40 years of Peace in world workcamps

40 ANNI DI PACE NEI CAMPI DEL MONDO concorso fotografico per i volontari a cura di Liza Zaytseva Roma, Giugno-Ottobre 2010

YAP Italy Via Marco Dino Rossi 12/G 00173 Roma Tel 06 7210120 www.yap.it yap@yap.it

Presidente: Roberto Braga Segretario Generale: Stefano Varlese Outgoing Officer: Manuela Portesi Lauri Volontaria SVE: Nikolett Varga Grafica e comunicazione: Liza Zaytseva Giuria tecnica: Mary Angela Schroth, Gaetano Riccio

La mostra finale del concorso si è svolta presso YAP Italy dal 9 Ottobre al 20 Dicembre 2010.

Ringraziamo tutti i nostri volontari e partner per loro contributo all’organizzazione del concorso e della mostra.

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“40 anni di Pace nei campi del mondo” è il titolo del concorso e della mostra fotografica realizzati dall’associazione di volontariato YAP Italia per celebrare il 40° anniversario di attività.

L’idea di organizzare questo evento per i volontari che partecipano ai campi internazionali di lavoro non è venuta in mente casualmente o perché la fotografia è il modo più “trendy” di descrivere e valutare la realtà a noi circostante. Il perché in effetti ha due risposte: superficiale e profonda, pratica e filosofica.

Da una parte, la macchina fotografica – piccola, grande, professionale o meno - è un oggetto indispensabile nel bagaglio di ogni volontario (la valigia, lo zaino o quant’altro), un oggetto insostituibile e probabilmente il più usato. Quindi per coloro che partono per i campi nel mondo scattare le foto dei momenti belli o curiosi delle loro avventure è un compito più che fattibile, anzi divertente. Però se fosse stato solo per il divertimento il concorso non avrebbe ricevuto la sua attuale incarnazione.

Dall’altro lato il concetto del concorso si è espresso nelle parole di uno dei suoi partecipanti, Fausto Aarya Santis, volontario partito per un campo di lavoro in Argentina: “Vivo per vedere e per sperare che gli altri mi facciano vedere le cose che altrimenti non avrei mai visto”.

Vivere per vedere. In questa avidità di aprire gli occhi su altri mondi si trova il vero spirito di volontariato. Perché i volontari non costruiscono un mondo nuovo privo di differenze sociali, economiche, politiche o culturali, ma vedono e vivono l’alterità e così, anche incoscientemente, iniziano a cambiare il mondo partendo da se stessi.

Vedere per condividere. Perché il valore di esperienza di ogni volontario include non soltanto il lavoro fisico, reale svolto nei vari paesi del mondo ma anche lo scambio – interpersonale e interculturale - che continua anche dopo il campo di lavoro.

Condividere per coinvolgere. Perché i risultati di questo scambio possono e devono essere condivisi – nel nostro caso attraverso il concorso – per sensibilizzare sulle tematiche dell’intercultura e della solidarietà.

Crediamo che, grazie a questa idea globale di un campo di lavoro come una “porta aperta” alle altre realtà, ogni “testimonianza d’obiettivo” affascini e incuriosisca lo spettatore aldilà del livello artistico. Nel concorso fotografico “40 anni di Pace nei campi del mondo” non possono esserci vincitori o vinti perché il suo scopo è simile a quello dei campi di lavoro ed è quello di mostrare le differenze e varie identità ma non sceglierne una giusta. Tutto ciò rende il volontariato internazionale un percorso infinito ma allo stesso tempo più avvincente.

Ringraziamo tutti i volontari dello YAP che hanno partecipato al concorso e alle altre attività dell’associazione e speriamo di vederli di nuovo nei nostri progetti. Ringraziamo i nostri partner che collaborano con YAP per portare avanti le idee del volontariato, in particolare l’associazione culturale Sala 1 e la direttrice Mary Angela Schroth, l’Informagiovani di San Giorgio a Cremano (NA), Sonia Tammaro e Gaetano Riccio.

Liza Zaytseva

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"40 years of Peace in world camps" is the title of the competition and photo exhibition created by voluntary association YAP Italy to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its activity.

