EDITORIAL

2 ПИГЕОН 2012 Маy

Dear Reader,

This month ПИГЕОН team agreed to dedicate the newsletter for the topic of Youth Empowerment.What is the definition of it? First of all, the empowerment of youth is something that involves a wide variety of issues and ideas, but when all is said and done, the empowerment of youth is what many of our hopes and dreams rely upon. To have a successful future, we must focus on the empowerment of youth and make sure that the future generation has the tools that they need to succeed.

One of the main reasons why we need to discuss the empowerment of youth and why it is so important is that it helps children, teens, and young adults realize how important their success is to themselves and the whole of society.

Why not start getting involved today?

ПИГЕОН team tried to take a bite of this theme. Look what we have to offer you, Dear Reader.

Spend this afternoon with us.

Yours thankfully,

Aurelija Rimkutė,The editor

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN SERBIA

EMPOWERMENT YOUTH IN INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERING

A BELGIAN GUY’S EXPERIENCE IN NOVI SAD

MOGUĆNOSTI ZA VOLONTIRANJE

CLEANING THE MOUSE’S ROOM

EKO SAJAM

NIGHTLIFE IN NOVI SAD

Editor and coordinator

Aurelija Rimkutė

Authors

Sonja BratićKristyna MoriovaAurelija RimkutėGordana SvitićJovana SrdicValerie Weidinger

Proofreading

Stefan JanjićJovana Srdic

Design

Jovana Amidžić

Contact

Volonterski centar VojvodineNjegoševa 3,21000 Novi Sadtel/fax: +381 21 528644,mob. tel. +381 63 11 828 04pigeon@volontiraj.rsThe office’s working hours are 10 - 14 h

May 2012 ПИГЕОН 3

Content/sadržaj

ПИГЕОН Team

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A week ago, I watched a local television questioning the passers-by on the streets of Novi Sad: “Would you join a political party if you would be provided with a job in that way?” All the people in question were young and the vast majority of them had given an affirmative answer.

On another occasion, a Blic newspaper headline attracted my attention, stating that ‘the young are not politically literate but still go out to polls and cast their vote’. In the light of the current political campaign, their opinions on the political structures in the country resonate.

It gives out the impression of a certain animosity mixed with self-interest, in the sense that, ‘although I do despise the practices of the political system and all its consequences, I will sign a pact with the devil in order to get what I want’. Some hardcore critics of the system and the politicians in the country would dare to depict them as ‘the unscrupulous puppets, the uniform greedy bunch that has sold off and devastated everything worthy in the state’. I bet my antique Tolstoy book collection you can testify you’d had the chance to hear the same. And not only from the mouth of the delicately young, but experts on the matter alike. Therefore, it cannot be labelled only as a common case of the teenage Angst; there is a deeper meaning to it all. Generally speaking, the sentiment of the population regarding political involvement ranges somewhere between blissful indifference and outright contempt.

Where do these disillusionment and embitterment stem from? Well, if you have a proper, reasonably paid job, a credit for a flat of your own, going on a spontaneous trip to Vienna just for the fun of it and

shopping till your heart’s content, then, as the legendary quote on Peščanik illustrates: ‘If you’re doing fine, then nothing’. On the other hand, if you’re counting months or even years from the last piece of clothing you bought or if you rely on your team’s winning in this round so you could afford a night out to town, and eat salami every other day you might have wondered where your life is going and what the hell you are going to make of it.

Chilling, ha. No wonder some get aboard the cynicism train and continue to sustain the degradation of the system. That is, they conform to the existing state. However, that is not the most interesting aspect of the state of political awareness among the young for me.

They say silence also carries a certain message, in this case in the same way in which one would inform somebody what they think of them by giving them a cold shoulder when they pass them by. Meaning, one might act as if they don’t exist. I have come across a number of young people who just don’t acknowledge the impact of politics on their everyday life; they nurture a feeling of escapism from the surroundings they live in, as if they live in some parallel universe. I don’t judge them. Maybe they strive to preserve their mental balance and dream of moving to a more prospective country. I would just like to give them a piece of advice, if they do expect such development of events, the country they would eventually move in isn’t devoid of politics, on the contrary, including immigration policies. Good luck with that.

