In many countries, right-wing parties are gaining in strength, nationalist ideologies are becoming more popular, and new forms of authoritarianism make discrimination of minorities more acute. At the same time, alternative progressive political forces are often shrinking in power. This is a challenging setting for the socio-ecological transformation. We face the risk of even stronger resistance against the necessary change towards a more sustainable way of life – economically, socially, politically and ecologically. Despite these obstacles against change, we have to look for ways to overcome dark visions of the future. Therefore it is important to understand how power works, and to reflect on possibilities to organize power differently without leaving anyone behind.
During our week at the Centre Ecumenico Agape, we will look at economic, social and political inequalities and their causes, also reflecting on our privileges. We will discuss which values we want to strengthen in light of the socio-ecological transformation. We explore how to live together in Europe starting from our differences from and Europe’s responsibilities to other world regions. How can we work towards a Europe that is a shared place, and a place to create solutions to the challenges we are facing? We are looking forward to a week full of creative activities, interactive discussions and workshops in which we will develop our vision for a just future.
This international youth exchange is organized in cooperation with the Ekumenická Akademie Prague and the Centro Ecumenico Agape, both members of Oikosnet Europe, a network of Christian academies and laity centres throughout Europe.
