Alliance Flag Tour 2011: The Flag flying at The Special Olympics World Summ...

Alliance Flag Tour 2011: The Flag flying at The Special Olympics World Summ...: The Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 was the largest and probably most inspiring sports event of 2011! It took place in Athe...

Alliance Flag Tour 2011: Alliance Flag in Athens, Greece

Alliance Flag Tour 2011: Alliance Flag in Athens, Greece: On Tuesday, 12th of April, ELIX - Conservation Volunteers Greece, welcomed the Alliance Flag with a great party! More than 60 people came: ...

The Flag flying at The Special Olympics World Summer Games in ATHENS 2011 with Citizens in Action

The Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 was the largest and probably most inspiring sports event of 2011! It took place in Athens from June 20th to July 4th hosting 7,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities and 25,000 volunteers from all over the world.
Special Olympics is based upon the idea of volunteerism as volunteers have been the cornerstone to develop the movement in 180 countries and regions worldwide. They also serve as an effective catalyst for a social change towards understanding and acceptance of people with intellectual disability.

Within the framework of Action 2(Group EVS) of Youth in Action Youth, the organization "Citizens in Action" in cooperation with the ATHENS 2011 Volunteers Program hosted from the 10th of June to 10th of July 100 young European citizens.
The young volunteers, aged 18-30 years old, coming from Austria, Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany,Italy, Lithuania Spain,Turkey and United Kingdom contributed to the successful realisation of the event and supported the Special Olympics athletes in the sport venues as well as in the non-sport sites.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

Alliance Flag in Athens, Greece

On Tuesday, 12th of April, ELIX - Conservation Volunteers Greece, welcomed the Alliance Flag with a great party! More than 60 people came: old volunteers and friend of ELIX as well as new volunteers who had the opporunity to be informed about volunteer possibilities by participating in workcamps all around the world for 2011.

Moreover, the party was dedicated to more than 8.000 volunteers from Greece and around the world who had the opportunity through ELIX for the last 25 years, to participate in international volunteer projects promoting volunteerism and active participation in local communities!

Flag in Tallinn, Estonia

In August The Flag made it's way from Finland to the Estonian Zoo in Tallinn. Every year international volunteers take part in this great enviroment camp, where people can enjoy nature and be more close with the animals. Volunteers from Germany, Italy, Spain and Estonia were delighted to receive the flag and promote the great work they are doing at the zoo.

Just two months to go.......

You´ve almost made it, old flag! You have seen 20 countries, lots and lots of exotic places and beautiful faces, inspired people all around the world and attracted attention to the helping hands of many, many international volunteers and charitable causes in communities around the globe - and all that in the course of 6 months!! Your wings must be aching but so much fun and excitement lies ahead of you still...

Now you only have two months of travelling left and hopefully enjoy the rest of your journey!

Here`s the full list of where you´ve been and where you will head off to next.

Enjoy your last bits of the trip and see you in the UK in November!

The flag at ijgd in Hildesheim

Flag tour in Germany (ijgd)

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The flag has arrived in Hildesheim. And our event took place in the middle of the city on the city beach:

Our volunteers from the Czech Republik, Russia, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Ukraine and South Korea walked through the city mall, giving information about their work at the local radio station, about international workcamps and of course about the flag flying around the world.

To spread the idea of volunteering around we asked young people, to participate at a balloon flight competition. The lucky winner will take part in a workcamp in Germany next summer. The first card already coming back has flown a 50 kilometres way to Brunswick.

We were lucky with the weather and had a lot of fun.

It was great to host the flag for one day!!!

The flag at ijgd in Coswig

The volunteers of ijgd workcamp “CARE AND PRESERVATION OF MONUMENTS” (1400) invited the local audience of Coswig to an open day to their campsite. During a three hours program they presented the work they have done during their three weeks stay in Coswig:

1) Sanding off old windows

2) Working with clay

3) Creating clay plasters

4) Putting the clay plasters on wall (overall 230 square meters) and watering them twice a day

At least 230 square clay plaster were used by the 18 volunteers.

The visitors got the chance to try all theses works out and as you can see on the pictures they enjoyed it a lot. The mayor of Coswig Doris Berlin mixed the clay plasters with her own feet saying “It is a great exercise for my legs’ blood circulation- I will come every day.”

Some of the older visitors were particularly touched that so many young people from around the world were guests in their Coswig 50 years after the Berlin Wall has been built in August 1961.

