LINK MARCH 15 ST 2018
N°110
March Editor: Alexandru Costea
Designer: RĂşben Pires
Cover Photo: Dimitris Soumis
LINK
#LINKEXPLORE
CONTENT Contact 5 About us 6 Youth Center - program 14 Pakita Couppey 16 The most powerful woman in your country 18 The most powerful woman for you 20 Janae-Amira Jussa 22 Ophélie Cottier 24 Majka Dokudowicz 26 Ola Kaczurba
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Antía Martínez
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Mina Duma Alexandru Ioan Costea
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Rúben Pires Angelina Kaysina
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Maria Nadja Schädler Vlad Diculescu
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EVS, K.A.NE.
Drawing Empowerment Empowerment Suffragettes The peshmerga women 10 female artist you should know 5 incredible polish female writers! 1901... and Marcela and Elisa get Married! My Project Interview with a local volunteer: Nantiana My sending organisation: Interview with an EVS volunteer: Jae Past event Future Event in the Youth Center
K.A.NE. EVS: Afonso Diniz Moita Alexandru Ioan Costea Angelina Kaysina Antía Fernández Martínez Claudia Andreo González Majka Dokudowicz Maria Nadja Schädler Mina Duma Ola Kaczurba Ophélie Cottier Paquita Couppey Rúben Pires Vlad Diculescu
ACT Volunteers: Antoine Werquin Bilal Zegoud Janae-Amira Jussa
Staff members of K.A.NE.: Filaretos Vourkos Fotini Arapi Jelena Scepanovic Nancy Kanellopoulou Nantiana Koutiva Vyron Giannakopoulos
@kane.kalamata
WHO ARE WE?
OLA
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PAQUITA
Angelina
Hello there! I’m Ola but you can call me Alex. I’m 18 and I have just finished high school. I come from capital of Poland – Warsaw. I love chocolate, breathtaking harmonies, good guitar riffs, totally crazy hairstyles and classic rock. I’m a dancer therefore I will be teaching contemporary/jazz dance and Polish in the Youth Centre.Also, I will be helping with therapeutic riding in a horse centre. See you around!
Hi ! My name is Paquita, I'm 26 years old and I'm from Marseille in France. I will stay here for eleven months. My mission will be to work in the therapeutic horse-riding and in the KEFIAP Center to assist people with disabilities. I just finished my studies in the Art-thérapy and I'm very enthusiast to begin my EVS. This will be a great experience for me :)
Hello! I’m Angelina an I’m 26 years old. I decided to come to Kalamata as a volunteer because I already knew about this kind of opportunities and it was time for drastic changes in my life. You can find me at the Youth Center where I’ll be leading the Russian language and the fitness + stretching workshop. Can’t wait to meet you at Kentro Neon.
RUBEN
OPHELIE
AntIa
Olá! I’m Rúben from Portugal. I’m a landscape architect and a brewer (I already tasted greek craft beer!). Usually I’m quiet, but I love adventures and new challenges, that’s why I choose to apply to be an EVS. To me, being a voluntary is an opportunity to improve my skills as a landscape architect, as a cultural curious, and finally, as a social person. Best regards!
Bonjour! My name is Ophélie, I come from France. I am in Kalamata for 11 months and volunteer at the Day Care Center for children with autism. Living abroad is a wonderful opportunity to meet fascinating people and to learn about cultures. It allows to become independent, open-minded and to avoid ethnocentrism. I can’t wait to discover the greek way of life and to visit the country. I’m also excited about tasting the food (of course !). I like to exchange and discovering so… see you soon around Kalamata!
Καλημέρα! My name is Antía and I come from Galicia, in the northwest of Spain. I have arrived in this city because some years ago I made the “mistake” – but, who chooses these things? - of falling in love with Greece and with the Greek language. So, after finishing my university studies in Humanities and Literature, I decided to start my Greek periplus, periplus that, after Thessaloniki and Crete, has found its new stage here in Kalamata. Να μας δούμε στο ταξίδι! 7
AFONSO
JAE
MAJKA
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Hello. My name is Afonso, I'm 21 years old, I come from Lisbon, Portugal. I will be in Kalamata for a 2 months EVS project. I'm currently finishing my bachelor’s degree in International Relations. Before starting my final semester of university, I wanted to have the opportunity of doing something different, because what is better than living a new experience with the possibility of gaining new knowledge right before an important stage in life?
I’m not the best at introductions, but here goes nothing. I’m Jae, I’m nineteen years old and have lived in Liverpool, United Kingdom almost my entire life. My journey with K.A.N.E in Kalamata is centred around a project that’s going to help the migrants and promote the migrant crisis in Greece. For me this is an adventure of self discovery, testing my limits and finding out what I’m capable of. Bring it on Kalamata!
