Vilnius – a city to be & stay young
May became an opportunity for international partners working on 21st-century skills education and recognition for meeting and experiencing Vilnius city, which has a lot to share!
Vilnius has stolen my heart this week. A beautiful city where you walk through the middle of European history, as it were. You can talk with residents who are proud of their country and happy to share their independence and participation in the EU. Moreover, a city where youth work is organized differently, probably better, than in the Netherlands. Youth participation really seems to have a role in the social domain. Formal and non-formal learning goes hand in hand here, and education does not feel threatened but embraces cooperation and encourages growth and learning opportunities in collaboration with the local government. Co-creation seems self-evident here. A city, besides, of contrasts too. Old and new, traditional and modern, but a city that looks outward and feels European. This week was a gift. An enrichment. With a smile and a tear, open and friendly contact with mutual respect, valuable conversations with passion and energy, confronting the Dutch perspective on some matters and a strong sense of recognition and solidarity within social work concerning inclusion and diversity, – shares Maarten Obens, Co-founder of the Tilburg City of Learning.
From a youth centre to the makers space
The group visited several organisations and institutions which have one thing in common – working on youth skills development. Being young does not always mean an easy and wild stage of your life, but the necessity to gain and exercise new skills is quite rough and crazy work to do. You can revisit all the study visit activities in the playlist we created.
Look at the best examples Vilnius city has to share and think about your own initiatives. An idea for a new project? Yes, please!
It was exciting to compare myself with other educators, youth workers and other professionals who know how to put their talents at young people’s service. I hope that the Open Badges we are giving to young people who attend Cities of Learning activities will soon be recognized by the world and, therefore, by policies. I strongly believe in this group’s work on non-formal education, and I am happy to have come a long way with you. Playing a role in the public administration, especially in Italy, is not always easy… Thanks to my municipality because a municipal employee can rarely work so often outside his or her office, – says Sara Schifano from Italy.
See you next time, folks! It is never too late or too often experience Vilnius City of Learning again!
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