The idea of this event organized for the volunteers participating in international workcamps came out not by chance or because photography is the trendiest way to describe and assess the reality around us. In fact the question “why” has two answers: a superficial and a deep one, practical and philosophical.

On the one hand, the camera - small, large, professional or not - is a must-have item in the luggage of each volunteer (a suitcase, backpack, whatever it could be), it is probably the most usable of necessary objects. So for those who discover world workcamps taking pictures of beautiful or curious moments of their adventures is a mission more than possible, moreover funny.

But if it was just for fun the competition did not receive its current realization.

On the other side, the concept of competition was expressed by one of its participants, Fausto Aarya Santis, who made his voluntary experience in Argentina: "I live to see and hope others make me see things I would not have seen otherwise".

Live to see. This eagerness to open eyes to other worlds finds out the true spirit of volunteering. Because volunteers do not build a new world free of social, economic, political or cultural differences but they see and they live the experience of otherness and so, even instinctively, they begin from themselves to change the world.

See to share. Because the value of each volunteer's experience includes not only the real work done in the different countries of the world, but also the interpersonal and intercultural exchange which continues after the workcamp as well.

Share to engage. Because the results of this exchange must be shared - in our case thru a competition - to promote the ideas of interculture and solidarity.

We believe that through this whole idea of a workcamp as an "open door" to other realities, every photo, every "testimony of objective" fascinates and intrigues the viewer ahead of the artistic level. In the photo contest "40 years of Peace in world workcamps" winners or losers can not exist because its purpose is similar to that of workcamps and it’s to show the differences and allows different identities but not to select the right one. This fact makes the international volunteering an infinite road but it becomes more fascinating at the same time.

We thank all the volunteers of the YAP Italy who participated in the contest and other activities of the association and we hope to see them again in our projects. We thank our partners who work with YAP to take forward the ideas of volunteering, particularly cultural association Sala 1 and its director Mary Angela Schroth, Informagiovani of San Giorgio a Cremano (NA), Sonia Tammaro and Gaetano Riccio.

Liza Zaytseva

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STATISTICHE:

STATISTICS:

Al concorso “40 anni di pace nei campi del mondo” hanno partecipato 23 volontari, italiani ed internazionali.

Sono pervenute più di 80 foto di cui 26 sono state presentate nell’omonima mostra finale il 9 Ottobre 2010 durante il POSTCAMP EVENT di YAP Italia.

I partecipanti sono stati in più di 10 paesi del mondo tra quali Islanda, Messico, Argentina, Tanzania, Stati Uniti, Palestina, Repubblica Ceca, Germania, Francia, Italia, Portogallo, Marocco.

23 Italian and international volunteers took part in the photo contest “40 years of Peace in world workcamps”.

We received more than 80 photos and 26 of them were presented at the final exhibition “40 years of Peace in world workcamps” the 9th of October 2010 during the POSTCAMP EVENT of Yap Italy.

The participants have been in more than 10 countries as Island, Argentina, Mexico, Tanzania, United States, Palestine, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Morocco.

RISULTATI UFFICIALI DEL CONCORSO: THE OFFICIAL RESULTS OF THE COMPETITION:

Premio del pubblico (pubblicazione della foto sulla prossima locandina dello YAP):

LUIGI DELFINO "Circle of Trust"

The best photo chosen by the public jury (release on the next poster of YAP Italy):

Luigi Delfino "Circle of Trust" Premio della giuria tecnica “ex aequo” (partecipazione gratuita per il vincitore e una persona a sua scelta a uno dei campi di lavoro 2011):

MATTIA MAGLIANO "We walk on the same sand, we live on the same Earth" ALICE BARONI "Enlighted"

Prize of the technical jury (bonus for two persons of free participation to a workcamp of the season 2011):

MATTIA MAGLIANO "We walk on the same sand, we live on the same Earth" ALICE BARONI "Enlighted"

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ACHILLE AMMIRATA. JEWISH CEMETERY SDA 207 - Jewish Holesov, Czech Republic 23/07 - 06/08/2010 RENO/CULT The project takes place in Holesov, a small Moravian town, known for its large prewar Jewish community. The community was wiped-out in World War II and has only very few members today.

