Solstice night hike

Media materials:

Download
Jurmala Youth iniciative centre

Organisation:

Jurmala Youth iniciative centre

Country:

Latvia

About organisation:

Jurmala Youth Initiative center is a municipality institution that works with youngsters of 13-25 years, based upon LV Youth regulations, but provides Erasmus+, EU Solidarity corps and other program/project opportunities for youngsters till 30 years. JYIC is responsible for planning and organizing youth work in our municipality. We work with the Youth council, student parliament leaders group, organize interest based group activities, workshops and informal learning groups. Also we provide opportunities for youngsters with fewer opportunities, from risk groups and others as well as a safe space, consulting and mentoring. As the only youth center in the city, we’re the only Eurodesk infopoint, providing info and introducing local youngsters with opportunities in our city, country, all around the EU. We write, participate and organize different projects, including youth exchanges, training, camps, volunteering and others. We are a place for youngsters to meet, create, do and be.

Title of the project

Solstice night hike

Start date:

20/6/2023

End date:

21/6/2023

Objectives:

Solstice night hike was a unique event, because its goal was to inform and educate youngsters not only about EU opportunities, but how important it is to maintain traditions and each nation's values, and to do it through yet unexplored methods. Latvians originally have very nature-based beliefs in our life long values and traditions, but due to change in the way people nowadays consume information and use their knowledge on a daily basis, we gave our youngsters an opportunity to re-learn skills, knowledge and values that our ancestors had. Our project combined different types of activities and methods: as a base - hiking along the sea, folk song writing, traditional power symbol learning, solstice celebration traditions meaning and trying them out (flower crown, midnight swim, bonfire etc.), example comparison from different countries etc. Our goal was to teach youngsters traditions that they could easily share with others making our inheritance stronger. This event took around 7 hours and was filled with emotions and sights that youngsters had never experienced before. It helped them to understand why we cherish in our country such things as nature and its ways, traditions shared between generations, our folklore etc. As a result, thanks to a professional coach that had tradition based knowledge, at the end of the event youngsters could make the closing part - bonfire ceremony, by themselves.

Why the project was: empowering young people, adapting to changing realities, or thinking out of the box:

The project was rather atypical because it joined a cultural happening, Līgo festival celebration that is usually done by sitting in one place, with a healthy, active process of hiking along the seaside. Also most of our events are usually done in daylight because of safety, and the legal work hours, but young people had been asking for activities in the second part of the day more and outside the youth centre, this was stepping out of the box.We believe this project made youngsters think outside of the box in two different ways - learning experience and acknowledging the different backgrounds we come from. Learning experience - the learning ways and circumstances changed all the time. Almost every task they needed to do was integrated with the surroundings. For example, folk song writing they needed to do while walking, creating power signs they did a few minutes before sun went down, water rituals they learned in the darkness of the night. These tasks challenged everyone to change and adapt the same as the nature does that around them. Also, to make this experience authentic, we chose the actual eve of solstice.Different backgrounds - we provided them with a safe space to talk and try to understand our values, because not everyone in Latvia even knows how our ancestors were raised. Also, together participants learned how their beliefs can be turned into methods and practices that we can use to educate each other in a way that won't affect or offend other people's beliefs.

How the project was inclusive:

During the hike, we asked youngsters to share their experiences around Europe: traditions and culture uniquenesses they have seen. Afterwards we did discuss how to popularise ours while we are abroad. Before the event we gathered information about our theme related projects that will happen in the near future, so we could inform youngsters. We provided them with gift bags from Eurodesk, that included informational booklets and some souvenirs that they will be able to use on a daily basis, that way subtly raising others’ curiosity about Eurodesk. We asked them to tell us about Eurodesk and its opportunities to at least two friends after the event. During the hike we asked them to tag us and Eurodesk in their stories- We included this event in the Youth year event calendar. We used the Eurodesk Youth year logo in our public communication materials.

Green aspect:

Before we started our hike, we explained all the terms and green practices that we will respect during this event. The route was planned only using the trails that were marked in the map, so we wouldn't hurt the seaside area. For the flower crowns we used flowers from a private field which the owner allowed us to do, also explaining what can and can’t we take, because our goal was to collect only flowers that are considered weeds and do re-grow after being plucked. For our own use, we took water only in our own refillable bottles; the food and snacks were provided in reusable containers. We told the participants how to recycle correctly if they needed and also, we had agreement that if we see some trash during our hike, we will collect it, making our seaside trash free. Participants were encouraged to use public transport in order to get to and from the activity venue, both ends of the hike had a very easy access to both train and bus.

How the project has given a European dimension to your event and ensured the visibility and promotion of Eurodesk?

During the hike, we asked youngsters to share their experiences around Europe: traditions and culture uniquenesses they have seen. Afterwards we did discuss how to popularise ours while we are abroad. Before the event we gathered information about our theme related projects that will happen in the near future, so we could inform youngsters. We provided them with gift bags from Eurodesk, that included informational booklets and some souvenirs that they will be able to use on a daily basis, that way subtly raising others’ curiosity about Eurodesk. We asked them to tell us about Eurodesk and its opportunities to at least two friends after the event. During the hike we asked them to tag us and Eurodesk in their stories- We included this event in the Youth year event calendar. We used the Eurodesk Youth year logo in our public communication materials.

Impact:

More than 40 youngsters are informed about Eurodesk and their opportunities in Europe. We introduced youngsters to a new way of how to spend their free time (hiking). More people are informed why and how Latvians and other cultures celebrate the changing of the seasons around the year. We made the seaside cleaner. Provided opportunity for youngsters from further regions to see the sea. Youngsters agreed that they need more activities like this, so we are planning the second part of the hike.