Over every slava or a family gathering, politics is often a recurring issue. Holding glasses of homemade red wine, debates

4 ПИГЕОН 2012 Маy

Youth Empowerment in Serbia The ‘Anxiety of Influence’ vs. Conformity

VIEW

are held, sometimes even crossing that fine line between a heated debate and a genuine quarrel. Political figures and measures from many decades ago are brought up. Once the reunion is drawn to an end, they retrieve to their homes, until another reunion would infuse them with the energy to deal with the topic.

Finally, there is one more category of people I would like to mention – the involved. Not necessarily in the political department per se, but in NGOs, civil initiative movements and similar organizations. They read newspapers, watch TV programs, take interest in the issues of importance, locally as well as globally. They instill interest for the issues in their peers. Such is the crowd gathered around a common cause of Društveni centar in Novi Sad.

I couldn’t get over the impression that these categories which do not belong to the conformity category have something important in common. That something, in my opinion, is what literary criticism refers to the ‘anxiety of influence’. Basically, writers are hindered in their creative process by the ambiguous relationship they necessarily maintained with precursor writers*. I feel this anxiety can be applied, in a modified sense, to the nature of the relationship between the public and politics, and I would rename it ‘the anxiety to act’. The activists, unless they are adamant idealists, risk being disillusioned as well if they keep facing walls and closed doors. The inability to persevere in their ideals, not finding a way to get around the problem and act upon its solving within the community, would result in frustration and unwillingness to continue with the fight. Any further endeavour in a social matter would end engulfed by the existing status quo and the activist would risk feeling inhibited. The same goes for our jolly bunch at the family reunion. Their actions are reduced to idle talk and no actual initiative, they believe that nothing they say would make a difference although they do recognize the existence of the problem. As for our society of escapists, all I could say is that lack of anxiety in this day and age is actually an

indicative of the existing anxiety they are unwilling to acknowledge.

Alas, what to say further on the reality of the society that we live in? I say, I see the possibility of sunshine after rainy days. Change is painful and slow, but all good things in life take time, patience and hard work. Be realistic in establishing your goals. It takes resourcefulness and determination to make things better. All non-functional systems persist in the preservation of the status quo, and you have to work your way around it and reclaim your rights and potentials for a decent life. You have to fight for it, nobody will hand over their power to you on a silver platter. If we live in the Wild West, then Wild West rules apply. If the doors aren’t fully open, we stick our foot in. If they recognize the room for improvement, present your vision, whenever you can. What is most important, keep your integrity. People with a vision and a genuine wish to improve not only their life but the life of their community possess nobility, a word many have forgotten in these self-centered times, but which is more desired now than ever. And if Društveni centar doesn’t end in a triumph now, on other occasion it would.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Anxiety_of_Influence

By Jovana Srdić

May 2012 ПИГЕОН 5

Empowering youth in international volunteering

Service Civil International has many different working groups concerned with special topics or regions. Talking about empowering youth one group stands out in SCI, that has made exactly this their aim: YUWG – Youth and Unemployment Working Group. Grace from VSI Ireland has been working for this group for five years now and she told us about the foundation and the actions of the group. What triggered the establishment of YUWG in 1985? YUWG was established as a working group of SCI in 1985 to try to make SCI activities more inclusive, and to provide travelling and learning opportunities for many of the young people who were faced with unemployment at the time. YUWG stands for the Youth and Unemployment Working Group. Prior to this, it was felt that young people who had the money, confidence and opportunity were more likely to take part in international volunteering projects, and it was felt that those who didn’t have the chance could benefit from the experience with a little support. Can you give me a brief overview of the development of the working group? The working group has gone through different phases of development and will continue to do so. Initially the most active branches were Northern Ireland, the UK, the Republic of Ireland, France and Belgium (VIA). In recent years it was the Mediterranean countries that were organising the most projects, and with the recent involvement of CID Macedonia and VCV Serbia, it looks like the countries of South East Europe will be taking the lead in the near future.

