Author: Ruzica Despotovska

“First of all, this is the only private theatre in the country, possessing its own premises completely focused on the independent theatre forms of any kind (regarding plays selection, elaboration of subjects and ideas, composing and deduction of conflicts, ideas processing etc). In terms of the artistic development, Theatra strives to raise the standards of the theatre production and to bring back the audience in the theatres.”

Theatra is a recently formed, independent theatre, formed by a group of young people. Through this short interview, with the producer, Maria Zafirova, we present its formation, members and the main ideas.
 Could you tell me who initiated the idea of Theatra (Skopje, Macedonia), who were the creators and the founders of the theatre and how was the entire organisation?

Theatra was born as a result of the necessity for free and, at the same time, unique artistic expression. The main initiator was Marija Zafirova, a producer, and the idea was spread to Biljana Radinoska, the director of Theatra. Moreover, the initiative was accepted by Natasa Petrovic, an actress, and Magdalena Dilevska, a graphic designer. It was planned for the new theatre to be opened with Biljana`s diploma work, the play Misanthrope by Moliere. The entire project was led by Marija, who succeeded to obtain a performance space and to form a team of co-workers (a costume designer, graphic designer, marketing manager and dramatist). The premiere of Misanthrope took place in April, 2011, and so, Theatra was opened. Later, the team expanded with three more members: a web designer, a programmer, and a writer. The credit for this successful assembly of creative people goes to Marija, in addition to the entire team`s will for revival of a new theatre collective as well as a brand new theatre.

1. What makes Theatra so different and unique, what are the principles and the standards that it follows and its direction of development regarding the theatre artistic development?

First of all, this is the only private theatre in the country, possessing its own premises completely focused on the independent theatre forms of any kind (regarding plays selection, elaboration of subjects and ideas, composing and deduction of conflicts, ideas processing, etc.). Another unique aspect about Theatra is the way it promotes the events i.e. the marketing process. That includes 24/7 updating of the site www.theatra.org, as well  as the Facebook page  www.facebook.com/Theatra, in addition to the everyday communication with the audience, responsibility for distribution of promotion materials for the performances which usually takes place on the streets of the city, the square and all the locations in Skopje. All this provides an intensive communication with the spectators. In terms of the artistic development, Theatra strives to raise the standards of the theatre production and to bring back the audience in the theatres.

2. Could you mention some additional data, in terms of theatre projects that already took place, who is responsible for them and also about the possibility of becoming a member of the team?

The first Theatra project was the comedy Misanthrope by Moliere.  A group of young and thoroughly devoted actors formed the acting team and instantly charmed the audience. The play covers a lot of the current issues such as: false friendships, love relationships only to meet one`s own interests, hypocrisy, etc. It gives a clear picture of the world we live in today. Misanthrope participated on two theatre festivals: Impact in Veles and Kultura in Stip. During the summer, two theatre workshops were organised “Me, An actor” and “Me, Who”. That was a chance for those who are not professional actors to reveal their acting potential and to work according to classical and experimental methods. By the end of the summer and the beginning of September, the second greater project was launched, the play Zvukot na koskite sto se krsat (The Sound of the Breaking Bones). It is performed according to a text written by the Canadian writer Susan Lebo and it presents a sphere of the Macedonian theatre which has not been reached and covered until now. It is a story about the disorder and the horror as a result of the tribe wars in Africa. The play is part of the theatre’s repertoire on Wednesday at 21.00. The tickets for all performances till now have been sold. All the projects are led by the producer Marija Zafirova. On the profile of the theatre collective of Theatra, you can notice that everyone who is familiar with what is happening in Theatra, or the theatre they represent, can be involved in a project. The premises of Theatra are also used for already composed performances and play participating as hosts with the ultimate goal to form as many contacts and links as possible between the people of both theatre and artistic world.

3. How was it like to be part of MOT (Mlad Otvoren Teatar-Youth Open Theatre trans.), considering the fact that the theatre was recently formed? How did you manage to carry “the burden” of the opening of the 36-th edition of MOT?

The fact that we have become part of a successful story as well as part of the Macedonian theatre history is a great honour for an independent theatre. I would also have to add that it is not very common for a theatre of this calibre to host the opening of a highly important and great event such as MOT.  We didn`t even feel “the burden” which was a wind at the back for Theatra. Our theatre has matured and evolved relatively swiftly considering the dramatic expression and the freshness carrying within itself. In terms of production, director, actors, costume designer, and music, Zvukot na koskite sto se krsat (The Sound of the Breaking Bones) is much alike other MOT plays as well as the performances on a world level.

4. Last but not least, your future plans and expectations?

Next, we plan a drama studio and one more premiere by the end of the year. The vision of Theatra is, by every following project, to reconstruct the theatre beams in order to find autonomous and inspiring forms. Regarding organisation, Theatra strives to develop more successful system and in terms of creativity, it inquires and tells stories in an effortless manner. When you cook, plan your holiday, or read a book, you follow a certain system or a plan all the time and, at the same time, you feel an impulse that maintains the excitement and helps you to encircle, disassemble, and reconstruct that system. That is exactly what Theatra is trying to do: to keep the zest all the time.

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 Author: Ruzica Despotovska

The development of the latest technology in addition to the social media development gives opportunities for presenting certain event at the exact time and from the exact place where the journalist is located. Moreover, it gives opportunities to the ordinary people to share true and first-hand information (mostly video recording or photo-taking). In that manner, the investigation of information has become more impartial (having the opportunity to go through several sources) and, when it comes to reporting, there is also a possibility to break geography borders.