Hello! I’m Majka, I’m 27 and I’m coming from Poland. I grew up in Warsaw, but the last 8 years I was living in Poznan, Wrocław and Thessaloniki. I’m a printmaker and graphic designer, I’ve finish Academy of Fine Arts and I’ve participate in more than 50 exhibitions worldwide. In Kalamata I will work in the office and I will also create my own projects.
ALEXANDRU
MINA
CLAUDIA
Salut! 24 years and introductions are still a challenge, but here I am, learning. Learning is one of my passions, but so is adventuring. As long as remember I used any opportunity to study and explore. Finished university in political sciences with a taste for youth work and social projects. I work an office job, but here I am again, taking the first steps into another learning experience, and adventure. With love, Alex, from Romania.
I’m Mina and I’m 28 years old free spirit. I don’t like routine and I think that everything that seems interesting is worth trying. I’m fascinated about human interaction and being part of K.A.NE. gives me the opportunity to meet and work with many beautiful people. I'm into science-fiction and superheroes, and I guess that shaped me into an idealist who believes that there is beauty and courage in everything, no matter how small. Therefore, our duty as human beings is to highlight it.
Hey, I’m Claudia a Spanish girl from Barcelona. I turned 18 in October and the first things I wanted to do before is know the world and learn of the facts that can give you travel. By the way, I’m a passional person who is interested of art stuffs but also in society, so I just decided to participate in this project at Kalamata working with people with disabilities. Work with this persons its also for me an artistic way to know how life is around in my no comfort zone, and I’m learning a lot of everyone. I love my family here and I don’t want to leave, please EVS don’t finish. 9
VLAD
BILAL
Antoine
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I’m from Romania and in the last 10 years I was mostly a tourist in my home country. I like to travel and I do it a lot. I’m working as an electrical engineer and whenever I have the chance I like to go biking and play backgammon. I like parties and good music, during free time I like to read about marketing, business and personal development. Most of my student time I was spending in youth organizations and I want to develop more into social enterprise / NGO / youth work.
My name is Bilal, I am 25, I am Moroccan but I come from Belgium more precisely from Brussels. I study tourism. I am passioned by boxing and fitness. I will be in Kalamata for 6 months working with refugees.
Amahoro ! My name is Antoine, I'm 25, I am here for 6 months. I'm a Graphic Designer and engaged humanitarian since 6 years. I joined the ACT (Youth on the Move) project to help migrants and refugees in Europe. I like traveling, meeting new people, music, cinema, my family, my friends, love, parties and pitas.
SANDRA
MARIA
My name is Sandra, I have 23 and come from the North of Portugal. I will be volunteering in Daycare Center for Autistic children. I’m very excited about this change in my life. I’m passionate about travelling, science, books and a TV series addicted. I decided do EVS for a new challenge in my life and I think that Kalamata will be a great place for it.
Hallo. I’m Maria Schädler from Liechtenstein and I’m 19 years old. I finished high school this summer and now I’m doing EVS to take a break before attending university and hopefully studying social education. Working at my parent’s restaurant and now working at the dog-rescue-center is going to be a nice experience before my normal life routine will begin. Because it might be interesting I’ll answer some often-asked questions about Liechtenstein. Yes, we are a very small country (37000 people in 167km2) and we do speak German. It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Lots of Love, Maria.
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K.A.NE.
FILARETOS
jelena
NANTIANA
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Hello, I am Filaretos Vourkos. For the last 10 years I am working in the field of Non-formal education as a volunteer, youth worker and youth trainer. 6 years ago,I decided to create the Youth Centre of Kalamata, in order to initiate youth work in Kalamata and promote active citizenship as factor for change.
Hi, I’m Jelena Scepanovic, an EVS coordinator in K.A.NE. and a volunteer of the Youth center. I came from Montenegro in 2012 as an EVS volunteer. I really liked the idea of the Youth center and the work that KANE does, so I decided to stay and be part of it.
My name is Nantiana! I’m 25 years old. I live in Kalamata! I was living for 5 years in Patras! I was studying there greek philology and now I’m teaching greek to the youth center in Kalamata.
Nancy
Hello World! I’m Nancy and I’m doing my internship in K.A.NE as a Project Manager. I am really excited to be here because I was always admiring their work especially the Youth Center and Street Festival. I’m passionate about meeting people and exchange knowledge, experiences and ideas. I love the fact that many young people visit every year my hometown Kalamata and contribute in our society.
