Photo: Lucie Ferlin/ CC
Religion
Digital Youth Magazine/published by Youth Association creACTive
EDITOrial
So here we are – it’s 5th of October and the new collection of fresh thoughts from around the world is on the screen of your computer. Issue number 2, theme Religion – welcome!
Instead of using this editorial to officially invite you to read and enjoy the articles we prepared, this time I will ask you to read the words and think about the importance of them being here. Having in mind that we usually take things for granted, I am not sure if we truly appreciate the readiness of a bunch of young people to express their opinions on issues they find important; and to share them with the world. Now, as I am reading the thoughts and ideas shared on these pages, I am wondering why we don’t do this more often? Is it because usually nobody cares about the opinions of young people, or simply because we live in a system that asks us to vote and to fulfill all other tasks as citizens – but it doesn’t encourage us to think and to say what we have on mind? I am leaving you now with these questions. If you have the answers, feel free to share them with us. But I have to warn you – the moment you send us something, you will immediately enter the world of young people who actively participate in creating their own future. And you might actually like it! by Dragan Atanasov
CONTENTS Photo: Lucie Ferlin/ CC
ARTICLES ISLAM IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
P.04
SCIENCE AND RELIGION
P.08
A QUESTION THAT MADE ME
P.12
LABELS UNDER THE BLUE SKY
P.14
YOUTH PROJECT MOST MIRA
P.16
YOUTH CENTER CREACTIVE
P.18
BOOK REVIEW THE KITE RUNNER
P.20
TRAVEL DESTINATION TALLINN_ ESTONIA
P.22
INTERVIEWS PAULO MAGALHAES
P.24
ABOUT LIBERTAS
P.26
ISLAM IN THE NEIGH
n°2...Religion
by Anna Zadrozna
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“But
steel in multi-religious places people do exist
like
one community, what is very visible especially during their feast and celebrations”
Photo: Pierre Yves Sanchis / CC.by.nc.sa / Flickr
W
riting about any religion in general meets many difficulties. There are a lot of concepts, interpretations, as well as stereotypes and it is almost impossible to shortly present one religion without being too wordy and over-simplifying. Moreover, every religion is a very wide concept with a lot of variants and shades depending on the strain and the surroundings and it cannot be seen without a deeper cultural context. It is safer and more concrete to present it from the local perspective, taking into consideration just a specific area. In this article I focus just about the Balkans, specifically Macedonia, where in the same neighbourhood ethnically various Muslims and Orthodox live, sharing the space and every day life. In particular I concentrate on Islam, presenting it in the local context. Historically, Islam came to the Balkans with the Ottoman Empire beginning in XIVth century and there are a few theories why it became attractive for the local community to convert to Islam. Some people claim that it happened because of the economical reasons - it was much easier to cooperate with the authorities when being of the same faith; it is also said that there were some privileges for those who decide to convert, as tax reductions or some social benefits. There is a term “Torbesh”, that is used to describe “Macedonian-Muslims” and comes from the word “Torba” - “bag” because “Torbeshs are people who have sold their own religion for a bag of white cheese”. Sometimes the word “Torbesh” is just used to describe the person who comes from an ethnically mixed family. The other theory says that Islam was adopted because of mixed marriages between Macedonian women and Turkish men so the children automatically became Muslim and Turks. It is interesting, that among the recognisable Turkish minority there are also people who do not speak Turkish at all. The biggest group of Muslims in Macedonia are Albanians. The Albanian minority in Macedonia is around 25% and in principle all of them are Muslim. Also in Albania Islam was adopted in the
HBOURHOOD
time of the Ottoman Empire, but Albanians do not see themselves as Turk, especially those who live in Macedonia. They are strongly recognised as Albanians, using the Albanian flag, symbols, hymn. In Macedonia they live mostly in the western part of the country, even being the majority in some cities like Tetovo and Debar, or in some municipalities of Skopje which is the capital. Somehow the Albanian Muslims in Macedonia are doubly-distinguished - because of their faith and ethnicity, which makes them more likely to be separated from the majority group of orthodox Macedonians.
1 - There is also a group of Roma Muslim, more often in the places where Islam is the dominant religion.
A day of Giving When : 10 October 2009 .
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Regardless of the nation, in most areas people of different religions share the same space and live together as neighbours. However it is the kind of neighbourhood in which both sides communicate, often cooperate and help each other, but they rarely become closer, for example by getting married. Despite the fact that the differences in religion do not divide people, it is still a very important factor which organises every day family life. Most of the people find it very difficult to reconcile the differences between faiths in private life, especially when it comes to the question of marriage and their children. There are also some rules somehow limiting the level of inter-religious relations. For example, Islam allows for mixed marriages only when a man takes a wife who is a “believer”, which means Christian or Jew, and even though it is not obligatory for her to convert, the children automatically become Muslims.