From 27-30 October, 2011, the first conference for young European reporters Young Press.eu took place in Antwerp, Belgium. Organised by Stamp Media, a Belgian youth press agency, for the period of three days, as it lasted, the young people had a chance to investigate the current situation in the fields of journalism and reporting, as well as their perspective in future, through discussions, workshops and other interactive methods. There were 84 participants at the conference, all young reporters from Europe, working in various spheres of reporting (from classical reporting to completely alternative journalism). The event was launched the night of October 27th and the opening night was located at Arendbergschouwburg in Antwerp. The ceremony was original, not being overburdened by glamour and spectacles, but rather filled with fresh and young energy. The opening night finished with the inspirational speech of Paul Lewis, investigative editor of The Guardian, who presented a quite positive outlook for the future of journalism. The two following days were the core of the conference. The Friday (October 28) was a rather busy day, when all the discussions and workshops were held. There were four major questions, divided into four workshops:

·        The omnipresence of the media

·        The spread of biased information

·        New models and experimentation

·        The future of high-quality investigative journalism

However these workshops and questions raised many others, consequently, provoking various answers, predictions and expectations, seen through the prism of the young people coming from completely different backgrounds, from all over Europe, united in the idea to create high quality stories.

Natasa Vidakovic

The Opening Night and the Speech of Paul Lewis (The Guardian)

The ceremony was opened with the speech of Stefan Kolgen, the coordinator of Stamp Media-a youth press agency in Antwerp, Belgium. He gave a short summary about the meaning of the conference and its content.  He emphasized the importance of the journalism as “the watchdog of democracy” and its power to shape the public thought.

He noted that that could be very positive, but very dangerous as well, due to the possibility the information to be misinterpreted or abused. That is why he stated that the quality journalism and reporting was of an utmost importance. Since the media are omnipresent in the contemporary world and the spread of biased information is quite common, the possibility to shape people`s minds in a wrong direction as well as present a distorted image of the reality raises a huge problem. “One of the solutions”, he added, “is the creation of new models of journalism and alternative reporting”.

The speech of Paul Lewis (The Guardian) presented a rather positive outlook of the current and the future situation of the journalism. According to him, the development of the latest technology in addition to the social media development, gave opportunities for presenting certain event at the exact time and from the exact place where the journalist is located. Moreover, it gave opportunities to the ordinary people to share true and first-hand information (mostly video recording or photo-taking).  In that manner, the investigation of information has become more impartial (having the opportunity to go through several sources) and, when it comes to reporting, there is also a possibility to break geography borders. As a best example he mentioned Twitter that, as he stated, “has brought the journalist in direct contact with the source of information.”  However, he added that there were a lot of journalists that were rather nostalgic for the “good golden days of journalism”, being rather sceptical that the novelties in that field, such as internet, social media and other sources, enabling instant access to information, would lower the quality of the investigation process. In terms of objectivity and the possibility the various sides of the story to disperse the realistic presentation, he emphasised that it is the precision that was more important, rather than taking sides in a story or the pursuit to be completely objective, since that was not completely possible.  At the end he concluded that the days of well paid journalism were over and that now it is dependent upon state and other organisations. Therefore, the social tools “simple, yet sophisticated” are extremely important for the story to be more accurate and impartial. He concluded that the new technology and tools were those that should bring another bright era in journalism.

 Workshops’ Structure and Issues

As I already mentioned, throughout the conferences, four major issues were covered, through which another topics were discussed as well. There was a great amount of discussion; around 17 speakers shared their experiences in the field of journalism they have mastered, or felt most confident to talk about. However, the conferences were just an introduction to what was about to be discussed throughout the workshops. While the conferences were mostly based on presenting speaker`s work to the audience with the possibility participants to ask questions, the workshops were more interactive and gave in-depth analysis of the certain issue that was covered. Since all participants were able to take part only in two workshops, I shall present those in which I have participated. Annabel McGoldrick held the workshop named as “The spread of biased information”. She is a former journalist, but now she is devoted to psychotherapy and successfully investigates the psychological side of journalism and writing stories, pioneering in a new journalism branch-peace journalism. She made a detailed analysis to what extent can the information influence people`s minds and how it can shape people`s thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs. She focused on the problem of empathy erosion, i.e. a distorted image for certain news, presenting the things “black and white” and forming symbols of adore or hate produced by certain leaders or nations. While the war journalism focuses on locating only the problems and looking for the villain in the story by spreading disguised facts, McGoldrick and her peace journalism prefer peaceful solutions to the problems.

Natasa Vidakovic - Omnipresence of the Media lecture

Henk Blanken held the second workshop “The omnipresence of the media”.  As a journalist, writer, and blogger as well as currently as a investigative journalist, he organised a workshop where we discussed the sources of information today and the consequences of the internet and technology on journalism and media. We further compared the contemporary and the old-days journalism and made the distinction between the civic journalism (composed by ordinary people) and the professional one. Eventually, we questioned the transparency and quality of modern journalism and the impact democracy and technology have on it. The other workshops that I did not participate in were held by Stefan Andrea (The future of high-quality investigative journalism) and Alex Wood (New models and experimentation), who also included a great deal of their work experiences and useful information in their conference speeches.