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PAQUITA COUPPEY 17
Empowerment The most powerful woman in your country OPHÉLIE- FRANCE - SIMONE VEIL Survivor of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, Simone Veil became lawyer and politician. As Health Minister, she fought for the Women’s rights in 1974 with the law about the permission of abortion. As President of the first European Parliament in 1979, she worked for a unified Europe. Her death in 2017 affected all the country.
MARIA - LIECHTENSTEIN - WOMEN VOTING RIGHT I don’t want to honour only one, but many women, that fought for the women voting right in Liechtenstein. Not because that is something that only happened in my country but because after the first two plebiscite in 1971 and 1973, which is already late, they did not give up until 1984 when the women voting right was finally accepted.
ANTÍA -SPAIN - ROSALÍA DE CASTRO Maybe she is not the most powerful woman that we can find in Spain, but she is one of the most important writers and personalities of Galicia, becoming our most important poet and symbol of a entire nation.
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MAJKA-POLAND- IRENA SANDLER She smuggled approximately 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto and then provided them with false identity documents and shelter, outside the Ghetto, saving those children from the Holocaust. I believe that she had an extraordinary power to do the ‘right thing in the hardest times’.
VLAD - ROMANIA - MALINA CHIREA We always run for happiness. We really want it, and it seems we can never find it. The road is hard and difficult, but not impossible. Mălina knows the best, for her happiness is a way of life. That's because her job is to make people happy. She is an entrepreneur and the co-founder of the Institute of Happiness in Romania.
RÚBEN - PORTUGAL- MARIA DA CONCEIÇÃO Since 2005 Maria da Conceição has created the Maria Cristina Foundation. Maria lives to fulfill the promise to take from the poverty initially 100 families of the capital of Bangladesh, at this moment it already goes in 600. To get sponsorship she beats successive records sport. Was the first woman to run seven marathons in seven consecutive weeks on seven different continents.
ALEXANDRU - ROMANIA - QUEEN MARIA Maybe one of the most complex characters in Romanian history is queen Maria of Romania, also known as Mama Răniților (Mother of the wounded) or Regina Soldat (Queen Soldier), because of her active implication in the help of the wounded of the First World War. Queen Maria was a loved writer, she wrote over 30 volumes of children stories, poems and prose, from which the most known is her memoires: „Povestea vieții mele” (The story of my life). 19
EMPOWERMENT The most powerful woman for you MARIA - ROSA PARKS When talking about powerful women, Rosa Parks always comes to my mind first. She was the gorgeous AfroAmerican Lady that refused to give her bus seat to a white man. She got arrested that day but gave the world a big sign about the much needed equality between black and white.
VLAD - SARA BLAKELY "It's important to be willing to make mistakes. The worst thing that can happen is you become memorable." Born in 1971, Sara is the founder of Spanx, an American intimate apparel company with pants and leggings. After she was selling for 7 years fax machines, she realized that is not the life she wants. She started with an idea and $5,000, now she is a self made billionaire
ALEXANDRU The most powerful and influential woman in my life is, of course, my mother. A woman of love, strenght of character, intelligence and beauty. For all that she has done and for what she is, she will always be the most powerful woman in my life.
OPHÉLIE Women who make the decision not to have children because this is simply not their desire. They are taking their own path, listing their own desire for their own life despite the familial pressures, gender roles we are all taught, the vision of the “woman’s accomplishment” in the society... Every woman knows better than anybody else what is the best for herself! 20
ANTÍA I come from a region, Galicia, full of powerful women! Because of the huge masculine immigration, of the abundance of sailors and of the hard jobs in which normally they work, they have been used to be alone and to deal with the problems without any masculine help. Pariches de pé o fillo, como fan no monte as bestas. E hoxe que volto vencido, para que eu venza ti te deitas
OLA - JOSÉPHINE BAKER People are not black and white when it comes to their personality and so they shouldn’t be judged by those colours when it comes to their skin. That’s one of the things Josephine Baker was fighting for. She might not have been the Mother Mary in character but she did a lot of powerful and meaningful actions for people all races. She adopted a kid from every race (“Experiment in brotherhood”), actively took part in wars (she was ever buried with military honors) and supported civil rights movements in US.
RÚBEN - MALALA Malala is a Pakistani education activist who gained fame when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head on her school bus in 2012 to punish her for encouraging girls to go to school, a challenge to the ban on female education imposed by the Islamist group. Since then Malala has continued to campaign worldwide, and in 2014 has become the youngest person to be included in the Nobel Peace Prize.