A day of Giving A fall tradition in Charleston, Daniel Island’s Park Day is an entertaining day of events, field games, food and live music for the entire family. This popular Lowcountry festival has evolved into one of Charleston’s broadest scope charitable events, raising money and awareness for more than 20 area non-profit organizations. The day features a line-up of entertainment and events in a waterfront setting overlooking the Wando River
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There are places in Macedonia that are more or less ethnically homogeneous, and there is an observed tendency among people to assemble due to their similar characteristics and to build more or less “clean” communities. A lot of areas have additional labels and they are called by people either “Macedonian area”, “Roma municipality 1 ”, or “Albanian street”, etc. The religion is the next common factor of distinction besides nation, so there are also “Muslim villages” and “Macedonian (Orthodox) cities”, but still Macedonian Muslims are seen to be closer to Macedonian Orthodox than Albanians.
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“ Just a common chat helps people
n°1 ...Cultural Diversity
6
to come closer and breaks the barriers showing that despite the different faith they are similar with their problems and
dreams.”
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Photo: Anna Zadrozna / CC
Nevertheless in the multi-religious places people exist as one community, especially in the villages where it is needed to cooperate in every day tasks and to help each other. Moreover, when people are friends or close neighbours they very often visit and treat each other with some traditional meals and then just a common chat makes them closer and breaks the barriers showing that despite the different faith they are similar with their problems and dreams. Muslims and Orthodox often celebrate with each other their weddings, attend funerals, so most of them have visited both mosques and churches at least once in their life. There is also at least a basic knowledge about “the others`” feasts and traditions and it is always customary to wish them all the best for their celebration. It is guaranteed by the Macedonian Constitution that the most important days for both religions are statutory holidays that automatically make Muslim Bayram (the end of the Ramadan) and Orthodox Christmas equal. There is also a common belief among people that “there is one God for everybody” and “we all are made from the same flesh, bones and blood”. Such a coexistence of two different faiths gives no space for radicalism. Macedonian Islam is far from the stereotypical picture presented in media, where Muslims are often shown in the context of fanaticism and terrorism and the first association for Islam in the West is the 11th of September. Moreover, Macedonian Muslims mostly do not see the connection and bond between themselves and the picture of Islam present in Western perception, which is often antagonistic and opposing to the Western and European values. A lot of Muslims in Macedonia emphasise that they feel to be “European Muslims”, which means that they accept some of those values in every day life. Moreover, by Macedonian Orthodox they are often called “our” Muslims, which make them distinguished and somehow special.
Photo: Trellina / CC.by / Flickr
Events
. . Where : Children’s Park on Daniel Island - Charleston, South Carolina USA Website: http://www.danielislandparkday.com/ . . .
See Budapest on stage !
For 10 days Budapest opens itself up to culture and contemporary art including theatrical representations and musicals, film projections, walks around the city and exhibitions. The most beautiful parts of the Hungarian capital provide a wonderful backdrop: The Millenaris Teatrum, The Budapest Gallery and even the TRAFO, the Museum of Modern Art. . .
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Photo: Anna Zadrozna / CC
A mixture of theatre, music, dance and cinema, in October the roads and monuments in Budapest are bursting with artists of every kind, and spectators eager to see what the Autumn festival has to offer.
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Photo: Phxpma / CC.by.nc.sa / Flickr
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SCIENCE AND RELIGI by Anna Valentina Ferrari
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When asking people about their religion, an answer I often get is “I just believe in god, not in any religion in particular”. Then when I ask why, there is another pattern of answer. The options usually vary between: “Because the pope is anti-condoms”, “Because I do not agree with the church’s method of acting”, “Because I’m pro-choice” or “Because I believe in what science says”.
