The current refugee crisis that modern Europe is facing affects all of us living on the continent. The sight of thousands of desperate women, men, children and elderly desperately fleeing homes and looking for safety once again highlights the most significant factor that is essential for all the people around the globe in order to […]

The Peace Work Institute – within the YMCA Europe Rots for Reconciliation project was a series of 3 one-week-long residential training sessions. The first session was held in Istanbul October 2012), second in Yerevan (June 2013) and the last one in Strasbourg (December 2013). The aim of the Peace Work Institute predominantly was in line […]

The graduates of the Roots for Reconciliation Peace Work Institute series elaborated these initiatives aiming at peace culture education and cross-border dialogue. First in the timeline was the study visit to Nagorno Karabagh (August 23 – 29), then the ‘Bridges for the Future’ regional Balkan event in Pristina, Kosovo (September 6 – 11), and recently […]

The idea for the “Bridges for the future” project was designed by graduates from previous `YMCA Europe Roots for Reconciliation` Peace Work Institute events (Istanbul, Yerevan, Prague, Strasbourg). The only way to shed the “Balkans melting pot” reference is to dispel myths and start at a grass roots level with the youth. The added value […]

It is the third and final event of the series of 3 one-week-long residential sessions within the YMCA Europe Roots for Reconciliation project. The aim of this initiative is to empower youth opinion leaders coming from conflict-affected areas all over Europe to act for change in their sending organisations and respective communities as multipliers of […]

The event in Yerevan enrolled 30 participants and facilitators representing 14 YMCA movements and partner organisations from all over Europe. Digital Activism, Reflective Peace Practices, Areas of Peace Work and Case Statements for Tandem Projects were the main educational modules of this session. Resultant YMCA Europe Roots for Reconciliation online communication platforms were created or […]

This time it took place in Istanbul (October 15 – 20). ‘Where West Meets East’ was the motto of this Catch the Vision conference. It enrolled 52 participants, facilitators and guest speakers from 24 countries, with geographical coverage ranging from Iceland to South Africa, from Canada to Russia. The key educational modules of the event […]

It was the year 2007 when I first traveled to Nagorno Karabakh, but the memories of very long, tiring journey are still vivid, just like are the feelings I had on the way there – going to the unknown place that is linked with so many turbulent news, rumors and stereotypes… We arrived and at […]