MAJKA - MARIA SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE In 1891 women couldn't study in Universities in Poland, so she took the decision to leave and study in Paris. She was gathering the necessary funds for a year - studying by herself at the same time. She is one of the 4 people in the world that won a Nobel Prize more than once, the only woman who ever achieve it, and the only scientist ever that got a Nobel Prize in two different natural science fields(Physics and Chemistry). She showed me that if you really want something, you can always find a way to achieve it. 21
EMPOWERMENT Suffragettes Key Word: Suffrage, meaning the right to vote in political elections. Suffragettes were members of women's organisations in the late-19th and early20th centuries which advocated the extension of right to vote in public elections to women. It particularly refers to militants in the United Kingdom such as members of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). Suffragist is a more general term for members of the suffrage movement, particularly those advocating Women's suffrage. The term suffragette is particularly associated with activists in the British WSPU, led by Emmeline Pankhurst, who were influenced by Russian methods of protest such as hunger strikes. Women in Britain over the age of 30, meeting certain property qualifications, were given the right to vote in 1918, and in 1928 suffrage was extended to all women over the age of 21. Throughout the woman's suffrage movement, many tactics were employed in order to achieve the goals of the movement. Throughout Britain, the contents of letter boxes were set alight or corrosive acids or liquids poured over the letters and postcards inside, and shop and office windows were smashed with hammers. Telephone wires were cut, and graffiti slogans began appearing on the streets. Places that wealthy people, typically men, frequented were also burnt and destroyed while unattended so that there was no risk to life, including cricket pitches, golf courses and horse racing tracks. In the early-20th century until the First World War, approximately one thousand suffragettes were imprisoned in Britain. Most early incarcerations were for public order offences and failure to pay outstanding fines. While incarcerated, suffragettes lobbied to be considered political prisoners; with such a designation, suffragettes would be placed in the First Division as opposed to the Second or Third Division of the prison system, and as political prisoners would be granted certain freedoms and liberties not allotted to other prison divisions, such as being allowed frequent visits and being allowed to write books or articles.
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Suffragettes Annie Kenney and Christabel Pankhurst
JANAE-AMIRA JUSSA 23
EMPOWERMENT The Peshmerga women
Peshmerga, which means “who faces death�, is the name of the military unit of kurdish fighters in the Iraqi Kurdistan. Actually they are fighting ISIS on the area between Syria and Irak. The fighters are both men and women. Women are involved since the foundation of the military forces in logistic and management roles. Nowadays, they are fighting in the front line and taking part to the combats as well as men. According to The Kurdish Project, they represent 40% of the Kurdish military force. The number might vary from different sources but all agree about the increasing of Kurdish women into the army in the war against ISIS. They are mostly between 18 and 40 years old. Women engaged in the army is not a revolution by itself, but in the war against ISIS, 24
these women are a powerful weapon. Peshmerga women are real threat for Daesh’s fighters, who are considering dying from a woman’s bullet as a dishonor. If they are killed by a woman, they cannot reach heaven, as they are promised. In the media war against ISIS or on the battlefield these women are also using unexpected weapons: selfies, tweets, songs… As the Reuters stresses, on the battlefield, they are singing
through speakers in order to be heard by ISIS’s fighters and makes them mad. These women are embodying everything the Islamic State prohibits: singing and music as well as women’s rights. Besides their commitment for their land and freedom, these women are symbol of equality between men and women. They are helping to change attitude against women around the world. Sources: http://femalesonthefrontline.org/ | https://thekurdishproject.org | https://www.reuters.com/ article/us-mideast-crisis-mosul-womenfighters/kurdish-women-fighters-battle-islamic-state-withmachineguns-and-songs-idUSKBN12Y2DC
OPHÉLIE COTTIER
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Em pow er m en t 1 0 f e m a l e a r t i s t yo u s h o u l d know Well, we like it or not history of art it’s mostly connected to male artists. In the essay ‘Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?’ Linda Nochlin concluded ‘that art is not a free, autonomous activity of a super-endowed individual, "Influenced" by previous artists, and, more vaguely and superficially, by "social forces," but rather, that the total situation of art making, both in terms of the development of the art maker and in the nature and quality of the work of art itself, occur in a social situation, are integral elements of this social structure, and are mediated and determined by specific and definable social institutions, be they art academies, systems of patronage, mythologies of the divine creator, artist as he-man or social outcast.’ Fortunately, it doesn't mean that female artist are worst or not present. With changes of position of women in society also the presents of women in art is changing. Slowly, but it is. It’s not yet a perfect example of gender equality but for sure the situation is better than before: the forgotten female artist are gaining the recognition they deserved, more women artist is appreciated worldwide, they are as well present in academic structures. Now, let me introduce you to some of them: ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI This Italian Baroque painter is well known for her painting ‘Judith Slaying Holofernes’. As a tenageer she was raped and she participated in the prosecution of the rapist. This overshadowed her achievements as an artist - on her canvas we can find mostly strong and suffering women from myths and the Bible – victims, suicides, warriors.
