙΩΝ Κ

ΑΝΟΙΧΤΑ ΔΕΥΤΕΡ

kentroneon.wordpress.com - ΤΗΛ ΩΡΑ

ΔΕΥΤΕΡΑ

1ος όροφος

2ος όροφος μεγάλη

ΩΡΑ 2ος όροφος μικρή

17.00 - salsa για Ισπανικά 17.00 αρχάριοι A1 Λιθουανικά παιδιά 18.00 18.00 LEVEL

18.00 19.00

Latin

Ισπανικά προχωρημέ νοι

1ος όροφος

R&B για παιδιά

Τούρκικα 18.00 - Σύγχρονο αρχαρίων 19.00 αρχαρίων τμήμα 1ο

2ος όροφος μεγάλη

Σκάκι

ΩΡ 2ος όροφος μικρή

Κιθάρα Για 17.0 Παιδιά αρχάριοι 18. τμήμα 1ο

Μουσικοκιν ητική Τούρκικα 18.0 Αγωγή Για αρχαρίων Παιδιά τμήμα 2ο 19. (τμήμα 1ο)

Μουσικοκιν ητική 19.0 Αγωγή Για Ελληνικά 20. Παιδιά για ξένους (τμήμα 2ο) αρχάριοι

19.00 Capoeira 20.00

Κιθάρα για 19.00 Παιδιά προχωρημέ 20.00 νοι

20.00 Capoeira 21.00

Κιθάρα για 20.00 - Σύγχρονο Γερμανικά Ενήλικες προχωρημέ αρχάριοι 21.00 αρχάριοι νων

20.0 21.

Κιθάρα για Γερμανικά Ενήλικες 21.00 - Νοηματική προχωρημέ προχωρημέ 22.00 αρχάριοι νοι νοι

21.0 22.

21.00 - Salsa αρχάριοι 22.00 τμήμα 1ο

Χορωδία

20.00 21.00 Αραβικά αρχάριοι στο γραφείο στο βάθος

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ΤΡΙΤΗ

Οriental

ΚΕΝΤΡΟΥ ΝΕΩΝ ΚΑΛΑΜΑΤΑΣ

ΡΑ ΕΩΣ ΠΕΜΠΤΗ

Λ. 2721110740 (ώρες 17.00 - 22.00)

ΡΑ

ΤΕΤΑΡΤΗ

1ος όροφος

2ος όροφος μεγάλη

ΩΡΑ 2ος όροφος μικρή

ΠΕΜΠΤΗ

1ος όροφος

2ος όροφος μεγάλη

ΩΡΑ 2ος όροφος μικρή

Τούρκικα 00 17.00 - Internation Aγγλικά 17.00 Reggaeton Σλοβένικα ομάδα προχωρημέ al Latin Καλλιτεχνικ .00 18.00 18.00 συζήτησης νοι ό Εργαστήρι

Τούρκικα 18.00 - yoga τμήμα Ρώσικα προχωρημέ αρχαρίων 1ο νοι τμήμα 3ο 19.00

00 - Παραδοσια κοί χοροί .00 αρχάριοι

κιθάρα για 18.00 παιδιά αρχάριοι 19.00 τμήμα 2ο

Παραδοσια

00 - κοί χοροί Πορτογαλικ Ισπανικά 19.00 αρχάριοι Α2 ά .00 προχωρημέ 20.00 LEVEL

Γαλλικά

Αγγλικά 19.00 αρχαρίων 20.00

νοι

Μuay-Thai

00 Αραβικά ζογκλερικά αρχάριοι .00

Salsa 00 αρχάριοι .00 τμήμα 2ο

20.00 21.00

Νοηματική τμήμα 2ο

Εισαγωγή Νοηματική 21.00 - Yoga τμήμα Αραβικά στην Τέχνη προχωρημέ Προχωριμέν 2ο του 22.00 νοι οι Flamenco

20.00 21.00

21.00 22.00

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ΜΙΚΡΕΣ ΑΓΓΕΛΙΕΣ With the Youth Centre opening again its doors to the public, for the 5th year, there are still some things, where we could use your help!!!

