VOICES October 2020

october 2020

voices

Magazine for all young people around the world

“The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves, we have had our summer evenings, now for October eves�

Humbert Wolfe

VCS DIRECTOR: Nikola Stankoski

EYE: Ewelina Chańska

COORDINATORS: Andrej Naumovski Goran Adamovski Goran Galabov Selina Niemi

VOLUNTEERS: Jules Striffler Dogukan Sever Kirsi Suomi Lucile Guéguen Paul Janiszewski

VOICES team

Тимот на ВОИСЕС

Hello again,

Здраво уште еднаш,

Greetings from downtown Skopje!

Back in 2003, the talented composer Matthew Bellamy from Cambridge wrote “Our time is running out”. For this October edition, we invite you to think of the time in its wide meaning with us and our cross-border fellowship of writers. Angela brilliantly highlights the fascinating nature of seasons: familiar in their endless renewals on the one hand, but also beautifully unique with distinctive features year after year on the other hand. Little details may be quite important in shaping your memories, don’t you think?

Поздрав од Скопје! Во 2003 година, талентираниот композитор Метју Белами од Кембриџ напиша: „Нашето време истекува“. За ова октомвриско издание, ве покануваме да размислите со нас за времето во неговото широко значење, односно со нашето меѓународно друштво на пишувачи. Ангела брилијантно ја истакнува фасцинантната природа на сезоните: познати по нивните бесконечни обновувања од една страна, но, исто така, со уникатни карактеристики од година во година. Малите детали можат да бидат исклучително важни во обликувањето на вашите спомени, нели?

Ana-Marija first takes you far away in an in-depth journey into the talent of painting to shake conventions and bring new ideas in our societies. Then, she provides you with a nice text dealing with science. And of course, what would be Voices without Dafina’s poetry?

Ана-Марија најпрво ве води далеку низ едно длабоко патување во талентот на сликарство за да ги разниша обичностите и да донесе нови идеи во нашите општества. Потоа, прочитајте го нејзиниот текст за науката. И, се разбира, што би бил Воисес без поезијата на Дафина?

Autumn is the time of year when pupils are supposed to go back to school.

How is the worldwide challenge reshaping teaching methods? Also, our teammate Josip happily shares his experience within Volunteers Centre Skopje. Will you be the next one? In the meantime, Doğukan enlightens us about a regional initiative tackling environment, while Kirsi shares with us her Finnish quarantine story.

Есен е време од годината кога учениците треба да се вратат на училиште. Како светскиот предизвик „Ковид-19“ ги преобликува методите на настава? Исто така, нашиот Јосип со задоволство го споделува своето искуство во Волонтерски Центар Скопје. Дали ти ќе бидеш следниот? Во меѓувреме, Догукан ја подигнува нашата свест за животната средина и за справувањето со регионални иницијативи, додека Кирси ја споделува нејзината приказна за карантинот во Финска.

Finally, let’s not forget about the thorny fate experienced by sailors across the world and the seven seas. We hope you will have a good time reading this edition of Voices, see you around!

Конечно, да не заборавиме на трнливата судбина што ја доживеаја морнарите ширум светот и седумте мориња. Се надеваме дека ќе си поминете убаво, читајќи го ова издание на Воисес, се гледаме!

WRITERS: Angela Gabor Júlia dos Santos Acerbi Ana-Marija Pejchinovska Dafina Veselinoska Josip Gegaj Vitória Acerbi Bojan Kitanovikj Dorotea Grkovikj

Translators: Kristina Stamenova Belkize Osmani DESIGNERS: Selina Niemi Ewelina Chańska Kirsi Suomi Jules Striffler Dogukan Sever

CONTACT: Volunteer Centre Skopje Emil Zola 3/3-1, 1000, Skopje +389 22 772 095 vcs_contact@yahoo.com www.vcs.org.mk

Voices magazine is coordinated, designed and created by ECS and local volunteers with support of Erasmus+ program.

content

VOICES October 2020 - issue 10

topic of the month

4 The beauty of seasons

Angela Gabor

32

Убавината на годишните времиња

Ангела Габор

reportage 6

10

Calmness and serenity: the charms of Chinese Traditional Painting

Júlia dos Santos Acerbi

Back to school

Jules Striffler

22

Sailors inmates of the oceans

Jules Striffler

24

Colonial plundering and illicit trafficking of cultural goods

8

Vitória Acerbi

opinion 8

18

26

Дарот на уметноста Ана-Марија Пејчиновска

Quarantine in Finland

Kirsi Suomi

Break up With Being Broke!

Bojan Kitanovikj

28

Перцепција

Ана-Марија Пејчиновска

30 Failure is the key to success (ENG & ALB)

Dorotea Grkovikj

poetry 12

За да ја спасиме планетава

13

Размена на наочари

Дафина Веселиноска Дафина Веселиноска

12

erasmus+ 14 Volunteer

Josip Gegaj

16

Волонтирај

Јосип Гегај

interview 20 To the future and for us - Balkan Regional Forum & Balkan Green Deal

Dogukan Sever

22

topic of the month

The beauty of seasons Many parts of the world have four seasons, each one with its special characteristics and landscapes, with colors and patterns of weather. I am talking about spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

In Europe, we have all of them in different periods of the year but not all countries have seasons. Why we have seasons?

N

ASA explains this question. The short explanation is that Earth’s axis doesn’t stand up straight. The axis is an imaginary pole going right through the center of Earth from “top” to “bottom”. Throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the Sun’s most direct rays. So, when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere. And when the South Pole tilts toward the Sun, it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

Looking at other countries that celebrate different year events having a different season than ours, we are asking how this could be possible. For example, Christmas can be celebrated on the beach.

Did you guess the country I am talking about? Australia is the right answer. The Earth’s middle doesn’t tilt so much, that’s why in Australia is summer when in Europe, for example, is winter. Countries which are near to the equator - the line which goes around the middle of the earth - have very mild seasons.

The weather stays almost the same temperature all year round.

4 - VOICES

Each season comes with different state weather: rain, high temperature, snow. Alongside this, nature changes its cloak too.

We have three months for each season, demarcated by the value of temperature. The warmest three months belong to summer, the coldest three months to winter, and the intervening gaps belong to spring and autumn.

Because we already know that countries feel each season in different months of the year, I will bring to the forefront a brief comparative analysis.

Spring announces the end of winter and it is considered the most beautiful season because of the bloom it occurs in nature, we could say a rebirth of nature. In Europe spring is associated with March, April, and May months while in New Zeeland and Australia it begins in September. Season’s changing is felt in days and nights too. What does it mean? In spring, it means that daytime length increasing and nighttime length decreasing as the season progresses.

тема на месецот

The dating start of every season may vary according to local climate and specific weather or biological indicators, such as the blossoming of a range of plant species.

Summer has been characterized as the hottest season with long days and short nights. During this season occurs the earliest sunrise and latest sunset. The date of the beginning of summer varies according to climate, tradition, and culture. When it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere, and vice versa. June, July and August are the summer months for Northern Hemisphere, while December, January, and February are for the Southern Hemisphere (countries as Brasilia, Australia). Summer brings the idea of “taking a break” from the daily routine. It is the time when most people are taking holidays and travel to different places. It is like charging your batteries with the positive energy of beautiful sunny days.

Autumn is one of the temperate seasons and has the role to mark the transition from summer to winter. It starts from September

in Northern Hemisphere and from March in Southern Hemisphere.

The first change we notice when autumn starts is the duration of daylight; it becomes shorter and the temperature cools notably.

