Report for the year 2005
During the whole year an educational campaign My Green World was being implemented. Within the action workshops for 7200 children from Lodz, Kutno, Zgierz and Warsaw were organised. We use such methods as paper modeling, modeling, origami, art of illusion, circus art, elements of intercultural education, theatre and drama, music therapy, dance therapy, yoga, empathy trainings and elements of work within nature. During the campaign the following actions were undertaken:
February 2005:
The Groats Festival in Warsaw, over 1000 of children took part. The classes aim to get back to the traditional, healthy and safe products which is groats, corns and other seeds.
March 2005:
The Groats Festival in Lodz. 950 children took part. In cooperation with the Green School Association.
April 2005:
The Spring Festival of Birds – approximately 630 of children took part in the workshops. The classes are connected to the spring birds traveling when the whole nature awakes.
April 2005:
The Little Traveler’s Festival – around 530 children took part in the workshops. The classes aim to present different cultures, their music and every day life in foreign countries. Our main target is to teach kids tolerance and understanding for foreign cultures and nationalities.
April 2005:
Warsaw: classes for children about litter segregating.
May 2005:
Mother’s Day Eco-presents – project implemented in Lodz and Warsaw. 1100 children took part in the action. Each mum treasures presents from her children. Our aim was to prepare hand made gifts that will be environmentally friendly at the same time.
May 2005:
Eco-picnic – over 550 children took part in the workshops. They were held in the Lagiewnicki Forest and organized in cooperation with the Green School Association. Rest in the middle of nature. Each child got seedling to plant it in front of their house or school. This way teachers and children managed to plant over 500 little trees.
June 2005:
Friends of Forest Festival – more than 500 children took part in the workshops. The ecological-artistic classes were organised in cooperation with the Green School Association and were held in the Lagiewnicki Forest. The children were taught how to prepare forest meal from the wood’s treasures as well as took part in sport competition called The Race of Health.
September 2005:
Native Americans Culture Week – over 620 children took part in the workshops. Presentation
of Native Americans Culture, elements of their music, folklore and believes.
October 2005:
Week of Friendship with Animals – workshops connected to the International Week of Friendship with Animals – ca. 630 kids attended the workshops. We aimed to teach children empathy and respect towards our little brothers.
November 2005:
The Groats Festival – workshops organised with the Green School Association. Approximately 650 children took part in the workshops.
December 2005:
The Winter Festival workshops – around 650 children came to the festival. How to prepare yourself to winter? Christmas and its faces in different cultures and religions.
Other 2005 actions:
April 2005:
International Earth Day
Lodz, Lodz Cultural Centre (LDK): retrospective of films connected to Earth. Screenings included i.e.: "Whale Rider", "Instinct", "Final Fantasy", "Macrocosmos" and "Erin Brockovich". Other attractions – classes for children “How to create a book from waste paper” organized in cooperation with the Empik bookstore and Greenpeace Poland; meetings with readers and Greenpeace activists.
April 2005:
International Festival of Travelers and Discoverers “Mediatravel”. Festival promotes beauty of nature and the world as well as other cultures, nations and traditional believes. The festival programme includes: films retrospectives, short films competitions, meetings with travelers, reporters, journalists and photographers. Organized at the Lodz Cultural Centre (LDK).
April 2005:
Presentation of the Sustainable Development Ideas during the Goldap Festival of Youth Culture.
May 2005:
Honorary Patronage, together with the Schumann Foundation – Vyshehrad Group Countries Youth Conference, Youth Forum, http://www.forum.mlodych.blo.pl, organizers: Collegium Civitas Politological Circle and European Union Institute.
August 2005:
Youth Exchange Poland – Holland which took part in the region of Suwalki thank to the Youth programme funding. 22 young people from Poland and Netherlands took part in the exchange. The main objective of the exchange was to understand the differences between two distant cultures and their needs connected to different political, social and ideological background.
August 2005:
The FERSO foundation became a member of the Nongovernmental Organisations Federation.
September/October 2005:
The project Language of Hatred and Exclusion supported by the government representative for Equal Status of Men and Women. The classes organized in high schools discussed the problem of discrimination and intolerance towards different nations, cultures and religions. The youth could understand the differences and learn tolerance to everything what is different.
September 2005:
Trainings for policemen from the Lodz Voivodship Police Station about prevention of home violence and religious – race attacks.
September 2005:
Within the EVS programme a Polish volunteer was sent to the Dutch organization Wasdom Youth Centre for the period of 10 months.
September/December 2005:
Theatrical education project for gymnasium pupils “In the lights of ramp” funded by the City Council Cultural Department. The workshops aimed to activate creative expression through the theatrical, circus, comical and acrobatic activities. The programme was highly evaluated by the students and the teachers.
Second half of the year:
Sending and hosting volunteers within the EVS programme. A Polish volunteer was sent to the Dutch Wasdom Youth Centre and in December three volunteers came to Poland. They represent the following organizations: Omega Ry (Finland), YMCA (Czech Republic), Consel Comarcal Del Bages (Spain).
The Good Bag campaign was being implemented during the whole year. We made bags for the CAL Association, Eco-Initiative Association and the Silesia Nostra Organisation. The main target of our action was to promote conscious attitude to consumption and the environmental threats it brings. Our choices decide what raw materials are exploited, whether children are forced to work and if the industrial production affects nature and human health.
Conferences, seminars, international exchanges:
In 2005 the Foundation workers took part in the following events:
23-24.09.2005 The University of Warsaw
4th National Forum of Nongovernmental Initiatives “Civic Republic”
The main topic was development of civil society in Poland. During the forum, a two day conference was held as well as a market for the inhabitants of Warsaw, exhibition of 15 years of nongovernmental sector in Poland as well as social spots shows and infrastructure fairs.
14-21.11.2005 Sinaia, Romania
European Citizenship Training Module 4- Intercultural Learning.
The main topic of the meeting was the role of multicultural education in shaping European citizenship. The issues of intercultural learning (ICL) were moved as well as implementing its assumptions in organizations and local community. The problem of European citizenship was discussed and the role of nongovernmental organizations in developing the idea of civic Europe.
25-29.10.2005 Budapest, Hungary
Contact seminar about building and creating international intercultural projects. Organiser: Hungarian organization Mobilitás Képzési és Kutatási Igazgatóság. Representatives from Netherlands, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Poland, Ireland, Italy, Finland and Hungary took part in the seminar.
13.12.2005 Warsaw
Seminar "Ethical standards within nongovernmental organizations” – organised by the Polish Federation of Nongovernmental Organisations.
The Foundation’s activity was possible thank to support of ever reliable volunteers and the following institutions: Gymnasium no 4 in Lodz, The Educational System Development Foundation (within the Youth Programme), City Council Cultural Department, City Council Health Department, the government representative for Equal Status of Man and Women.
Po Polsku
