Green Sun Association during 04.11. - 04.12.2020 implements the project Be a volunteer, feed your soul! Thus, between November 6 - 8, seventeen young people aged between 16-35 gathered to develop a campaign to promote volunteering in Târgu Secuiesc. Photos from the event are available on the Facebook page of the associations.
During this weekend local and international volunteers had the chance to exchange ideas, learn more about ESC, discuss the benefits of being a volunteer, develop plans about promoting volunteering and raising awareness. Volunteers received more detailed information about Volunteering and what it represents according to Halis Özcan, our volunteer from Turkey. Through non - formal methods like workshops, games, energizers the people manage to work as group and understand that connections can be made across differences that push us apart so that we can live together in a healthy, sustainable communities, working together to provide innovative solutions to our shared challenges and to shape our collective destinies. ''Volunteering provides a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves'' is the message that Xenia our Greek volunteer got from the gathering.
The games and energizers were the funniest and best moments during the weekend and also were a way for people to overcome their shyness and fears, feel more comfortable, laugh and connect more. Ayten Kurnaz realized that different languages are not a barrier and with discussion, understanding and solidarity every problem can be solved. The workshop about what is the meaning of volunteer had a huge impact on every participant. It became quite clear that volunteering is a fundamental building block of civil society. It brings to life the noblest aspirations of human kind such as pursuit of peace, freedom, safety and justice for all people. Through presentations volunteers had the opportunity to learn about new countries, cultures and activities like cycling.
Sebestyén Henrietta, a local volunteer said that she learned a lot of useful things like where can someone be a volunteer, how can someone be a good volunteer and what kind of opportunities a volunteer has. Volunteers can exercise their rights and responsibilities as members of communities, while learning and growing throughout their lives, realising their full human potential. All together we created the tree of volunteering with meaningful words and the puzzle of volunteering. We closed this gathering with a small hike in the forest, lots of pictures and more discussion. In this era of globalisation and continuous change, where the world is becoming more complex, more impersonal, more inhuman, volunteering is a way in which human values of community, caring, and serving can be sustained and strengthened. Promoting volunteering is also a way to promote the declaration “We, the peoples have the power to change the world” and at the end this was the goal of our gathering.
The project is funded by the Covasna County Directorate for Sports and Youth
Photo: Ayten Kurnaz and Veress Nikolett Adrienn
Author: Polixenia Ntanou