For the beginning of the workshops, and throughout the year, the Youth Centre needs:

* CHAIRS

Strange as it may sound, the Youth Center is in need of chairs!

As the Youth Centre acquires more and more members, and the use of the chairs is extensive, our poor old chairs are breaking down. As it is, it is impossible to have all the chairs that the workshops need. If you have any chairs that you do not use, or you think that you can spare, you can bring them!

* MARKERS for the white board

* COMPUTERS

Unfortunately, the Youth Centre at the moment has only 1 working (almost) computer to be used in the info-point. Temporarily, and only for the registrations, volunteers of the Youth Centre have brought their computers from home… however, eventually they will need them back… We need at least 1 more computer to be used in the dance workshops and 1 more for the outside activities… :(

* GUITARS

As we are very musical this year, if you have any guitar that you do not need anymore and can give it to the Youth Centre, please do

* MIRRORS

This may be a bit of a longshot but we also need full-length mirrors for the dance room.

As all of the language workshops make use of the white board, we We know that it may be unlikely consume approximately 3 mark- that people have spare full-length mirrors lying around in their gaers per week! rages at home, but then again,

* PENS

if you don’t ask, you’ll never reYou can never have enough of ceive! those!

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ΠΆΣΧΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΆΔΑ By: Danae

Going to a different country for quite some time also leads to being there for national holidays full of traditions and new things to experience. After going home to Germany for Christmas I was very happy to celebrate Easter here in Greece. Even more happy made me the fact that my family also came here on vacation and so we ended up altogether in our little vacation house, which my moth-

er lived in her first nine years in Mani. I was baptized Greek Orthodox but in Germany I was raised more catholic and also Easter was celebrated in the typical “german way” with only some Greek elements such as the little “egg bumping game”. The week before easter (η μεγάλη εβδομάδα) I went on a little trip around Greece with my co-volunteers Melina and Erika. We finished the trip in Athens and from there I took a six hour bus ride to finally meet my family. It was the Saturday before Easter and the big cooking had already started. My mother was making a huge mountain of Δίπλες and my father was proudly baking a cake in shape of a lamb, which is a German traditional cake on 7

really follow what was happening in the church, but I could see that the light was passed on person by person, candle by candle in the darkened room, was spreading more and more and finally also reached the people outside. The whole place suddenly was bathed in candle light. In Germany we also do this, but in the little stone church and the narrow streets surrounding it, packed with people holding an Easter candle it somehow was even more special and the whole atmosphere more festive. The bells of the church were ringing like crazy and also tons of firecrackers were lit again, Easter. So this time it was the other way around and we had some German elements here in Greece.

At night we went to church like many other people. The church was packed and we had to stand in front, outside with a lot of others. Everybody was waiting for the new light from Jerusalem to arrive. Due to a delay of the plane the light arrived a little bit late, but around twenty past midnight a car stopped right next to the crowd and a man made his way through the people with a little hand lantern. The light was welcomed with a lot of noise of some firecrackers right next to everybody. Since I was standing outside, I couldn’t 8

which actually freaked me out a little bit. After everybody received the light the church got emptier and emptier even though the service was going on for at least 45 minutes more. I guess some of the fancy ladies weren’t able to stand on their high heels anymore ;). Before returning home we got out our red colored eggs to bump them with the words “Χριστός ανέστη!” (Christ is risen!) and “Αληθως ανεστη!” (Truly he is risen!). The next morning we had a big breakfast on the veranda and we started to prepare the wooden oven for the food. It was the first time since many years that we tried to use it again and even though we already made fire in it the day before our food was only gone. So we had to finish up the ¾ ready before all the heat was potatoes, the lamb, and the tiropites in the electric oven. But it was definitely worth the try and in the end we had a delicious easter meal anyway which we also were still eating on Easter Monday. There we went for a little day trip to the lighthouse of Cape Tenaro, which already became a tradition in my family whenever we come here. As a whole, Easter was full of cooking, food, long walks and some quality time with the family in a beautiful surrounding with a wonderful atmosphere, which made Easter this year probably the best one I’ve had so far. Χρόνια πολλά!

