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ToGeThere Youth Exchange ToGeThere Youth Exchange between ŻAK Ħal Tarxien and Azione Cattolica San Severo During the summer of 2022, ŻAK Ħal Tarxien and Azione Cattolica San Severo held an exchange in Malta with the title of ‘Id f’Id,’ discussing sustainability and post-COVID-19 rebuilding. This year, the second part of the exchange took place between July 10th and 16th, this time in San Severo, Italy, with the title ‘ToGeThere,’ emphasising the significance of collective efforts to achieve the UN 2030 agenda. The event saw active participation from 41 young individuals, aged between 14 and 28, hailing from Malta and the Puglia region (Diocese of San Severo), Italy. Throughout the week, the participants engaged in discussions revolving around various critical UN 2030 Agenda goals, encompassing Goal 1 – No Poverty, Goal 10 -Reducing Inequalities, Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, Goal 13 – Climate Change, Goal 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions and Goal 17 – Sustainable Development.  The discussion commenced with Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, where participants conducted activities in Torremaggiore, Italy, by exploring the historical centre and the Torremaggiore castle, the Sacco and Vanzetti museum, and the museum of De Sangro. Additionally, they visited Castel Fiorentino, the site of Emperor Frederick II’s demise, concluding the day with a Cluedo-style game centred around the same historical event at Ducal Castle. The following day’s focus shifted to Goal 1 – No Poverty, where the pressing issue of school dropouts among 16-year-olds was thoroughly examined. The group explored local initiatives addressing this concern and met with representatives from the municipal administration of San Severo at Palazzo Celestini. Here, the mayor presented the ‘social incubators’ project, which employs artistic tools to impart knowledge to youth. These ‘art incubators’ foster a better understanding between educators and students, guiding the latter’s holistic development. The exchange also welcomed the MSAC circle of the Vieste diocese, who presented the student movement of Catholic Action, and engaged in joint activities promoting active participation in school and work environments, covering topics such as fast fashion, climate change and mental health. Another crucial topic addressed during the exchange was Goal 13 – Climate Change. Participants discussed ongoing European Union-funded initiatives in both Malta and Italy, aimed at tackling climate change, and engaged in MSAC-led workshops on this pressing matter. Towards the exchange’s conclusion, Goal 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions as well as Goal 17 – Sustainable Development, were discussed, particularly regarding the issues of migration and exploitation. To gain insight into these concerns, the participants engaged in a tabletop game called ‘Oro Rosso (Red Gold)’ and had dinner with various NGOs working in San Severo, witnessing the collaborative efforts towards achieving the UN 2030 agenda goals and beyond. In conclusion, the exchange program in San Severo provided a transformative experience for the participants, extending beyond discussions on the UN 2030 Agenda. The exchange not only allowed them to delve into critical global issues but also facilitated a deep cultural, language and social exchange, creating a genuine European Union experience. In the spirit of ‘ToGeThere’ the participants left the exchange with a shared determination to make a difference, both locally and globally, contributing to the realisation of the UN 2030 Agenda and beyond. Through their efforts and collaborations, they are demonstrating that meaningful change can be achieved when we come together as one, transcending boundaries and celebrating our shared humanity.