Also, we see considerable changes in nature too: the blooming of autumn flowers, color change in leaves, the fall of brown leaves from the trees. From poetry, we know that this season is associated with melancholy because of its personal qualities: grey sky, cold weather, wind, rain, and so on. In the Northern Hemisphere, there are two strong associations with autumn. The first is the end of the summer holiday and the start of a new school year (especially for children in primary and secondary education) and the second is Halloween celebrated on 31st of October.

comparison with other seasons.

In some regions, there is a very high rate of precipitation during this season. In Europe, during winter holidays, there is a magic atmosphere created by Christmas preparations and decorations.

The last season is the coldest one but at the same time, is the season with the most amazing landscape when snow is present. Winter begins in December in Northern Hemisphere and in June in Southern Hemisphere (New Zealand, South Africa). Winter is characterized by snow, freezing temperatures, long nights, and less daylight in

Angela Gabor

Every season has its beauty, with a magic atmosphere and decor changes. In these four seasons, we have a wonderful chance to see how nature changes his coat, with a new one in the same way we are changing our clothes when it is summer or winter. Even if we know what coat nature will have, the time won’t be the same. The last summer won’t be the same with this one or with the future one. This is the beauty of seasons: you know the coat, but not the experiences you will live.

Sources: www.spaceplace.nasa.gov/seasons/en/ www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter pictures | pixabay.com

VOICES - 5

l

l

l l

reportage

Calmness and serenity: the charms of Chinese Traditional Painting Have you ever heard about Chinese traditional painting? Have you had the chance to see an artwork of such a tradition? If not, doesn’t it bother or intrigue you that, studying art history at school and through our lives, we stay so far away from and so ignorant about Oriental (or indigenous, or African) forms of art and culture? It does bother me and that is why in this text I will give you a glimpse of this fascinating non-Western art manifestation: the Chinese traditional painting.

T

he admirable art of traditional painting is made in a material invented and improved by the Chinese people: paper. Paper used to be an inaccessible resource to the majority of the population.

Since it was made of silk, an expensive raw material, it could only be afforded by emperors or aristocrats. However, 1900 years ago, Cai Lun, a high official of the Han Dynasty, perfected the papermaking production by using as its raw material tree bark and rags, which made the reduction of its price possible, allowing the expansion of its acquisition and usage. For the art of painting, paper made of silk or rice is used, due to its high quality, which better displays the charm of the artwork. Just as the quality of paper interferes with the art on account of its ink absorption, the specificities of each paintbrush are also crucial.

6 - VOICES

Regarding not only technical but also meaningful aspects of the traditional Chinese painting, while western paintings focus on a more realistic approach and the representation of the three dimensions, Chinese painting is characterized by the portrayal of the object’s essence. The themes explored by them are portraits, landscapes, birds and flowers, very commonly connected to poems, showing the brilliant work of artists in qualifying its work with poetic meaning.

One of the biggest and most famous Chinese painters was Qi Baishi (1864-1957), and his artwork caught my attention when I was searching for Chinese traditional paintings.

First starting his manual work as a carpenter, he did not initially have a mentor to teach him painting techniques, only later in his life. By his

own efforts, he practiced and learned painting, calligraphy and poetry. To learn how to paint, he guided himself using the painting guidebook from the Qing Dynasty, called the Manual of the Mustard Seed Garden. At his first paintings, he used the gonbi technique, which is characterized by the detailed painting; but later he also painted using the second traditional Chinese painting technique, called xieyi, characterized by vigorous strokes. Gladly, he had success and recognition for his work during his life, the opposite of some artists like Van Gogh, who only became famous after their death. Aside from other prizes and honors, in the year of 1953, he was selected as the Outstanding Artist of the Chinese People by the Ministry of Culture.

репортажа

0-=f

Among so many brilliant paintings, one that particularly caught my eye was Carp (1884). There is a legend about carps in China, which recounts that many carps swimming between the turbulent water of the Yellow River wanted to jump over the Dragon Gate, to become a dragon. It was a quite complicated achievement, but a few were successful in it, creating the symbolism of carps.

Carps that turned into dragons are compared with people that are hard-working, dedicated and by their perseverance achieve prosperity. Interesting, isn’t it?

Finally, my personal favorites were Cold Night (1910), A lone traveler on a moonlit night (1938) and Protein, squirrel and cherries (1944). The latter reminded me when I first saw squirrels and got immediately captivated by them. Last, but not least, the first two paintings made me think about loneliness but also transported me to a nice healing walk at a place with blowing wind, a landscape that is very appropriate for reflection. Silence and contemplation are greatly necessary for our life, and one of the most enchanting things about Chinese paintings is that they offer, in my opinion, both for artists and the art admirers, moments of calmness and serenity. Therefore, it would be greatly enriching if we were more stimulated to know more about it and other kinds of Oriental art and culture at school, in the media, on TV, having more contact with nonWestern productions, traditions, philosophies.

Júlia dos Santos Acerbi

d

Sources: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Qi-Baishi http://www.artnet.com/artists/qi-baishi/ https://www.wikiart.org/pt/qi-baishi/all-works#!#filterName:all-paintings-chronologically,resultType:masonry https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/qi-baishi-chinasmaster-of-the-ordinary-in-an-extraordinary-way/ https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV12J411E7av?p=9 https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV12J411E7av?p=12 https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV12J411E7av?p=101

VOICES - 7

opinion

Дарот н а уметн оста

8 - VOICES

мислење

С

амо едно елегантно и нежно движење на четката успева да ги пренесе сите чувства на платно. Сета омраза и љубов, среќа и тага, секоја мисла. Игра на бои и на форми. Чувства претворени во уметност. Ниту еден збор не е потребен за да се разбере пораката на ова ремек дело. Секој тоне и се задлабочува токму на оној начин на кој ја гледа и ја разбира сликата која е изложена пред него. Не секогаш е потребно анализирање, убавината на уметноста е во тоа што овозможува да создадеш свој свет и нови чувства. Скриените кодови и знаци и целата мистерија на Леонардо да Винчи во позадината на прекрасната Мона Лиза, „Ѕвезденото небо“ на Винсент ван Гог, преплавено со сета убавина на ноќта, дали задлабочениот поглед и подотворените усни на „Девојката со бисерна обетка“ се уште една илузија на Јохансен Вермер. Со векови се трудиме да ја откриеме тајната на Леонардо да Винчи во „Тајната вечера“, ни малку свесни за се она што се крие во неа, за минатото чија приказна не ја знаеме целосно, каде секоја капка боја и трага од четка е приказна сама по себе. Нехуманоста и бруталноста на војната во „Герника“, дело кое според критичарите е едно од највредните на Пабло Пикасо, блискоста и преливот на чувства во Бакнежот на Густав Климт и „Раѓањето на Венера“ каде Сандро Ботичели воедно го претставува митот и боженственоста на оваа митолошка фигура.

Релативноста на времето и просторот, исчезнувањето и измамата на сонот во „Долготрајноста на спомените“ од Салвадор Дали. Осаменоста и чудната заводливост на ремек делото на Едвард Хопер – „Ноќни птици“. Егзотичниот начин и различното претставување на „Дама со Ермин“ на Да Винчи. Специфичноста на автопортретот на Ван Гог, чудото на Исус во „Бура на Галилејското море“ насликана од Рембрант ван Рејн, како и „Дворски дами“ на Диего Веласкес чија композиција го подигнува прашањето за илузија и реалност. Безброј приказни и интриги се сокриени зад секоја идеја на овие уметници. Секое движење или илузија го претставува различниот поглед на овие ликови во тој период. Погледот на личностите во цртежите, како и секој специфичен елемент дава различна порака или заклучок на откритие до кое дошол уметникот. Дарот на уметноста е во можноста да ги пробиеме сите шифри, загатки и тајни на секој период без никаква потреба од објаснување. Паралелниот свет кој го создаваме гледајќи во некое од овие дела зборува за времето, местото и особеноста на магичниот момент кога уметникот решил да ги пренесе своите мисли на платно, создавајќи безвременска убавина. Ана-Марија Пејчиновска

VOICES - 9

reportage

Back to

school Q: Age is no guarantee of efficiency.