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Good morning, Philosophy!

By: Erika

In life, we interpret the world around us from the moment we are born. There is always this voice inside us talking to us, reacting to the things we come in contact with, words we hear, ideas and people that meet us.

It makes us feel the things we feel, sometimes joy, sometimes despair or confusion.

When we are children, we look at the world with the eyes wide open, wondering about every single thing we see or hear because everything is new to us.

We stare at a butterfly or a hole in the ground for ages without getting bored. We are startled by airplanes, snowflakes, and the kitchen of our neighbours.

Mothers and fathers every10

where are faced with the eternal challenge to explain everything, to find the answer to the persistent „Why?“ . I once read how some psychologist whose name I cannot remeber now argued that to a baby everything is so fascinating, perplexing and strange that it would not find it unusual at all if at breakfast his or her parents would suddenly start floating upside down around the kitchen table.

The point is, as we grow older, we tend to slowly fall into the routine of the mind, simply accepting and getting used to our environment, the learned ways of thinking, our beliefs and the ways of the society. We get bored. The things we experience every day do not amaze

us anymore, and slowly, very few things remain that we call special or extraordinary, or that capture our attention and draw us closer into wondering about them. We stop questioning the reasons things are done, we stop asking why, we stop being angered or sad by the things we find unjust or unfair because we have been trained to simply take them as they are, and told that it is not our business or responsibility to deal with them. We are not excited about a friend´s call or a sunny day anymore.

Sometimes, though, we encounter things, people, or situations that call to life the spark that everyone carries whithin

themselves. Our spirit not only wakes up, but literally jumps out of bed running towards the world, arms wide open. When this happens, we have been touched by something great and precious, and in this special state of being, we are ready to look at the world with the new found wonder. This, my friends, is what this old aunt that goes by the name Philosophy is all about. The meaning of her name is Love, the Love of Wisdom. It is the idea of being on the search, exploring, and loving it. Why? Well, to find for ourselves why we are here, and what we are doing.

To think about what the meaning of our life is...not for others (for our parents, our partners, our children, friends, co-workers, neighbours, our priest), but for us. To find what makes us come alive, what makes our eyes shine, what makes our spirit laugh. To discover our creativity, to evolve, to grow and to express our unique nature. To be under construction, to be humble, and to never stop learning. But mostly, to be true to ourselves and live in the way that makes us happy.

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The half Greek goddesses searching for the Olymp of their origin By: Melina

Danae, Erika and me alias the half Greek goddesses had the same plan before coming to Greece: Finding our origins and getting closer to them. Our eastern trip became a big part of this plan. Since Danae’s origins are in Mani, it was very easy for us to get there. There was only Erika and me left and our voluntary time in Greece was running. So in one of our Greek lessons we just started making a plan to see all the places we wanted to see in less than one week and started our legendary trip to the North of Greece one week before eastern.

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Our first station was Thessaloniki, where I have my origins from. The easiest and cheapest way to come there was fortunately by plane. Everybody was already stressed and forgot half of their things when we finally arranged it to arrive in time at the airport. The plane itself couldn’t make it in time so all of us got one flight ticket for free by Astra Airlines in whole Greece and of course sandwiches and some drinks.

Finally we arrived in this beautiful city Thessaloniki, where we spend two awesome days and stayed in my aunt’s place.

We all fell immediately in love with this young and open city where you never get lost, you discover a lot of beautiful places and the people are so cool.

To be honest, I’m very proud to have family there! We had some drinks on a Reggae boat, cruising around the port, hanging out with other volunteers in a bar with chocolate beer, getting interviewed, becoming famous....we had a great time there and for sure we will come back!

After the sunny and safety Thessaloniki the most difficult part started. We had to find the village of Erika`s grandparents somewhere in the northern mountains close to the Albanian border. The biggest town close to this village is Kastoria.