In the 1980’s, Unemployment was the biggest challenge facing young people at the time, and is again, but YUWG has widened its criteria to working with any young people who do not have the opportunities to take part in international volunteering projects for a variety of personal, social or economic reasons. Today the target group includes young people who are from areas of socio-economic disadvantage, rural communities, young people in care of the state, young people with a history of homelessness, young asylum seekers and refugees, and many more.YUWG traditionally organised bilateral teenage exchange projects and sheltered placements, which gave support to a young person to do a workcamp for the first time. Nowadays, the core activities are Youth Exchanges with four or five partners, and EVS ST, and no doubt that will change too, as funding programmes such as the Youth in Action Programme come to an end in 2013. The exciting thing however, has been the ability of YUWG to revise and focus on what is relevant at the time. With biannual meetings and regular training seminars, there are always new ideas and new directions unfolding. Recently, following a strategic planning session in Bulgaria, the aim is to strengthen local and year-round activities rather than just doing the international activities, and also to create a stronger link between SCI’s mainstream projects, to continue promoting inclusive approaches to volunteering. Which branches of SCI are involved in this? There are 11 member organisations of YUWG – VSI Ireland, IVS Great Britain, SCI Region Nord (France), SCI Catalunya,

YUWG is a working group of Service Civil International that focuses on organising inclusive and supported volunteering and non formal learning activities for young people.

May 2012 ПИГЕОН 7INTERVIEW

De Amicitia Spain, SCI Italy, VIA Belgium, CVS Bulgaria, ZAVOD Voluntariat Slovenia, Utilapu Hungary and SCI Hellas (Greece). CID Macedonia and VCV Serbia have recently entered a period of cooperation with YUWG and will send a number of participants to Youth Exchanges and trainings in 2012. What are the most recent focuses of the working group and could you describe one or two of the most recent projects? As I already mentioned, YUWG would like to improve its local and year-round work with young people, and engage them more in the decision making in projects. In VSI Ireland, for example, the young people stay involved with us for a number of years, and we run activities at a local level during the year. We work with a large number of asylum seekers from countries in Africa and Asia and as they cannot travel, they are very active on the local level. The aim is to build up their confidence and experience and to give them initiative in the projects they are involved in. One example of this was in 2010, when the group took part in some workshops which explored issues that affected their lives. For them, the way people treated them as asylum seekers was very important, and they wanted to raise awareness of this. They were supported with the programme to apply for a Youth Initiative fund through the Youth in Action

Programme, so they could make a film about their experiences as young asylum seekers in Ireland. They did this along with some Irish members of the group who felt strongly about the issue also. They were successful and for the past year they have been learning how to manage the project, media skills and finally have produced a short film, which they will show to members of the public and politicians next month. Of course YUWG is about international connections so it doesn’t stop there. SCI Italy are hosting a YUWG Youth Exchange in June in Sardinia on the topic of migration and civil rights. Some members of this Irish group will take part, meeting local asylum seekers in Italy, and sharing their film project with them. ZAVOD Voluntariat also hopes to host the film along with a live skype conference with the young people who made it in June, as a part of their own film festival which focuses on issues related to migration. The young people who took part here in Ireland have learned lots of practical skills as a part of this project, and through the international connection, have gained confidence, created awareness and built international solidarity with other young people in the same situation. The working group allows for these connections to be grown and built on. We hope in the coming year we can continue this work and create new connections and further empower these young people to take action on issues that affect them.

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What is your role in YUWG?

I am a full-time staff member of VSI Ireland where I coordinate the youth programme. The youth programme focuses on organising peace education and volunteering projects locally and internationally. Apart from the local activities, this means organising Youth Exchanges with YUWG members, as well as other international placements. For the past 4 years I have also been a member of the Steering Group of YUWG, which helps to coordinate the activities of the working group. My role, in the Steering Group, until recently, has included coordination of the Steering Group and communications. The new Steering Group has just recently been elected and the new roles are yet to be confirmed! This year I am also coordinating a training course for leaders of Youth Exchanges within YUWG which will take place in Ireland from May 7th – 12th.

By Valerie Weidinger

YUWG activity in Ireland (2010)

May 2012 ПИГЕОН 9

A Belgian guy’s experience in Novi Sad

I’m Brice, from Brussels, and I’m as sweet as a breeze. I introduced myself to my friends in Serbia when I took part in the Youth in Action program experience (mostly when it involves people speaking Serbian...). In addition to that, I’m an open-minded person and I enjoy discovering how the world works.

How did you decide to do EVS?

I decided it when I was around 16 (maybe 17)... The very first time I heard about that project, I was involved since I was 15 years old in the Youth in Action program, and for me it was continuity with my experience gained through this program.

How is your current EVS experience so far?

Well, really great!!! I’ve met lot of great and nice people (and also few not too great but still nice). I’ve talked with people (local or visiting) and I’ve learnt a lot about different cultures. Besides, my job is well in the organization... It is all about the project I’m creating so it’s tricky and easy so far; as long as I have ideas to develop everything is nice.

