Autumn Seminar “Raise your Voice” 2024
YEN’s final major event of the year, the Autumn Seminar under the topic “Raise Your Voice”, took place in Pécs, Hungary, from the 4th to the 10th of November. This year, the seminar was organised by YEN in collaboration with Diverse Youth Network (DYN), a youth organisation based in Pécs that works with Roma and LGBTQIA+ communities. The event was supported by the Council of Europe through the European Youth Foundation.
The Autumn Seminar is one of YEN’s regular annual events, bringing together young people from autochthonous, national, ethnic, and linguistic minorities across Europe to network, exchange ideas, and discuss topics from and for minority youth. This year, we were delighted to welcome around 14 participants, including new faces from the Danish minority in Germany and the German minority in Denmark. Under the theme for 2024, “ACTivism”, the seminar focused on the importance of advocacy for minorities. Throughout the week, participants engaged in workshops to deepen their understanding of advocacy and learn how to use it effectively to uphold their minority rights.
The programme began with participants arriving on Monday evening, where they got to know each other through name games and icebreakers after sharing their first dinner together. On Tuesday, the seminar officially commenced with an opening ceremony featuring speeches from István Varga – President of the local Roma self-government in Pécs, Géza Buzás-Hábel – Director of DYN, and YEN’s President – Louis Albert-Becker. Following this, participants, trainers, and the organising team engaged in team-building games to foster a sense of community.
The afternoon marked the start of the advocacy workshop, where participants explored the concept of advocacy, shared their personal understandings of it, and discussed its key elements, including lobbying, coalition-building, stakeholder engagement, and campaigning. The day concluded with a presentation about YEN and an exhibition on the Roma community, including insights from Dikh He Na Bister and Y-E-Ns and YEN’s Study Session in 2024.
On Wednesday, participants delved deeper into advocacy work. They exchanged examples of advocacy initiatives from around the world, followed by group discussions. In the afternoon, the focus shifted to exploring different types of demonstrations, analysing their forms, purposes, and impacts, and reflecting on personal experiences. The day ended with a Cultural Exchange Market, where participants showcased the unique aspects of their minority cultures and traditions.
Thursday was excursion day! We explored the rich cultural heritage of Pécs, starting with a visit to the Romology Department at Pécs University, where participants engaged in meaningful discussions with students and professors. In the afternoon, DYN hosted a World Café, featuring organisations significant to the Roma community, including the Gandhi School, a pioneering institution for Roma education. The day culminated in an insightful session on the Boyash Roma, with a presentation by one of the few Boyash speakers, offering a deep dive into their unique language and traditions.
On Friday, participants returned to their workshops, focusing on stakeholder mapping. In small groups, they created power maps, analysing the influence of various stakeholders and their alignment with advocacy goals. They also explored coalition-building, discussing shared values, challenges, and resources. To conclude the day, participants drafted their own advocacy plans targeting real European institutions. The evening ended on a high note with a vibrant performance by Karaván, a family band playing traditional Roma music in the Lovari dialect – an unforgettable experience!
The final day began with a workshop on integrating advocacy efforts within European institutions. Participants gained confidence in navigating entities such as the European Youth Forum and the Joint Council on Youth. The focus then shifted to self-care and resilience, where participants shared personal strategies for maintaining well-being and explored the importance of mutual support.
The seminar concluded with reflections and evaluations, allowing participants to look back on their learning and experiences. Before our farewell evening, we extended heartfelt thanks to our host organisation, Diverse Youth Network, especially Géza Buzás-Hábel, for curating an insightful programme on the Roma community in Hungary. We also thanked our trainers, Cihan Kilic and Pia Šlogar; our junior trainer, Luca Zsófia Pap-Major; and all the participants who brought this event to life.
We ended our Autumn Seminar with a delicious Hungarian Goulash and an engaging quiz organized by the Diverse Youth Network in their birthbar. It was a perfect conclusion to the week, and we thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with everyone who participated.
We’re looking forward to our next event, Activist Skills Training 3: Communication, from the 28th of November to the 1st of December. 😊
Yours,
The YEN Board and Office
This seminar was supported by the Council of Europe through the European Youth Foundation.
