ARTivism for a sustainable planet

Infopack for international youth exchange in Sardinia

Dates: 23th April (arrival day) — 2nd May(departure day)

Venue: Collinas (Sud Sardegna), Italy (map)

Organizers: Associazione Culturale Giovani Iddocca

Project partners: Boomerang Effect Informal Group (Portugal), Associacio Cultura Creativa (Spain), Waste Into Treasure (Slovenia), Involved Youth (Czech Republic)

Project Summary

The “ARTivism for a Sustainable Planet” project is an initiative designed to engage young individuals from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic in addressing critical global issues. It seeks to intertwine two pressing concerns: the escalating climate crisis and the imperative need for social inclusion. Through a blend of art, education, and intercultural dialogue, this project endeavors to cultivate a cohort of proactive and informed youth committed to effecting change in their communities and beyond.

The primary objective is to heighten awareness among young participants about the intricate relationship between climate change and social inclusion. By imparting knowledge and sensitizing them to the far-reaching impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities, the project aims to dismantle social barriers that hinder marginalized groups from accessing opportunities.

A pivotal aspect of this endeavor is equipping young people with the skills and insights to harness art as a potent tool for communication and activism. Through various artistic expressions like painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography, participants will learn to articulate messages that convey the impact of climate change on both people and the planet. This empowerment through art aims to inspire heightened awareness and action.

Moreover, the project aims to foster rich intercultural exchange and dialogue among the youth involved. Bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds facilitates the sharing of unique perspectives, experiences, and ideas regarding climate change and social inclusion. This exchange fosters understanding and collective learning.

By nurturing young participants as active citizens and change agents, the project aims to instill a sense of responsibility and leadership within them. Empowered to take action on issues they care about, these young individuals are envisioned as catalysts for positive change within their communities. They’re encouraged to become not just leaders but also role models advocating for sustainability and inclusivity.

Overall, the project strives to create a transformative space where art and intercultural dialogue intertwine, empowering young minds to become engaged citizens committed to addressing the profound challenges of climate change and social exclusion, leaving a lasting impact on both local communities and the global stage. Scheduled to unfold over 8 days in Collinas, Sardinia, at the beginning of spring, this immersive experience aims to ignite collaborative learning and meaningful interactions among participants.

The objectives

• Increased Awareness and Knowledge: The project intends to deepen participants’ understanding of climate change and social inclusion issues, emphasizing their interconnectedness. It also aims to educate them on utilizing art as a means of communication and activism.
• Increased Skills and Competencies: Participants will acquire a range of skills, including those related to art, communication, teamwork, intercultural communication, and project management.
• Increased Motivation and Empowerment: By engaging in meaningful activities related to pertinent causes, participants can experience heightened motivation, increased self-confidence, and a stronger sense of empowerment.
• Improved Intercultural Communication: Through collaboration with peers from diverse countries, participants will learn about different cultures and enhance their intercultural communication skills.
• Increased Community Engagement: Local activities within communities will help raise awareness about climate change and social inclusion, encouraging community involvement and action.
• Long-Term Impact: The project aims to create a lasting impact by inspiring participants to utilize their newfound skills and knowledge to continue engaging with their local communities, extending the project’s themes even after its conclusion.

Overall, the project aims to nurture proactive and responsible citizens who are dedicated to promoting sustainable and inclusive communities through the amalgamation of art and intercultural dialogue.

The meticulously planned activities to achieve these objectives include:

• Workshops focusing on climate change and social inclusion
• Art workshops encompassing various forms of artistic expression
• Intercultural activities promoting cultural exchange
• Engaging with the local community through exhibitions, debates, and events
• Evaluation and dissemination activities to measure and share project impacts

Participants profile

Number of participants per organization: 5 (4 participants + 1 group leader with no age limit)

• Age between 18 and 25;
• Who currently live in one of the participating countries: Italy, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia or Czech Republic
• Young people with fewer opportunities;
• Unemployed, NEET, students, or young people intending to start their organisation/NGO;
• Participants interested in the topic of art, creativity, environmental sustainability, climate change, social inclusion;
• Proactive attitude
• Open to multicultural dialogue;
• Ready to take part and fully engage in the whole project;
• No previous experience is required;
• Youth-workers, NGO Activists, Volunteers;
• Young people ready to participate and fully commit themselves to the entire exchange;
• Able to slightly communicate in English;

PLEASE: Take care of the gender balance!