James Bond: And youth is no guarantee of innovation.

(Skyfall, 2012)

10 - VOICES

репортажа

L

et’s decide to put these outdated ideas to rest once and for all.

Fortunately, there are ways to see in this “new normal” not only the 2020 version of the seven plagues of Egypt but also occasions to think of and implement a myriad of opportunities to harness our sense of creativity and our ability to precisely demonstrate once again that Youth can be the raw material of innovation.

For instance, one of these breakthroughs could take place in the field of education. Teaching school kids in the wild might be surprising at first thought. But perhaps, we might think of this idea a chance for them to benefit from a burst of fresh air in a whole new learning environment?

Without claiming being equipped with neither skills nor prior knowledge in teaching methods, I find this idea interesting, or at least worth being taken into consideration. Giving it a try and harnessing the potential of a whole new allegedly soothing working environment could be way more valuable than you first might think.

And not only because this is a timely tailormade idea in this social distancing time which would then be significantly easier. It sounds also like a natural learning environment would foster a spirit of mutual support among pupils.

Also, I was surprised to read about the supposed benefits of climate variations, according to Scandinavian countries where this method is implemented at a significant proportion. Learning on the one hand while simultaneously experiencing the elements’ variations (to a certain extent) on the other hand would be a

fruitful approach to strengthen the pupils’ stamina. In Scotland, this practice is even incorporated in the official program. This is worth being noticed, as this is common knowledge Scottish weather may be full of surprises.

Also, let’s talk a bit of rethinking playgrounds with the newspaper Le Monde: “A natural space planted and shaped, offering mounds, nooks, paths, footbridges and tunnels... It is this Belgian model that the "Oasis" courtyards are trying to approach, financed thanks to the 5 million euros collected from Europe (Feder funds). Nine have been inaugurated this autumn. In Germany and Scandinavia, the courses are also intended to be learning spaces. In the Danish capital, for example, a guide to outdoor facilities is distributed to kindergartens: young pupils must be able to jump, hide, change their environment and be in contact with the elements. As a result, sandboxes are not in danger of disappearing, as in France; children also play with earth and mud. [...]

In France, the movement first reached Strasbourg ten years ago, where two teachers from Jacqueline nursery school transformed their courtyard into a complex space, used every morning for outdoor classes. Other schools in Strasbourg, and later in other cities, have been inspired by this approach. Vegetalization is spreading, as called for by the collective Enseignant.e.s pour la planète (Teachers for the Planet) in January 2019, then reinforced by the suffocating experience of confinement and now officially encouraged by the French Ministry of Education. Sidi Soilmi, head of

the school buildings unit, created in July 2019, attests to "a political will to address these issues, which meet the expectations shared by education and local authorities". […]

The variety of playful possibilities soothes the climate; the hiding places and nooks and crannies allow a breath of fresh air when the paved courtyards, "with their high density and heterogeneous audiences, are anxiety-provoking, conducive to tension and dangerous games," observes Thibaut Hébert, lecturer in educational sciences at the University of Lille.

Professor of geography at the University of Cergy-Pontoise, Pascal Clerc reminds us that the initial objective of the playground ("a place where one recreates and regenerates oneself") has, in reality, never prevailed, "contrary to surveillance".

In concluding this short article, I would tend to want to go for joining the supporters of this method. So, let’s get in the wild!

Jules Striffler Sources: Maviert, Johan, 2020. « École En Plein Air : La Différence Est Très Nette En Termes De Bien-Être Et De Motivation Schwartzbrod, Alexandra. 2020. « Éditorial : Aventure ». Libération.fr. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1074638/ characters/nm0924210 Piquemal, Marie (texte) & Trossat, Théophile (photo). 2020. « École : La Ruée Vers L’Air ». Libération.fr.

Piquemal, Marie (texte) & Trossat, Théophile (photo). 2020. « Il est inconcevable pour moi de refaire classe entre quatre murs ».

Libération.fr.

Graveleau, Séverin. 2020. "Face À La Crise Due Au Coronavirus, La Pratique De La « Classe Dehors » Se Popularise". Le Monde.

Fr. Fauchier-Delavigne, Moina, Pascal Krémer, and Amélie Losier (photographer). 2020.

"Les Cours De Récré Se Mettent Au Vert".

Le Monde.Fr.

VOICES - 11

poetry

За да ја спасиме Љубов или омраза? Рециклирање на домот или на душата? Празни саркастични коментари или утешни зборови? Бес или надеж? Суд или прифаќање? Празни воздишки од револт или прегратки кои затоплуваат? Форсирани книги или желба за промена? Свеж планински воздух или бучни градови со празни улици? Војна и мир ни треба Ни треба совест пред корист Ни треба дечињата да се радуваат, додека возрасните ги милуваат Ни треба сите да се помириме со фактот дека сме совршено несовршени Ни треба да им ја отвориме душата на симпатијата и емпатијата Ни треба да престанеме да споредуваме баби и жаби Индивидуалноста нека преовладува! Ни треба да престанеме туку да се туфкаме и да ги отвориме двете очи за да сватиме колку е прекрасно воопшто да се биде жив!

Дафина ,, Даффне” Веселиноска

12 - VOICES

планетава...

За да ја спасиме планетава ни треба чудо или наука?

поезија

Размена на наочари

Дојде ти Дојдов и јас Се најдовме на пола пат Ти ги извади твоите Јас ги извадив моите Искушението настапи на сцена Ти увиде нешто Јас увидов нешто Погледот различен ќе да е

Дафина ,, Даффне” Веселиноска

VOICES - 13

erasmus+

Volunteer

14 - VOICES

еразмус+

I

want to tell you my story about how I became a youth worker and volunteer. After more than 20 years of working in the office I decided to leave my job and change something in my life. I have always been attracted by helping people who have found themselves in unfavorable situation and who needed help. I knew about the organization Volunteers Centre Skopje from before, and I decided to address them and offer myself as a volunteer. Because of my age (45) I could not be an EVS volunteer abroad, but they offered to train me as a youth worker and I could volunteer on local level. I started participating in seminars, trainings, youth exchange and training abroad and in Macedonia. The first international training course was in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, where the topic was developing knowledge, skills and competences of the youth workers in resolving conflicts and building peaceful solutions.

That first experience made a great impression on me because I had the opportunity to get to know and to work with young people and youth workers from several European countries, and it strengthened my decision to work in this area.

Trainings followed in Romania, Denmark, Poland, Montenegro, Bulgaria, where I learned a lot of new things, I acquired great experience, I met people from all over Europe, I established contacts with a lot of organizations, I strengthened my competences and skills that I now use in my ongoing work on projects and activities. At the intercultural events I met the traditional customs and specific characteristics from different countries, but at the same time I had the opportunity to represent Macedonia, all interesting facts and data, as well as food and drinks, among which the most demanded and the most specific was, of course, our Macedonian ajvar. During the international projects, Volunteers Centre Skopje offered logistic assistance connected to the organization of the trips, communication with the host organization and the technical details, but also moral and friendly support, which was very helpful. Some of the ongoing projects were taking place online because of the COVID 19 pandemic, and the opportunity to travel to a new destination is temporarily postponed until the stabilizing of the situation.

