Easter Seminar 2022 – “time to think”
The Youth of European Nationalities (YEN) is looking for participants for the Easter Seminar “time to think“.
The event will take place at Knivsberg in Denmark from 8th until the 14/15th of April and will be hosted by the youth organisations of „Sydslesvigsk danske Ungdomsforeninger (SdU)“ and „Deutscher Jugendverband für Nordschleswig (DJN)“.
Afterwards, on the 14. April, the YEN General Assembly will take place (for the interested representatives of YEN member organisations).
About the Seminar
The Easter Seminar is the biggest event of the Youth of European Nationalities (YEN), where youth from different minorities from all over Europe meet to discuss youth minority issues.
This Easter Seminar, the participants will meet in Apenrade/Aabenraa, Denmark, in the youth education centre Knivsberg. The seminar, which had to be delayed for two years will be marked on one hand by the 100th + 2 anniversary of the demarcation of the border between Denmark and Germany and the peaceful cooperation between the two states and their minorities. On the other hand, it is also the first YEN seminar in 2022. Therefore, it will start the plan for this year which is named “growing together” and focuses on identity, rights of young minority members and capacity building.
In spirit of a good neighborhood, the Orga-Team is made up of the North and South Schleswigern and YEN representatives. From the Danish side of the border the german minority youth organizations “Deutscher Jugendverband für Nordschleswig (DJN)” are part of the Orga-Team. From the German side the Danish minority youth organisation „Sydslesvigsk danske Ungdomsforeninger (SdU)“ is part of the team.
This year we offer two different Workshops!
Workshop 1 – ”Grenzland 2.0” – in German:
The workshop “Grænzland 2.0 – TIME TO THINK…again” wants to look at the potential of our border region. Often our German-Danish border region is presented as a model region in terms of minority policy. Two years ago we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the present border. The anniversary of a border has meant joy for some and sadness for others. The development from a historical conflict area to a European model example of successful coexistence between national identities, minorities and majorities, was often and much applauded. But is the applause justified? In our workshop, we want to investigate this question.
In cooperation with the Deutsches Museum Nordschleswig, we want to look into the historical background with you. With a specially developed role-play about the border demarcation in 1921, we want to relive the past and return with these experiences with you to the present. Here we will look at what is going on in this “model region” today. What works, what does not work? What can YOU learn from this, what can YOU take with you for your everyday life in your minority and what should perhaps be done differently in the German-Danish borderland?
Workshop 2 “Identity and Minority rights” – in English:
This Workshop will mainly focus on identity and minority rights. During the seminar we want you to explore your identity and how being part of a minority is shaping it. But we want to explore a holistic picture of what factors influence identity and discuss topics such as gender, LGBTQIA+, age, disabilities, etc. and reflect what affects your identity. Based on these observations we want to encourage you, to discuss the opportunities and challenges of all the layers of your identity. Do members of your minority experience disadvantages based on gender or age in your community ?
Lastly, we want to learn about minority, youth and human rights. Which laws are here to protect you and who should monitor them? Together we will reflect if those rights are being respected, protected and fulfilled. Further, we want you to think about how you could fight for those rights, to guarantee them for your community as well as other marginalised groups.
The seminar is supported by the Council of Europe
through the European Youth Foundation.