Places of importance are the Old Synagogue and the Jewish cemetery. Every year a festival of Jewish culture is held in the town.

The main activities are: √ working on the Jewish cemetery, where a wall at the ceremonial hall needs to be partly dismantled; √ helping with the technical preparations of the festival “Jewish Culture Week”, which is taking place in Holesov during the workcamp.

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ALICE BARONI. ENLIGHTED ME050/IPYL061/ 2010 Patrimonito Camp World Heritage, Hebron, Palestine 07/07-20/07/2010 CULT/HERI The work camp seeks to revive and bring life again into the old part of the city of Hebron which has gone and still, through many instabilities and disturbances resulting from political and economical situation in the city since four decades.

The work includes: √ joining the students in their practical and theoretical workshops on renovation of old sites; √ taking part side by side with the students and local volunteers in renovating two old houses which will be used afterwards as community centers that will serve the local community in the old city.

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ANY SOGHOMONYAN. RELIGIOUS GIRLS CPI 01 – Reporter di Pace, San Giorgio a Cremano, Naples, Italy 26/06 – 17/07/2010 ART/CULT International volunteers, together with local volunteers carry out activities involving the culture of peace and the role of volunteering in civil society.

The work includes: √ discussing about art as an instrument of peace and how it can be a means of solidarity; √ creating artistic works (drawing, graphic design, photography); √ organizing an exhibition to share the results of work with the public.

All the works produced are used for the realization of further exhibitions in the museum laboratory for peace and for the activities of promotion of Youth Action for Peace ITALY.

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CARLOTTA CICIOTTI. WASSER! IJGD 0332 - Of mermaids and pirates, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany 07/08-30/08/2010 KIDS The Youth Office of Bad Oeynhausen is putting on a two week summer break program for 130 children aged 6-13. Through stories, games, and crafts, the kids learn a great deal about mermaids and other fables from the world under the sea.

The activities include: √ building huts, going on excursions, and spending a night with the kids; √ earning to tie a sailor’s knot, making paper ships, creating sea animals, trying out water music, telling pirate stories; For one week volunteers prepare the project, and the program goes on for the second 2 weeks of the camp.

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SARA CODOGNOTTO. RIPOSO, RISATE E GIOCHI DOPO IL LAVORO ME047/IPYL059 — Nablus Smile, Nablus, Palestine 23/07 - 05/08-2010 REST/SOCI International Palestinian Youth League (IPYL) aims to empower Palestinian youth through nonformal educational programs, intercultural learning, training, media literacy and youth leadership activities.

The work program has been designed to best suit the needs of the people living in such hard places, as well as to effectively utilise the talents we anticipate volunteers will bring from abroad. The work is divided into different sessions such as: √ farming; √ painting; √ art; √ working with the disabled; √ music; √ sport.

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LUCA COPPOLA. CONCA DELLA COMPAGNIA CPI 10 – Conca Campania, Italy, 14/08 – 28/08/2010 ENVI/FEST On the territory of Conca Campania the great Italian architect Porcinai projected the Pineta Park, a sample of "paradise on earth". This park, abandoned for a long time, has been recently donated to the local branch of the PRO-LOCO association, who takes care about local development and youth empowerment.

Volunteers are involved in many different activities such as paths, signals and fences maintenance, lands reclaiming, garbage removing. Volunteers also have the chance to meet the local communities, participate in meetings, events and tastings of local products. Volunteers also collaborate in the organization of local festival.

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MONICA CASERTA. PLAYING IN UVIKIUTA UV231 – Uvicuta, ChamaziTemeke, Tanzania, 08/08 – 21/08/2010 SOCI/ENVI This project has been organized in collaboration with local Youth groups and schools with the aim of celebrating International Youth day 2010. There are various projects in the community under this global theme. However participants help and participate in the following activities: √ maintenance of botanic garden in the proposed Eco village; √ setting up grounds to be used to mark the International Youth day 2010 activities; √ participating in various workshops on Youth and sustainable living, global warming effects on Youth.

