Youth Discussion Workshop on MDGs

Friday, 24 June 2011

Young people from three countries - Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, three days in a row (22-24 June, 2011) discussed how with the means of art to interpret in a popular way the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Youth Discussion Workshop was held in Sofia in the framework of AGORA Platform's project "Art Changes Lives". The project has been funded with support from the European Commission, "Youth in Action" Programme, Youth support systems, Action 4.5 - Support to information activities for young people and those active in youth work and youth organisations. Partners in the project are Association "Tishina", Bulgaria, The Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR), Romania and Ucaneller Culture and Art House Association, Turkey.

During the workshop 33 young people on the base of the conducted MDGs research (prior to the workshop) in their country, presented the progress to achievement of MDGs in 2015 in Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. The attractive presentation of Bulgarian youth from "Tishina" Association influenced the audience also emotionally employing the means of pantomime, music and dance. Various interactive game techniques and tools were applied in the presentations, the development of a joint "message" on MDGs and the design of a concept for theater art performances.

The session devoted to media literacy was of great help to the participants, supporting them in their efforts to read critically the media and create news. Also, the media session contributed to development of skills and abilities of youth to access, analyze, evaluate and create media not only in traditional but in new forms as well.

"Together Responsible for Our Future" is the jointly designed and developed slogan by the youth participants to address their peers.

In the coming months, the youth will work on the scenario; design and develop the performance and vision of artistic products on MDGs to be presented on the Youth Awareness Days at the end of 2011 as follows:
• Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability: performance with pantomime, music and dance (Bulgaria).
• Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability: carrying out of environmental sustainability campaign and a puppet theater performance with puppets made of waste materials (Turkey).
• Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education: a forum theatre performance in English language on the issue (Romania).

AGORA Platform invited all interested by art and MDGs again in Sofia in the autumn to watch the premieres of the youth art products. More information about the events will be available on AGORA Platform's web site.