What is your opinion about the EVS programme?

My opinion is that the EVS (and YiA in general) is a truly great thing!!! Every young person should be aware of those opportunities and explore them, at least once in their life. Unfortunately not everybody knows about them, and even those who are aware don’t want to participate in them (family, friends, boy/girlfriend...) and I understand them, but at the same time they shouldn’t be afraid to do something amazing in their lives.

What do you expect from your EVS experience (do you have some expectations from EVS)? Do you have some plans after you finish your EVS?

From my EVS experience I’m expecting a lot of things and nothing at the same time. I take everything as it comes and I deal with it, I adapt myself the best I can!After my EVS well... to go back to the regular life (after twelve months of the extraordinary one) and to try to finish my studies!

10 ПИГЕОН 2012 Маy VIEW

May 2012 ПИГЕОН 11

Mogućnosti za volontiranje u Volonterskom centru

Nakon osnivanja Volonterskog Centra Vojvodine, od strane mladih ljudi koji su kao glavni cilj imali rešenje problema zajednice i društva u celini, koji je u samom početku svog postojanja funkcionisao kao neformalna grupa koja je za primarno imala organizovanje radnih kampova i slanje domaćih volontera na kampove širom sveta, ovaj centar za volontere se razvio u nešto mnogo raznovrsnije i danas raspolaže sa aktivnostima koji pomažu svim zainteresovanima širok spektar mogućnosti u kojima volonteri mogu da pronađu ono što ih zanima, privlači i što im može pomoći u njihovom budućem radu.

Volontiranje može biti definisano na razne načine i iz raznih uglova, no ova reč svoj koren pronalazi u latinskom, ili, kako neki izvori kazu francuskom jeziku (franc. Volontaire-volonter) i značila bi u tom kontekstu obavljanje nekih aktivnosti dobrovoljno, bez ikakve novčane nagrade i sve to zarad dobrobiti zajednice...

Kako je Volonterski Centar Vojvodine zvanično registrovan od 2005. godine, on je svoje aktivnosti vremenom razvijao i proširivao na raznim poljima društvenog aktivizma. Mogućnosti za volontiranje su zaista velike i raznovrsne. Na sajtu ovog centra koji glasi www.Volontiraj.rs, mogu se pronaći raznorazne informacije o mogućnostima za volontiranje koje nam pruža ovaj centar. Volonterski kampovi su gotovo najpopularniji i mnogi volonteri su se oprobali u tome i pokupili pozitivne doživljaje i iskustva sa takvog tipa volontiranja. To su volonterski kampovi ne samo u našoj zemlji već i u inostranstvu, naravno, a na sajtu centra se svakako nalaze najdetaljnije informacije o tome

koji su uslovi potrebni za prijavu na neki od kampova. Svakako i da su aktuelne omladinske razmene, za mlade ljude od 18 do 22 godine, gde je omladini iz naše zemlje, Francuske i Nemačke omogućena prijava za kamp koji je ove godine u Francuskoj a zadatak volontera se ogleda u očuvanju i održavanju prirodnih vrednosti oko opatije Du Relec, stare skoro 10 vekova. Takođe, postoje i programi dugoročnog volontiranja koji traju od 2 do 12 meseci a cilj ovih projekata jeste uspostavljanje medjusobnog razumevanja i tolerancije među ljudima iz različitih sredina Najpoznatiji takvi dugoročni projekti su EVS (European Voluntary Service) i LTV (Long Term Volunteering). Na ovakvim dugoročnim projektima, učesnici kampova ostaju na duži vremenski period u nekoj od zemalja u inostranstvu i imaju mogućnost upoznavanja sa kulturom, tradicijom, načinom i stilom života zajednice u kojoj se zetekao, pomažući u rešavanju zadataka koji se pred njih postavljaju i koji su od opšte koristi za dobrobit same zajednice i okruženja.

Lokalni Volonterski Servis predstavlja još jedan poziv za volontere koji daje mogućnost za one motivisane i zainteresovane u pomaganju oko realizovanja raznoraznih problema koji se tiču lokalne zajednice. LVS je u kontaktu sa mnogim lokalnim institucijama kojima su potrebni volonteri, te ih međusobno povezuje i na taj način doprinosi pospešenju rada lokalnih organizacija. Volonterski klub je još jedan zanimljiv način da se pametno iskoristi slobodno vreme. Za one koji žele da ispolje svoju kreativnost, da saznaju nečto novo, da se druže i upoznaju neke nove likove, volonterski klub je sjajna stvar.

