Blog

EuroCamp – UpGrade Between the 3rd and 10th August I had the chance to participate in EuroCamp for the second time. This year it was hosted in Malta, my home country. EuroCamp is a great opportunity to meet and integrate with youth and leaders from all over Europe, namely Catalunya, Italy, Belgium, Slovakia, Austria, Denmark, Lithuania, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Besides the time we shared getting to know each other, the different cultures, organisations and the way other people live and think we also had the opportunity to educate ourselves more about EU citizenship, rights and the different opportunities it provides. During the week we had several workshops and activities on the theme. Some were organized in different places around Malta, so that the international participants could also have time to visit some places such as a city game on human rights in Valletta, doing tasks such as a flash mob and an awareness campaign in Mdina and a BBQ at the beach.At the end of this camp I found it very hard to go back to my daily routine because we had a really good time together but fortunately we are still in contact. I was glad that I had the opportunity to participate in EuroCamp because it is a great way to get to know other youth and it helps me grow and learn more about the benefits of youth work. Niall Muscat, ZAK Mosta UpGrade: EuroCamp 2013 was an international activity organized by ZAK. It was an opportunity to learn about different cultures and make new friends from other european countries. It was a great opportunity to spend time, learn and work together with other people from different countries. The activities and workshops that were organized during UpGrade helped me learn more about EU citizenship. Each workshop was fun to do in its own way and each one had a purpose where we learnt something different and useful such as learning about the freedom of movement and speech, which is also very important especially in the case of youth. An activity that I enjoyed was the international evening, which was an opportunity to discover new cultures and traditions and also to actually taste their food and drinks.At the end of the week I felt very lucky that I experienced an opportunity like this and I would definitely do it again if I had the opportunity. Martha Piscopo, ZAK Tarxien EuroCamp 2013 was one of the best experiences I participated in. The participants and leaders together made this an unforgettable experience. Only memories remain but it was very fruitful to us youth. Basically, EuroCamp is an activity spread over one week in which youth from 10 different countries join and spend a week together. The main theme was citizenship and EU. The whole concept of being a citizen of the EU was well discussed, and workshops varied from creating posters about what the European Union means to us, campaigning and doing flash mobs about it in Mdina and representing our different cultures and art in any way we wanted. We also explored our common rights and freedoms, and the opportunities we can have as EU citizens. Also we also deliberated about how we as young citizens can voice our opinion in order to be heard more and how our roles in society matter more than we think. Mikela Zerafa, ZAK Zurrieq

World Youth Day 2013 My experience in Brazil was one of the most amazing. There were a lot of special moments for my group and myself. Every day was special in its own way and each week was a new and different experience. Generosity is what I really felt during the first week, through staying with a family I did not know. They really loved us as if we were their own children. They gave us joy and peace! During this week I also experienced a bit of volountary work when we visited a small hospital, worked with children in a crash istitution and with old peopl as well.The second week was the actual week of the World Youth Day. The energy amongst the youths filled me with joy and peace. Being amongst 3.7 million people in Copocabana was an undescribable experience. Different people from different cultures, background and speaking different languages, all sharing the same faith in the same time at the same place. Listening to the Pope speaking and letting his great words touch your heart is an amazing feeling. A Pope who is full of enthusiasm to share God’s voice. The third week was when we all saw the beautiful nature that God gave us. Being a big country, Brazil has innumerable different landscapes and areas which one can visit. I experienced the open countryside as well as the poor people in the favelas. You still can say that they are happy people although they are poor and are less fortunate than we are. They still smile at you and welcome you to their own place. It was a very rewarding experience and I am ready to share Pope`s word that I have received. Stephen Micallef, ZAK Tarxien

20+ Community Week Between Monday the 8th and Sunday the 14th of April a Community week was organised for all 20+ ZAK members. In today’s society being autonomous and independent is the norm. However we cannot just be individuals in a society, we need to be part of a community and this requires skills and willingness. ZAK is a community in itself and promotes building and living in smaller communities through its local groups. Therefore, ZAK gives priority to relationships between the members of the organization, both on a local and also on a national level. To strengthen the relationships between the members was one of the main aims of the 20+ Community week. Sometimes to strengthen our relationships it just requires the sharing of daily experiences. During the week we celebrated mass together, cooked dinner, planned future activities, cleaned up, played games and so on. I remember that one day during this Community week we organized a simple adventurous walk in Birgu from Tarxien. We walked and talked and laughed and then we stopped near the sea for a short spiritual reflection. The feeling that I felt in expressing some personal reflections with my friends was exceptional and relaxing. There was absolute silence so that we could hear the sea. Sometimes expressing simple thoughts with such friends forming part of ZAK makes you realize that specific people in this organization form an integral part of your life and with their help you are able to achieve great things. Not only achieve great things but become the person you are today.