“25 Years UNFCCC – New generation Speak Up” in Cyprus

“A new beginning without end”

Αll started at the beginning of August, when the Non-Governmental Organization PRAXIS accepted our participation in the youth exchange program held in the village of Agros in Cyprus, with the theme: “25 Years UNFCCC – New generation Speak Up”. The project took part from the 25th of August to 2nd of September and had 50 participants from 5 countries: Greece, Germany, Lithuania, Hungary and Cyprus. The Greek Team was representing the organization Praxis Greece. One of the vision that Praxis has, is to help the youngsters with cultural activities. So, six Greeks Maria, Eleni, Sofia, George, Nikos and Parthena lived a unique intercultural experience in Cyprus. The project was placed in a small and beautiful village called Agros in Cyprus and the hosting organization was Youth Dynamics. The main goal of the project was to educate young people about climate change and raise awareness about the environmental challenges so that they can make a change! We gained a lot of Knowledge and experience regarding the topic through different kind of activities based on non-formal education. So now we became more aware and ready to make the change!

In the following texts you can find the experience each participant of Greece had:

The success of the Erasmus + program lies in the effort of its organizers to bring together people of different nationality, language, religion, origin, social class. Through my participation, I was able to communicate with foreigners, to establish interpersonal relationships with foreigners and expatriates, to enjoy the fruits of non-formal education, to realize the importance of individual responsibility in the important issue of environmental crisis, and living unforgettable moments on the beautiful, sunny island of Cyprus interacting with its inhabitants. However, apart from the unique experiences I had and the people I met, my participation brought me face to face, many times, with bureaucratic and formal obligations which I solved thanks to the help of PRAXIS and the organizer, Mr. Vassilis. I was called, during my trip, to book travel tickets, to do work related to banking transactions, to be informed about the current global environmental issues.But the most important experience I gained was the acquaintance and the interaction with so many, remarkable and, above all, pleasant people, with whom I had fun, danced, talked a lot!!!Really, I look forward to being given the opportunity to participate in an Erasmus + program again and again.
Georgios

The project offered us something special. We had the chance to meet people from different countries and we became a family in just some few days. Moreover, the organizers helped us to understand the importance of the environmental challenges that we, people, are facing and how young people can actively participate in a sustainable way of living.
Eleni

It was a unique experience for me as I got to know many new people from all over Europe. We had different backgrounds and that’s what made the experience even more interesting. Also, Agros is a village near nature with a lot of trees and fresh air. We did many interesting activities, such as creating things out of recycling materials and we cleaned the area. It’s certain that I’ll never forget this experience!
Sofia

My experience with the project in Cyprus was a positive one. I got to meet interesting and unique people, and to make friendships that i thing will last. I was educated to the environmental issues that our planet is going through that, in combination with exploring a new country and culture, gave me memories that i am sure will last a lifetime.
Nikos

The opportunity we had to travel in Cyprus and live this experience was unique. The people we met, the places we saw were all amazing and unforgettable. We made friends who will stay in our hearts for life. The project offered us also a lot of knowledge about the environmental issue.
Maria