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FAUSTO AARYA SANTIS. DESIGN YOUR SKY Sas - Villa Ana, Santa Fe, Argentina 26/06-11/07/2010 CONS/SOCIAL/ENVI/KIDS/ HERI/CULT The project has the objective of working on activities related and forming part of the festivities on the route to the birthday of the village Villa Ana. The main activities are: √ construction of a bus stop on the road 32 which gives access to the village of Villa Ana; √ cleaning, painting and other activities in the local museum; √ reforestation with different species of trees characteristic of the zone in the area of the ex factory; √ dynamic activities with children of one marginalized neighbourhood.

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JACOPO MAURI. WALKING TOGETHER ON THE EARTH AND IN SPIRIT (THE REFLECTION ON THE WATER) SDA 112 - Fortress Kestrany, Czech Republic, 16/08 - 29/08/2010 RENO The workcamp takes place in the tiny village Kestrany.

It is situated in Southern Bohemia not far from the city Pisek. Part of the village is a unique complex of gothic buildings, amongst them are two old fortresses.

In the future, a cultural centre should find its place within the fortress.

The work is focused on the renovation of an old gothic fortress: √ uncover historical floor tiles at the courtyard of the fortress; √ uncover and clean paintings which are so far covered by plaster

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RICCARDO LELLI. ME AND KENNY VFP 01E-10 – New York, USA, 22/07 – 21/08/2010 DIS/SOCI Volunteers co-lead small groups of adults with special needs on short vacations to various destinations.

Responsibilities include ensuring safety, providing emotional and physical support, enhancing fun, budgeting, driving and activity planning 24 hours a day while on trips. Vols must be willing to assist with all Adult Daily Living skills (brushing teeth, separating dirty clothes, showering etc).

This is very challenging work, yet also very rewarding and fun. Experience working with this population is an asset but not required. Training is provided. Between trips, some light office work or assistance is required.

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LUIGI DELFINO. CIRCLE OF TRUST UV233 – Sports for community development, Chamazi, Tanzania, 08/08 – 21/08/2010 SPORT/FEST The volunteers are involved in organization of sports festival for kids and youngsters in the area.

Activities are following: √ preparing competitions for various schools √ award and helping in coordinating the activities √ coaching kids sports’ teams to participate in the festival. This is the part of celebration of International Youth Day 2010.

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GIORGIA TOSON. A JUMP IN THE WORLD

SJ61 - The limestome of la Ferté II, La Ferté sous Jouarre, France, 07/08 – 28/08/2010 RENO La Ferté sous Jouarre, the world capital of limestones, is located 60 km from Paris. The community of this village aims to upgrade the historical important patrimony. This is why they are looking forward to host international volunteers, which are going to restore the local patrimony constructed of those limestones. Volunteers are hosted at the centre of the association and therefore have the possibility to meet a group of 12 local volunteers.

Furthermore, a lot of activities and get-togethers with the inhabitants are planned. Some examples: √ canoeing; √ screenings of films, international feasts.

The volunteers certainly have the possibility to discover the cultural patrimony of the region and make excursions to Paris.

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ESMERALDA CULLHAJ. TALKING ABOUT...

CSM01B - Rabat, Morocco, 14/07 – 08/08/2010 LANG An Arabic language session is a special activity that CSM organizes every year. About 80 people coming from different countries participate in it. The objectives of this activity are: √ giving the opportunity to get basic knowledge of Arabic language. That knowledge could be useful for studies or travels in countries speaking this language; √ giving the opportunity to get in touch with the Moroccan culture and its way of life, and in consequences achieve a fruitful cultural exchange; √ giving the opportunity to have some basic knowledge about this language to brush up it and be adapted to different ways to use it.

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LORENZO PRAVETTONI. WORKING TEAM OH-B05 - Building Week, Parum Rectory, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, 01/08 – 14/08/2010 CONS Parum Rectory is located in a small village in the North of Germany, about 40 kilometres south of Rostock. The village consists only of one church, the former rectory, the church school and two old farmhouses.

The rectory, built in 1841, as the biggest in whole Mecklenburg, leads to it’s status being representative of typical manor architecture of this period. The interior of the house is almost unchanged, the old room structure is preserved, you can find the original doorways, windows and fittings and also wide hallways.

During the building weeks volunteers work on the exterior plaster of the rectory. Also the historical stucco profiles is renewed. The work realises under the guidance of an experienced bricklayer.