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FRIDA KAHLO I think you may heard about this artist already. The Tate Modern considers Kahlo "one of the most significant artists of the twentieth century. She was a Mexican artist explore questions of identity, postcolonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society. Inspired by nature, folk art, using autobiographical elements and the poetic of magical realism. Kahlo's work has been celebrated internationally as emblematic of Mexican national and indigenous traditions, and by feminists for what is seen as its uncompromising depiction of the female experience and form.
LOUISE BOURGEOIS was a French-American artist working with various mediums such as large size sculpture, installation art, painting and printmaking. She died at the age of 99 and during her long artistic practice she created works about the family, sexuality and the body, as well as death and the subconscious. Although Bourgeois exhibited with the Abstract Expressionists and her work has much in common with Surrealism and Feminist art, she was not formally affiliated with a particular artistic movement.
HELEN FRANKENTHALER She played an extremely important part in transition from Abstract Expressionism to Color Field paintings. She poured cans of paint onto raw canvas, allowing the material to soak into the support, forming amorphous shapes. She broke through the masculine-dominated movement although she did not consider herself a feminist: she said "For me, being a 'lady painter' was never an issue. I don’t resent being a female painter. I don’t exploit it. I paint."
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ANA MENDIETA was a Cuban American performance artist, sculptor, painter and video artist who is best known for her "earth-body" artwork. She said about her “Silueta” series: ‘The making of my silueta in nature keeps (make) the transition between my homeland and my new home. It is a way of reclaiming my roots and becoming one with nature. Although the culture in which I live is part of me, my roots and cultural identity are a result of my Cuban heritage.’
CINDY SHERMAN She is an American photographer and film director, best known for her conceptual portraits. The series Untitled Film Stills consist of 69 black and white photographs. The artist poses in different roles (librarians, hillbillies, and seductresses), and settings (streets, yards, pools, beaches, and interiors). Sherman's insight is that the self is created by storytelling, all of them maybe true or false at the same time.
JUDY CHICAGO is an American feminist artist, art educator and writer. Her artworks are depicting the role of women in history and culture. Her most well known work is ‘The Dinner Party’ (1979), that celebrates the accomplishments of women throughout history. There are 39 elaborate place settings arranged along a triangular table for mythical and historical famous women. Each place setting features a table runner embroidered with the woman's name and images or symbols relating to her accomplishments, with a napkin, utensils, a glass or goblet, and a plate. The aim of this artwork is to end the ongoing cycle of omission in which women were written out of the historical record. 28
VALIE EXPORT Waltraud Lehner or, as she prefere VALIE EXPORT is an Austrian artist. Her art is one of the most radical feminist statements in Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. She is working with different mediums, among others expanded cinema ( in which film is produced without celluloid; instead the artist's body activates the live context of watching). In the project “Tap and Touch Cinema” she created a small theater with curtains and wore it over her chest, inviting people in public to reach inside and touch her bare breasts (an act that remained unseen, experienced only by her and the participant, though the expression on her face).
MARRY CASSATT One of three female artists (with Marie Bracquemond and Berthe Morisot) and the only American officially associated with Impressionism. Cassatt often created images of the social and private lives of women, with emphasis on the intimate bonds between mothers and children.
MARINA ABRAMOVIC It’s the second artist from this list you may knew from before. She is Serbian performance artist, often call a ‘grandmother of performance; as she works in this medium since 40 years. Her work explores the relationship between performer and audience, the limits of the body, and the possibilities of the mind. Often in very strong and brutal way. If you are interested you can check her TED talk titled, "An art made of trust, vulnerability and connection”
MAJKA DOKUDOWICZ 29
Em pow er m en t 5 incredible w r i t e rs !
polish
female
In polish history of writing, many powerful women had their words. Literally. From fairy-tales and poems to fantasy and criminals, they enriched our imagination and libraries. Countless of them are worth mentioning but in this article, I would like to outline five that marked my life. WANDA CHOTOMSKA The very first person that I came across as a writer was Wanda Chotomska. She was also the first to give me an autograph! She was born in 1929, debiuted in the age of 20 and ever since created handful of poems, novels, television series and bedtime cartoons for children. Every child knows hers “O Tadku Niejadku, babci i dziadku”. Unfortunately, she died half a year ago.
WISŁAWA SZYMBORSKA A woman of many faces - a novelist, translator, illustrator, activist against censorship and law changes in Poland, multiply ordered (most importantly, with the White Eagle Order – the highest civil order in Poland; and Nobel Prize). She was one of creators and art-influencing people in postwar Poland with numerous poems and limericks.