Antwerp- Experience of a Lifetime

Despite the fact that we had spent most of our time discussing on the conferences and the workshops, we also had time to meet each other and establish contacts with wide range of different people from various backgrounds, experiences, and fields of interest. We spend every spare moment to meet each other as representatives of our countries and cultures, but as separate individuals as well. As the city itself is a mixture of historic buildings, museums, churches, and cathedrals on one hand, and modern cafes and shopping centers on the other, these four days were a mixture of young people of various cultures as well.

The architecture of the diamond center of the world, mostly dating from the 16th and the 17th century (a period considered to be the golden era of the city), and, in addition to the medieval and renaissance structure of the buildings, almost all streets have kept the paving stone style. Although, the buildings still have historic exterior, inside, they are contemporary, modern institutions and objects. In spite of its old, historic appearance and the abundant tranquility in early mornings, the city is filled with the young and fresh spirit, the spirit of tolerance and multiculturalism.

p.s. I would like to thank Natasa Vidakovic and Yousef Shakarman who decided to take part in the article and shared with us some of their photographs.

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Brain Drain 1999-2003 by spierzchala@flickr.com

                                                   Author: Angela Velkova

I often dreamt of reaching new horizons, stretching myself to the limit, throwing myself into new challenges, of some organized society with innumerable opportunities for every young person calling upon me…hence, when the opportunity came, I couldn’t resist it. For one academic year I was diligently studying in the USA. The new world I saw and experienced did not let me enter into an emotional crisis. I avow that I did not have time to feel homesick. However, deep down, I harbored a desire to return home, back in my Macedonia. A Country most commonly seen by its citizens as a temporary place of residence where they were “doomed” to be born and witness the harsh implications of a transition era. Country where young people are triggered by the same drive to pursue their happiness abroad; however, the drive to return back in their country of origin never overrides their motives to stay in a foreign land.

Yes, I find the perpetual drain of young brains, or the so-called brain drain process, as the main cause for the poor economic and social progress of my country. Attesting the 20^th independence anniversary of Macedonia, I contemplate about the brief but turbulent history of a country close to my age, country that was maturing along with entire generation of young enthusiasts who are now on the threshold of undertaking their future roles in society. In reality though, what this generation has withstood during its development years are massive job layoffs, high unemployment rate, large-scale corruption, stagnation in the economic growth, low standards of living, ubiquitous poverty, and ethnic conflicts. So I ask myself a question: Should I or anyone else, be surprised about the current situation with lack of competent and motivated young people to stay and create in Macedonia? Should we only blame it on the “relentlessly” ambitious young people who use every single opportunity to “wander around”, or maybe we should first look closely at the myriad of reasons underlying their decisions to depart and never return back?

Brain Drain by what what@flickr.com

Naturally, I shall start with the hidden and not so apparent causes of youth migration with reflection on both past and current economic and political surroundings.  As all politicians prefer to pass the buck on preceding governments and regimes, I hereby aver that I shall not exclude any period from this short synopsis looking far before the Independence Day of 1991.

Namely, more than a century ago, young men from my country were parting from their fiancés or young wives, embarking on an agonizing journey towards a better world away from their motherland. They were forced to depart mainly because of poverty, economic crisis and political instability. Therefore, they were leaving abroad their best years, their health and sometimes even their lives. Many of them never returned to their homeland. The strife for earnings and better life deeply suppressed in them the innate and natural desire to go back to the roots. Driven by this inexhaustible source of inspiration, our national writers put into verse the sorrow of the farewell, the happiness of the reunion and the grief for the forever lost family ties.

While part of the Yugoslav Federation, or as seniors favor to say, in its “golden years”, Macedonia has actually served as a fertile resource center for supplying other member-countries with raw materials further manufactured on their soil. Apparently, however, Macedonians seemed to be fine with acting as farmers as long as they all had their equal portion of the budget pie on the 1^st of the month. For the ones that the former was unacceptable and unfair, they sought their just treatment in the more developed countries within the federation. This has resulted in a steady growth of Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian economies at the expense of Macedonian technological backwardness and economic decline.

Although the example mentioned above might seem remote and dating from socialist times, the current situation is somewhat similar and unaltered. Macedonian exports are still encompassing mainly raw materials that once manufactured abroad are again imported in Macedonia with a significant amount of added value. Recalling Smith’s theory in this particular case, we shall focus our efforts on producing raw materials rather than developing our own technology for manufacturing them. Why would someone “attempt to make at home what it will cost him more to make than to buy” (Smith 1776)? Unfortunately, Macedonian adhering to this maxim has rated the country as one of the poorest countries in Europe with underdeveloped industry and infrastructure.

Migration By Niels van Hofslot@flickr.com

Inevitably, new trends in both internal and external migration emerge, these being a lot more intense and concerning in the past 20 years of independent Macedonia. Prompted by the opportunity for academic improvement and better conditions for building professional and successful career, Macedonian people are frequently migrating to the Western world. The pool of migrants usually consists of highly qualified young individuals in whom the society has invested and expects this investment to be compensated for a social progress and development. Contrary to all expectations, however, many beautiful villages and towns in my country have become dilapidated and almost wiped off the national map. In many of them, children’s voices have long ceased to be heard. The situation in other regions of Macedonia is, on the other hand, strikingly different. New contemporary housing and building complexes are rapidly emerging as a contrast to the old and abandoned neighborhoods. These are constructed by the Macedonian Diaspora that decided to invest in the country of origin in order to provide improved conditions when prepared to move back home. Their final homecoming is, however, subject to perpetual procrastination. In most cases they return as seniors.

