The first phase of the project “Nordic-Baltic Youth Initiatives for a Better Future” aimed at activating civic engagement of youngsters has concluded! 40 youngsters from 4 countries – Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Norway – participated in the project. The project coordinated by the European Movement – Latvia resulted in compilation of 33 inspiring youth initiatives.
The goal of the project is twofold: to identify youth initiatives that have initiated positive changes in a local school, neighborhood, city, region, or the whole country, and to encourage and motivate others to come up with new initiatives and implement ideas for a better future. Youngsters from four countries gathered, selected and evaluated the most powerful initiatives in their country, and turned those into sketches for the artist Yuri Tatarkin to transform into 15 pieces of art. The compilation of all 33 youth initiatives have been turned into inspirational material, which will be available in schools, libraries, and youth centers in various cities in Latvia. The first showcasing of the project results was at the Democracy Festival in Kuldīga on August 3. Besides the exhibition of 15 posters depicting different youth initiatives, also a discussion titled “Do Engagement Initiatives Need a Compilation?” (approximate translation from Latvian “Vai līdzdalībai ir vajadzīgs Dainu skapis?”) run by the European Movement – Latvia. In the discussion, participants were invited to share their thoughts and experiences on the desire and ability to learn from one another, and how common is it in our society. Also, unconscious learning by observing relatives, colleagues, and friends was discussed, as well as the creative potential within each of us. Participants also shared their ideas on fostering an environment for new youth initiatives to arise.
On August 12, the exhibition then traveled to the Youth Opportunities Festival “Kopums,” which took place in Līvāni. At this festival youngsters presented each initiative and explained the reasoning behind it and what makes it powerful and valuable. They also openly shared their experience of participation in this international project involving youngsters from four countries who met in person at two practical workshops – in Sigulda and Oslo.
In the second part of the project, the results will be disseminated in each participating country to raise the confidence of youngsters for initiating significant changes in their school, city, region or the entire country. The inspiring initiatives will also be showcased in Daugavpils within the framework of the Nordic Days, which take place every autumn in a different city in Latvia. We kindly invite libraries and other interested organisations to contact us on showcasing the materials to your visitors. To follow the traveling exhibition, check our social media profiles on Instagram and Facebook.
The project was implemented, and materials were produced in collaboration with project partners: European Movement in Latvia, the Lithuanian youth organisation LiJOT, the Finnish youth organisations Rozentāls-seura and Inarin kunta, and the Norwegian municipal organisation KS.