In the park behind the rectory the volunteers also do some gardening work and cleaning up the area. In case of bad weather the group work inside the house and do renovation works on the walls and floors.

Another job for rainy days could be to floor the attic with wooden planks, so that it could be uses for events and meetings in the future.

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HOSUN YI. ONDE DEL MONDO CPI 08 – Onda d’Urto Festival, Brescia, Italy, 08/08 – 02/09/2010 FEST For many years the social centre “Magazzino 47” in cooperation with YAP Italia and the media support of Radio Onda d’Urto, have been organizing a multiethnic festival in Brescia. The event is a good opportunity for many volunteers and participants to exchange information and experiences.

Volunteers help to put on and manage several stands of the Festival and clean the kitchen and other spaces. They work in the afternoon till late in the evening and have the opportunity to join the concerts, theatre performances, movies and DJ-sets.

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RICCARDO CENTONZE. ECO-BUILDING PT-BE-05-10 - Eco-Building, Odemira (Alentejo), Portugal, 22/08 – 05/09/2010 ENVI “Centro Ambiental de Cabaços (CAC) – Terra, Vento, Fogo e Água” it’s a non-profit Youth Association (NGO), which main goals are the environmental education and rural and local sustainable development.

Working activities during the workcamp are following: √ clay building construction (theoretic and practical team work using traditional techniques: earth floors, clay walls, green roofs, bio-climatic architecture); √ build one dry compost toilet; √ arts and crafts activities: graphic design techniques with natural materials; √ creating music instruments with recycling materials.

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FLORA CONTOLI. PIANTANDO ALBERI WF31 - Eco village, Sólheimar, Iceland, 16/08 – 31/08/2010 ENVI/MANU

Sólheimar Eco-Village, founded in 1930, is the first community in the world where the so-called able and disabled people live and work together.

Inspired by the theories of Rudolf Steiner, Sólheimar has focused on cultivating both the individual and the environment and it is the first community in Scandinavia to practice organic farming. Today, Sólheimar (the home of the sun) is a charming village of about 100 inhabitants, renowned for its international, artistic and ecological atmosphere, which prides itself on its varied cultural, social and sporting activities. The village is only a one-hour drive from Reykjavik. The volunteers have free access to the swimming pool and the gym.

Volunteers mostly work in the Ölur Forestry Centre (the only organic reforestation centre in Iceland) and in the Sunna Organic Cultivation Centre. During our stay, other tasks may arise depending on the needs of the community. The work in Ölur, and in the village as well, mostly consists in building paths and planting trees in Southern Iceland Farm Forest. In Sunna volunteers plant vegetables, eradicate weeds and do other gardening work.

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MATTIA MAGLIANO. WE WALK ON THE SAME SAND, WE LIVE ON THE SAME EARTH

UV233 – Sports for community development, Chamazi, Tanzania, 08/08 – 21/08/2010 SPORT/FEST The volunteers are involved in organization of sports festival for kids and youngsters in the area.

Activities are following: √ preparing competitions for various schools √ award and helping in coordinating the activities √ coaching kids sports’ teams to participate in the festival. This is the part of celebration of International Youth Day 2010.

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ELENA ZANUCCOLI. WORLWIDE FRIENDS IN ICELAND WF14 - Photographing and journalism, Nord-West Iceland, 02/08 - 16/08/2010 STUDY WF Iceland organizes groups of volunteers to visit different areas in Iceland, going from one project to another, taking photos, making interviews with volunteers, local community.

The leader of the camp is a professional journalist so the participants have a great opportunity to learn how to make interviews and take photographs.

In the beginning of the project volunteers have an introduction, than they go to the area of workcamps and stay there for one week. Then the group publish the outcome material in the magazine of WF Iceland called UNA.

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SIMONA MANZIERI, CINZIA MARI. BIG TURTLE

VIMEX 10 Turtles Marquelia, Guerrero, Mexico, 16/08 – 30/08/2010 ENVI/LANG From the 8 species of sea turtles in the earth, 7 of them arrive to Mexican coasts. Several factors make the turtles are in danger of extinction, then, we have a very strong commitment with the turtles protection as well as other ecosystems.