However, we cannot overlook the benefits as well. Macedonian migrants earn a lot more money than they would in their own countries. The country of destination on the other hand, that receives them and provides them with a job, achieves higher GNP growth. A significant amount of the saved earnings is invested back in the country of origin as well. It is important to note however, that what usually happens is an unwise distribution of earnings leading to an unequal regional development. The investments by migrants then result in a widened gap between the regions within Macedonia itself. This is mainly because the migrants from poor rural regions invest only in big cities with developed infrastructure. This process is furthermore accelerated by the steady internal migration from rural into urban centres despite the need of workforce in the rural regions. Forever leave thence the young population compelled to search for personal and professional development in the metropolitan areas. Many of them, together with the young brains coming from every part of the country further decide to build their careers in developed countries; countries that provide a fertile soil for them to create, this adding to the poverty in Macedonia leaving the country perspectiveless and with a considerable developmental lag.

Therefore, the most developed countries are neither the oldest nor the most populated ones. These are the countries and systems that managed to attract and motivate the most skilled cadres from all over the world; cadres that contributed to their highest progress, promoting modern and effective ways of corporate working while nurturing positive business culture.

Brain drain by mag3737 @flickr.com

Nevertheless, I presume I cannot exhaust the list of benefits and negative implications caused by migration. Present-day state of transport and communication transformed the world into big global village making it difficult for national and international communities to acknowledge the side effects of migration and brain drain. I believe it is important then to highlight the benefits of population mobility taken as free flow of people, services and ideas on an international level. Meanwhile it should be stressed that the accumulated knowledge and expertise gained in the developed countries must be brought back in Macedonia after several years of studying and working abroad. Here, in their motherland, in considerably altered conditions and under legally regulated development policies migrants are going to invest in their own businesses thence “investing” in the progress of the community and the economy in general.

Improved conditions and positive business climate, however, will not come out of the blue. The government must take serious steps towards dealing with the harsh bureaucratic paralysis still present in the public sector of our country. It also has the responsibility of controlling the distribution and spending of invested funds. In order to overcome these obstacles or, more importantly, to instill trust in investors, I believe it should start with combating corruption and its negative implications. Namely, the enthusiasm with which entrepreneurs might enter Macedonian business scene can be severely curbed by this modern phenomenon. It jeopardizes and violates the personal integrity as well as the codes of professional deontology. Moreover, it defies the principles of public morality and persistently threatens the freedom of the creative spirit. Very often the corruption sets boundaries between the driving forces of the mind: the endeavor on one hand and the goal to be accomplished on the other hand. However, instead of being perceived as an obstruction and a real threat, the corruption in Macedonia is treated as a common phenomenon, thus as a normal daily behavior. In fact, the corruption is an illusion of success for our society that suffers from severe forms of self-disorganization. Facts show many failed projects and unrealised investments due to meagre mechanisms for fighting corruption and dealing with ineffective administration or a lack of promotion of business ethics and bon-ton. All this leads to an omni-present mistrust in the system resulting in migrants’ preference to stay longer in the country of destination limiting their investments solely to buying personal estates in the country of origin.

In brief, speaking both from my personal experience as a mobile youth and having contemplated about youth migration in general, I hope young people will continue to explore our beautiful Planet and enjoy the benefits each corner of the world has to offer. However, I also hope that these same young people will be willing to return to their homelands, to everyone’s advantage. Therefore, to plow our own fields, to grow our own vegetables, to coil our home steel, to invent our own innovation…. This is what will open new and rich markets; markets that will provide work for armies of diligent and responsible workers, here, in our homeland. Migration will then exist only temporarily without negative repercussions in the long run. Finally, the mobility will be reduced to pleasant and exciting touristic trips.

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

 
Author: Vasko Talevski

My first thought when I started writing this article was how to combine a simple and useful guide to accompany travellers in their exploration of the biggest state in America- Texas. The Lone Star State, as many people call it, is the American proudest and friendliest state. This giant desert is home to 25 million people: a diversity of communities living under the same blistering sun by the motto “friendship”. Travellers going to Texas need to know few things about the state’s weather, transportation, the beautiful national parks and nature, the manner of conduct, and the tasteful cuisine.

The weather in Texas varies a lot due to the state’s large size, but it is mostly hot, and when I say hot, I mean REALLY hot! The Texas desert is so hot and dry that there are many fires throughout the year. In fact, it is so hot that there are not many trees to offer shade. Texas also has the highest number of tornados in America. People that want to travel across Texas need to take necessary precautions, avoid direct sunlight, wear a hat, and use sunscreen. Furthermore, if you decide to walk and explore the countryside make sure you have lots of liquids with you.

Due to the extreme weather in Texas many people use transportation. The most used vehicles in Texas are the trucks. Texans use trucks for all sorts of stuff but mostly because they are good work vehicles, and go hand in hand with cowboy hats and rough terrain. If you want to explore the countryside, to save some time, and to avoid the scorching sun you better take your car with you or have some other type of transportation.

