International Student Week in Belgrade 2009 ENVIROMENT PROTECTION WORKSHOP

ISWIB was officially open in the City hall of Belgrade at 10th August. Participants from Universities in Europe, once again gathered together in Belgrade to discuss issues considering Economics, Environment Protection, Media, Society, Human Rights, Film Making, Youth Activism and similar, but also to have great time and enjoy Belgrade’s night life.

Although participant from Serbia, it was my first time to visit, for example, the City hall inside the building, so I empathized with our guests in discovering one different dimension of Belgrade. The media gave attention to this event, and we were in almost every newspaper and few times at television.

It was almost impossible not to notice a loud group of students going around through Belgrade. And it was so funny when some locals were stopping us to ask where we are coming from and what kind of excursion is that. We are from all over the world!- was our usual answer, which has been proven latter at the Country fair, where participants were supposed to present their countries with national drinks and food. Different countries, mixture of cultures and great stock of positive energy at one place make big excitement. And everybody was excited, happy, smiling and laughing. Although I still wondering if it was because of huge amount of RAKIA presented there.

But wasn’t RAKIA the only alcohol we were drinking at the ISWIB. At the National dinner at Skadarlia Quarter we were drinking vine. And it was funny to dance Serbian national dance watching our dear guests in their first steps of the dance. Every day was full of activities and it was demanding to handle all this, but we succeed.



Educative part of the ISWIB was also pretty interesting. My workshop considering Environment protection took place in Office of Municipality Palilula, and we have excellent and productive time there. Environmental protection workshop was coordinated by Green Youth , the NGO from Belgrade dealing with environment issues but also human rights and youth activism.

The third day, we went in Green Youth offices, and were actually amazed- they have a pub on their own, below offices and that is very good example how to motivate workers, in this case participants of workshop. We continued working there when we discussed fund raising and budgeting in non-profit organizations.

The opportunity to work in groups was given to us by summarizing what we learn so far and we were supposed to write the project together. My group, or should I say, team, was working on the project “Belgrade pupils go green” about implementing recycling infrastructure and education in primary schools in one Belgrade Municipality. Off course we couldn’t write the whole project but we made a draft, which was going in very good direction.

But maybe the most fascinating moment of our workshop was visit to 5th park, well known as a place where local government planned to build garage. The story is told, and now European students know about the problem. But also about friendly Belgrade, and open minded colleagues from Serbia.