Role Models Here is a small sneak peek into the past, more specifically last weekend’s ŻAK 16-18 Live-in. We did a lot of activities together – we ate, played, prayed, walked and much more. One of the highlights of this weekend was the role models session, where we invited people from different walks of life and they spoke to us about their life, what makes life meaningful for them and how we can strengthen our communities, among other things. We also had the opportunity to talk to them in smaller groups, and get to know them a bit better. Thank you to all participants and leaders who made this experience possible and wonderful! Dan il-live in kien ‘one to remember’. Iltqajt ma’ nies ġodda fiż-ŻAK kif ukoll role models fil-komunita’ u allavolja kellna attivitajiet forsi mhux daqsekk faċli, ħadt gost ħafna għax għamilnihom flimkien – Miriana Ciantar Ħadt gost niltaqa’ ma’ membri ta’ ċentri oħra waqt il-live in, u ħadt pjaċir nitkellem ma’ nies li m’humiex parti miż-ŻAK imma għandhom vokazzjonijiet differenti u huma xorta nvoluti fil-komunita` ta’ madwarna, għax sirt naf ftit fuq il-ħajja tagħhom, u sirt naf kif nista’ nieħu ħsieb aħjar lin-nies u l-ambjent ta’ madwari – Giovanni Bonavia Dan it-training kien esperjenza unika u ta’ vera. Kienet opportunità inkredibbli fejn stajna nitgħallmu mil-leaders tagħna iżda wkoll, u b’mod speċjali minn dawk ta’ madwarna. F’dan it-training flimkien, komplejna nibnu il kommunitajiet tagħna b’diversi esperjenzi varjati, speċjalment il-komunitajiet żgħar fiċ-Ċentri taż-ŻAK li aħna leaders fihom, bil-konsegwenza li il-komunita` sħiħa taż-ŻAK tkompli tikber.– Mikiel Cassar, ŻAK Iklin During this leadership event, I had the chance to meet new people from different centers and get to know more those I already knew. We took part in different interactive workshops where we openly discussed and shared our opinions and experiences. Although we had some challenging moments, the incredible support and collaboration among our team members helped us to overcome these challenges. It was a very enjoyable and enriching experience that left a profound and lasting impact on me. The exceptional teamwork and the strong sense of togetherness made this training all the more special. I am grateful for the meaningful connections and valuable lessons I gained from this experience.- Matthew Spiteri, ŻAK Ħal Tarxien. On the 22nd of June, another role model session was held at Our Lady Immaculate School in Ħamrun, the students had the privilege of listening to Jamie, a ŻAK member who is the reigning female chess champion of Malta and a council member of the Malta Chess Federation. Jamie introduced the fundamentals of chess, its historical background, and the remarkable achievements of women in the game. She highlighted the benefits of engaging in chess, fostering friendships, personal development, and stress relief. Jamie emphasized the importance of creativity and decision-making for becoming a good chess player. To make her message relatable, she shared her personal journey in chess, from starting at a young age to fearlessly competing in international tournaments. She encouraged the students to embrace bold moves and think critically, both in chess and in life. The students were given a small board game as a small token, and also with the aim of encouraging them to play with others in order to nurture and grow in the skills associated with such games.   The live-in and session were held as part of the Role Models Project financed by the European Union Programmes Agency in collaboration with ŻAK. This activity’s administration was handled by ŻAK’s Youth Work Coordinator, who is funded by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ through the Invest Scheme. @Erasmus+ & European Solidarity Corps – EUPA Malta @Aġenzija Żgħażagħ 

Lost in Creations Lost in Creations is a project organized by the Tarxien 1997/98 group. This project is funded by the Youth in Action programme of the European Union. The group aims at creating more awareness about the importance of creativity and thinking differently. The purpose of this project is to help stimulate creativity in those participants who will be directly involved in the project. The project activities are spread over a year and a half. Lost in Creations began with an official opening which was held in September this year and will end in December of 2014. The project involves a number of activities including a series of meetings with youth, named Skills Sessions, an activity during the Summer of 2014 with the name of ConnACTion and an activity for those between 16 and 18 years old, consisting of a weekend in September 2014 bearing the name of CreActive Camp. Another important part of the project is the mural wall. This wall is located near Dar Nazaret, the place where we meet as a group, which is also a very central location in the village, will be transformed and painted with a design which represents both the project as well as the village of Tarxien. The mural will be painted throughout the entire project activities. The participants who will take part in each event will have the opportunity to contribute to the painting on this wall. Like us on Facebook by searching: Lost in Creations. This project was co-financed by the ‘Youth in Action Programme’ of the European Union