For once, Trogen didn't show its sunny side this August. However, the Summer Camp Colors of Peace did not fall through. The camp was an example that intercultural exchange is essential and can build a community.
From July 27th to August 10th, more than 40 young people from the Middle East and Switzerland came together in the Pestalozzi Children's Village. In the Summer Camp Colors of Peace, everything revolved around the topic of "peaceful coexistence". The individually designed workshops were a major component.
In the "(Inner) Peace and Sustainability" workshop, the young people were introduced to the topic with various exercises. In one exercise, the question was: "How much do you think you can change in your environment with your possibilities?" The youth should stand in a line. One end symbolized: Yes, of course! The other end: No, not really. This resulted in an exciting discussion, in which the young people brought out their opinions and different perspectives. In the "Freedom and Truth" workshop, the young people discussed the fundamental question of what freedom means and where young people can find it for themselves. They deal with the topic of truth and lies and discussed how they can deal with it as a community.
Eliminate prejudices, make friends
In addition to the workshops, living together in the houses of the children's village with people from different backgrounds was a central element. The young people lived in mixed houses, where they not only exchanged their experiences and knowledge from the workshops, but also shared everyday life with each other. This created an informal environment in which prejudice could be broken down, while at the same time friendships were formed across national borders and mutual trust among participants grew.
In addition, the young people discovered Switzerland on various excursions and visited different museums. On one day of the camp, they strengthened the community and organized the "Community Day". In it they planned and cooked a dinner with the different dishes from their homeland. For the finishing touches to the dishes, they used the support from home and called their parents via Facetime. The celebrations took place in the multi-purpose hall of the Pestalozzi Children's Village, which was also festively decorated by the young people
The Summer Camp Colors of Peace is a cooperation with the John Paul II Foundation and has the vision to promote a common understanding among young people in the countries of the Middle East and Switzerland and thus contribute to a more peaceful world.