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Photo: Steve Rhodes / CC.by.nc.nd / Flickr
“You see every
tribe, civilization, 11
ethnic group
believe
in some
superior power,
divinity or GOD”
Those answers really make me think about my position towards religion, and about its relationship with science. My family is catholic; I was baptized and had my first communion. We are not the most religious family, but we do respect most of the traditions and every once in a while we go to mass. Now when it is my turn to give an answer about my religion I don’t have an answer. I do believe in god, and I think of myself as a catholic. But when I really start to think about it some ideas start to collide. I am studying to become an engineer, so in some way I am entering and becoming a part of the world of science. Though Sheldon Cooper (from The Big Bang Theory, CBS TV show) would say that we, engineers, are just science’s Oompa-Loompas, we do bring something to the table. So as a good engineer I should, theoretically, stick to facts, science and things that equations can explain. Things such as the theory about the Big Bang , that a fetus is only alive after the third month of pregnancy, that condoms do help the prevention of AIDS and other STD’s, and that our species is the way it is due to evolution. That is when my thoughts tend to fight against each other. Is there only one correct answer? Or is there even a correct answer at all? Is there really a conflict between these ideas? Are
I know I’m definitely not the first one to think about this, in fact there are many people out there with actual theories about it, and trying to answer these kinds of questions. But I propose a different way of dealing with it. I’m just going to tell you how I answer this dilemma, without getting too much into science or religion. I’ll just randomly share my thoughts with all of you readers. Who knows, maybe I’ll end up helping some of you who also have their ideas wrestling in their minds. My philosophy teacher would end this whole debate in a few sentences. He would say that there is no real conflict, since the answers that science looks for aren’t the same as the ones religion has. So there would be no colliding ideas if we all saw things that way. But most of us don’t, right? So let me get you into my view of how things are. To start I have to justify my beliefs, so, I do believe in god and I am sure he/she exists. How can I say that? Well I started thinking about this when I was about 15 years old. At that time I wondered if god really existed. And my conclusion was that he did. You see every tribe, civilization, ethnic group believes in some superior power, divinity or god. We don’t all believe in the exact same one, but aren’t they all, in essence, pretty similar? Some believe in more then one god, others in just one. Some believe there are saints others don’t. But if you stick to the basic idea: a supreme being that rules the universe, set standards to what is right and wrong. There is an undeniable coincidence. And if everyone has believed in such entity, then that’s all the proof I need. I can’t be sure of what it is, how many there are, but I’m certain that there is something there, and as catholic, for me its god.
. . The Budapest Autumn Festival does makes an effort to display the work of young artists who receive few opportunites, as well as attempting to bridge the gap between different artistic genres. Budapest on stage When : 9–18 October 2009 Where : Budapest Hungary Website: http://www.bof.hu . .
Dashain Festival Dashain is the longest and the most important festival of Nepal. Generally Dashain falls .
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we just too close minded, and can’t see the big picture? Science or religion, which has the answer? Which knows best?
Events
n°2...Religion
ION
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With my religious view set clear, let’s jump into science. Bringing my philosophy teacher up once more, I have to agree with him when he says mathematics is the most perfect of all sciences. That is because it is not based in reality, it’s based on postulates, it is all a big abstraction of reality. What I like about science is that it is pretty concrete. I mean not much turning around and wondering about stuff. Science makes things simple. Everything ends up having an explanation or a reason why, and I find that pretty amazing.
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Photo: Knowhimonline / CC.by-nc-sa / Flickr
And then the battle begins. One day, I finally figured it out; the problem is not about what you believe in or not. It is actually about how you act in respect of what you know. I mean what you believe in is reflected in how you act and the choices you make for your life, therefore, deciding what to trust in is, in some measure, a way of defining your position toward most issues you may face in your life. Photo: Richard Carter / CC-by-nc-sa / Flickr
“So as a good engineer I should, theoretically, stick to facts, science and things that
equations can
explain”
In that way science and religion really are not in conflict. Because science will only tell you how things really are, and the reasons why they are that given way. While a religion will just advise you how to face your life in order to have a fulfilling one. Each religion will have its own priority, but in the end, it is all about advising you to keep yourself on track. Think about how frightening life can be, all the ups and downs, growing up and becoming independent, all the risky situations, the stress, the pain, but then think about how wonderful it is to be able to understand why things are what they are, and at the same time, to have some kind of guidance to help you through all that. The answer is to open our eyes. To not see things just as they are shown to us, to understand metaphors, to see beyond all of the information that is in front of us. To accept that believing in one thing does not mean that you need to eliminate the other
one from your head, because for me there is no final answer. I don’t think having a narrow and exclusive mind is the way to approach this. We shouldn’t trust so much in science. Like when some one tells us scientists have proved something we just go “wow, that is so cool “ and assume that scientists are fail proof and that we can trust the data 100%. And at the same time, we shouldn’t blindly trust religion either. It is all about having your interpretation of what the sacred books say, adapting it to your reality.
Dashain Festival When : 2-10 October 2009 Where : Nepal Website: http://www.visitnepal.com/nepal_information/ dashain.php . .
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Chon buri Buffalo Races . .