Texas Highway 22 by Texas Photo Wrangler@flickr.com

The Lone Star State takes pride in its nature. Texas has it all: national parks, mountains, prairies, forests and seacoasts. The abundance of national parks draws many visitors to this state, and this is where the real adventure begins. If you go to Texas and have a chance and time to visit a national park be sure to do so, because it is a must. The parks are vast, clean and well maintained. Some of the most popular national parks in Texas are The Guadalupe, Big Bend, and The Rio Grande among many others. The true colours of Texas are seen in the big clear skies, while the remarkable desert that this state provides always beats the cramped city living.

One thing visitors in Texas have to remember is to respect people. This is one trait everyone should have, especially in Texas. Texans are friendly and like to be addressed by Ma’am and Sir, but get easily offended if not treated with respect. Among the few things Texans do not like is to be called “rednecks” and to be criticized about their barbeque cooking. So, whenever you find yourself in Texas try to be on your best behaviour.

Texas is a place that has a great diversity of people and with great diversity come variety of things. One thing that stands out is the delicious cuisine that Texas provides. The Lone Star State is actually its own culinary region. With the blend of American and Mexican food we get the famous hybrid cuisine known as Tex-Mex. Some of the most popular Tex-Mex dishes are Enchiladas, Chili con Carne, Guacamole, Taco Casserole, Texas Pinto Beans, and many others. Therefore, if you happen to find yourself in Texas, make sure to stop by and try some of the variety of delights offered by the Tex-Mex cuisine.

To indulge in the great adventures and pleasures this gigantic state has to offer, you only need to remember and follow the above-mentioned tips. So be fully prepared, buckle up, and ride through the countryside like a true cowboy.

Yippee-Ki-Yay

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Fontana Magica by MorBCN@flickr.com

 Author: Jasna Veljanovska

Ah, Barcelona! – Words that are often heard from people who had the opportunity to visit this city. Barcelona will literally take your breath away. You will want to go there again and again. As soon as you arrive in Barcelona, you will be pleasantly impressed by the beauty of the city, especially if you decide to have a walk during the day. The sun gives the city a special charm and portrays the spirit of the typical Catalonian buildings and monuments. What is more interesting is the fact that the sun in Barcelona usually sets at 9 o’clock or even at 10 o’clock in the evening. However, I must point out that even during the night, street lights give one-of-a-kind charm to the city, something that cannot be noticed during daylight.

Let’s start with the city transport. Barcelona’s transport is very well organized. Traffic lights are placed in appropriate places and they ease jams. Of course, sometimes there is a traffic jam due to the great number of tourists who come to Barcelona either with their own vehicle or with sightseeing busses that offer a panoramic view of the city. You will notice that local people frequently use a bicycle to get to desired destinations.

Besides, Barcelona has a huge harbor. It is one of the biggest harbors in Europe which has been increasing the number of tourists throughout the years. Near the harbor, there is a vast monument of Christopher Columbus who points to the sea. The harbor is divided in three zones, the Port Vell zone being the most popular one where only small ships, yachts and boats anchor. Port Vell is well-known for having the biggest aquarium in Europe with about 9.000 different fish species.

MorBCN@flickr.com

Moreover, there is Maremagnum, a huge mall that is, in fact, the only mall working on holidays and on Sundays due to the great turnout of people. There, you can find many brand shops, such as Leftie’s, Bershka, Stradivarius, H&M, Pull & Bear, Skater Shop, Starbucks, McDonald’s, Barcelona FC fan shop, souvenir shops etc. Right near the aquarium and Maremagnum, there is a huge IMAX 3D cinema where you can enjoy yourself watching movies. When getting to this Maremagnum complex, you will cross a bridge that is overcrowded with tourists who either take photos or sit on the benches and take pleasure in the amazing view of the sea. In case you decide to get to the city center walking, you will come across the most famous street, La Ramblas.

There are many different boutiques, restaurants, cafeterias and souvenir shops on both sides of La Ramblas. Just bear in mind that you should be very careful when passing through this street because it is a big target for thieves. Although there are many policemen, they cannot always help you if you get robbed. Barcelona is widely known as a city where tourists are constantly thieves’ target. So, I’d advise you to wear a small purse rather than a rucksack as you won’t notice if someone cuts your rucksack and slowly and professionally “empties” it. The thieves usually operate near the monuments and in the metro so keep your eyes open. You won’t recognize them since everyone can be a thief, from teenagers to elder people. Be careful when asking local people for directions because one of them might be a thief. However, you shouldn’t be afraid too much. Without a doubt, there are many nice and polite people who will gladly help you. Anyways, if you get in touch with the local people, avoid saying that Barcelona is one of the most beautiful Spanish cities. Namely, Barcelona is the capital of the few Catalonian provinces, so locals regard themselves as Catalonians, not Spanish.

Parc Güell - Barcelona by MorBCN@flickr.com

Among the other places you must visit is the famous basilica La Sagrada Familia which is a work of the well-known architect Antonio Gaudi. The basilica is a Roman Catholic Church built in a gothic style. It is not finished yet because it is still in the process of construction. Also, when in Barcelona, you must see the Magic Fountain of Montjuic. Its beauty is not only in its hugeness and glamour but also in the delivery of a spectacular display of colors and lights with a musical accompaniment during nights on certain days of the week. This is a wonderful experience. Try not to miss this sensation. Then, continue going up the hill Montjuic where you can see a typical Spanish village, the Olympic Stadium where the summer Olympic games are held and the renowned football stadium Camp Nou which is number one in the world in seating capacity and former number one in greatness. Here, you can visit the football team’s museum where you can find many trophies, pictures and football stuff which are part of the history of FC Barcelona. When on Montjuic, don’t forget to take a splendid panorama photo of the city.

