1. “F.O.C.U.S: GLOBE!”
FOSTERING OPEN AND CREATIVE URBAN
SUSTAINABILITY: GLOBE
THE YOUTH EXCHANGE “F.O.C.U.S. GLOBE!” AIMED TO BRING TOGETHER YOUNG PEOPLE
FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS AND
REPORT ABOUT SUSTAINABLE URBAN ECOSYSTEMS ISSUES, AS WELL AS BE INVOLVED AND
COLLABORATE IN THE ECOLOGICAL ACTION “CLEAN-UP DAY” ON THE TOP OF THE
VODNO MOUNTAIN, LOCATED A FEW KILOMETERS FROM THE CITY OF SKOPJE.
Organized by Mladiinfo FEJS MK and supported by the
European Commission through the EU program Youth in
Action.
SKOPJE, MACEDONIA
13TH TO 20TH MAY 2013
THE EVENT INVOLVED 34 PARTICIPANTS FROM 6
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES:
MACEDONIA, UKRAINE, BULGARIA, UNITED
KINGDOM, LATVIA AND SERBIA

2. WHICH TYPE OF EVENT HAVE YOU SELECTED AND
WHY IS IT THE MOST SUITABLE AND HOW WILL YOU
HELP YOUTH TO DISCOVER, ACTIVATE AND DEVELOP
THEIR POTENTIALS?
 THE “F.O.C.U.S: GLOBE!” INITIATIVE STARTED IN MAY 2013 THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION ON ONE YOUTH
EXCHANGE AND ECOLOGICAL ACTIONS. DURING 7 DAYS OF ACTIVITIES, 34 YOUNG PEOPLE FROM 6 DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES HAD THE OCCASION TO DISCUSS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. DURING THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT, YOUNG PEOPLE FROM MACEDONIA COLLABORATED WITH YOUNGSTERS COMING
FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, COMPARED THE ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION OF EACH COUNTRY, WORKED TOGETHER AS A
TEAM TO RAISE THEIR AWARENESS ABOUT GLOBAL CHALLENGES, THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT THAT AFFECTS THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES AND THE ECOLOGY OF A CHANGING PLANET, WHILE
LEARNING ABOUT EACH OTHER’S COUNTRIES AND CULTURES.
 THROUGH A RELAXED BUT ALSO PRODUCTIVE ATMOSPHERE, YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE EVENT HAD THE
OCCASION TO BE INVOLVED IN ALL THE ACTIVITIES OF THE EXCHANGE AND WORKING ON THE TEAMBUILDING OF
THE GROUP, GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER BY SHARING THEIR BACKGROUNDS, CULTURE AND
EXPERIENCE. THEY SUCCEEDED IN THEIR MISSION AS A GROUP: TO CLEAN THE TOP OF VODNO MOUNTAIN AND
TOGETHER, THROUGH NON-FORMAL LEARNING METHODS, THEY HAD THE OCCASION TO PROPOSE DIFFERENT
“EVERY DAY ACTIONS” TO MAKE SKOPJE MUCH MORE LIVABLE, AS UNFORTUNATELY IT IS A CITY WITH A HIGH
PERCENTAGE OF POLLUTION.

3. WHAT IS THE ADDED VALUE FOR EVENT
PARTICIPANTS?
ADDED VALUES AND EXPECTATIONS:
 TO ACT TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND MAKE A CHANGE;
 TO DISCUSS AND REPORT ABOUT SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEM ISSUES AND RAISE
THEIR AWARENESS ABOUT GLOBAL CHALLENGES;
 TO FACE THE REAL SITUATION ABOUT POLLUTION IN SKOPJE AND RAISE THEIR
AWARENESS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION THROUGH PARTICIPATION
IN THE CLEANING ACTION;
 TO FOSTER MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY AMONG
THEM BY SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS;
 TO EXPLORE SKOPJE DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTIVITIES,
RESEARCH ABOUT THE REAL ECOLOGICAL SITUATION AND DISCOVER ITS
HISTORICAL AND MULTICULTURAL BACKGROUND;
 TO RESPECT DIFFERENT CULTURES AND BUILD NEW
COLLABORATIONSFRIENDSHIPS;
 TO RESPECT AND SHARE COMMON SPACE;.