VCS included me in several projects on local level, and I had an opportunity to volunteer at the event at which along with two EVS volunteers, we accompanied the children from the Daily Center in Shutka to the awarding of New Year presents by the mayor of Skopje in the mountain lodge on Vodno.

Volunteers Centre Skopje functions as a big family in which I was accepted from the very beginning.

All the employees and volunteers are here for me every day and selflessly try to help me whenever there is need, and share their knowledge and experiences.

Besides the official work, we also privately hang out, have a lot of fun and go on trips together, and since recently I was nominated as a mentor of a young volunteer from France, whom I help in getting used to the everyday life in Macedonia.

This is my story, but it can also be yours if you feel the wish or the need to be a volunteer and become a member of our family.

Josip Gegaj VOICES - 15

erasmus+

Volontiraj С

акам да ви ја раскажам мојата приказна за тоа како станав младински работник и волонтер. После повеќе од 20 години работа во канцеларија, решив да ја напуштам работата и да сменам нешто во мојот живот. Секогаш ме привлекувало да помагам на луѓе кои се нашле во неповолна ситуација и на кои им е потребна помош. За организацијата Волонтерски Центар Скопје знаев од порано, па решив да им се обратам. Се понудив за волонтер. Поради моите години (45) не беше возможно да бидам ЕВС волонтер во странство, но ми понудија да ме обучат за младински работник и да волонтирам на локално ниво. Почнав да учествувам на семинари, тренинзи, младински размени и обуки во странство и во Македонија. Првиот меѓународен тренинг курс беше во Благоевград, Бугарија каде што темата беше развивање на знаења, вештини и компетенции на младинските работници во разрешувањето на конфликтите и градење на мирољубиви решенија. Тоа прво искуство ми остави голем впечаток, бидејќи имав можност да се дружам и работам со млади луѓе и младински работници од неколку европски земји и ја зацврсти мојата определба да се обучувам и работам во

16 - VOICES

еразмус+

ова поле. Следуваа обуки во Романија, Данска, Полска, Црна Гора, Бугарија... каде што научив многу нови работи, стекнав големо искуство, запознав луѓе од цела Европа, воспоставив контакти со многу организации, ги зајакнав моите компетенции и вештини кои сега ги користам во мојата тековна работа на проекти и активности. На интеркултурните настани се запознав со традиционалните обичаи и специфичности од разни земји и во исто време имав прилика да ја претставам Македонија, сите интересни факти и податоци, како и храна и пијалоци, од кои најбаран и најкарактеристичен беше, секако, нашиот македонски ајвар. За сето време додека се одвиваа меѓународните проекти, Волонтерски Центар Скопје ми пружаше логистичка поддршка поврзана со организирање на патувањата, комуникација со организацијата домаќин и техничките детали, но и морална и пријателска поддршка која ми беше од голема помош. Некои од тековните проекти се одвиваат онлајн поради пандемијата со КОВИД 19 и можноста да се отпатува на некоја нова дестинација, привремено е одложена до стабилизирање на состојбата.

На локално ниво, ВЦС ме вклучи во неколку проекти, а имав и прилика да волонтирам на еден настан каде што заедно со двајца ЕВС волонтери ги придружувавме дечињата од Дневниот центар во Шутка на доделување на новогодишни пакетчиња од страна на градоначалникот на град Скопје. Волонтерски Центар Скопје функционира како едно големо семејство во кое јас бев прифатен уште на самиот почеток. Сите вработени и волонтери секојдневно се тука за мене и несебично се трудат да ми помогнат секаде каде што има потреба и да ми ги пренесат своите знаења и искуства. Освен службено, често и приватно се дружиме и забавуваме и имаме заеднички патувања, а од неодамна сум назначен и за ментор на млад волонтер од Франција, кому му помагам да се снајде во секојдневниот живот во Македонија. Ова е мојата приказна, но може да биде и твоја доколку чувствуваш желба или потреба да бидеш волонтер и да станеш член од нашето семејство. Јосип Гегај

VOICES - 17

opinion

Quarantine in Finland I returned to Finland after 10 months doing my ESC – project in Skopje, Macedonia. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Finland has listed countries which are in the red zone – meaning when you return, you need to stay in home quarantine for two weeks. And Macedonia was one of these countries. The quarantine was without supervision, so no one came to check am I at home.

18 - VOICES

мислење

A

nd so, I stayed inside with my friend who agreed to spend the time with me. The first five days just passed by. There was a lot of time to catch up with things, ten months is a long time to be abroad after all. We were killing time by listening to music, watching movies and documentaries, reading books, cooking and eating, exercising... Basically whatever interesting you can come up with.

Also going outside to take walks was not forbidden so sometimes when the walls of the apartment felt too much there still was an opportunity to go out and get some fresh air.

Texting and speaking on the phone with people can take surprisingly much time as well, especially now when they are spread around Europe. Also, my ESC -project is still ongoing which means I got to use some of my time working for my organization online.

After one week passed time started to slow down and of course, the urge to do something else grew bigger. Especially when you are not sick at all, vice versa energic and missing your family and friends.

Still understanding the importance of being careful and responsible even though how much it gets boring.

This felt different from the lockdowns we experienced in Macedonia, when in the spring we had to stay inside in our flat for 2-4 days usually during weekends. That was

strange because everyone had to do it and the outside world looked kind of apocalyptic.

But also, you know that everything around you is closed and no-one else gets to do anything either.

Here it feels different, the time has passed from the beginning of the outbreak and there has been time to internalize the situation more. From the window, we can see how other people get to go and continue their everyday stuff. It is only us who are in quarantine, not everybody.

Overall, I cannot say that the quarantine was absolutely horrible, but I wouldn’t want to experience the same again. But also, after two weeks it feels super to finally get out and go back to society. So better stay healthy and safe not to experience the same again.

The situation in Finland is tolerable for now, masks are suggested to wear in public transport and crowded places, but not actual restrictions have been set for that yet. Coming back feels almost normal, you can see people’s faces in the streets, bars and restaurants are open. We have been joking in Macedonia with another Finnish volunteer that it is not so weird for us to implement social distancing because we are from Finland and we keep the distance from strangers anyways.

Kirsi Suomi

VOICES - 19

interview

1

2

The Balkan Green Deal is a document that consists of collectively created visions for a socially just and environmentally sound future with concrete steps that need to be taken to make that future a reality.

This includes bold and specific policy recommendations based on principles of justice and equity for all, and demands for policymakers to not only do what is politically possible, but what is desperately needed. Balkan Green Deal to reflect the collective vision of 2030 we build together in the process, the joint dreams of a world of abundances for the many on a livable planet.

More importantly, this is the moment to unite our struggles and strengthen our voices as social movements, groups, initiatives, unions, organizations, policymakers, scholars, academics, care workers, educators, activists, and citizens.

This is the moment to strategically work together towards a joint vision, in each and every area of influence we might have, and transform the current unjust system into one that is based on love, solidarity, and a deep care and thrives on peoples’ liberation and celebration of diversity in harmony with nature.

What are the Balkan Regional Forum and Balkan Green Deal?

The Balkan Regional Forum was a 3 day online event and an open platform for organizations, individuals, initiatives and institutions from the Balkan countries to jointly discuss and create the Balkan Green and Just Recovery Plan, as well as to inspire future plans and contours regarding the Balkan Green Deal. The Forum included informal learning and participants’ knowledge and experience exchange while gathering visions and concrete steps and actions to implement the vision of the Just Recovery Plan and the creation of the Balkan Green Deal contours.