If you want to eat or shop, Barcelona is a perfect place for that. Not only there is a variety of things, but the prices are suitable, too. The prices in the boutiques are the same almost everywhere; however, if there is a discount, you will surely leave the shop with lots of new stuff. Also, don’t buy souvenirs in the first souvenir shop you see. Go to souvenir shops that are placed far from the momentums or in some mall so that you will get souvenirs for a cheap price. Plus, don’t panic if you didn’t buy that amazing souvenir in the first shop because you can find the same one in all other shops. Last but certainly not least, don’t miss the opportunity to attend a Flamenco show. You will be part of a tow-hour wonderful show with an original Spanish dance and music. Besides, you will have the opportunity to drink as much Sangria (a fruit wine) as you want. But don’t drink too much because the sweet taste can blur your mind so grabbing a taxi will be the only way to get to your place.

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The Unemployed Workaholic By Laughing Squid@flickr.com

Author: Greet Jans

This article is product of the project My Europe.

Reporting on European youth from the different parts of the continent. Young journalists from different countries and different media organizations are working all together to show how dynamic and innovative is the youth of Europe.

European media makers from Mladi Info (http://www.mladiinfo.com/), Euradio Nantes (http://www.euradionantes.eu/), Journal Europa (http://www.journaleuropa.info/) and European Youth Press (http://www.youthpress.org) are reporting here on the topics of Gender equality, Youth unemployment, Volunteering and Intergenerational solidarity.

Let’s deal with the topics which were, are or will be in the European agenda. But… in a different way, showing our own vision on what the young people of Europe create and invent to answer those big issues. In a personal approach, our young reporters are analysing how is the youth involved in civil society, to create another way of building the continent.

Project is supported by the fund of Nantes Creative Generations

This is our Europe, this is My Europe.

Due to the global economical crisis the youth unemployment rate in Europe over the last years peeks historically high. Special care is taken of the youth unemployment rate, which is generally higher. In 2010, with the rate for the EU at 20.9 %, more than one on five young Europeans was not employed, but looking and available for a job.

Investing in youth is investing in the future and Europe has understood that since long. Inside the European Union a lot of efforts are made to increase the youth employment and the topic is listed as one of the priorities of the past year. But how is the situation in the neighboring and candidate countries? Are they at a similar level as the EU? We’ll try to briefly describe the current situation in one of the former Yugoslavian republics and current candidate for EU-membership, namely the Republic of Serbia.

The problem of unemployment

According to data of Youth, Employment and Migration (YEM), a United nations joint programme that has as goal increasing youth employment in Serbia whilst reducing the negative impact of return and irregular migration, the youth unemployment rate in April 2010 was as high as 46.4 %. This rate is incredibly high and exceeds more than double the EU-rate. Only a small 15 % of the population aged between 15 and 24 was listed as employed (in comparison with 47.2 % for the whole working age population).  (Source: Eurostat 2010)

“Unity, clear vision, and strong determination are needed to tackle youth unemployment in Serbia” was the opening statement of Miljenko Dereta, the Director of Civic Initiatives in November 2010 at the roundtable under the theme “From education towards the labour market”.  This event was just a small part of the awareness campaign about youth (un)employment, considered one of the vital challenges to the Serbian economy and society.

unemployment #1 by somenoise@flickr.com

Strategy for the future

The UN Joint Programme “Promotion of Youth Employment and Management of Migration” has build out a strategy to increase the activity of the youth by 2020. Based on statistics, growth models and expected economical revival after the crisis, they have come up with two key goals: reducing the unemployment rate of the youth (15-24 years) from 46 % in 2010 to 24 % in 2020, and increasing the employment rate of the young adults (25-29 years) from 48 % in 2010 to 68 % in 2020. (Sources: Serbia: Youth Employment Targets until 2020)
Behind these progressive goals lies a complex strategy to reach them. The programme believes that the start needs to be: to mainstream youth employment and migration policy objectives into national development strategies, to strengthen the capacity of national institutions to develop integrated labour market and social services, and to implement a package of programmes on employment.
These three objectives are being implemented by Youth Employment Fund (YEF) in the districts of South Backa, Belgrade and Pcinjski, where the rate of youth unemployment and poverty with its 20-30% above average is stunningly high which provoked an emigration of nearly 100,000 young people over the past 5 years. (Source: First Annual Report for the Youth Employment Fund)

Concrete actions

YEF implemented the Active Labour Market programmes (ALMs), which aim to facilitate the transition from education to employment. YEF supports them through a couple of initiatives such as work placements, trainings and self-employment grants. Where needed additional grants for child care, mobility and accessibility of the workplace are distributed.
The Active in the acronym opposes to the so-called passive measures such as unemployment insurance or financial transfers to the unemployed. Last year, the first annual report of the fund was published to provide an overview of the outcomes so far. They report the growing employment of the youth in companies in southern Serbia, where they were given the chance to build skills and to expand their professional experience. They call the creation of alike new opportunities beneficiary for the participants, their families as well as their local communities.