We tried to rent a car to come there and find her village. Since in Thessaloniki everything is a little bit stricter, they didn’t give us a car and we went by bus. On our way there we lost every minute some degrees till we had only 5 °C. It was raining and we saw at every corner a big shop for fur. So of course you become a little bit nervous (like me) but Erika was so op-

timistic coming closer to the place she only knew from her grandparents’ stories. Actually it is a very beautiful town, but we didn’t really become warm with it. So the first place where we went was to rent a car (No we never give up! :D). With a lot of luck we got the car with 13

which we could reach Erika’s village Psarades that was so far in the mountains that it was still snowing there. It was the first time for all of us to see a totally different part of Greece where you are more afraid of bears and wolves than snakes and scorpions. Finally we arrived in this very characteristic village Psarades that lies in the mountains next to a big lake.

Most of the houses were ruins that have been destroyed during the Civil War and the first living things we saw were a lot of cows. Without the cows it would have been very empty, but with them it was like a very calm and relaxed atmosphere.

There was even a small Paralia with cute Tavernes, so it seemed to be touristic during the summers. We tried to find the house of Erika’s grandparents that we couldn’t find.

In a tavern where we went to eat something and where we met the first people, Erika asked for some relatives in the neighbour village Laimo. With some information about them we went by night and snow in another unkown village. This one was much more alive and 14

there were even some volunteers. After a very short time of searching and asking for information, Erika finally found her father’s cousin. To come there and even find relatives seemed to be impossible. It was a very special moment and I’m very happy to be part of it! Since that moment nothing has been impossible for us anymore!

With a lot of new self consciousness we continued our road trip the next day to Ioannina where we hoped it to be warmer and sunnier again.

Fortunately the weather improved and we had 15 °C, although it was still cloudy and rainy. We were freezing all day long and were even too lazy to take pictures and find the centre. I couldn’t really enjoy although it’s a very well situated city with a nice landscape that reminds of the Italian lakes like Garda. We stayed the night in a friend’s friend place with who we were really lucky.

For our last day we kept the most impressive place, Meteora. Unfortunately we didn’t have a lot of time to stay because our train to Athens left very early, so we couldn’t hike

and look around a lot. But still we enjoyed a lot and it was a perfect last day of our trip.

Thank you my lovely half greek sisters for all the funny, emotional and weird situations that we shared together. Without you my EVS year wouldn’t have been - not even close - as great as it was. I enjoy every second with you and I hope we will enjoy much more! Σας αγαπαω!

P.S. Nothing is impossible! Ολα γινεται! ;D

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Interview with Ahmad By: Ece How honest are you?

Tell me about you!

I’m Ahmad. I’m volunteer in Most of the time I’m honest.

Sometimes I can’t, beacuse I K.A.N.E. will hurt somebody. And I don’t If you could sing one song like this. on American Idol, what If you were 80 years old, would it be?

Rap and Pop can give some what would you tell your message to people. And they children? can learn something with this To be honest! Try to be clever as much as possible and try to way. Eminem can be. make peace and maybe very If you were alone on an is- good with people. And you land and could only bring have to take care of your study, three things, what would because this is for good generation and don’t be selfish. And you bring?

I will bring friend, book, I believe that be justice. And don’t lie ever. knife :D What is your favorite thing about humanity?

Peace. How can we make it?

Good education, good generation and good medical things for people. I wish everybody would know each other and cultures and live in peace with love. If you are not agree something you must respect.

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You’re a new addition to the crayon box, what color would you be and why?

Sport things. Blue.

If there was a movie produced about your life, who would play you and why?

Mel Gibson. I like him too much.

He can do.

What was the last gift you gave someone? And who?

My Kalamata Cup in my birthday. But this is not last sorry.

My workfriends gave sport clothes me.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?

One time I was alone at home in morning. I was 12. I steal our car and go around and I make drift too much. Then when I go to home somebody told me you hit and you go to check. And I

went home and somebody told me you hit here you break your car and I went home. :D How is your dreamboy in your mind?

Forget this question.