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Photo: Hartboy / CC-by-nc-sa / Flickr
. . in late September to mid October, right after the monsoon season in Nepal. Dashain gets many different nick names as Dasara, Bada Dashain, Vijaya Dashain, Durga Puja, all of which mean the same thing, Dashain, a day of Victory over Demons.
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In the end, as much as I dislike it, I have to agree with my teacher once more. There is a conflict, but it is relative to the way you see things. You can trust science and believe in a religion, or believe in science and trust a religion, or just trust and believe in one of them. But in all cases your relation with one and the other is different. And there may come moments in which there seems to be no way out of an ideological battlefield, my suggestion is to try and see things for what they really are, science will give you the facts, while religion will propose a way to deal with the situation. When both collide, sit back and think about how you are going to manage to connect, or make some kind of collage-solution to it.
Events
“A QUESTION THAT M by Sophie Yeoman
“I
would
say
meaning of life is to be happy, and n°2...Religion
the
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make
others
happy. doesn’t
God
enter
into it”
30
Photo: TroyMason / CC.by / Flickr
R
eligion to me is my grandfather. A strong, intelligent man, who has more faith than anyone else I know. I went to visit him recently, because he’s very sick. He’s very old too, and in fact we were both sure it would be the last time that we would see each other. When I went into his room to sit with him, he asked me, “You used to go to church with your mother. Do you still do that?” I didn’t know how to answer. It might seem like a simple question. But from my grandfather, he was asking this question hoping to be reassured of my spiritual well-being before he died. As a self-defined atheist, I do not define my life in terms of religion. I guess I would say the meaning of life is to be happy, and make others happy. God doesn’t enter into it. But how to cross this faith abyss, this question/answer chasm, to reach my grandfather who believes that God is the answer to all questions? What is the meaning of life. Why do humans help each other, instead of acting only on self-interest. Where will the money for that hip operation come from. How will I find a job in the recession. Even, how will I find a parking place. God is the answer to all these, and more. These questions come to all of us, but depending on our faith, we react differently. My grandfather wants to be sure that I will always have an answer to these questions, because he believes that’s how I will be happy. But although I’ve tried, I can’t answer these questions with the same simple answer that he always gives. I have to think and analyse, to reason and to feel with the heart for the answers that are true to me. Often just to try, try again, and try a third time for the goal of these answers. Because, as you can see from the questions, these are not just theoretical answers. The answers are in a sense our behaviour, our beliefs, our morals. My grandfather has struggled at times I know, to always trust in his Lord. His test has been to always have faith, no matter what questions are asked of him. My test is different. I don’t need to have faith. But I need to have the energy and will to seek a different answer each time, and when I get it wrong to look for
MADE ME” another. It’s not so easy to constantly reevaluate, to deal with the new questions that always come your way. My grandfather fights to continue to believe in his one answer to every question, and I fight to continue to find new answers for these questions. So when my grandfather asked me his question, the real question behind it, are you okay spiritually, also had many answers. To give his answer, God, would have been an easy way of reassuring him. But as I must constantly find new answers, I had to think of how I manage the spiritual side of my life.
. . Around the time of the full moon in the 11th lunar month, usually the first weekend in October, farmers from all over the province bring their buffalo to Chonburi City for a festival that dates back centuries. Costumed dancers move to the music of traditional Thai songs amid flags and banners. General merriment prevails as local beauties vie for the title of “Miss Farm Maiden”. Judges also award prizes to the best decorated buffalo. Chon buri Buffalo Races When: 03-04 October 2009 Where: Chon Buri Thailand Website: http://www.tatnews. o rg / ev e n t s / ev e n t s / 2 0 0 9 / oct/4140.asp . .
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Writing this article, I feel like now should be the conclusion. I should sum up what I’ve said, tie it all together. But somehow I can’t. In fact, that was what was hard when I talked to my grandfather too. In the end I gave him what I could from each part of my life, drew all the good things together, all the answers I have. I told him these, tried to explain how I live my life, and how I find answers to the new questions that come my way. Drew it all into a net, to show him how safe I was in it. That was the answer I gave his question, not one simple one, but many answers tied together. I guess that’s quite an important difference between me and my grandfather- but then in the end the only true answers to life are the ones that we believe ourselves.
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Photo: Don Piefcone / CC.by.nc.sa / Flickr
The festival of Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashmi, is one of the fascinating festivals of . .