Awareness is the first step

When discussing the problem of growing youth inactivity one of the terms most used is awareness. Young people need to be made aware of their possibilities, their opportunities, their rights and their duties as part of the local and global community. Most youngsters are willing to undertake action but because of disadvantaged social and economical situations they don`t know where to start. In those cases both formal and non-formal education can offer a solution. While YEF is providing more formal trainings in enterprises and companies, NGO’s as People’s Parliament, one of the oldest in South Serbia, organizes projects and non-formal trainings with similar goals.

Call back by Cayusa@flickr.com

Active participation of young unemployed

One of these projects was a training course called Active participation of young unemployed people. This project targeted young long-term unemployed living from social welfare or in some form of poverty. The main goal was to make these young people with fewer opportunities aware of the possibilities they have and to share their experiences with youngsters from the region who find themselves in similar situations. During an eight day training in Nis, Serbia, 28 people from Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania and Macedonia, normally without any opportunity to participate in this kind of non-formal event, were given the chance to listen, speak and learn.

The project mainly wanted to convert the passiveness of the youngsters into active participation and accordingly provided them with motivation and tools for that. These youngsters, paralyzed by economical and social obstacles, were taught to become more active citizens and job-seekers. Their awareness about the responsibility of every single one of us in tackling poverty and marginalization was raised by creating cooperation between people from different migrant, ethnic and religious backgrounds. They were shown that active participation in society can solve the youth unemployment issue and benefit their own by starting with overcoming their personal economic disabilities.

Solution?

As can be seen a lot is undertaken to help Serbia to approach the EU-level in the area of employment and youth activeness. Nebojsa Djeric, active in several Serbian NGOs and trainer specialized in inclusion, is a good example of employment through youth activism. “Youth unemployment really is a big problem in Serbia and it‘s not easy to find a short-time solution. Young people live their lives without goals and motivation, they live only for today…” A long time ago Nebojsa decided to devote his life to youth work and activism. He believes that the solution for beating youth unemployment can be found in youth activism and initiatives. “Young people should use the opportunities offered through non-formal education more. There exists a wide spectrum of youth programs, but unfortunately youngsters aren’t informed about them.”
He confirms that the government plays a crucial role in fighting youth unemployment, and states that they should strive towards inclusion into society for every single person. On the other hand, he feels that it’s not enough to just wait for something to be changed and blame the government for all the problems youth is facing with. The non-governmental sector offers many possibilities for self employment through different local, national, regional and international youth programs and projects as well.
In his opinion, the first step towards a possible solution must be taken by the youth: “by increasing their awareness and willingness to do something, to change something… to make a progress in their lives. If young people represent the future of Serbia than they should act as responsible citizens, future leaders, start to invest in themselves and take up responsibility for their lives and their actions.”

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

On the 4th of November Mladiinfo celebrated its 3rd birthday in Skopje with a party at the MKC club.
Ivan Radenov from Macedonian idol was in charge of the music together with his band Aquarius and
thanks to them the dance floor was never empty. The peak moment was when the b-day cake was brought and we have never seen such a huge cake been eaten that fast.

Our thanks go out to all the people that celebrated with us, to the whole team and supporters of Mladiinfo, to the participants and speakers on our training and conference, to the band for playing such a good danceable music, to Kanela for the great cake, to MKC for the good service and of course to all our friends that were there to party with us.
Thanks!

PS: Check out more photos here!

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

Author: Marija Hristova

An interview with Ilija Prokopiev, artist from Macedonia, participant at the Biennial of the Mediterranean. What is this event all about? What’s special about it? What does it mean for the young artists? Let’s find out!

The Biennial of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean (BJCEM – http://bjcem.org/) began its journey through the cities of this region in 1984 in Barcelona. Its main purpose consisted in promoting the creativity of young artists, both enabling and encouraging international exchange beyond the political and geographical boundaries, as well as creating a place for dialogue between the different cultures around the Mediterranean. And all this – through the art of young authors, which at the time (but isn’t it still!?), put at the margins of the artistic and cultural life.

This year, The 15^th Biennial of the Mediterranean launches a new format.  It will not be just one event in one city, but a long journey across the Mediterranean area; with activities in two main cities, Thessaloniki and Rome, and many other events in the surrounding area. Thessaloniki, from October 7 till November 6, 2011, is the host city of visual and applied arts exhibitions, live shows and performances, seminars and conferences, and a food festival. Rome, on the other hand, on November 18 and 19, 2011, will host the young literates, film makers and musicians. At the end of the journey, more than 400 artists aged between 18 -30, from over 30 countries, will have taken part in the activities of this traditional event.

Among them, 26 year-old Ilija Prokopiev, an artist from Macedonia, is promoting his drawings in Thessaloniki. Through our conversation you will find out more about this interesting event, its purpose, concept and the opportunities it gives for young artists.

Ilija has graduated Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Skopje, he is now a postgraduate student on the interdisciplinary culture studies at the Institute of Macedonian Literature. Three solo exhibitions (installation, photographs and drawings) and several group exhibitions in Macedonia and abroad, as well as published essays on art topics are all part of his professional CV. Just recently he received the Award for Best Macedonian Young Artist “Denes”, which brings him a six-week residence in New York. He is one of the five Macedonian artists taking part in this Biennial (only one in Thessaloniki while the other four are representing their works in Rome).

The main theme of this Biennial is “Symbiosis?”  How are your works fitting into this concept?

Ilija: The concept of “Symbiosis?” was reflected in my drawings made in the period between 2010 and 2011. I selected the drawings on the bases of associative reading of the drawn forms. The connection has nothing to do with logical justification; on the contrary, I tried to find the symbiosis through gathering together drawings that don’t have any thematic link, but are formally connected. The portfolio of my works was exhibited by the name Selective Comparison.