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We remember to

Gabriel García Márquez,

genius of universal literature By: Carmelo With 87, one of the great writers of world literature has died in Mexico DF. Gabriel García Márquez, also known as ‘Gabo’, narrator and Colombian journalist, Nobel in 1982, is the creator of classics like ‘Cien años de soledad’, ‘El amor en los tiempos del cólera’, ‘El coronel no tiene quien le escriba’, ‘El otoño del patriarca’ and ‘Crónica de una muerte anunciada’.

On a rainy day, Gabriel José García Márquez was born on 6th March 1927, a Sunday at which the child would live a childhood to which he returned many times in his books. Anecdotally, Gabriel would not be his name. He should have called Olegario. At his baptism, nobody remembered the saints (as it was normal), but rather of Gabriel, the father, and Joseph, the patron of Aracataca.

He discovered, in his youth, 18

his first tutelary writers, Kafka, Woolf and Faulkner. The hum of literature and journalism haunt him. Although he began to study law, left the university and began working in the newspaper El Universal, from Cartagena, as a film critic under the pseudonym Septimus; after, in El Heraldo, from Bar-

ranquilla, until back to Bogota again in 1954, in El Espectador, the newspaper that had published in 1947, a Sunday, his first story.

Ryszard Kapuscinski said that, although he admired for his novels, considered that “the greatness is in his reporting.

His novels come from their journalistic texts. It’s a classic story with panoramic a dimension that tries to show and describe the major areas of life or events. Its great merit is to show that the big story is also great literature”.

Now, the most prodigious writer is gone, and has left us a new way of expressive, a universe and amazing language (‘magical realism’). García Márquez was a journalist who loved his profession but hated the questions; a person who loved the silence. We will continue devouring his pages with great passion. Rest in peace, Gabo.

QUESTIONS TO REFLECT

NOT TO ALL WARS | SYRIA MUSIC TO READ: ‘RAEIN’, BY ÓLAFUR ARNALDS

By: Carmelo Since when we fight for end of our specie? What they have done to us in our brain that, being thinking people, we are submissive? What they have done to us in our soul that, being free, we are salary and mercenaries? What they have done to us in our nature that, being animals, we are soldiers?

What they have done to us in our spirit that we are objects?

What they have done to us in our senses that, with laughter and tears, we are consume?

What they have done to us in our heart that, being love, we are hate and fear? What they have done to us that, being life, we are die?

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Unknown terrible journey of Eda By: Eda

Generally I am not the kind of person who likes to go around except necessitys. I had to go to Turkey for my exams 3 times 2 times when I back I had 2 nightmares, good to mention about this experiences. Because they could be measure for somebody.

The first one, I finished my exams perfectly and my ticket for back they all were ready. When I go, I always buy my tickets for Athens going date is fix, but for back must be open ticket, because I don’t want to take risk 20

maybe I can not catch the hour, maybe plane will delay just in case my back tickets for bus they were always open tickets.

And this time when I back from Turkey I had just 12 euro and 15 Turkish Liras on me 5 euro for X93 bus , 5 euro Taxi when I arrive to Kalamata and other 2 euro for water or biscuit.

I arrived to Athens, I wasn’t have battery and I forgot what was the name of bus station’s name I just asked which bus is going to the bus station and they show me X93 bus I get in to bus and more or less after 1 hour driver said the station is here who wants to go there, I checked around it seems different, but I said okay I guess this side is different side of station. I get out of the bus went more closer ‘no way’ it was totally different place. I shocked, because I just had 7 euro and I wasn’t know where am I. I was totally panic and started to ask how can I go to Kalamata, peo-

ple said me I have to go Kifisos bus station and there are no way to go except taxi. I said myself okay relax find a change office 15 Turkish liras is 5 euros and with 5 euro more I could feel more relax, I searched, but didn’t find. And I went to taxi driver with my panicness I said like stupid “How much is to go Kifisos?” he said: “6 - 8 euro” I said I wish it will be 7 euro, because I don’t have more that 7 euro , he said:” okay let’s go”. When we arrive to Kifisos, cost was less than 7 euro, but he asked me for 7 euro and I couldn’t say anything and I gave my all money to him.