The main activities are: √ doing conservation tasks; √ collecting the turtle eggs; √ setting them in artificial nests; √ measuring and making marks to the females, √ making census and taking samples of the nests, picking up and carrying nests; √ patrolling the beach during night in order to protect the turtles that arrive to deposit eggs, √ doing data registered and liberating newborn turtles babies.

During the day you can clean the Bocana beach.

Another task is that you teach local children English or your own language.

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RICCARDO BENECCHI. CONFRONTI

ME050/IPYL061/ 2010 -Patrimonito Camp World Heritage, Hebron, Palestine 07/07-20/07/2010 CULT/HERI The workcamp seeks to revive and bring life again into the old part of the city of Hebron which has gone and still, through many instabilities and disturbances resulting from political and economical situation in the city since four decades.

The work includes: √ joining the students in their practical and theoretical workshops on renovation of old sites, √ taking part side by side with the students and local volunteers in renovating two old houses which will be used afterwards as community centers that will serve the local community in the old city.

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MARIA QUEROL. UNITED COLOURS OF... NAPLES! CPI 07 - GIS II, Naples, Italy, 17/07 - 31/07/2010 KIDS GIS (Gruppo di Impegno Sociale) is a not for profit organization that since 1995 works in social issues and voluntary civil service activities. Gis is also in charge of a kindergarten inside Monaldi Hospital.

Volunteers are involved in animation activities at kindergarten in Monaldi Hospital for children of 3-11 ages.

Volunteers Make the activities at the daily summer camp to support local workers and volunteers and manage workshops with international games, conversation and experience exchanges.

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“The local youth group we were working and interacting with was the Quebrachitos – their name tacking inspiration from the tree they saw disappearing from their lands. With around 20 members ranging from 14 to around 30, they really made me understand how important is the capacity to formulate a vision in creating social harmony. Coming from different economic backgrounds, with many of them interested in history, it was very interesting to see how the human psyche becomes much more active and constructive when instead of rejecting and forgetting the past, you try to understand it and then challenge the present. Forgetting is easy… embracing the past to mould the present and shape the future is not. It requires the capacity to find a harmony in confusion; a confusion caused by all your mixed feelings, external opinions, present struggles and some anger towards those who took your resources away.

Anger, revenge, frustrations do not ever disappear or fade away when we act passively on it – when we try to forget, think it never happened. The past never fades, it the very reason for our present to be the way it is. The only decision we have in this moment is how we incorporate this past in us; and if this is done constructively with your mind and heart being aware, active and ready to mould the present… then anger, revenge, frustrations can be great source for change. A change not based on destroying the past, but on a healthier incorporation of the past. How can anger change in love? “By dancing more together…” or in other words: by working on our mutual beliefs, on our inner desires. When we challenge our revenge, when we analyze our anger, when we understand our frustration… we turn from a passive view of life to an active way of living. This is what I feel this youth group has been able to achieve in formulating their vision.

Some people wonder why I don’t live in developed countries, my answer is because the youth has no vision. What do you do with money if you have no vision on how to use that money? When you have health but no desire to move out of your house? When you have schools but no motivation to learn? I live to see and to hope others make me see things I would not have seen otherwise… but if people around me don’t want to see then I rather close my eyes…”

Fausto Aarya Santis about his volunteer experience in Argentina

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40 ANNI DI PACE NEI CAMPI DEL MONDO | 40 YEARS OF PEACE IN WORLD WORKCAMPS a cura di Liza Zaytseva

ACHILLE AMMIRATA ALICE BARONI RICCARDO BENECCHI MONICA CASERTA RICCARDO CENTONZE CARLOTTA CICIOTTI SARA CODOGNOTTO FLORA CONTOLI LUCA COPPOLA ESMERALDA CULLHAJ LUIGI DELFINO RICCARDO LELLI MATTIA MAGLIANO SIMONA MANZIERI CINZIA MARI JACOPO MAURI LORENZO PRAVETTONI FAUSTO AARYA SANTIS ANI SOGHOMONYAN GIORGIA TOSON ELENA ZANUCCOLI MARIA QUEROL HOSUN YI 29

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