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Dussehra Festival
LABELS UNDER THE B by Milica Vasilijić
n°2...Religion
I grew up in an orthodox family in Serbia. My parents are not very religious people, but faith in Christ was considered to be a part of our cultural heritage. During my school education I learned about different religions from a social and historical perspective. I had the opportunity to explore my own beliefs by reading books and visiting churches, temples, cathedrals, synagogues ...this experience was very precious to me…but the best part was always meeting new people with different backgrounds…
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Photo: Saul Davis / CC.by.nc / Flickr
“ Forget
thelabels! Let your beliefs be an advantage, and never the
”
obstacle!
When I think RELIGION, I think beliefs…moments in our minds which transform themselves into moral values and actions to support them… But beyond the actions, there is still a metaphysical part of religion…and it seems that when we give a name to this God/Gods or path…we become Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists … If you cannot name a God of your own, you get to be an Atheist. Suddenly we all have labels to carry wherever we go… I often hear black, gay, bisexual, white, democrat, straight, republican, radical, Asian…it is like we are trying so hard to describe a person in one word…just one word… And sometimes this word becomes a gap, a space to jump over in communication. Why should the best things in each and everyone of us, our values and our morality, separate people… all red blooded… all under the same blue sky...? Between the shades of gray we all have the need to believe in goodness of people… So we keep hoping… and/or we keep praying… Forget the labels! Let your beliefs be an advantage, and never the obstacle!
BLUE SKY
Events
. India and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm. According to the great Hindu scripture, the Ramayana, Lord Rama performed chandi-puja (holy prayer). This was carried out in order to invoke the blessings of Durga Maa for the killing of Ravana, the ten-headed demon king of Sri Lanka who had abducted Seeta, wife of Lord Rama.
n°2...Religion
Photo: FreeBird / CC.by.nc.nd / Flickr
Dussehra Festival When: 06-09 October 2009 Where: India Website:http://www.f estiv a l s o f i n d i a . i n / D u s s e h ra / . . .
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Photo: Jrwooley6 / CC.by.nc.nd / Flickr
Celebrating Jesus Christ, aka SeĂąor de los Milagros, the whole of Lima turns out to sing, dance, pray, wear purple clothes and watch parades.. .
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Procession of the Lord of Miracles in Lima.
MOST MIRA by Zrinka Bralo
n°2...Religion
dance
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“ For the children we really
need
happiness and
pleasure
”
music
art
From 11 –16th May 2009, Most Mira provided five days of workshops and one final Festival day, to encourage creative collaboration amongst Bosniak (Muslim), Croat and Serb children from participating schools and youth clubs in Prijedor Municipality. This was made possible by a team of sixty eight dedicated volunteers from 15 countries, the continued commitment of schools, youth groups and partner organizations in Bosnia and the generous support of the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, the Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust, the W. F. Southall Trust and ArcelorMittal, and a group of generous private donors. Most Mira (Peace Bridge) was founded in 2005 to bring together the divided communities of Prijedor, in Northern Bosnia, by celebrating the creative potential of all its young inhabitants, to widen the horizons of this first post-war generation and to reignite excitement about the cultural and social potential of young people within the Municipality (for an account of the historical and political setting and the setting up of Most Mira see Appendix). The Festival Day held on 16th May was attended by over 1,000 people including children, volunteers, and community members and ran from 12 noon until 8pm. Workshops took place between 11.30 and 2pm daily from children aged between five and fifteen years old. Activities during the week included art, drama, music, dance, circus skills, event logistics and journalism or ‘peer research’. These activities and the concept of the Festival were introduced to children during a roadshow held in the final week of April, which included visits to all the participating schools and youth groups.
Photos: Lucie Ferlin / CC
There were different aims in the festival : • To enhance opportunities for children and young peo ple from this cross cultural society to engage with each other. • To create an independent social and cultural space open and appealing to all. • To give young people a chance to choose from a wide- ranging menu of creative activities which facilitate
drama
circus
If the ethos of Most Mira Youth Festival 2009 had to be described in one word, it would be volunteering. In both the planning and delivery of the Festival, in the UK and in Bosnia, only essential goods were paid for. All work was done by volunteers. Two or three volunteers travelled to Bosnia once a month for a year to help coordinate activities with schools and local partners. All volunteers were recruited on the basis of their skills and willingness to work in challenging circumstances, consisting not only of a lack of basic infrastructure, but also of the challenging content, context and purpose of the Festival. Most Mira covered the cost of travel for all volunteers, including return flights for international volunteers. During the week of the festival, accommodation was provided in 4 rented houses and a number of volunteers camped on the site. Most Mira also provided three meals a day, prepared by the volunteers using a field kitchen lent by the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This saved money and helped the team be more self-reliant. The volunteers came from: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Croatia, Finland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, St. Lucia, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, United States of America and United Kingdom. “For the children we really need happiness and pleasure. All these children come from families where there is some kind of trauma and when they get home there is sadness and they don’t have the time to play. Here when they come they can forget that, they are juggling balls and stuff like that. Especially in this area we have really suffered” (Transcript 8, quotation 64, Teacher).