4. “F.O.C.U.S: Globe!” in ACTION
34 participants from 6 different countries:
Macedonia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Latvia and Serbia
TEAM-BUILDING
ACTIVITIES
LEARNING ABOUT
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AND
SHARING EXAMPLES OF
GOOD PRACTICE
CLEANING ACTION ON THE
TOP OF VODNO MOUNTAIN
SHARING
KNOWLEDGE,
EXPERIENCE,
REPORTING ABOUT
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
DISCOVERING
MACEDONIAN NATURAL
BEAUTIES AS AN EXAMPLE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

5. HOW DID THE EVENT EMPOWER YOUTH?
THE EVENT GAVE PARTICIPANTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
FEEL PART OF ONE UNIQUE GROUP AND ACT TOGETHER
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL: LEARNING BY DOING!
“LET’S ACT TOGETHER AND MAKE A CHANGE!”…
THIS IS THE MOTTO OF OUR EVENT THAT AIMS TO FOSTER
MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY
AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE BY SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES
AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, AS WELL AS INVOLVMENT
IN VISIBLE AND EFFECTIVE ACTIONS THAT CAN RAISE
THEIR AWARENESS REGARDING GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

6. CLEANING ACTION ON THE TOP OF
VODNO MOUNTAIN …
LET’S ACT
TOGETHER AND
MAKE A CHANGE!

7. WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SKILLS AND
COMPETENCIES THAT THE YOUTH AROUND YOU
LACK?
 EXPERIENCE
 SELF-CONFIDENCE
 INFORMATION IN GENERAL
 QUICK ADAPTATION AND MULTITASKING SKILLS
 INFORMATION ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
 TIME MANAGEMENT AND EVENT MANAGEMENT SKILLS
 TEAM SPIRIT
 BEING CREATIVE AND CONTRIBUTING WITH OWN IDEAS
 THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
 PUBLIC SPEAKING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS
 WRITING SKILLS
 SHARING SKILLS
 PERSISTENCE AND DEDICATION

8. HOW COULD THAT BE SOLVED AND HOW DID YOUR
EVENT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT?
 THROUGH ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC LIFE
 THROUGH THE PARTICIPATION OF INTERCULTURAL AND
LOCALNATIONAL EVENT
 THROUGH VOLUNTEERING ACTIVITIES
 THROUGH EXCHANGING GOOD PRACTICES
 BY RAISING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY’S AWARENESS OF
CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT ESPECIALLY THROUGH
SMALL EVERYDAY ACTIONS
 YOUTH PARTICIPATION AND YOUTH INFORMATION
 TEACHING GOOD PRACTICES FROM CHILDHOOD
 USING NEW MEDIA AND SOCIAL NETWORKS TO PROMOTE
AWARENESS AND GOOD PRACTICES

9. WHAT CHANGED IN PARTICIPANTS LIVES AFTER
PARTICIPATING IN F.O.C.U.S. GLOBE:
TAMARA BORCIC, PARTICIPANT FROM SERBIA:
“After FOCUS Globe I came up with the idea to start
composting, and not only in my apartment but sharing the
idea with neighbors and make it a big action.”
TAMARA MILETIĆ, PROJECT COORDINATOR:
There is much more behind the organization of one youth
exchange or a cleaning action. During the implementation of this
project we acted as a group. We worked together, shared our
knowledge, experience, common space and backgrounds. We
learned how to respect each other’s cultures and values…and
that’s the real change and motivation for my future work. There
are no difficulties you can not handle if you act as a group and
you have the support of your team. It’s time to think
“SUSTAINABLE”! How? …let’s act together and make a change!
SANJA
MIHAJLOV, PARTICIPANT
FROM MACEDONIA:
“I am very pleased that there
are people who care about
the environment, and I am
glad that I found this
group, for our collaboration
and I learned a lot from your
reactions, thinking, and
acting”
HELVIJS JANIS KLEINMANIS,
PARTICIPANT FROM LATVIA:
“When I go out of home, I always take
water with me. It's such a small thing,
but it not only helps the planet(not buying
new plastic bottles, not wasting water)
but also benefits your life - you don't
need to spend money on soft drinks that
nowadays cost not that cheap at all plus
drinking a lot of water is extremely
healthy. Not to mention that nothing
quenches thirst as good as water does.”
ALONA GLAZKOVA,
YOUTH LEADER FROM
UKRAINE:
“Soon we will make a point
of collecting batteries in our
office!”

10. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!!
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