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JOANNA CHMIELEWSKA I first discovered her during one of those endless summer days at my grandma’s. Her humoristic criminal novels have a special place on my bookshelf. Her real name is Irena Barbara Kuhn, born in 1932, architect by training, was a truthful inexhaustible source regarding number of book she wrote. Most of inspirations came from her own life (portraying herself as a main character) and perfectly showed reality during communism in Poland.
AGNIESZKA OSIECKA A very iconic woman in polish culture, who was an author of more than 2000 songs, nearly the same number of poems, screen plays, essays, several journals and multiple letters. Born in 1936, experienced II WW as a child and as soon as it ended, moved to Warsaw, where she stayed until her death. Her huge remark on polish post-war culture was noticed and highly rewarded. With her nostalgic-humoristicintrusive craft, she inspired and touched masses and even became a patron of Polish Radio Program 3 “Trójka”. She was also known for multiple affairs and relationships who gave her a lot of inspiration.
IDA FINK I’m not sure if I can account her as a polish writer since her nationality is Jewish nevertheless, her contribution to polish literature is significant. Her life history is touching. At age of 20 she was caught and put in ghetto but after a year managed to escape and hide thanks to Aryan papers. Her works were centred around holocaust and Jews’ situation during Nazi time as well as quandaries of holocaust survivals after the war. Her essays were actually the first war themed ones I have read in my life.
OLA KACZURBA 31
E M POW ER M EN T 1901... and Marcela and Elisa get married!
Probably you don’t know their names, but today I want to tell you about the responsible of the first homosexual wedding between women in Spain*, and the only one officiated by the Church...that took place in 1901! Their names were Marcela Gracia Ibeas and Elisa Sánchez Loriga and they met in 1885 in A Coruña, where both of them were studying to become teachers, and soon they became inseparable. This fact rapidly raised suspicions among their parents, who didn’t approve a so close “friendship”. The parents of Marcela even tried to separate them, sending her daughter to Madrid, but shortly they found again the way to be closer and together. Once that both of them became teachers they started to life together. During the first 10 years they didn’t have problems, because it was common in the time to find teachers living together – their salary was really low. ut, at same point, they decided to get married. To manage to do it, Elisa adapted a 32
new identity like a man, being called Mario. Actually, she had started to dress and to act like a guy some time before, pretending to be a protest Englishman that wanted to embrace the Catholic Church. The priest believed their story, falling on deaf ears about the rumours that were saying that he was actually marrying two women, and they get married in A Coruña the 8 of June of 1901. But soon the actual identity of Elisa-Mario was known, and almost immediately the newspapers of the time started to publish the new of “the wedding without a man”, how they alluded to the fact. The society of the time didn’t want to understand their love, and Marcela and Elisa found themselves obligated to run away. First they went to Oporto, when they were arrested in August of the same year. Nevertheless, the authorities felt obligated to free them 13 days after, due to the social pressure of the Portuguese activist women. After their liberation, they decided to move to Buenos Aires. But even there life was not easy. Soon also the Argentineans known about their story by the magazines, and they had to separated again. Then Elisa (in Argentina known like María, after being called Pepe in Portugal) get married with an old man, in order to can inherit as soon as possible, and Marcela and her daughter moved to her new house pretending to be her sister and her nephew. But then the husband of Elisa started to suspect about the condition of her wife, due to the close relationship that he appreciated between Elisa and “her sister” and due to her negative to have sexual relationships. He started to investigate, and after discovering the story by the press, he asked for the cancellation of the wedding. After that, we don’t know too much more. Here we lost the Marcela’s tracks, and about the end of Elisa, one theory said that she get suicide in the port of Veracruz in 1909 and another one says that she died around 1940 in Buenos Aires, victim of a cancer. The story, that has been considered a “new way of feminism”, the questions that it set out about concept like identity, and, specially and the most important, the lesson that give us about the power of love and the incomprehension that it can –unfortunately, still- generates, has been captured in a book, Elisa y Marcela. Más allá de los hombres, published in 2010 showing the result of the 15 years of research of the author, Narciso de Gabriel. Also, this month of May, the Spanish director Isabel Coitex, is starting to shoot a film based in their lives. *The first homosexual marriage between men in Spain that we know took place the 16 of April of 1061, also in Galicia, in the small village of Rairiz de Veiga (Ourense). ANTÍA FERNÁNDEZ MARTÍNEZ 33
My project Mina Duma
I want to start by saying that my project at K.A.NE. is one of the best things that have ever happened to me! The best part is that it’s getting more awesome day by day. I am in Kalamata since October and I’m happy to say that in the last 5 months I’ve had the opportunity to develop and to learn a lot of things that I didn’t get the chance to learn before. My project is about K.A.NE.’s administrative and organizational field. My tasks are diverse and, of course, some of them are more exciting than others. Skipping the birocratic parts, that sometimes can get monotonous (but important and useful, nontheless), I’m really happy for the challenges that I’ve overcome while working on them. 34
So far, I believe that this were the most interesting tasks that I’ve been part of: - being part of the coordination team for events such as the Intercultural Night, the EVS Café and the Voluntary Week, that took place in November and December; - writing for the #LinkMagazine and with Majka’s help I’ve also designed 3 issues so far; - mentoring EVS volunteers from the “AgroteVS” short-term group project; - helping with the application of projects for the deadline; - helping with the promotion of upcoming events; - promoting the open calls for participants (youth exchanges, training courses and EVS positions) on Facebook; - selecting participants and keeping in touch with them and the partner organisations for youth exchanges and short-term EVS; - assisting on the on-arrival seminar for “Traditional Arts for Inclusion” short-term EVS.