Well-being and health care

All the participants should bring their european health card. You can use the free european health insurance card (ehic) to allow you access to public hospital treatment.

Please be aware that the ehic is not a travel insurance policy, it will not cover private health care, non-emergency health costs, or being flown back to your home country.
Participants who cannot have the european health insurance card should have an insurance valid for the whole duration of the project.

We highly recommend you to make a health & travel insurance for the full duration of your time in Italy. If you have to isolate and make quarantine we cannot cover the cost for it.

If you need to take regular medications, please arrange it by yourself as we are unable to provide them for you. There is a pharmacy in the village, but in many cases they won’t sell you anything without a medical prescription.

Likewise, if you have any health conditions, psychological issues, disabilities or mobility issues that you feel we need to be aware of or that may affect your participation in the activities, then please let us know what they are and how we could assist you :)

Financial Aspects and Reimbursements

Financial support will be provided by the Italian National Agency, through the Erasmus+ programme, with the following conditions:

• Travel costs will only be reimbursed through the cheapest and most direct transportation options possible, and only on the condition that the participant will take part in the whole project, up to a certain amount according to the rules provided by the Erasmus+ programme.
• Only tickets confirmed by the host organisers will be reimbursed.
• Board and lodging costs will be covered 100% by the Erasmus+ programme.

The transfer from the airport or port of arrival in Sardinia to Collinas, if requested in time and agreed, can be managed and guaranteed by the organisers. The cost will be deducted from the participants’ total reimbursement.

The maximum reimbursement per participant is:

• Portugal: 275.00 €/participant
• Spain 275.00 €/participant
• Slovenia: 275.00€/participant
• Czech Republic: 275.00€/participant
• Italy: €0.00/participant

Condition reimbursement

23rd April — ARRIVAL (in the afternoon, first meal dinner)
24/04/2024 -1/05/2024 — 8 programme days of activities
2nd May —DEPARTURE (in the morning)

Travel costs are refundable for participants who attend all the sessions, commit themselves fully to the activities and provide all original tickets, invoices, boarding passes, emails and bank confirmations related to their travel. The participants should participate also in the dissemination phase :)

Travel expenses will be reimbursed in euros, after delivery of all necessary documents and receipts, and exclusively by bank transfer. All tickets purchased in other currencies will be converted and calculated using the exchange rate of the month, provided by the European Commission (https://goo.gl/HinFm6).

Only the cheapest tickets will be reimbursed. Only 1 piece of checked-in baggage of maximum 15–23 kg will be covered. Only tickets purchased online will be reimbursed. We can’t cover travel agencies’ fees.

We can’t reimburse taxi or private cars, only public transport will be covered. Eurowings, Ryanair, Wizzair tickets should be purchased only on the websites of the airlines. Tickets purchased via KIWI website won’t be reimbursed.

You can arrive 1 day before the activity and depart 1 day after if you want to spend more time in Italy on your own. All costs for board and lodging for the one day before and after the start and end dates of the project will be covered by the participants.

PRINT your flight tickets and invoices and provide them at the youth exchange. Online Check-in (per email in PDF) is highly recommended.

Necessary documents for reimbursements

International travel expenses can be reimbursed ONLY upon presentation of ALL ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS stating your travel data and costs, namely:

1. Boarding passes (For round trip) ,
2. Tickets for plane/bus/train (also e-tickets),
3. Invoices,
4. Payment checks.

Participants are requested to bring with them all mentioned documents, likewise, any other payment bills, checks, tickets, and payment proof that you will get during your travel. Regarding way-back tickets and boarding passes, should be sent by post office.

Logistic and Accommodation

The project will be developed in the beautiful village of Collinas, about 50 minutes away from Cagliari, Sardinia.

Participants will be distributed throughout the village of Collinas, within two facilities provided by the municipality (Casa Onnis and the former Elementary Schools) and in local b&b’s.

Accommodation will be organised in share rooms for 2 or 3 or 4 or 6 persons, with bed sheets and blankets.

There will be 4G internet connections available for participants.