. . Celebrating Jesus Christ, aka Señor de los Milagros, the whole of Lima turns out to sing, dance, pray, wear purple clothes and watch parades. Procession of the Lord of Miracles in Lima. When: 18-28 October 2009 Where: Lima Peru Website: http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/ind ex . h t m ? f x = eve n t & eve n t _ id=40757. . .
Abu Simbel 2 days a year when the light is just right in this incredible temple complex. Just you and 1,000 other tourists Abu Simbel When: 22 October 2009 Where: Abu Simbel temple Egypt Website: http://paganismwicca.suite101.com/article.cfm/ abu_simbel_temple_on_22_ october_2008 .
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collaborations. • To create new forms of participatory art combining different creative disciplines including art, drama, music and dance forms. • To give children from Serb, Croat and Bosniak and all other families, who are separated at school and at home, the chance to do things together • To simply experience fun and laughter together so creating an atmosphere conducive to the above aims.
n°2...Religion
Events
YOUTH CENTER CREA by Sakina Gril
C
n°2...Religion
reACTive exists in Skopje since 2007 and its youth club opened eight months ago. Because of an important demand from the members from Kavadarci, CreACTive has now a second youth club since the 12th of September in Kavadarci (central Macedonia). The team coordinating CreACTive Kavadarci is helped by an Estonian EVS volunteer and young local volunteers.
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The youth club is located in the city center; all teenagers who want to spend their free time can come from Monday to Saturday, from 11:00 to 21:00. A lot of different activities are on offer in which they can participate for free: French classes, English conversation, acoustic guitar, creative and artistic workshops, photography, juggling, games, debates…and outdoor activities (sports, games).
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Photos : Lucie Ferlin / CC
“The club has
already
youth been
adopted by
its members
second home…” as a
We encourage young people to be active and creative and give them support in their projects. In the club we have some more activities which are lead by teenagers: drama, dance, computer classes. We are open to more ideas and initiatives. Some events are organized by volunteers like football tournaments (in reallife or on playstation). There is a movie night every Thursday and an intercultural evening on Fridays. It is a good opportunity for them to get to know more about other countries, to get to know other cultures through movies, music, food… Presentations about the countries are usually made by someone from the place presented, thanks to a lot of foreign volunteers all around Macedonia invited to participate to those evenings. During free time, they can use computers, internet, play station, or just have coffee, meet friends and make new ones. A lot of
ACTIVE - Kavadarci
from them pass by the club before going to school, or on the way back to see what is going on. They always find friends or someone there with whom they can discuss, play…have a good time.
web site: kavadarci.kreaktiv.mk
Dias de los Muertos [Days of the Dead] mainly in the states of Michoacan [esp. Patzcuaro] and Oaxaca [Oaxaca town is a great base] - lots of different ceremonies to link the dead with the living, plus sand sculptures, fancy dress, decorated altars, sugar skulls etc. Visit cemeteries late night Nov 1-2 to see the candles, flowers, music, family parties. In Oaxaca the more spacious new cemetery is livelier than the old one. Oh how we laughed Dias de los Muertos When: 31 Oct-2 Nov 2009 Where: Michoacan and Oaxaca Mexico Website: http://www.tomzap. com/muertos.html . .
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Photo: Lucie Ferlin / CC
. . .
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In the aim to make them more aware of the possibility of youth mobility, we give them information about European Voluntary Service and support them in preparing the application if they want to participate to this program. We also propose them some trainings and seminars in Macedonia and abroad. With all of these activities, CreACTive Kavadarci gives new opportunities to young population from Kavadarci through non formal education. The youth club has already been adopted by the important number of its members as a second home…
Events
THE KITE RUNNER by n°2...Religion
by Agnieszka Tatera
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“I became what I am today at
the age of twelve, on
a frigid overcast
day in the winter of
1975 ”
“The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini I was thinking about reading this book for a long time. But the problem was to get it. There is no in the library in my village, in the bookstores it’s quite expensive, on the Polish version of BookMooch there is no copies at all. At least I found a lovely person who agreed to mooch it to me from the United Kingdom via BookMooch. Already the first sentence and the whole first paragraph conquered my mind and heart - „I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.”. I felt like sitting on my grandpa knees, during the freezing winter evening, nice warm fire in the fireplace and He is telling me the story of his life. And because of that the author got my interest already with the first paragraph :) This book is about feelings, about what is good and beautiful in us, but also about what is scary and monstrous. We discover a history of a family, but also the history of a country. Country which suffered a lot during last few dozen of years. And will suffer still in the future, as it’s impossible to see a soon end of the conflict in Afghanistan. This book shows us the beauty of this country, tells us about people living in it, about their daily life, habits, celebrations, how they enjoy themselves, how they pray, celebrate, love, how their families function, how the social relations looks like.