All in all, I am in love with my project because it gives me the opportnity to step out of my comfort zone and grow on a proffesional and personal level. Butterfly Dreamer, the NGO I was volunteering in Romania, had the motto “Everything you do, do it from the heart”. I am happy to say that this is exactly what I’m doing right now and the feeling that I get out of it is amazing! MINA DUMA 35
I n t e rv i w w i t h a l o c a l volunteer I N T ERV I EW W I T H N a n t i a n a
What does it mean to be a volunteer? What are the gains of volunteering? It means that you manage to do things that you really like and make you feel foul being able some times to help the local community as well. It also means that you can discover your skills and your team spirit as you may have to cooperate with other people. Exchanging ideas with people from other countries is another topic which makes the whole experience even more interesting. What makes the life of a volunteer in Kalamata different that in other places? I think that because Kalamata is a small city that is easier to see the results and the impact of the volunteering quicker than in other bigger cities... How did the involvement with volunteers change your life? Through volunteering I realized what does it mean „solidarity” in reality. The willingness to give to other people without having on your mind the money changed my personality in a positive way I think. What projects have you worked on? Till now i was volunteer in organizing festivals in Patras, i was also a volunteer in in the documentary festival in Lisboa. here in Kalamata I’ve done volunteering lessons for foreigners in the youth center of Kalamata and I’m volunteer the last 2 years in the international documentary festival of Peloponnisos and in the Kalamata street festival as well... What impact did you have on the community? Teaching Greek to foreigners I managed to help those people with their integration in local community. What are your plans for the future? Hope I’ll manage to motivate more and more people to volunteering and to make them figure out the advantages of being volunteer. 36
ALEXANDRU IOAN COSTEA 37
MY SENDING ORGANISATION mais cidadania
As a EVS is important to feel comfortable with our sending organization, in my case is the Associação Mais Cidadania (translation: More Citizenship organization). This organization have a team composed of twelve elements located on Bairro Alto in Lisbon. The contact I had with Mais Cidadania was about my EVS application and all the support about it, but this organization is more than a sending organization! With the motto Because each person make the world a global world, Mais Cidadania have the goals of Promote Citizenship through partnerships at local and international level; Train young people and adults to share skills and capacities at the service of society; Contribute to the responsible and active involvement of citizens in civil society and build solutions to the challenges of today's societies. Their global vision is “…to accompany youth and adults in their life projects through multicultural education, training and education. We want to contribute to the responsible and active involvement of citizens in civil society and in building solutions for the challenges of today's societies.” Paula Mendes is the president and coordinator of this organization, I had the opportunity to speak with her when I was chosen to do this EVS in KANE, I felt immediately that 38
they really care about volunteers and their safety. Mais Cidadania has a strong social impact both locally and internationally through its own projects and projects funded by the European Union. As you can see on the first image, they have different kinds of activities, I want to focus on one that for me it’s really important for this days, the Com-Pass project.