The facilities, provided by the municipality of Collinas, is equipped with a kitchen, a large dining and activity room, and a fantastic outdoor garden for outdoor activities.

Meals will be provided by a catering company.

How to arrive in Sardinia

You can get to Sardinia in two ways, by ferry and by plane. Keep in mind that the closest airport to Collinas, as well as the largest and most connected airport on the island, is Cagliari.

If you have special needs when booking your trip, please contact us first and we will work out together how to find a solution within the limits of our possibilities.

Please: don’t buy any ticket without our confirmation!

BY PLANE, you can choose between 3 airports:
- Cagliari (closest to Collinas)
- Olbia (2.20 h away from Collinas)
- Alghero (2.05 h away from Collinas)

BY FERRY, you can choose between 3 ports:
- Cagliari
- Olbia
- Porto Torres

We recommend you look at these links in case you want to come with the ferry:
https://moby.it
https://tirrenia.it
https://grimaldi-lines.com

An important detail is that you should buy your tickets after our confirmation. Otherwise, your tickets could be considered not reimbursable. We engage ourselves to reimburse only tickets which were confirmed by our team.

The venue: Collinas

The name Collinas (collina is Italian for hill) is a clear reference to the gently rolling hills that surround it. It was given this name in 1863 by the mayor and town’s most noted personage, the legal expert, philosopher and member of parliament, Giovanni Battista Tuveri.

His name graces the town museum, a former granary. The town’s previous name was Forru, but this created problems for the postmen, as a nearby town bore the name Villanovaforru. The town is renowned for its many artisanal nativity scenes during the Christmas season, for which a competition is held every year.

Collinas boasts some 900 inhabitants and lies nestled in Marmilla, a region blessed with oak woods and fields of grain, vineyards and archaeological remains from pre-Nuragic times. The area also boasts remains of Nuragic era complexes like the Concali nuraghe, the Genn’e Maria and the Giant’s tomb Sedda sa Caudeba. The remains of a thermal baths, on the other hand, was left by the Romans.

Among the noteworthy churches is San Rocco (Collinas is one of the very few Sardinian towns that venerate this particular saint), which was restored in 1997, and San Sebastiano, which may have been the town’s first parish church. The saint is celebrated in late January with bonfires and offerings of bread and cheese, wine and sweets.

Three kilometres out of town, in a valley of poplar trees, mastic and olive groves, is the country church of Santa Maria Angiargia (or Bagnaria), which, tradition has it, dates to the XII century and originally belonged to the Benedictines.

Not far away are the remains of an ancient village and monastery. Further on are the ruins of an ancient Roman baths and a sacred well, su Angiu (or ‘the baths’), with two metre high walls housing niches and steps leading down to the bottom. Legend has it that a farmer sunk into the terrain on his cart where the springs come up. After repeated attempts, the oxen and cart were finally removed and that is when they found the source of the well’s water.

They found a simulacrum of the Madonna in one of the niches and put it on the cart. The yoked beasts, however, wouldn’t move forward anymore and backed into the woods instead: the Madonna wanted to be in the woods and there the people erected the temple of Santa Maria Angiargia. Her feast day is the most important on the Collinas calendar and is celebrated in early September.

TO APPLY, FILL UP THE FORM

Once the selection of participants is completed you will also receive:
· the programme of the activities + some tasks which will help you to come more prepared to the youth exchange
· some practical information — weather condition, currency
· what to bring? — a list of things which will help you to be prepared for everything
· a form where you can share with us your dietary requirements and other preferences.
· a telegram group to start getting in touch with everyone.

Contacts

Please feel free to contact us if you need more information, or have any question or doubt

Carlo Coni and Annalisa Zaccaria

Mail: giovanieuropa.iddocca@gmail.com

Tel/Whatsapp/Telegram: +39 349 38 47 937 (Carlo), +39 327 93 94 524 (Annalisa)

Facebook — Instagram: Giovani Iddocca

VERY IMPORTANT: Please before applying to this Youth Exchange take into consideration that this is a non-formal LEARNING ACTIVITY financed with public money.

We will have fun for sure, but if your priorities are partying hard and visiting Italy we won’t meet your expectations. We are looking for open-minded and motivated participants :)