The Flag had arrived one day before the event and has been placed directly on the wall of the old Simonetti-Haus so that every visitor can see it. Afterwards the flag continued her journey to Hildesheim.

Flag Tour in (and around) Slovakia

1st - 10th august, INEX Slovakia

We decided to make a full programme for the flag, once it arrives to our country.

During the visit, the flag made a real journey and had opportunity to get to know the majority of our country. Our driving team took the flag around 4 workcamps that took place during hosting the flag. We also organized a working event in Bratislava were many of our volunteers and supporters paricipated as well as lots of press. 

1st stop -  Hanigovce castle workcamp

2nd stop - Brekov castle workcamp 

3rd stop - Senne workcamp

4th stop - Sklabina workcamp

Overall - 5 days on the road, more than 1550 km, more than 80 people involved and maaany nice ideas from volunteers on volunteering and its meaning.

We also organized a nice big event in Bratislava for wide public and we were cleaning a garden of a centre for socially disadvantaged people. Very nice day, lots of work was done and the flag also seemed to be satisfied :) 

5th august - OZ Brana do zivota

We spent wonderful time with the flag and we are glad we could organize several great events and promote the ideas of volunteering among many people.

Here are some selected quotes...

Volunteering means to me…

"Having fun while helping to improve the world." Pepe (Spain)

“It's a kind of sharing behavior. Even if I don't have enough money or other things, I can share my things to other people who need it." Jeong Ho (South Korea)

"For me volunteering means sharing experiences. It is a way to know yourself better, in relation with other people you didn't know before. Volunteering is working for a goal." Silvia (Italy)

"When people want to help because you are interested in it. They don't do it because they must, but they want." Mirka (Slovakia)

“Volunteering takes a special place in my life. First of all it’s a wonderful opportunity to act in accordance with a phrase “Think globally, act locally”. So being a volunteer means to bring something good and useful in this world. What is more it’s a great chance to meet interesting people from different parts of the world. So I can feel united.” Nataliya (Belarus)

“Volunteering open the mind and permits to create a global way to work without to look after money change everything, the ‘’taste” of the work is different. It permits to meet people from everywhere, to learn about local country. Volunteering is like to put my stone to a global construction.” Jeremie (France)

Try volunteering because it is...

"…going to change your way of seeing the world." Malin (Switzerland)

"…the best thing I have ever tried." Dominika (Slovakia)

"…an experience in your life that is unique for each person but with good moments for all." Arancha (Spain)

"…you learn more about yourself and more about the world around you and it make yourself a better person." Elaine (Taiwan)

 “Volunteering is the occasion to invent your own life!” Clemena (France)

“…amazing to see when people are really thankful to you.” Petra (Slovakia)

People can gain from volunteering…

"Tolerance, creativity, patience, understanding that there a lot of people which need your help." Katerina (Belarus)

“You gain a good feeling that you did something good for someone else. You can learn how to do things you normally don’t have a chance to try. You can meet a lot of new people, learn about their culture, travel around the world, and improve your language skills.” Petra (Slovakia)

“You can do in too short time something useful. After two or three weeks seeing a good result makes you happy. For children, for historical places, for handicapped people doing something is great experience. Far away from your country you do a favor for somebody who you don’t know! It is a big honor.” Ferhat (Turkey)

Thaaaaanks to everyone who contributed!

INEX Slovakia

Flag-rant délit in Belgium

Friday 8th July. Belgium. Compagnons Bâtisseurs headquarters.

Everybody was in Marche-en-Famenne, ready for flying the flag : 20 international volunteers, camp leaders, CBB team, ... Just one "NO SHOW"... THE FLAG !!!


Anyway, we had joy, we had fun, even without flag and sun.
The evening, after getting to know each other, we enjoyed our time at a concert organised in the city.

On Saturday, the whole group discussed about volunteering : its spirit, its meanings, ... through different kinds of workshops.
All these exchanges were translated into three new flags.

Interculturalism was a real wealth in these exchanges ... One more time, thanks to volunteering... and even more thanks to the volunteers, a great moment could be created. Thanks everybody for joining the (Without)Flag Tour event!

PS 1 : DON'T WORRY about the flag, it finally came the following Monday! We sent it directly to SJ France! BE HAPPY !!

PS 2 : Flagrant délit means like to catch somebody red-handed in French.

PS 3 : Last but not least, to practice your French, follow the link below, it will guide you to an article published in a local newspaper.

http://www.compagnonsbatisseurs.be/images/PDF/chezlescompagnonsbatisseurs.pdf

Have a great summer!

Mélanie from CBB team