The Com-Pass project reunites seven associations around Europe to research and educate about the fact that are more than 14 millions people under thirty years old that are not in employment, education or training in Europe (NEETs), a problem that has grown because of the crisis that has settled in Europe. This fact is a problem not just for each person in this situation but for Europe in general. Young NEETs tends to be attracted to radical parties in Europe and are more likely to follow radical moves because they feel excluded from society and reject established models, as said by Massimiliano Mascherini, one of the authors of the European Needs Fund report. Threw this project a Mais Cidadania had been helped young NEETs with activities and education to improve their confidence and self-knowledge. This young people had the opportunity to expand their knowledge and self-promotion doing a e-portfolio profile on the compass platform with links to self-promotion media as video, audio, and another kind of multimedia. Mais cidadania receives voluntaries to work in their projects. Doing voluntary work in this association is a good way to know Lisbon and Portuguese traditions while you work with a good team! For more information about Mais cidadania you can go to their site (http://www. maiscidadania.pt ) Because each person make the world a global world. RĂšBEN PIRES 39
i n t e rv i e w w i t h a n E VS V O L U N T E ER I N T ERV I E W W I T H JA E
I'm happy to announce that KANE became 6-members-larger family. Yet some of us are close to finishing projects. Jae from the UK is leaving Kalamata on March, after living here for 6 months. Jae, how do you feel today? I’m a little tired but otherwise okay. I’m also preparing for my last weeks in Kalamata. It’s very bittersweet as I’m happy I get to be with my family and friends but I will miss this place and the people here. What was your project about? My project is about promoting and trying to spread the urgency of the migrant crisis. There are over 60,000 refugees and migrants in Greece. Many of them are not being helped, separated from their families and are being forced to wait years to be granted asylum. With ACT we want to make a difference to the way people view these migrants and also help them. 40
What surprised you most during working on the topic? I don’t think I realised the scale of the problem before coming here and doing more research and how many peoples lives were drastically affected. Since the topic you worked on is not open-andshut case, next ACT volunteers will continue researches. What unexpected experience you'd share with your followers? I think the cultural shock is something I’d tell them about. I knew what I was getting myself into. A new country with a language I don’t speak but unless you’ve had a similar experience it is a very strange adjustment it wasn’t a bad thing by any means but it’s definitely something you have to get used to and if you want to truly enjoy yourself you have to embrace it. What's the best photo you took with your telephone (related to the refugee/ volunteer topic)? Sadly I haven’t had the chance to take any photos surrounding the project. There aren’t many migrants in Kalamata and those that are here prefer not to be on camera. Where in Kalamata you feel like at home? I like sitting on the balcony at home and watching the city and the street. For me those are the times that I think about how much I’m going to miss Kalamata. Anyway, it's not your last time here. Could you imagine the top list activities if you return in Kalamata/continue working on refugee topic? If I come back I’d like to visit more of Greece and be more involved in the project. Because of the situation with not so many migrants in Kalamata it’s made our project more difficult and it definitely wasn’t how I was expecting it to be. Thank you, Jae, for being honest. We wish you all the best in your future and waiting for the next ACT volunteers to put the light on the hot refugee topic in Kalamata.
ANGELINA KAYSINA 41
Past event "tsiknotetarth" in the yc
The “Funken” is an old traditional Bonfire that is inflamed the first Sunday after Ash Wednesday. This year that was the 18.02.1018. This tradition is not only held in Liechtenstein, but also in many parts of Switzerland, Austria, Germany and in some parts of France, Romania and more but is slightly to very different in any of those. Furthermore I will only talk about the one in Liechtenstein. The meaning of the Bonfire is to drive away the winter. They are built by a stable scaffold out of massive beams and then covered in hundreds of branches and on top is a witch out of hay, cloth and other burnable materials. She is there to personify the winter. At least in my village are, despite the small population, multiple fires and there tare groups for each of those that start early every year to prepare and build those bonfires. They are called “Funkenzunft” which would literally mean bonfire-guild. Bonfire itself is not the literal translation. “Funke” only means spark. As already mentioned, there is more behind this tradition than only inflaming the fire and watching it burn. First there are the guilds that spend a lot of time together, of course for the bonfire itself, but also for other occasions such as carnival where they often build marching groups as well. At the “Funkensonntag” – bonfire Sunday, which is also the first day of the period of fasting, they inflame the bonfire and everyone watches to see the witch burn, but the villagers also bring a lot of fireworks and volcanos and have
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a good time together. A Lot of people, adults but also a lot of children, meet there, play watch and drink punch and hot mulled wine. I remember to well, going there as a child. To be honest, I was probably more amazed by all the fireworks and firecrackers, but as soon as the fire starts there is a magical feeling. It is such a majestic and warm feeling and a beautiful fire every time. This day is also the day where we cook and eat “Funkenküchlein” – small bonfire cakes (not everything sounds nice translated). That is batter out of milk, flour, yeast, sugar, butter and eggs fried in oil and covered in powdered sugar. If you don’t have anything similar in your country then trust me, try them! Soon after, a band began to play traditional greek music, which also meant the beginning of greek traditional dances, which started only with the people comfortable with the dance steps, soon became more evolving, as most of the people in the ever so crowded room started to dance, some better than others, but with the same excitement nevertheless.
MARIA SCHÄDLER 43
future event FUTURE EVENTS at the Youth Center
This year KANE is celebrating it´s 10th birthday. We are inviting you to celebrate it together on the 31st of March in Amfias street!
VLAD DICULESCU 44
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LINK M A RC h 1 5 ST 2 0 1 8
, KA1/youth - European Voluntary Service. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.