werde aktiv
Cities worldwide are growing, growing, growing.
And by now we all know that there is need for change and that somehow, we must make our cities more sustainable. We need to put the people, their health and wellbeing in the center of our city planning.
But what exactly is a “sustainable city”? And how do cities work?
Traffic, waste, food, energy, social issues – big cities as well in Germany as in Egypt face major challenges today and the answers we gave in the last decades are not really satisfying anymore. We need new answers and there are a lot of interesting ideas – car sharing and bike friendly infrastructure, urban gardening to produce more food in the cities, reducing waste or using solar energy.
So how are we going to use the limited space we live in to ensure a livability and eco-friendly future?
WHAT HAVE WE PLANNED?
We want to address these issues in a German-Egyptian youth exchange and compare challenges and solutions in these two countries. Together with 30 young people from Germany and Egypt you’ll get the chance to discuss topics as food supply, transportation or waste management and take action. In both capitals Cairo and Berlin you’ll get to observe the different approaches to tackle environmental, economic and social development and get to exchange thoughts and ideas for global solutions.
The program includes 2 seminars of 2 weeks each in Germany and Egypt. DIY workshops, talks and workshops by initiatives introduce you to new perspectives and models. There will be excursions to places you haven’t heard of before and trips to famous sights you’ve heard of a thousand times. Furthermore there will space for discussions, skill-sharing, panels and networking with other activists.
Growing grassroots is a cross-cultural experience where you’ll learn how to affect your community and advocate for your better future. You’re going to exchange thoughts and meet new open-minded people. Since everyone will be a foreigner and a local at some point we will have the opportunity to learn from each other and share our experience fostering a mutual understanding. And, of course, you will have free time to explore your surroundings and have fun together!
The exchange will take place coming summer in Berlin (31. July – 14. August 2018, German participants will start on 30. July) and Cairo (11.-24. September). In Berlin we will stay in a beautifully situated guest house, cook on our own and organize our communal life together. In Egypt we will be accommodated in a hostel. The exchange lives of the ideas and participation of everyone and is organized by former participants of the exchange.
APPLICATION:
To apply you have to be between 18 and 26 years old and live in either Germany or Egypt. It is not important that you already know a lot about the topic but that you are motivated to learn and attend the whole program. We try to get a colorful mixture of different experiences and backgrounds and are looking forward to your application.
The exchange fee for German participants is 450€ and includes flights, accommodation, food and program. It will hopefully be funded by the German Federal Foreign Office as part of the German-Egyptian Transformation Partnership or the European program Erasmus+.
The project is coordinated by BUNDjugend Berlin (Young Friends of the Earth Berlin), AYCM (Arab Youth Climate Movement Egypt) and icealex. For more information check out our website, blog or Facebook page.
We are looking forward to your application!
What? German-Egyptian Youth Exchange “Sustainable Cities”
When? 30.07- 14.08. in Berlin, 11.-24. September in Cairo
You have the opportunity to extend your stay in Egypt for one week on your own expenses.
Who? 14 participants each from Egypt and Germany between 18 and 26
Theme? Sustainable Cities
How much? 450€
How to apply? The deadline has already passed and we are deciding on the participants at the moment. In the last years, we had participants who had to cancel – so you can still apply for these places: Fill this form to apply.