Went inside to fix my ticket’s hour. The most earlier bus was at after 2 and half hour and my stomach was starving, I was so tired and had all of my needs, but had no money again search for change office again couldn’t find. Started to search for place to charge my phone, my battery was also out of order and I had to stay near to electric place and I had to find internet for say SOS , I wrote to my friend Maria for take me from the station and thank God I found internet somehow and

wrote her she said okay and waited bus for 2 hours when I arrive to Kalamata it was like dream. I was totally die.

Second one is different first one, okay maybe my mistake, because I couldn’t carry more money with me, but this time it was extraordinary. My back day was 20 of April (Eastern) I arrived to airport asked carefully if the bus is correct , went to True station, but it was totally empty I went inside, on Kalamata ticket seller place was empty, just para was open I asked for Kalamata and the girl said me I can not go to Kalamata anyway for today, 21

because there are no bus for eastern I get crazy, because I wasn’t know anybody at Athens, I went out like stupid, taxi driver women came to me with a man and they ask me where I wanted to go I said Kalamata and she said I can bring you kalamata for 200 euro I said no of course I Had 50 euro on me and if I have 200 euro for sure I would not pay it. I said thank you to women and asked for use her mobile to call Fotini and my mentor for solution I couldn’t reach my mentor , I called Fotini and she answered I told the situation and she was also confused about what to do she offer me to back airport it was logic, because airport was safety and it was open until morning, I finally back to the airport and spend my night there and at the morning first bus’s hour was 6.15 I came for this and they said it cancelled, next one is at 7.30 I waited for this and finally when I get in the bus I felt like paradise.

Those two situations were really terrible part of my EVS experience, but I learned many things. Wish to don’t have any extreme situation again.

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Hello everone By: Uğurcan Hello everone I want to write about my good stories whenever I was working in hospital.

I can’t tell I always had good time in hospital. For example I always remember that day.

First day in hospital I start to work. My teachers said to me I’m working in emergency. I was very happy, because it was the most moving and difficult part in hospital. When I went to emergency for work. I saw one little child and he was crying. Because his father had car accident and then he dead. I always remember that day. But I had good times also. One day I was creating new file for old man. I asked to him: “Please could you give to me your ID?” Then I asked again: “Could you give to me your phone number?” And then he gave to me his phone, but not his number. I have a lot strange stories about my experience in hospital. Anyway I understand that. If you really want to learn something you must live have a good time.

Praying By: Abdi

I am here with different subject like always. My subject is about 2 young Muslim’s who is praying on USA streets, and those people don’t really know what will be the result. The only thing that they are curious about is American people’s attitude and they are doing this anyway without thinking anything. You should think the bad things always, of course this situation is not bad even they are doing that what is any Muslim doing olin their normal life. I am really congratulating them. That is not hard to do, but everybody can not do this. You have to have confident. I am also Muslim, after watching them I started to think I am not doing what I have to do. They talked this before starting “we will pray on USA street today, let’s see what will they do” and then they

started, people who is passing near to them they were looking like confuse, for sure anyone wasn’t have any idea what they are doing, people were recording, but 90% of them weren’t know what are they doing. They seem like seeing it first time.

When they were praying I saw one woman and man, man was kidding about them, but woman said “we have to respect them”. This is really important to say, respect is important anytime any case... and they were changing the place, they were continueing on another street, this time European youth were doing same that what are they doing. One of them asked “are we doing yoga” and they answered “we are praying” and then youth people congratulate them and they said this is really good. One woman said probably from USA, she was crying with saying that she was not Muslim before in her life she said: “I am proud of you and I am so happy about what are you doing.”

I just wrote what I see, if I said something wrong sorry. See you in next article... Enjoy the life and live like you have just two days to live..

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5.1 Transnational Seminar in Kalamata By: Fotini On Tuesday, 22 of April, 46 young people from 6 different countries, Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania and Turkey gathered together in Kalamata to participate in a seminar under action 5.1 of the Youth in Action programme with the title “Europe 2020 strategy - Youth Policies and Public Consultation on the Importance of the Recognition of Non-Formal Learning�.