Kroz mnoštvo radionica koje organizuju mladi ljudi u prostorijama volonterskog centra, moguće je na jedan kvalitetan način upotpuniti svoje slobodno vreme. Radionice su besplatne i svakodnevno se održavaju, koordinatori radionica prethodno prelaze obuku za takvu vrstu posla tako da je sve organizovano i sadržajno veoma uređeno i kvalitetno. Radionice su različitog tipa, od edukativnog do zabavnog karaktera. To su radionice koje omogućavaju učenje stranih jezika, muzičke, ekološk radionice, radionice dekupaža i reciklažne umetnosti, radionice meditacije i sahaja joge, večeri angažovanog filma i društvenih igara. Takođe, Volonterski centar podržava različite vrste aktivizma kroz projekte, održivi razvoj, obeležavanje međunarodnih dana, klimatske promene i reciklažnu umetnost. Na sajtu našeg centra, moguće je detaljno se informisati i uključiti u neku od aktivnosti. Još jedna od zanimljivih stvari koje nam nudi volonterski centar je i takozvani Peace Messenger trening, ili trening za volontere koji posećuju kampove u cilju prenošenja poruka mira odnosno prenošenje stečenog znanja o mirovnim temama. Volontiranje ima veliki značaj i vrlo važnu ulogu u svim drštvenim životima širom

planete, kroz veoma raznovrsne aktivnosti, neke su i napomenute moguće je postići koristi za društvo u celini, međutim volontiranje ima i čitav niz pozitivnih učinaka i za samog pojedninca. Volontiranje podjednako pomaže kako mladima, koji tek trebaju da ostave neki svoj doprinos, kroz razvijanje ili poboljšanje mnogih veština tako i za starije, kojima pomaže da ostanu društveno aktivni i kao takvi doprinose zejedničkom dobru i osećaju da su njihove veštine još uvek dragocene. Kroz volontiranje ljudi razvijaju komunikacijske i organizacijeske sposobnosti, proširuju svoje socijalne krugove. Volontiranje stvara osećaj pripadnosti bez obzira na nacionalnost, religiju, godine, socioekonomski status. Samo malo entuzijazma, volje, interesovanja i mogućnosti su zaista velike, Volonterski Centar kao neprofitna organizacija je tu da nam pomogne u razvoju nekih ličnih osobina kao i osećaja društvene pripadnosti, kada nam je već tu, na dohvat ruke, zašto se ne priključiti i uraditi nešto za sebe i druge. Sjajne prilike i zato volontirajmo!

Tekst: Gordana Svitić

12 ПИГЕОН 2012 Маy

Cleaning the mouse’s room

On Saturday April 21st a group of BINs and VCV volunteers was brave and dared to get lost in the deep shadows of the office-attic. We discovered old stuff, traces of our new roommate, the mouse, and a lot of dust, and we conquered it – look at this picture and be impressed:

We started the work at around 11am, taking down whatever we could find upstairs and putting it into different corners of the office, ordered by organisation and topic. While some of us were carrying stuff up and down others already started sorting things, throwing useless stuff out, putting things in labelled boxes, etc. While most of us continued the sorting stuff after that, others built up new shelves upstairs and cleaned the attic. Only one person got hurt, and thanks to the first-aid-kit nothing grave happened.

The things, put in boxes were safely stored upstairs again, but with the wonderful progress of being put on shelves, instead of on the floor like before, and being put in a certain order. The exact order and a final placing of the stuff, is still missing and will be done by a team of four VCV volunteers by the end of the next week.

VCV is very happy with the outcome of this action and the active participation of so many volunteers who worked for 6 hours, putting a lot of energy into making the attic usable again. For example we found many many banners from the street actions in VCV’s past, which will be in one place now and will be easily found in case we find ways to reuse them in new actions. They were hung in the yard for an hour to be aired.

REPORT May 2012 ПИГЕОН 13

We invite everyone who know our attic in the previous state to come and have a look now – come here, take a look and be amazed!

by Valerie Weidinger

14 ПИГЕОН 2012 Маy

FIGHT SOCIAL EXCLUSION in Czech RepublicCZ-INE 8.12012-07-16 - 2012-07-29

The project is organized in co-operation with the Czech humanitarian organization People in Need (Clovek v tisni). Besides development work and other activities, the organization is trying to fight social exclusion in the growing social ghettos in Czech Republic. The site of the workcamp is Usti nad Labem, a North-Bohemian city with severe social problems. There, People in Need is offering meaningful leisure-time activities for children and youth from underprivileged families and a centre for mothers with children.

