Project „Pictures for the region“ aims to contribute to the increased youth mobility and intercultural learning in the region through art, by connecting 20 young people, ages 18-25, from different Contracting Parties (Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia and Bosnia & Herzegovina), in field of artistic photos on themes such as nature, portraits and folklore. All of them will be part of Facebook group – Virtual gallery, where they can upload their work and get feedback from experienced photographers.
All 20 trainees will participate in the basic 2 day workshop in North Macedonia and 3 day photo camp in Kragujevac and also, exhibit their best work on international exhibition. During the day, at the workshop and camp, all participant will have training with photographers, have photo walks together with trainers and in the evening, all participants will introduce themselves in photos and get to know each other and their cultures, thru music, food and customs.
At a time when hate speech became everyday event, when stereotypes became so insidious that they were considered facts and when almost 70% of young people in the Balkans, never crossed the border, the project “Pictures for the region” offers youth mobility, connectivity, intercultural learning and cooperation. Given that all 5 partners are working directly on empowering youth, especially young people with disabilities and/or with fewer opportunities, encouraging cooperation and intercultural learning, main issues that we encounter on everyday basis are lack of funds for travel, but more importantly no long-lasting initiative for youth cooperation. Also, in formal education there`s no way to express their creativity to the fullest nor to learn anything about other cultures directly. Youth from remote area, especially the ones with disabilities and/or with fewer opportunities, beside formal education has no means to learn some new crafts, or anything that they can turn into profession later on.
By bringing together 20 young people, from different Contracting Parties ( 5 from each Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia ), project „Pictures for the region“is dealing directly with youth cooperation and intercultural learning. Empowering those young people to bring out their artistic potential to maximum, cooperate, get to know other cultures and their peers from the region, project aims to contribute to creating a better society in Western Balkans. Also, these 20 people will gain knowledge that they can easily turn into profession later in life and improve their material status.
Since, partners organize competition for best photos, risk can be that not enough good, quality works enters the competition. In that case, partners will prolong the deadline for submission and extend the call from medias to high schools and universities. Also, international exhibition is planned out in the open, centre of Kragujevac (pedestrian zone), but in case of bad weather, this activity will be transferred to a shopping mall.
CSO „Friends of planet Earth” was working, so far, together with ALUEDA (Albania) and LIR Evolution (Bosnia and Hercegovina) on numerous projects and applications, especially on topics such as intercultural learning and youth exchange. Since, this project is involved beside empowering youth, in articulation of artistic potential of young people, two professional, photographer associations, will be involved, one from Serbia and one from North Macedonia. Each partner will choose participants from a photo competition, but youth with disabilities and/ or with fewer opportunities (rural areas and / or unprivileged educational and economic background) as well as the ones that have never crossed the border will have an advantage. .
General objective of „Pictures for the region“project is to contribute to the process of reconciliation in the region of the Western Balkans by increasing youth mobility, cooperation and intercultural dialogue. All project activities aim to connect 20 young people from WB region for future cooperation on youth mobility and art and to multiple that by transferring their experience and knowledge to other peers in their surroundings.
Specific objectives of the project are:
Increased level of intercultural competences and mobility among youth through 20 project participants, between 18 – 25 ages, who are familiar with cultures, history, tradition and folklore of cities and places where project activities implement Empowered 20 project participants in articulation of their artistic potential and learning how to expess theirselves through photos
Because of this project, 20 young people will travel abroad for the first time, have the opportunity to learn about different customs and also, beside of getting to know their peers from neighboring Contracting Parties, gain knowledge about artistic photographs from experienced, rewarded photographers and learn how to express themselves thru pictures.
For the first time, project aims to change and raise awareness among youth about that art knows no borders and that we all see beauty in the same way, regardless of nationality or place where we live in.
Expected results of the project are:
- 20 young people got to know their peer from Contracting Parties, different cultures and customs
- 20 young people, from 4 different WB Contracting Parties , got basic photographers training in 2day workshop North Macedonia
- 20 young people, from 4 different WB Contracting Parties got advanced photographers training in 3day photo camp in Serbia
- 1 Facebook group „Virutal gallery “founded
- 1 international exhibition held in Kragujevac
- 200 catalogues and flayers printed and distributed in all 4 partner Contracting Parties
Direct target group of the project is 20 young people, age 18-25, 5 from each Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia, who never crossed the borders. Also, young people with disabilities and/or with fewer opportunities, will have advantage during selection. Gender balance will be taken into consideration during candidate selection, as well.
All candidates will be selected on national best photo competition (given categories for pictures will be nature, portrait and national folklore/ food, customs, historical objects, etc.). Call for competition will be published in local, national and all social media. All 4 local partners will organize competition in their societies. Partners from Albania and Bosnia and Hercegovina will hire photographer, who will take involvement in selection of best photos in the competition. Artist of best 5 photos ( per society) will be engaged in other project activities. indirect target group is much bigger, and it involves other stakeholders in all 4 partner Contracting Parties, local communities, medias, as well as visitors of international exhibition in Kragujevac.
Call for best photo competition will be published in local, national and social media. All 4 local partners will organize competition in their society and choose 5 best photos. Artists of best 5 photos will participate in other project activities. Criteria for choosing candidates for participation in project will be quality of the picture, theme of the picture, composition, but also only candidates that have never crossed border will be given an advantage. Also, young people with disabilities and/or with fewer opportunities, will have advantage during selection. Gender balance will be taken into consideration during candidate selection, as well. Each partner needs to secure participation of at least two girls.