The Heinrich Böll Foundation is proud to host the second “Summer School for Young People from Belarus” in Berlin from 4-18 July 2010. Twelve young adults from Belarus have been selected to participate based on their demonstrated interest in politics and local community initiatives. During the two week program, they will gain insights into local community initiatives being implemented throughout Berlin by discussing with locally engaged actors their motivations to develop community projects, their underlying attitudes toward the organisation of local community, and the role of the state in civic initiatives. Furthermore, a number of environmental, social, and cultural projects will be presented and participants will learn about current political and social developments in Germany and in Europe. After the program, young Belarusians should be more qualified and more empowered in their own community work back home guided by the idea of participatory democracy.

Throughout the two-week period in Berlin, the Belarusian participants will have the opportunity to explore their own chosen area of community engagement during a short-term internship placement with public institutions or NGOs. This experience will be supplemented by discussions with various experts and within the group itself as well as through personal reflection. As each participant explores these interests, he or she will keep a Diary of the Day in which they will document their observations and insights. Last year, the Summer School participants focused their Diaries not only on issues of ecological awareness and sustainable development, but also on topics such as German and Belarusian perceptions of the other, minorities and their rights in Germany, the LGBT community in Berlin, or the status of the homeless in Berlin.

After completion of the program, Heinrich Böll Foundation hopes that all participants would be inspired to network and collaborate with the twelve Alumni of last year’s Summer School. This will build upon the existing experiences of those Alumni and facilitate the exchange of information and further discussion of relevant socio-political themes and projects in Belarus.

Further information you can find on www.boell.de/summerschool2010