Photo: book’s cover
But mainly tell us a story of a boy. Boy and his friend. Boy and his father. Boy and his wife. Boy and… I think that during reading this book I never read more than 2 chapters at time. There is too much of feelings in it, it gave too big emotional and psychological load, too many questions raised in my head. But that’s better, it’s not an ordinary chick lit, which you may “swallow” in one or two hours. That’s this kind of book about which
Khaled Hosseini
I Love Techno Does rubbing limbs with 35,000 European lunatics, knee-deep in big room house, techno and electro sound like your idea of festival bliss? Ghent’s annual I Love Techno slog is pretty much the heavyweight champion of vast indoors raves and has been booking some of the planet’s biggest underground acts since the event’s inception way back in 1995. I Love Techno When: 24 October 2009 Where: Ghent, Belgium Website: http://www.ilovetechno.be/#/home. . . .
Iceland Airwaves . Photo: picture extracted from the film / film drawn by the book
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Maybe – as some people are telling – Khaled Hosseini is just a great “craftsman”. Maybe this book is just an example of a good technique. Maybe, it’s not me to judge it, I’m not an expert. But this book is a wonderful gift for me, for which I’m very grateful for him. And that’s why my copy of “The Kite Runner” will stay on my shelf. No chances for mooching it. And I already mooched „A Thousand Splendid Suns” – to give myself another such a great gift :)
n°2...Religion
you thinks a lot, even when you’re not reading it at the moment. Still everything is “melting” in my head, that’s why it’s still difficult to write the review of it.
Events
[TALLINN]_ESTONIA n°2...Religion
by Anette Ross
Digital Magazine __ Libertas
4 24 22
“
the perfect
PLACE to
enjoy local
nightlife
”
I
n the northeast of Europe, you will find the small country of Estonia. Its size may be small but its history is vast, and many traces remain from different rulers throughout time. In the capital city of Tallinn, you can find yourself exploring architecture from the Middle Ages in the UNESCO-protected Old Town, wondering around and hopefully not too distracted by old Soviet apartment blocks. If you’ve had enough of big stone buildings, just walk to the seaside by the Old Town, and spend your time in areas with small wooden houses and quiet cosy streets. In the summer, you can stop by for a sunbathe just ten minutes from city center, so make sure to enjoy the seaside views. For young people, Tallinn is the perfect place to enjoy local nightlife and the cafe culture. It is a breeze to find hip places to party, and you will never be far from a local group of young people to enjoy it with you. Local youth love to go out at night and take breaks from the working world. Clubs and pubs are probably the best places to make new friends with reserved Estonians. There is also a good chance that you will end up in a totally different atmosphere with Russian people, because there are many Russians living in Tallinn as well.
Photo: Claudio.Ar/ CC.by.nc.sa / Flickr
Tallinn is an unforgettable place to be for cultural experiences. There are plenty of art galleries, museums, music events, and festivals. Some of the coolest music festivals take place during the summer, and not only are they extremely popular among locals, they gain more foreign support year after year. Local theatres from Tallinn have contributed to different festivals around the world, although most of these plays are in Estonian.
Events The best time to visit Tallinn is in the summer, when the weather is warm and there is plenty of sun. If you prefer snow, you should also come and visit during Tallinn’s winter months. Useful information available at http://www.tallinn.com
Facts about Estonia and Tallinn • Local currency is Estonian kroon, 1 EUR= 15.65 EEK • Official language is Estonian • The population of Tallinn is 400 000, Estonian popula tion 1 300 000 • Only about 20% of Estonians practice any religion. • Public Internet access points all over Estonia
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Iceland Airwaves When: 14-18 Oct 2009 Where: Reykjavik, Iceland Website: http://www.icelandairwaves.is/
n°2...Religion
Photo: Pntphoto / CC.by.nd.nc/ Flickr
If, like us, you find it almost impossible to make any sort of foreign excursion without a music-related motive, then here’s your shoe-in for a visit to Reykjavík. Iceland Airwaves has been proudly boosting the country’s cultural rep since back in 1999 and will celebrate a decade of service by stirring their usual blend of local talent and international indie acts. This year’s line-up looks to have a been a little bruised by the economic woes that have plagued the country over the last twelve months (previous years have featured such luminaries as Flaming Lips, Bloc Party and The Rapture ) but you’ll still have Kings of Convenience, Metronomy, The Field and Trentemoller to get excited about. The city’s awe inspiring natural aesthetics (think lush lava plains and waterfalls) only sweeten the deal.
