Lutsk National Technical University implements the KA220-YOU project "Digital Diplomacy and Inclusive Peace Studies Platform for Youth" within the Erasmus+ program. On November 8-12, in the city of Istanbul, Turkey, as one of the stages of project implementation, an educational youth camp "DigiYouthCamp" was organized for young people from partner organizations of the project.
The participants of the camp were representatives of all members of the project consortium from seven European countries: Ukraine, Lithuania, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Belgium, and Norway. Members of the project team - Oleksandra Korneiko, a master’s student of the Faculty of Business and Law in International Economic Relations specialty, and Snizhana Martynchuk, an International relations officer, represented Ukraine, namely the Lutsk National Technical University.
The program of the visit was quite intensive and included various types of activities aimed at the fastest and most comfortable integration of young people into the multicultural environment of the camp. Acquaintanceships of the participants took place in the form of the game "Ice-breakers" and a "NameMap" to visualize the names. Participants from each country also prepared a poster presentation of their organization.
In general, all activities at "DigYouthCamp" were aimed at working in groups and pairs. One of the groups prepared a "Map of conflicts", another - a "Poster appeal against war", the third group prepared a dictionary of a list of words in seven languages that are the same in each language, and the fourth group recorded InstagramReels videos. Each group introduced the result of their work to other participants.
A very valuable experience we gained at the camp was writing a project application on an arbitrary topic. We analyzed all stages of writing: choosing a name, participants, the budget, goals, forms and results of implementation, communication channels and value of the project. Each group chose a topic and wrote their project, which was presented to other groups of participants.
We also had the opportunity to listen to a lecture on "Digital Diplomacy and its Tools" by Professor Hakan Güneş of Istanbul University and lectures on "Leadership in the Age of Digital Technologies" and "Entrepreneurship and Commercial Diplomacy" by Professor Ugur Yasin Asal of Istanbul Ticaret University.
Taking into account the fact that the participants were from different European countries, one of the tasks was to present their country. The way of presentation was individual. For example, a youth from Turkey presented dishes and drinks of national cuisine; members from Belgium talked about making traditional drinks; partners from Lithuania prepared a quiz about the country, which all participants played; representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina conducted an online tour of the country. All participants had the opportunity to taste sweets from Germany and Norway. In addition, we wore national clothes, which we actually talked about, described ornaments, types of traditional costumes and their modernization, the meaning of colours; told about traditions and customs related to national clothes. In the conditions of war, all symbols of the independence and identity of the state are especially important for every Ukrainian, so we also talked about the national flag of Ukraine, its history and its symbolism.
On the last day of the camp, we summed up the results, everyone expressed their opinion regarding the most useful activities and interesting moments. Each participant of "DigiYouthCamp" has got a certificate and a gift from a "secret friend".
Thanks to the Erasmus+ program, the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine and the Lutsk National Technical University, youth from Ukraine as a whole and we personally, even in such a difficult time, have the opportunity to develop, share our own experience and take in the best foreign practices.
Сніжана Мартиньчук, відділ міжнародних зв’язків