The volunteers will work in the socially excluded locality Predlice, a part of Usti nad Labem. The main work will be the preparation, implementation and coordination of creative leisure activities (especially cultural and sports activities) for children and youth from the locality. The volunteers will be in regular contact with the residents of Predlice. Meetings will be held at the community centre building in Predlice.

Study part: Lecture and seminar about social exclusion in Czech Republic and about specific problems concerning work with youth from socially excluded areas. At the beginning of the workcamp the volunteers will be in intensive contact with young people from the locality. During these meetings, with the help of translators, they will exchange their life stories among themselves in order to reach better mutual understanding.

All information about applying for a workcamp you can find on www.volontiraj.rs

May 2012 ПИГЕОН 15

WORKCAMP

Međunarodna studentska organizacija AISEC i ove godine je realizovala Eko sajam, u okviru projekta Promeni sve(s)t.

Sajam je održan u Dunavskom parku, 7. aprila, od 11 do 15 časova. Učestvovalo je oko dvadeset nevladinih organizacija koje svoj rad ili bar deo rada posvećuju ekologiji, zaštiti životne sredine, održivom razvoju i energetskoj efikasnosti, a svoj štand i priliku da se predstavi imao je i Volonterski centar Vojvodine.

Svi koji su posetili sajam, mogli su da daju svoj glas za to koji deo grada treba ozeleniti i očistiti, a mogli su i da donesu električni otpad i papir, koji je kasnije poslat na reciklažu.

Predstavnice Volonterskog centra Vojvodine na ovom sajmu bile su Vesna Laković, Sonja Bratić i Mirjana Despotović.

Iako smo se malo borile sa promenljivim vremenskim prilikama (čitaj: povremenom kišicom i vetrom), naše predstavljanje je ipak bilo uspešno, a atmosfera sjajna.Kroz park je tog dana prodefilovalo, što bi se reklo, dosta sveta, a, budući da je naš (po običaju, najšareniji) štand stajao na samom „ulazu“ u celu manifestaciju, pored staze, ljudi su nam masovno prilazili, raspitivali

Eko sajam

REPORT16 ПИГЕОН 2012 Маy

se i razgledali. Kao što naziv sajma nalaže, i mi smo bile eko, pa smo pokazale kako se to radi na našim radionicama (produkti sa dekupaža, ramovi od reciklažnog materijala, nalepnice za poštanske sandučiće protiv reklamnog materijala...). Najviše priče je bilo o kampovima i o klubu, pošto je to izazivalo najveće interesovanje (a, kako i ne bi kad ljudi vide kakva sve čuda mi na tim dešavanjima pravimo!).

Eto, Eko sajam je prošao i prošao je dobro, al’ ne i naša svest da treba da menjamo svet! Uostalom, tog dana sigurno nismo promenili svet, a, kao što organizatori rekoše, svi zajedno možda svest nekome od onih silnih prolaznika i jesmo. Do sledeće slične manifestacije ili događaja – veliki VCV eko pozdrav!

By Sonja Bratić

PADRE DAMIÁN 4 in SpainES-MAD 8.172012-08-16 - 2012-08-31

CARITAS-Salamanca runs a home/centre for homeless people where they offer not only temporary shelter but personalized approaches for achieving self-autonomy and wellbeing. They welcome volunteers to enhance the social life of the centre and give in return a further vision of the meaning of poverty and social exclusion in the developed countries. Volunteers greatly value the opportunity to show their solidarity and a better understand of a complex problem which is usually kept hidden from our society.

The volunteers will share the daily life and activities in the Centre in taking part in the three main chores: •Giving a hand in the kitchen and in the dining-room or laundry, renovation and painting. •Joining workshops, group dynamics, and outdoor visits. •Socializing with the guests. There will also be study sessions with the following theme: Reflexion on social exclusion and homelessness in Europe.

May 2012 ПИГЕОН 17

WORKCAMP

All information about applying for a workcamp you can find on www.volontiraj.rs

The first place which everybody hears of when asking for a place to hang out in Novi Sad is Laze Teleckog street, a place well-known for an abundant night life and numerous clubs. We are however going to see what is happening on places which are situated apart from that mainstream of Laze Telečkog and where you can hear live music or even participate in a jam session, and, last but not least, enjoy the night with friends in a club with electronic music.