The Balkan Green and Just Recovery Plan is a pathway on how to achieve the Balkan Green Deal vision for 2030.

20 - VOICES

What are the purposes of the Balkan Regional Forum and Balkan Green Deal?

The creation of the Balkan Green and Just Recovery Plan and the Balkan Green Deal is of immense importance to catch this momentum of uprising and resisting the interwoven crises of today and to shift course towards a better world for everyone. The purpose is to create a better and bolder framework and a plan that will help our economies and societies build preparedness and resilience for all of the national and global challenges that we are currently facing and are going to face in this transitioning period

3

How will you achieve your goals? What are your plans and upcoming events?

At the moment, together with the Balkan coalition and different groups, we are in the process of creating, reviewing and contributing to the

Balkan Green and Just Recovery Principles and the Balkan Green Deal live documents. During the “Balkan Regional Forum”, we have created a timeline of activities and joint campaigns, where we are connecting our future actions, some of which are: national youth gatherings for creating the national Green Deal, Intersectionality trainings, collective visioning on the road - gatherings with local communities throughout Macedonia and series of meet ups with the Coalition of the Future which is a group that works on the creation of the national Green Deal since the beginning of this year.

In the next steps we are creating a digital space for collecting people’s visions and a place where citizens can write about the problems in their communities and solutions, i.e. a digital participatory platform which will be named “Zelenglas” or Green voice.

The main purpose of the platform is to encourage visitors to share their visions for the future of their community, region, country, and beyond and be part of the change. By creating this virtual place, we want to gather inputs from various groups that will help us contribute to the national and Balkan Green New Deal and Just Recovery Plan. The inputs will be gathered in a form of different questionnaires conducted with a methodology for collecting visions and intersectional approach. The main aim is to collectively work and build solutions that will help decide for our communities and the voices of everyone to be heard.

4

Why do you need to do it?

Environmental and social injustices affect all of us. But they disproportionately affect the marginalized communities, the ones that have been deliberately silenced and are excluded from political decision-making, cut out of discussions about what the future of our societies would look like So, the creation of a Green Deal will push for a just system change with a built-in platform across regions bringing young people together with young people from underrepresented communities into multileveled decision-making. With this we will jointly create and build strong, collective visions for a socially just and ecologically sound future.

5

Who are the participants of the Balkan Regional Forum? What have you done by now?

Different groups of people coming from all over the Balkans and beyond. to create a platform where decision makers, students, journalists, activists, academics and teachers could discuss and create a joint vision for a just future.

We have started drafting the concept for the Balkan Green and Just Recovery Plan together with SEENET (South East Europe Network for Energy and Transport) and we invite all social justice movements,

интервју

initiatives and organizations from across the Balkans to share the specific policy recommendations informed by their lived experiences and voices of the communities they work in, with and represent.

6

How can people contribute to them?

Everyone is welcome to contribute to the collective visioning including young people and youth representatives from NGOs, groups, initiatives and people from lower capacity groups such as trade unions, feminist groups, other environmental and social justice groups, and student movements and people from marginalized communities.

We need to have everyone on board and include as much input as possible so please take time to go over the live documents and contribute by commenting with your vision, opinion and thoughts, following the links for: the Balkan Green Deal and the Principles for Green and Just Recovery.

For anyone that wants to actively participate in this creation process, they should write to us at yfoemacedonia@gmail.com.

You can join via the FB group or email at: balkancoalition@gmail. com, where we will continue working on both documents; the Principles for Balkan Green and Just recovery

situation and the draft Balkan Green Deal.

7

What are your expectations about 2030?

The expectations about 2030 should not be only about how we all individually see it but rather how we collectively plan it so it is as much as inclusive as it must be.

Even though recent trends about our future are negative, and the current reality might be grim, we need to remain determined to bring about a system transformation, for a just, intersectional and equitablefuture.

We need a Balkan Green Deal and a Balkan Green and Just Recovery Plan that put people and the planet first and set out radical demands for building back better from the interlinked crises we are facing now.

Thank you for the interview to Sofija, Ena and Marija from Young Friends Of Earth Macedonia.

Dogukan Sever

VOICES - 21

reportage reportage

Sailors inmates of the oceans “There are three sorts of people: those who are alive, those who are dead, and those who are at sea.” (Aristotle) The ongoing pandemic situation has led to crisis situations from an incredibly wide range of perspectives. One of these induced stalemates is the thorny situations experienced by sailors working for merchant navy companies who were at sea while borders were abruptly shutting down during this way unusual Spring 2020.

O

n the one hand, harbors became increasingly reluctant to welcome these titans of the oceans or denied them access. On the other hand, air traffic wassimultaneously significantly slow down if not downright interrupted.

So, oceans suddenly became the biggest custody on Earth, and some sailors were turned into inmates overnight with neithermuch of a proper trial or averdict. Then how to cope with being on board of one of these improvised custody facilities, adrift without a certain scheduled date of when you will eventually be able to get relief by setting foot on the ground?

According to an article in the French newspaper Le Monde published in June 2020, “400,000 seafarers have been trapped by the pandemic, whether they hold a maritime certificate or are employed on board. This represents onefifth of the world’s “seafarers”: 200,000 are waiting to disembark, and 200,000 more are waiting to take over. In Asia, Latin America, and Africa, many States continue to prohibit crew changes, which leads them to turn back their own nationals. […]

22 - VOICES

This same article written by journalist Marie-BéatriceBaudet is even more insightful: “You realize how sinister all this is,” said Alina Miron, professor of international law at the University of Angers. The goods are loading and unloading without a hitch, but not the crews! And as the days go by, those who are going to get stuck are the most fragile.

Filipinos, Madagascans, Indonesians, Pakistanis, Ukrainians, Romanians, Indians, they represent these small people of the sea widely exploited by some unscrupulous shipowners. “The lawyer reminds us that 70% of the merchant fleet sails under flags of convenience. […] Adopted in 2006, an international convention on maritime labor provides for the right to repatriation for any seafarer retained abroad upon expiration of his employment contract, which in any case may not exceed twelve months.

One year at sea is already enormous, and which country has respected this commitment, tell me,” said legal expert Alina Miron. The majority of governments have hidden behind the urgency to protect their populations. In reality, many sailors are abandoned. “It should also be noted that the cost of repa-

triation is the responsibility of the shipowner.”

“Normally, the Marine Medical Consultation Centre (MMCC), attached to the Purpan Hospital in Toulouse, receives 5,000 calls per year. Recently, its lines have been called more frequently. “It’s not war either, we shouldn’t exaggerate, but the coronavirus has kept us busy,” says Emilie Dehours, 38, an emergency doctor. Between the sailors suspected of having contracted Covid-19 and the chronically ill (asthmatics, hypertensives, etc.), at anchor abroad and unable to obtain a renewal of their treatment, “Purpan”, as the sailors say among themselves, has not been idle. [...]

Since the beginning of the year, the hospital in Saint-Nazaire, in Loire-Atlantique, has been home to the Resource Center for Psychological Assistance at Sea. Camille Jego, its director, a 32-year-old clinical psychologist, hates the stereotype of the grumpy, burly sailor, insensitive to evil. The women and men she listens to and reassures have very different profiles. “Of course the fear of abandonment exists in this population where young people, unlike their elders, are confronted with the multicultural

репортажа репортажа

nature of the crews, which hinders exchanges on board.