What are your impressions of the opening days of the Biennial in Thessaloniki?

Ilija: My experience at the Biennial was very nice because it is a Biennial of young artists from the Mediterranean. This meant establishing connections with colleagues, exchanging experiences, conversations, comparisons… The impressions were various. First of all, the space itself is very interesting. The Biennial was organized in the warehouses of the Port. Those are huge halls with a purpose different than a gallery. Four to five warehouses cleaned and re-defined into cultural spots; that seemed very attractive.

The main activities were mostly in these halls at the Port, but different events were parallelly ongoing across the entire city of Thessaloniki. Furthermore, at the same period, the Thessaloniki Biennial was also held at several locations in the city.

The past few Biennials managed to create specific relation with the host city. So, how was the case with Thessaloniki, with reference to the protests caused by the economic crisis in Greece?

Ilija: Thessaloniki has always been an animated and extremely busy commercial city, so one could not really see the difference that something special is going on in the city. With regards to the economic crisis, probably it was felt. For instance, at the ceremonial opening in front of the City Hall, there were protests of the dustmen. This was a small incident that occurred because of the presence of politicians taking part in the opening ceremony.

What can a young artist really gain from this gathering of artists from different countries and what other opportunities are now open for him/her?

Ilija: The basis of this Biennial is the symbiosis, because it gathers in one spot the various cultures of the Mediterranean basin, but also includes countries from other parts of Europe. With this, the Biennial enriches the meetings, the exchange of experience and the contacts, so the gain is big. Colleagues and audience from different countries have seen my works. You never know who those people might be, and here lies the opportunity: presentation abroad, new exhibitions, and simply the things are starting to happen.

Is it difficult for the young artist to be mobile today, in other words, when we have the feeling that the people and the ideas in today’s world are on the move all the time?

Ilija: We get this feeling probably because of the global internet connection, but, of course, there are obstacles in the actual moving as well. The reasons are, most probably, in the cultural organizations, institutions and, of course, in the money that has to be spent for every good presentation. However, the financing shouldn’t be difficult since foreign galleries and funds are easily accessible today. In any case, the Biennial is very positive solution in this aspect, it opens those opportunities

What other plans and upcoming journeys are listed on your agenda?

Ilija: Next is my participation in the Deadpan Exchange Project (http://www.deadpanexchange.com/).   The project consists of a chain of exchanges that happen in different cities: 7 artists from one country are making an exhibition on which a group of 7 artists from another country are invited to come. They create works as a reaction of the ones seen and are preparing an exhibition in yet another city… and the chain continues. We saw an exhibition of our colleagues from Turkey in the Cultural Center CK in Skopje (which is the organizer of this event from Macedonia) and our works-reactions of that exhibition will be presented on a group exhibition in Vilnius, Lithuania.

After that, I am really looking forward to my stay in New York next spring. I am very happy that I will have the opportunity to live there, to visit the museums, the opera, to speak English, to meet new people, to buy books, maybe exhibit some of my works, and most importantly, to work on new sketches and works. I hope that New York will be inspirational for me.

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

Train Driver by James Fisher@flickr.com

Author: Andrei Ionita

This video report is product of the project My Europe.

Reporting on European youth from the different parts of the continent. Young journalists from different countries and different media organizations are working all together to show how dynamic and innovative is the youth of Europe.

European media makers from Mladi Info (http://www.mladiinfo.com/), Euradio Nantes (http://www.euradionantes.eu/), Journal Europa (http://www.journaleuropa.info/) and European Youth Press (http://www.youthpress.org) are reporting here on the topics of Gender equality, Youth unemployment, Volunteering and Intergenerational solidarity.

Let’s deal with the topics which were, are or will be in the European agenda. But… in a different way, showing our own vision on what the young people of Europe create and invent to answer those big issues. In a personal approach, our young reporters are analysing how is the youth involved in civil society, to create another way of building the continent.

Project is supported by the fund of Nantes Creative Generations

This is our Europe, this is My Europe.

Testimony of Elsa Bădănac, one of the only two women train drivers in Romania.

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

Winding train & school girl by Browneyes@flickr.com

Author: Justine Caurant

This article is product of the project My Europe.

Reporting on European youth from the different parts of the continent. Young journalists from different countries and different media organizations are working all together to show how dynamic and innovative is the youth of Europe.

European media makers from Mladi Info (http://www.mladiinfo.com/), Euradio Nantes (http://www.euradionantes.eu/), Journal Europa (http://www.journaleuropa.info/) and European Youth Press (http://www.youthpress.org) are reporting here on the topics of Gender equality, Youth unemployment, Volunteering and Intergenerational solidarity.

Let’s deal with the topics which were, are or will be in the European agenda. But… in a different way, showing our own vision on what the young people of Europe create and invent to answer those big issues. In a personal approach, our young reporters are analysing how is the youth involved in civil society, to create another way of building the continent.

Project is supported by the fund of Nantes Creative Generations

This is our Europe, this is My Europe.

Thanks to role-gaming and educative programs, schools put the issues of gender discrimination for their students. Wearing a skirt still makes boys laugh… is it acceptable ?

Listen to this radio report of Justine Caurant: Perception of sexism at school.
My Europe Sexism by mladiinfo

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.