After much thought, I have decided that I should organize peer to peer education at student’s campus “Studentski Grad”, in coffee shop which is a part of gallery and theatre (upstairs) located across the main student’s library, where students from Belgrade’s various faculties are studying. I have spoken to creative director of Studentski Grad about my plans for setting up a little lecture there about “Youth Reconciliation Ambassadors” program. He liked the idea and so I started my advertising campaign:). I have printed papers calling students to come join me for a chat/lecture on 6th of December.
I was very happy to see students from different faculties, who were interested in processes of reconciliation and regional cooperation among youth. To my somewhat surprise, most of them were from Faculty of Economy, which can maybe imply that economy students don’t usually get a chance to participate in this kind of discussion, or at this kind of seminar with slight political tone. Also, three of them were from Faculty of Political Sciences, two of them from Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Philology, and two from Faculty of Mathematics.
I had chosen to start from the beginning and to talk about Youth Education Committee, its ideas, what it stands for and how it is organized, then to talk about YRA program as a whole, your cooperation and sponsorship from the UK embassy. I continued with my obligations as Ambassador afterwards, about my wonderful memories and things I had learned from our 5-day intensive (I emphasized that!) seminar, about people we had met, influential theorists, historians, politicians, governmental officials, human rights activists (NGO and governmental established) and of course the Ambassador of United Kingdom.
I have printed for every participant of this lecture a hand-out which contained Agenda for upcoming seminar and Invitation letter for applicants. I have inform them that the next YRA seminar and Call for Application will be in March 2013 and that it would be a shame if they miss this opportunity, given the national variety of people who attended this seminar. I have said to them that I was very excited when I saw different cities and countries on the participants list, because not often do we get a chance to talk and spend 5 days with someone from Prishtina, Podujevo, Tuzla, Sarajevo here in Belgrade.
They were really interested in this program and generally liked the idea of participating in the future seminars.
Also, I have mentioned Youth Education Committee website, and YEC Facebook page