The social isolation they often complain about becomes a real issue during a crisis like the one we are experiencing today. “ ” It has been reported by several press articles that experiencing such challenging circumstances in the already rough working and living conditions that are the ones of cargo ship missionsis affecting the mental wellbeing of a non-neglectable proportion of engaged staff in various degrees of seriousness, according to the health specialists cited in these articles.

Without these accounts giving alsothe floor to seafarers accomplishing their missionsin this quitedeteriorated environment, these stories may well have been unheard from the wider audience. So long livesthe journalism who is curious to go off the beaten track!

While it sounds like seafarers have sometimesbeen left behind and written off in this worldwide disorder, actions undertaken by some structures such as ITF Seafarers’ Trust charity, the charity Sailors’ Society, the Mission to Seafarers,or the NGO Human Rights,to name a few entities, are part of the solution in these tough circumstances. The dedication of seafarers on the one hand and entities supporting them on the other hand should be acknowledged, as are the commitment demonstrated by health professionals and the actions undertaken by armed forces to respond to this cross-border challenge.

Jules Striffler

Sources: Baudet, Marie-Béatrice. 2020. « Les Marins Perdus Du Coronavirus ». Le Monde.Fr. https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2020/06/19/le-coronavirus-piege-enhaute-mer_6043363_3210.html. [Accessed September 2nd, 2020].

Whitehead, Kate. 2020. “‘Prisoners At Sea’: Well-Being Of World’S ‘Invisible Workforce’ At Risk”. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3082297/prisoners-sea-stuck-board-cargo-ships-crews-find.

[Accessed September 2nd, 2020].

Lieutaud T, 2014. National Center for Biotechnology Information, https://pubmed.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/24636790/ Opening quote of the movie The Wolf’s Call (2019) directed by Antonin Baudry

VOICES - 23

reportage

Colonial plundering and illicit trafficking of cultural goods Two phases of the same problem?

D

ecolonization movements are, fortunately, in full swing.

Their goal is to make visible and deconstruct the reminiscences of colonialism in our mentality, behavior, societal organization such as our standards of beauty, which tend to prefer blond and blue eyed to black and curly haired; and our social structures, which render our institutions more violent towards people with the latter traits than with the former. These traces didn't vanish when the colonial formal administrations ended after the Second World War, and they are the underlying cause of some issues we currently have. It is an everyday fight and at the same time a long term process to identify these pastpresent relations, deconstructs these paradigms and builds bit by bit a better world.

In this context, and with more and more movements of countries to claim back their heritage stolen in colonial times, and also of these former colonizer countries to restitute them, one question one might ask is... What is the

24 - VOICES

connection between the colonial plundering of cultural objects in the past and the current huge problem of illicit trafficking of cultural goods?

There are several points of contact between present and past reality, but this connection is not direct, of cause and consequence, nor simple, of automatic emulation today of yesterday's dynamics.

The major point is that most of the source countries (from where cultural goods are taken) are countries of the global south, once colonized - Central American, African, Southeast Asian countries.

And most of the market countries (to which they go) are of the global north, once colonizers - such as Europe.

The source countries have a rich historical past but not a prosperous economic condition today. They are poor or developing countries, or countries at war, where before an attachment to their own history, there is a need among people to find sources of income to eat today, or to get more weapons

репортажа

to continue fighting and not die today, necessities which can be provisionally satisfied by a theft of a piece from an archaeological site.

And, in terms of those responsible for protecting heritage, there is also precariousness. The stolen sites and institutions have not enough personnel and systems of surveillance, because they often lack funds, or are completely abandoned in times of conflict.

Likewise, the police of these countries often do not have budgets, equipment or knowhow to cross information about a piece with databases on trafficked objects, in order to identify stolen items and forged documents.

The market countries, in turn, are those where the major collectors are - merchants, auction houses, museums, antique dealers. On the one hand, they have money to invest in the expensive operation of trafficking - which involve thieves "on the ground"; figures who make the bridge between illegal and the "legal" world; trips through several countries, to impose a distance between the stolen object and the original place of the crime, to take advantage of unequal legislations. On the other hand, they are also those who profit the most with these goods, in their speculative potential in the art and antiques market. In terms of structure, their countries are also those that have laws, police forces

and institutions most capable of "protecting" this "possession".

Their laws are more rigid, their databases and monitoring systems are more robust, their police and customs agents have more funding, physical structure, professional and technical training.

All this is closely related to the legacy of the period when colonial plundering took place, to the world order it build and left. However, it has not so much to do with the colonial plundering itself. These were not illegal at the time, and therefore did not have the same human, institutional and logistical machinery necessary for illicit trafficking today. Moreover, they obeyed another logic, not of global capital and the art market, as today, but of power and domination.

The colonial plundering was regulated by a dynamic of hierarchization of the peoples of the world, of dehumanization of the Others, of spoliation of their material culture and knowledge to be exposed in cabinets of curiosities, museums and universal exhibitions, which intended to include in an evolutionary line everything that has already been produced and created in the world. What was plundered was automatically inscribed in the categories of primitive, magical, mythical, exotic, thus legitimating the order that was being built, from a centre more "evolved and

advanced", imposing itself on and exploring the peripheries that should be dominated and guided to "civilization", to "modernity".

Other than our globally asymmetric reality, thus, what unites the former colonial plundering and current illicit trafficking of cultural goods is the understanding that the history of some is worth less than those of others. This allows for this taking of works from their place of origin for their commercialization today as it allowed it in the past for other reasons. Therefore, to combat the modern problem and repair the injustices of the one of yesterday, what we must do is to fight both the world's disparities regarding wealth, law and stability, and also the distinct value given to different people across the globe. Enormous as the first might seem, and insignificant as the second, they are both equally important roots of the problem and confronting each of them is an equally important part of the solution of this problem of our present that has origins in our past.

Vitória Acerbi Sources: CHRISTOFOLETTI, Rodrigo. (org.) O tráfico ilícito de bens culturais e a repatriação como reparação histórica. In: CHRISTOFOLETTI, Rodrigo. (org.). Bens culturais e relações internacionais: o patrimônio como espelho do soft power. Editora Universitária Leopoldianum: Santos, 2017. pp. 113-132.

UNESCO. Fight illicit trafficking, Return & Restitution of Cultural Property. Available at: https://en.unesco.org/ | ICOM International Observatory on Illicit Traffic in Cultural Goods.

Available at: https://www.obs-traffic.

VOICES -- 25 VOICES

opinion

reak up with eing roke!

Buying an apartment. Going on a vacation.

Paying college tuition. Shopping. Going to the movies. Paying the bills. All of these activities and more require you to be smart about how you handle your money. Otherwise, you will end up with empty pockets. And you don’t want that, do you? Financial literacy can help you.

H

ave you ever found yourself in a situation where you feel like you don’t have control over your money? You can’t exactly pinpoint where your money is going. And you don’t have any cash planned for the next period. Panic and confusion overwhelm you. There is no need to worry because you aren’t alone in this. Many young people (and even adults) are facing this all over the world.

Being financially literate means that you have the set of skills to make informed and effective decisions regarding your money and to manage your personal finances. Further, financial literacy refers to being able to understand basic financial concepts like credit, savings, investment, interest rates, and more. What can you do with these skills? You’ll be able to plan and manage your costs as well as your pocket money, stipends, salary, and other forms of income.

Besides that, financially literate people can successfully manage their debt, know when to invest

26 - VOICES

and save money, and even plan for old age and retirement. So, don’t be surprised when you find out that many people regard it as one of the essential skills for adulting the right way.

Moreover, they say that numbers always tell the truth, right? Let’s look at some of the statistics. Only a third of adults all over the world are financially literate. It’s also found that developing countries have lower levels of financial literacy when compared to developed countries. In fact, we shouldn’t look much further than what’s happening in our communities.

