Gathering of Youths from Around the Globe in Wiesbaden
The Children, Youth, and Neighborhood Center Biebrich (JUZ Biebrich) recently hosted a youth exchange that brought together young guests from the Arka Youth Center in Shkodra, Albania. This exchange, funded by the EU Erasmus+ Youth program, signified a strong sign of young people for a solidarity Europe.
The town hall visit on Tuesday, August 5, was guided by the Deputy Mayor for Social Affairs, Education, and Housing, Dr. Patricia Becher. The exchange aimed to promote intercultural understanding and create space for new friendships. The measure went far beyond a holiday program, enabling personal encounters, joint learning, and mutual recognition.
Dr. Becher stated that young people who meet across borders, listen to each other, and think together about social justice are a strong democratic promise. The youth explored the topic through various methods, including icebreaker and team-building activities, city explorations, and joint reflections.
A special highlight was the visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Monday, August 4. This offered insight into how EU policies related to youth and social justice are made. Youth often meet with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) or attend sessions related to youth rights and social policies. This experience helps participants connect their grassroots activities with broader European governance and decision-making.
The annual theme for the department of youth work was "Social (In)Justice - Let's Get the Good Life!". During the visit, the youth discussed Europe’s role in questions of social justice and Albania’s accession perspective to the European Union. They also collaborated with Spiegelbild - Political Education Wiesbaden e.V. to learn about Jewish history in Wiesbaden and its current significance.
The visit concluded with the youth receiving their EU Youthpass at the town hall, a visible sign of their commitment, learning processes, and growing intercultural competence. Leisure activities included rock climbing at the Neroberg climbing forest, visiting the Dialogue Museum in Frankfurt, participating in a breakdance contest at the Schlachthof, joint cooking, and a trip to Rüdesheim.
Citizens can contact the responsible department or office with any questions. The publisher of this press release is the Press Office of the State Capital Wiesbaden, located at Schlossplatz 6, 65183 Wiesbaden.
- The exploration of Europe's role in questions of social justice and Albania's accession perspective to the European Union, along with learning about Jewish history in Wiesbaden and its current significance through collaborations, are part of the lifestyle and education-and-self-development aspects of the youth exchange.
- Dr. Becher's statement that young people who meet across borders, listen to each other, and think together about social justice are a strong democratic promise, indicates the connection between politics and youth actions.
- The exposure of young participants to EU policies related to youth and social justice through a visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg and their engagement in youth rights and social policies discussions, signifies a merging of entertainment and general-news, as they gained insights and shared experiences on social media.