This project is implemented

by K.A.NE. Social Youth Development organisation, in the framework of its objective for the discussion of youth policies in European level, the recognition of skills gained through non-formal education, as well 24

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conference participated also representatives of local and national authorities and youth organisations as well as youth policy makers from Greece and abroad.

In parallel, the young people had the opportunity to get to know the city of Kalamata, interact with the local community and discuss youth issues with them, as well as to visit historias of the profession of the cal places and local businesses. youth worker in Greece.

Partners in the project: During 5 days, the young people - Greece: ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗ got to know each other, famil- ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΗ ΝΕΩΝ/Social Youth iarized themselves with Euro- Development - Κ.Α.ΝΕ. pean as well as National youth - Italy: CEMEA del MEZZOpolicies and worked together GIORNO in mixed groups to present us - Lithuania: VISUOMENĖS their own ideas about Youth PAŽANGOS INSTITUTAS Policies that can be implement- - Turkey: EXPERIENTIAL ed on both local/national, as TRAINING CENTRE well as on European level.

- Bulgaria: CENTER FOR EUROPEAN INITIATIVES FOUNTheir proposals were pre- DATION sented during the conference - Croatia: EUROPE HOUSE “Young people’s role in Europe, SLAVONSKI BROD Youth Policies and the importance of the Youth Worker”, that was held on the 25th and the 26th of April in REX hotel in the heart of Kalamata. In the 26

Moments from Pasxa stin Ikaria By: Lina As you know we are a lot of people from different backgrounds, for everybody Easter has different meaning. For some of us it is a very important celebration that we spend with our family, for some - this Easter was the first chance to see what kind of an event it is. Everybody has their own stories of this experience in Greece.

I, because there was no possibility to spend the Easter with my family and because we had some free days, decided not to lose my time and to see some different places.

And I got an amazing opportunity to visit very famous island - Ikaria. Why it is so famous?

Because of the people. Before I went there I heard a lot of stories from different people how the islanders are relaxed.

They know how to avoid stress and the real meaning of “σιγα σιγα”. Even on the internet I found information that people 27

from that island live very long and nobody really knows why.

And I am not the only one who heard this. My friend Erika also wanted to go there because of a lot of recommendations she got. But finally it happened that I went to Ikaria and she went to Meteora - the place about which I am collapsing from the beginning of my EVS. With the hiking club of Kalamata I spent three days in Ikaria.

It was a long journey by ferry and after - in the mountains.

We met local climbers of Ikaria.

We stayed in their welcoming houses. One of them was like a local folk museum. We had the opportunity to see the ceremony of lighting candles in the church, to eat special Easter soup - “μαγειριτσα” and spend Easter afternoon and evening in a local community with traditional dances, food and wine.

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We played basketball match Kalamata vs Ikaria with amazing local children. Who won? Of course they did. With such fans it is impossible to loose. I felt as in the Lithuanian’s basketball match - their fans are the sixth player on the playground.

And of course amazing nature of Ikaria. I swam there three times: in the mountain river with big waterfalls and two times in the sea. It was perfect for me!

Thank You for all amazing people I met in this trip. And I hope to see You again and again.

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OFFICE: WHO WE ARE

Για everybody! It’s great to be part in your group and a great pleasure meeting some of you face to face. My name for those who don’t know me is Marilia and I will be working at K.A.NE until July. My main task is to help at the coordination and organisation of the 8th Street Festival of Kalamata as part of the Erasmus of Young Entrepreneurs program. I hope you all had a great time @ Kalamata and gain fantastic experiences.

LONG TERM EVS: Hi my name is Fotini Arapi and I am project manager at K.A.NE. organisation. I started working here in September 2011 and fell in love with the Youth Centre, its dynamic and most of all its incred- ible team of foreign and local volunteers! See you around :-D

Hello people!! I am happy to meet you and happier to invade in your edition. My name is Argyris, Αργύρης or Арјирис and I come from Makrygialos, a small village on the west coast of Central Macedonia, near the city of Katerini. I will be working in K.A.NE for the next 366 days and I will be secretly swimming under the sun and sleeping under the stars.