In Macedonia, it’s estimated that financial literacy lies at just around twenty percent. It puts the country in the group of countries with low levels of financial literacy.

As it was pointed out, successfully managing your finances is one of the vital aspects of financial literacy. The first step is to outline your goals. These can be shortterm ones like paying the electricity

bill or buying a new pair of jeans, and long-term ones like starting a business or buying stocks. Once you determine your goals, you can outline all of your costs and income in a table, which is called a budget.

This budget can be done on a piece of paper or in a computer program or application like Excel, GnuCash, and more.

With that being said, one of the basic rules for making the financial budget is the 50/30/20 rule. It means that you can divide your income and spend 50% on your needs (such as housing, transport, food), 30% on wants (like eating out, shopping, buying songs), and

мислење 20% on savings. Still, the percentage isn’t constant and set in stone, so feel free to tweak the categories a bit. Additionally, to be financially stable, don’t be afraid to cancel that subscription of that magazine you don’t read and stop buying stuff online you don’t need. Another tip is to start saving money for a rainy day. That way, you will be more prepared in case of an emergency.

It goes without saying that the current pandemic has drastically changed our lifestyle. The financial situation of many individuals is no exception. Many people have lost their jobs as well as plenty of cash and job opportunities have become fewer. Now more than ever, we’ve found out what we can live and can’t live without. Also, the pandemic crisis has reminded us of the importance of long-term planning.

Yes, we understand the importance of financial literacy. But what can we do about it, you may ask. How can I become more financially literate?

Just like going to a mechanic when your car breaks down or asking a therapist for your mental health, coaches and experts for finances can teach you effective management of finances. But, you can research

on your own, find out books and other materials online, too. Try to find organizations and events on these topics near you. For instance, the National Bank celebrates days dedicated to financial literacy and offers plenty of resources. The organization Global Shapers Skopje Hub also works to raise awareness of financial literacy.

Before we finish, it should be stated that while money may not bring you ultimate happiness, being penniless will make you anxious and uncomfortable. And if you’re smart about how you manage your finances, you will be prepared for whatever comes your way. When we’re young, we rarely think about saving and investing.

We want to spend money on new clothes, subscriptions on streaming platforms, and hanging out with friends. But we have to think about our future. And being financially

literate is a way towards becoming financially stable in the future. It’s time you break up with being broke!

Bojan Kitanovikj Sources: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/ financial-literacy.asp https://www.oecd.org/finance/many-15year-olds-struggle-with-financial-literacyaccording-to-oecd-pisa-report.htm https://gflec.org/wp-content/ uploads/2015/11/3313-Finlit_Report_ FINAL-5.11.16.pdf?x22667 https://www.hbawealth.com/blog/only-1-in3-adults-are-financially-literate https://www.thebalance.com/the-50-30-20rule-of-thumb-453922 https://www.facebook.com/skopjeshapers/

VOICES - 27

opinion

Перцепција Перцепција

28 - VOICES

мислење

Е

легантноста на нежните капки дожд и жестоката темнина на бурата ја откриваат неописливата убавина предизвикана од спој на два елементи на природата - виножито. Да, науката има сосема рационално објаснување за ова прелевање на светлина, призма, бои. Но, дали и ние го доживуваме само како случајна и прекрасна појава или има нешто повеќе. Дали само го гледаме или го доживуваме, дали размислуваме од каде почнува и каде завршува или дали можеби буди чувства во нас, чувства чие присуство не сме го почуствувале досега? Дали црвената е само боја? Започнувајќи од коренот на земјата и завршувајќи во нашите срца, дали сме свесни за мистеријата, моќта, страста и енергијата која се емитува при овој контакт? Дали портокаловата е нешто поразлично? Рамнотежа, привлечност и отвореност. Среќа и фокусираност. Дали нашиот поглед и ум е привлечен, но ние го игнорираме тоа? Дали ја чувствуваме жештината на огнот? Можеби жолтата и покрај се е среќна боја.

Инспирација. Извор на сигурност и самодоверба. Среќа е првиот збор кој ни прелетува низ мислите, а насмевка е автоматскиот одговор. Дали допирот на сонцето го нашол патот до нас? Кои се емоциите на зелената? Смиреност. Хармонија. Дали ја слушаме природата? Дали ја допираме тревата? Дали се препуштаме на полето чие зеленило нема крај? Која е вистината во сината боја? Дали ги буди нашите мемории и спомени од широкото, пространо и понекогаш разбранувано море, или можеби не возвишува во бескрајното небесно царство? Каква интуиција има индигото? Што ја прави потемна од останатите? Дали можеби е длабочината или се она што се крие зад неа? Кои се идеалите на оваа боја? Дали темнината ја прави она што е, посебна? Дали виолетовата е луксузна? Софистицираност и благородништво. Дали се истакнува аристократијата?

Боја на духовноста, блискост и поврзаност со универзумот. Секое чувство има боја. Секоја боја има чувство. Дали светот е црно-бел или преплавен во бои? Прашањето е колку нашите очи се отворени и колку далеку гледаме. Колку длабоко тонеме и колку високо се издигнуваме. Дали остануваме на површината или го истражуваме дното. Дали живееме во темнината или сме ја пронашле нашата светлина? Каде сме ние? Дали сме избрале да бидеме на едниот крај на спектарот каде светот е црн и бел со нијанси на сиво или можеби сме го пронашле виножитото и сме го обоиле животот во живописни бои? Ана-Марија Пејчиновска

VOICES - 29

reportage

Failure is the key

to success “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Thomas A. Edison

T

his is a commonly said phrase to many successful people, a way to say that making mistakes makes it easier to make the right decision over time, and it encourages you to feel better about your errors. But what’s important is to determine how to use our failures to learn, grow, and change. It teaches us to be compassionate, kind, understanding, and to empathize with ourselves and other people.

Everyone has failed at something at some point in their life, and failure is not a sign of weakness. It is just a way of finding things that do not work, as Thomas A. Edison has said: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Harvard Business School professor Amy C. Edmondson researched failing and discovered the three types of it: preventable, unavoidable, and Intelligent failures.

The preventable is known as the worst, and you can understand why since you would have the skill and

30 - VOICES

ability to prevent it. The unavoidable or complex type is unpredictable and helps prevent future mistakes.

The intelligent or intellectual is a mistake that occurs while discovering, creating, launching, and trying something new, and it fails. This mistake is discussable, so it is unlikely to happen again. Failing can be a blessing or a curse by how you approach it. Any successful person can tell you a story about how they failed at something miserably, but the way they handled the situation made them successful. Accepting responsibility, not quitting, and being realistic with yourself is a better option than regretting and being angry.

Your failures strengthen you, and the worst decision you can make in this situation is to quit. Cause sometimes your failures turn out to be your best success story.

Dorotea Grkovikj

reportazh

K

jo është një frazë e thënë zakonisht për shumë njerëz të suksesshëm, një mënyrë për të thënë që të bësh gabime e bën më të lehtë për të marrë vendimin e duhur me kalimin e kohës, dhe kjo ju inkurajon të ndiheni më mirë për gabimet e juaja. Por ajo që është e rëndësishme është të përcaktojmë se si të përdorim dështimet tona për të mësuar, rritur dhe ndryshuar. Ajo na mëson të jemi të dhembshur, të mirë, të kuptueshem dhe të kemi ndjeshmëri me veten dhe të tjerët. Të gjithë kanë dështuar në diçka në një moment të jetës së tyre, dhe dështimi nuk është një shenjë ë nje dobësie. Eshtë vetëm një mënyrë për të gjetur gjëra që nuk funksionojnë, siç ka thënë Thomas A. Edison: “Unë nuk kam deshtuar , por kam gjetur 10,000 mënyra që nuk do të funksionojnë ”. Profesoresha e Shkollës së Biznesit në Harvard, Amy C. Edmondson hulumtoi dështimin dhe zbuloi tre llojet e tij: të parandalueshëm, të pashmangshëm dhe Dështimet inteligjente.