INTERVIEW WITH PA
n°2...Religion
by Daniel Nunes
First of all, Paulo Magalhães, as you would describe yourself in a few words.
18 32
Digital Magazine __ Libertas
4 24 Photo: Mundoo / CC.by.nc.ny/ Flickr
“ After 4 years
the
project
has allowed
3
MILLION
postcards
”
exchanges
I’m Portuguese, 29, with a computer science engineering background. I’m a nomad so I love traveling, especially living in different places for extended periods of time. I have lived in the Netherlands, U.S.A. and in the last 2 years in China. Soon an east european country will follow. I believe that being permanently out of your comfort zone forces you to explore and make things exciting. When did you fall in love with postcards, or was it already an existing love for the old fashioned mail that you developed? Do you still have your first ever received postcard? I think I always loved to receive and send postcards. I’m afraid I lost track of what might have been the first postcard ever, but the first Postcrossing postcard was quite special to me and I still have it. A photo of it is at: http://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/PT-1 When did you have the idea of creating Postcrossing (and when did you actually create it), and what were your motivations? Were these motivations fulfilled? The whole idea started back in 2004, while I was still finishing my studies. I wanted to receive more postcards, so the idea of creating an online platform to bind together people around this offline activity came up. The details followed from there.
AULO MAGALHAES
After 4 years the project has allowed 3 million postcards exchanges, so I’m very happy with the project and what it has achieved. I hope it continues to do so for a very long time. What is Postcrossing today for you, and how do you think it changed and is changing people’s lives? Postcrossing occupies a large part of my time. Developing it, maintaining it. It fuels me to know that it makes people smile around the globe everyday.
You love traveling, how does that and postcards relate to your life? What do you usually do outside Portugal?
Is there anything you would like to tell people around the globe? “Home is your heart is”. There’s a lot to see and learn out there - go out and explore!
Looking for a “conscious” festival experience? Neither are we, but Graz’s Elevate does provide the intriguing mix (or collision) of politics and the arts over five consecutive days and nights. Speakers, lecturers and the event’s discussion theme are yet to be announced, but thankfully the music program is all present and correct. Tempting you over to Austria’s second city then, will be a bountiful UK bass contingent boasting Kode9, Cooly G, Jackmaster and Bass Clef, who will be joined by the likes of Byetone, Martyn, Omar-S and Portable. Don’t forget to pack your thinking cap. Elevate When: 21-26 Oct 2009 Where: Graz, Austria Website: http://2009.elevate. at/en/
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More than traveling, I love to actually live in the places I go for some time (usually a few months). That’s the best way to actually know the place and the people. But it’s nearly impossible to go and live everywhere, so postcards give me a glimpse of how life is somewhere else.
Elevate
n°2...Religion
Slowly, postcard by postcard, it’s making the world feel like a smaller place. But a very diverse one. People get more conscious about other cultures, they feel more connected to the world. For many, it’s a way of traveling without leaving home.
Events
Photo: Lucie Ferlin/ CC
Team of Libertas: Manon Limosin Filip Niedzwiecki Lucie Ferlin Daniel Nunes Kelly Binault Dragan Atanasov Annes Org
Contributors (to this edition): Sophie Yeoman Anna Valentina Ferrari Anette Ross Anna Zadrozna Milica Vasilijic Agnieszka Tatera Zrinka Bralo Sakina Gril
Designed by: Lucie Ferlin
Published by: Youth Association creACTive
LIBERTAS is a digital magazine fully prepared by a group of young people from around the world, supported by the Youth Association creACTive – especially by its EVS volunteers. Published for the young people worldwide, LIBERTAS is distributed through the internet to anyone who is interested - free of charge. As for the moment there is no funding provided, the magazine is not printed. If you have any ideas on how to find finances please feel free to inform us! :)
* Have you signed up? Send an empty message to libertas@cre-act-ive.org and receive your personal copy of LIBERTAS by e-mail every 1st in the month! * Have something to say? Contact us at libertas@cre-act-ive.org and read your article in the next edition! October 2009 Skopje, Macedonia libertas@cre-act-ive.org www.cre-act-ive.org