Between July, 31 and August, 13, 2010, Diana Ioana Calin, member of the BSCSIF project team, participated at the 5th World Youth Congress held in Istanbul, Turkey.
Istanbul hosted the 5th in the series of World Youth Congresses on Youth and Development, organized by Minstry of State from Turkey, E-Genclik Association, Peace Child International and Istanbul Youth Assembly.
More than 1000 young brains from different countries gathered at this congress to share things that are crucial for humankind: culture, ideas, thoughts, language, art, peace, friendship and much more. The delegates had the chance to meet many development experts, academics, politicians, artists and diplomats in discussions, workshops, plenary, opening and closing ceremonies. The participants benefited from a strong cultural program, instructive, often youth-led workshops, debates, Educators Program, Young Journalists Program.
Diana Calin was actively involved in the regional meetings and especially in the ones dedicated to the Balkan region. It was an opportunity to meet delegates from the Black Sea- Caspian Sea region, people that often face the same challenges. On behalf of BSCSIF, Diana Calin pointed out the importance of cooperation in these regions in order to come up with common solutions.
Conclusions drawn at round tables, workshops and discussions during the WYC gave birth to the Istanbul Action Plan. This is a result of the work and consensus of all the participants. The main body of the Action Plan consists of thirteen key focus areas that identify problems facing young people in all countries (Poverty and Exclusion, Education, Health, Employment, New Technology and Innovation, Culture, Access to Justice and Security, Youth Participation, Equality of Genders and Sexualities, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, International Migration and Global Cooperation,http://peacechild.org/content.aspx?Page=OurWork_YC_WYC_IAP).
Between 6 and 8 August, BSCSIF with young people from diffrent countries were involved in the implementation of the Action Project from Afyonkarahisar. It consisted in renovation activities for a school and tree planting activities and it was a proof of the old Turkish solidarity system „IMECE-Joint Action”. Through the intercultural team that participated in this project, the importance of cooperation while solving a problem was emphasized.
Through the results of the regional meetings, Local Action Projects, Istanbul Action Plan and other activities of the congress, youth have shown to global community that when entrusted and empowered with responsibility, they deliver change and community improvement in the most cost-effective, creative and fun ways imaginable.
The real impact of the congress came from the informal discussions of the young activists who shared experiences and inspiring stories.
Through this event, BSCSIF enlarged its contact network all over the world, that is an essential fact for further cooperation projects. Learning others’ perspectives and visions towards global challenges, different strategies and methods of solving similar problems, BSCSIF enriched its experience.
The WYC participants are an example of global cooperation, peace, friendship and tolerance between different cultures. They have broken all the barriers and opened their souls and minds for a sustainable cooperation on their way to a commune goal: to have a better world to live in.