E parandalueshme njihet si më e keqja, dhe ju mund ta kuptoni pse pasi që do të kishit aftësi dhe aftësia për te parandaluar

atë. Lloji i pashmangshëm ose kompleks është i paparashikueshëm dhe ndihmon në parandalimin dhe gabimet e se ardhmes.

Inteligjenti ose intelektuali është një gabim që ndodh gjatë zbulimit, krijimit, nisjes dhe duke provuar diçka të re, dhe dështon. Ky gabim është i diskutueshëm, kështu që nuk ka gjasa të ndodhë përsëri.

Dështimi mund të jetë një bekim ose një mallkim nga mënyra se si i qaseni. Çdo person i suksesshëm mund t’ju tregojë nje histori se si ata dështuan në diçka fatkeqësisht, por mënyra se si ata e trajtuan situatën e bëne ata të suksesshëm. Të pranosh përgjegjësi, te mos dorezohesh dhe të jesh realist me veten tënde është nje mundësi me ë mire sesa pendimi dhe zemërimi. Dështimet tuaja ju forcojnë, dhe vendimi më i keq që mundeni të bëni në këtë situatë është dorezimi. Sepse nganjëherë dështimet tuaja rezultojnë te jene sukseset tuaja me te mira te histories.

Dorotea Grkovikj Përkthim: Belkize Osmani

Deshtimi eshte celesi

drejt suksesit “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Thomas A. Edison

VOICES - 31

topic of the month

Убавината на годишните времиња Во разни делови од светот се среќаваат четири годишни времиња: секое од нив се одликува со посебни карактеристики и пејзажи, со бои и со климатските тенденции. Тоа се: пролетта, летото, есента и зимата. Ние во Европа ги среќаваме сите нив во различни периоди од годината, но не сите земји имаат годишни времиња. Зошто тие се среќаваат кај нас?

Н

АСА има одговор на ова прашање. Краткото објаснување се состои во тоа дека оската на ротацијата на Земјата не стои вертикално. Оската е замислена линија што минува низ центарот на Земјата од „врвот“ до „дното“. Во текот на една година, различни делови од Земјата се повеќе накосени кон Сонцето. Така, кога Северниот Пол на Земјата е понакосен кон Сонцето, на Северната полутопка трае летото. А кога Јужниот Пол е понакосен кон Сонцето, на Северната полутопка владее летото. Забележувајќи дека другите земји слават различни годишни настани во различно годишно време од нашето, се прашуваме како е тоа возможно. На пример, замислете да го славите Божиќ на плажа? Дали ја погодивте земјата за која што зборувам? Точниот одговор е Австралија. Средишните делови на Земјата не се толку накосени, тоа е причина зошто, на пример, во Австралија е лето, додека во Европа е зима. Државите кои се во близина на екваторот – линијата што минува низ средината на Земјата – имаат умерени годишни времиња. Тука температурата останува непроменета во текот на речиси цела година.

32 - VOICES

Секое годишно време се одликува со различна временска прогноза: дожд, високи температури, снег. Освен тоа, природата си го менува и своето руво. Секое од годишните времиња, разграничено со различни вредносни температури, е во времетраење од три месеци. Најтоплите три месеци му припаѓаат на летото, најстудените на зимата, а просторот помеѓу нив е својствен за пролетта и за есента. Бидејќи веќе знаеме дека различни држави во различни месеци од годината ги дочекуваат годишните времиња, би сакала да направам кратка споредбена анализа. Пролетта ја најавува крајот на зимата и се смета за најубавото годишно време поради расцутената природа или би можеле да кажеме, поради повторното раѓање на природата. Во Европа, доаѓањето на пролетта е поврзано со месеците март, април и мај, додека пак во Нов Зеланд и во Австралија, пролетта настапува во септември. Промената на годишните времиња се чувствува и во однос на деновите и ноќите. Што значи тоа? За време на пролетта, со секој одминат ден, денот се повеќе расте, а ноќта се намалува. Датумите кои се прогласуваат за почеток на секое годишно време се разликуваат во однос на локалните климатски услови

тема на месецот

или биолошки индикатори, како на пример цутењето на одредени растителни видови. Летото е окарактеризирано како најтоплото годишно време со долги денови и кратки ноќи. Во летото сме сведоци и на најрано изгревање и најдоцно заоѓање на сонцето. Датумот на почетокот на летото зависи од климата, традицијата и културата. Кога на северната хемисфера е лето, на јужната хемисфера е зима и обратно. Јуни, јули и август се летните месеци на северната хемисфера, додека декември, јануари и февруари се летните месеци на јужната хемисфера (во земји како, на пример, Бразилија и Австралија). Летото само по себе ја носи идејата за „одмор“ од секојдневната рутина. Тоа е период од годината кога повеќето луѓе одат на одмор и патуваат на различни места. Позитивната енергија на убавите сончеви денови придонесува и да си ги наполниме батериите. Есента е едно од умерените годишни времиња и ја има улогата да го обележи преминот од лето во зима. На северната хемисфера есента настапува во септември, а на јужната, пак, во март. Првата

промена што ја забележуваме при почетокот на есента е должината на денот: станува се пократок и температурата видливо се намалува. И во природата може да забележиме значителни промени како на пример: цветањето на есенските цветови, промената на бојата на лисјата, паѓањето на кафеавите лисја од дрвјата. Од аспект на поезијата, знаеме дека ова годишно време се поврзува со меланхолијата поради неговите лични квалитети: сивото небо, ладното време, ветрот, дождот и така натаму... На северната хемисфера постојат две силни асоцијации на есента. Првата е крајот на летниот одмор и почетокот на новата учебна година (особено за учениците во основно и средно образование), а втората е „Ноќта на вештерките“ што се одбележува на 31 октомври. Последното годишно време е најстуденото, но истовремено е и годишното време со најубав пејзаж - особено кога врне снег. На северната хемисфера зимата започнува во декември, а на јужната во јуни (Нов Зеланд, Јужна Африка). Зимата се одликува со снег, смрзнувачки температури, долги ноќи и

пократки денови во споредба со другите годишни времиња. Некои региони се одликуваат со обилни врнежи за време на зимата. Во Европа, подготовките за Божиќ и божиќните декорации создаваат магична атмосфера за време на зимските празници. Секое годишно време си е убаво само по себе и нуди магична атмосфера, како и промена на декорот. Во текот на сите овие годишни времиња имаме прекрасна можност да видиме како природата си го менува старото со ново руво на ист начин како што ние ја менуваме нашата гардероба во лето или во зима. Иако знаеме какво руво ќе облече природата, сепак, времето не ќе биде исто. Последното лето нема да биде исто како и ова ниту пак како и идните лета. Тоа е и убавината на годишните времиња: знаеш какво ќе биде рувото, но не и искуствата што ќе ги доживееш. Ангела Габор Превод: Кристина Стаменова Извори: www.spaceplace.nasa.gov/seasons/en/ www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter pictures | pixabay.com

VOICES - 33

www.voiceskopje.org vcs.sending@gmail.com Voices MKD vcs.skopje

www.issuu.com/vcsvoices