Hi, my name is Jelena Scepanovic and I’m from Montenegro.

I’m in Kalamata already one and a half year.

Last year I was an EVS volunteer in the Youth center, and now I’m working in K.A.NE as an EVS coordinator.

Apparently, they couldn’t kick me out of this country :)

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Filaretos Vourkos / Last 7 years I am working in the field of non formal educa- tion as a volunteer, youth worker and youth trainer. 4 years ago, I decided to create the Youth Centre of Kalamata, in order to initiate the youth work in Kalamata and promote active citizenship as factor of change.

Olá! I´m Rita Meleiro, from Portugal. I´m 30 years old, graduated in Arts and Cultural Management and I´ll be in Kalamata for three months for the Leonardo da Vinci Project.

I´m in love with visual arts, performative arts, photography and football (my team is Benfica!). While in Kalamata I will work in NGO K.A.NE., and my projects are mostly related with events planning.

I’m Uğurcan Pehlivan. I’m from Turkey. I’m working in ecological farm. I’m playing bas guitar. I will be in Greece until 31 of July. My name become to my country and the meaning is Ugur - fortune and Can - soul.

Hi, My name is Ahmad Ayyash and I am from Jordan iam 23 years old I love to play chess and football.

I am fan of Real Madrid club and I am a construction engineer. My project is about autistic children.

Erika Funa From Slovenia (half Greek), 26 years old, university graduate (English, Philosophy) Likes: being outdoors, languages, art, nature, yoga.

Hi everybody! My name is Melina/18 years old/ half german/ half greek Γεια σε όλους! My name is Car- and I’m working in the melo Márquez. I am from Cadiz, Therapeutic Horseriding a city of Andalusia, in the south and in the K.E.F.I.A.P. of Spain. I’m 25 years old and I I love chocolate and to have finished my career in jour- dance, so I teach Salsa for children and Latin nalism. So, like good Spanish, and of course German!

I love flamenco, football (my And all of that I’m reteam is F. C. Barcelona), sea ally enjoying! and his waves, philosophy, literature, music... My work here in Kalamata, besides teaching Spanish and Flamenco in KANE center is to help as possible to workers KEFIAP (center children with disabilities) and equestrian therapy until June 2014.. Τα λέμε.

Danae Lehmann / 20 / Germany I like being around people, photography, greek lifestyle, good food, swimming in the sea. I’m volunteering at the youth center from Hello! I’m Ece from Turkey. I’m October 2013 to June 22 years old. I studied Econom- 2014. ics at the Istanbul University.

I’m happy as a volunteer in here. I believe I will do great things for K.A.NE. My Project is for 9 months. It will be finished in October. After the volunteering, I hope I will stay with K.A.NE. Although this is the first week for me, I’m feeling like I was already here in the past. So now that’s all.

I’m Mehmet Ali Şirin.

I’m from Turkey. I’m working in ecological farm. I’m playing elektro guitar.

I wil be in Greece until 31 of June.

Abdurrahman Ermiş I am Abdurrahman.

I am from Turkey.

I am working in ecological farm. I am playing drum. I will be in Greece until 31 of July.

My name is Eda Tandoğan. I am from Turkey. I am 21 years old, still a university student. My project is about disabled people in kekykamea.

My name is Amaia and comes from Basque roots, since my mother is from San Sebastian, the meaning of my name is “the end” but in turn is an warrior woman of Basque mythology.

But I born in a beautiful land north of Spain, Galicia, Atlantic ocean.

Lina /28/ Lithuania/ volunteer in K.A.NE. Youth Centre from August 2013 to June 2014. Teaching lithuanian and art.

Hobies: design, history and museums.

Hello, my name is Fiachra (the English translations are: hunter/tracker or raven), I’m 26 and I come from Ireland.

Here at the youth centre I teach music, English, make good frappes in the café and bad jokes in Greek. Χαίρετε!

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The volunteers responsible for this publication are hosted in Greece in the framework of the European Youth in Action programme, Action 2- European Voluntary Service.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, anvd the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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