Skocho’s bar

In the very centre of the town is a small cute bar which offers not only variety of reknowned coctails but also exhibitions as a part of hospitality and live music every Wednesday and Thursday. As a musician you have a possibility to bring your instrument on Wednesdays and and join in on a jazz jam session. Thursday is reserved for those who want to spend a quiet evening listening to a string quartet and their contemporary music repertoir (film music, famous songs).

(Zmaj Jovina 21/1)

Cafe Pero

Pero is an alternative cafe and bar ideal especially for visitors who are keen on acoustic guitar music. Be sure there will be something happening both Fridays and Saturdays. And free darts every Wednesday among others!

(Zeleznicka 10)

Kosmosapiens Art Kafe

A discreet and well hidden art cafe located in the yard of Hotel Vojvodina can surprise you with a quiet terrace isolated from a crowded street and chilling ethno/world music playing inside. Weekends provide various styles of DJ-performed music from reggae, dub, rap, funky, drum’n’bass, to jam sessions - often accompanied by electronic background. Musicians are welcome to bring their instruments or simply borrow a bongo or whatever is free at the moment and join the session. Needless to say that you can take pleasure in looking over exhibited artwork on the walls while drinking a coffee.

(Trg Slobode 2)

Nightlife in Novi Sad

Crni Bik

A bar with a tradition since 1993 not only to organize concerts every week on their place but that, from time to time, also to hold bigger concerts in Rusinski kulturni centar on Jovana Subotića Street. Lovers of such genres as punk, rock or reggae will allways feel at home there.

(Trg Mladenaca 8)Compressor

If you are looking for a club to party until the next morning and you like progressive, tech house, minimal and drum’n’bass beats, then you are looking for Compressor club. According to its full spaces every weekend, people obviously don’t mind that the club is rather out of the centre.

(Despota Stefana 5)

Foxtrot

A cafe and club in the style of 80’s is arranging good-quality music concerts since 1996 say one to three times per week. Foxtrot is well-known for gigs of local rock’n’roll bands.

(Futoška 23)

CULTURAL EVENTS18 ПИГЕОН 2012 Маy

Crna Kuća

“Omladinski centar CK13” (Youth centre CK13) is an alternative and educational space for youths with many events held during the week. Well-organized program is full of concerts, movie or poetry evenings, workshops and talks with follow-up discussions. Upcoming month you can look forward to plenty of concerts not only of local bands but also a mixture of ones visiting from abroad. I recommend to look up the program on http://ck13.org/.

(Vojvode Bojovica 13)

Perfect Kaos

Music events of the Perfect Kaos club are mostly dedicated to hip-hop and genres connected to dub and drum’n’bass. Parties take place on Fridays and Saturdays and are announced 1-2 weeks before on their Facebook site.

(Bulevar Oslobodjenja 88)

Apart from all those places I recommend a chill-out jazz music of a band “Jazz Propeleros” every Friday from 8 until 11pm in Restoran klub Piano up on the Petrovaradin fortress for all those who want to spend the first weekend night (at least the beginning :) ) by listening a laid-back but high-quality music.

ŽIVELI!By Kristyna Moriova

La Città dell’Utopia 2 in ItalyIT-SCI 1.22012-08-27 - 2012-09-08

‘Utopia City’ is a project of SCI Italy that takes place in Rome (San Paolo neighbourhood), within the Casale Garibaldi (an old countryside house on a hill in between modern buildings). The project is an ongoing workshop on active citizenship and local development. There are different events, initiatives, courses and workshops organised around 3 main themes: interculturality, sustainable lifestyles and active citizenship. Such as the Laboratorio 53 which deals with migrants. This year the Casale was renovated and now a lot of new spaces for the activities are available. The volunteers will do the following work: Maintenance work to rehabilitate the Casale, such as organisation of the new spaces, painting, work in the garden... Furthermore, there will be study sessions: Studies about the situation of the migrants and asylum seekers in Italy, and the related laws and legal framework.

All

information about

applying for a workcamp

you can find on www.

volontiraj.rs

May 2012 ПИГЕОН 19

The opinions, statements or attitudes of the people involved in the articles do not reflect those of Volonterski centar Vojvodine.

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