Summertime can present all kinds of opportunities to make new contacts and renew old acquaintances, explore new places and create new memories. Oh, all those long hot summer days! Over the past three months, we’ve had a lot of time on our hands for brainstorming and putting new projects in motion – а kaleidoscope of events:

Think Forward: YOUth ACTion with Erasmus+ – A platform for profound change

Think Forward: YOUth ACTion with Erasmus+ was organised by Europe House Skopje and the National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility. This project marked the European Year of Youth 2022 and our efforts to include youth priorities in both the relevant EU policy areas and at every level of the EU’s decision-making process. The event was attended by the EU Ambassador David Geer and the Director of NAEEPM, Marko Gjorgievski. Many young volunteers, journalists,  various members of representative organisations who are beneficiaries of the Erasmus+ programme, and other state institutions working with young people,  were also present.

 

It was a networking opportunity for youth organisations and individuals to informally exchange and to discuss their ideas on an equal footing with the decision-makers. Let’s make young people’s voices heard!

Babylon Award Ceremony – Translators are the bridge of intercultural exchange

The Babylon Award for Best Young Translator was presented on the European Day of Languages (September 26).

Marija Nikolovska received the Babylon Award for Best Young Translator for her translation of “Femme du ciel et des tempêtes” [2021; tr: Woman of the Sky and Storms] by Wilfried N’Sondé from French into Macedonian.

This year’s second prize award went to Cvetanka Stoilova for her translation of “L’acqua del lago non è mai dolce” [2021; tr: The Water of the Lake is Never Sweet] by Giulia Caminito from Italian into Macedonian. The third prize award went to Maja Todorovska for her translation of “The Middle Place” (2019) by Kealan Ryan from English into Macedonian.

 

Translators allow literature to travel across borders and time. Translation makes us experience different cultures and norms. Translation regenerates ancient masterpieces. Translation inspires new approaches among writers and fresh viewpoints among readers. In short, translators enable cultural exchange – one of the greatest assets of the EU.

– EU Ambassador David Geer.

 

Under the umbrella of Babylon, a new vibrant initiative was born – the Book Club Europe House.

Following the example of the great literary European capitals like Paris, Berlin, Prague, or Rome, we wanted to create a travel machine that could take us to explore European countries and cultures.

Summertime is ideal for new mental journeys and for charging our creative batteries. That’s why we launched our Book Club – initially, it was intended to start the conversation about books, but this venture soon led us to the deeper and more meaningful connections that often form lifelong friendships.

So far, we have travelled to Poland, Greece and Italy. Our next travel destination is Portugal with Fernando Pessoa and his “Textos Filosóficos” [tr: Philosophical Essays].

Join us and discover a wide range of new books and new authors at our Book Club, where you can meet new friends, writers and translators, and finally learn something new about yourself!

European Mobility Week

The Fancy Women Bike Race and the Gran Fondo Race, organized during Mobility Week, take place every year in late September to raise public awareness about sustainable urban transport.

Throughout the entire week, we used and promoted alternative means of transportation, and on the last day of the week – #CarFreeDay – we travelled by train to Veles. How you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have. So, we already knew that we would have an exciting, memorable and eventful day!

Veles, with its charming little streets and welcoming hosts, offered a variety of activities for the EU Ambassador David Geer and our young European Ambassadors: Damjan Zlatanovski, Ivan Durgutov, Aleksandar Karatošo, Mila Mladenovska, Irena Šumenkovska, and Eli Matevska. We had a hectic schedule: a variety of sports activities; debates and meetings with activists from Veles Biking; a visit to the Jordan Hadji Konstantinov – Dzinot Theatre; and a long walk up and down the streets of Veles, getting to know the urban culture of the city that trails along the bank of the Vardar River.

Returning to Skopje, we left again by train, bringing with us many memorable conversations and experiences with the people we met, and happy to be expanding our network of acquaintances and taking great pleasure in learning new stories about people and places.

European Week of Sport

Another thematic week occurred at the end of September – the European Week of Sports. Vibrant and energetic, we kept pace with Mobility Week and, once again together with NGO TAKT, we engaged in sports activities in 21 municipalities across the country.

An active lifestyle is a lifestyle worth having. The European Week of Sport is all about promoting a more active and healthier lifestyle to citizens. People of all ages and from many municipalities across the country joined us in the #BeActive initiative. Defying the dreadful weather, we wrapped up in Skopje with a big sports event,  actively engaging in different disciplines at the Rabotnički Adora Martial Arts Centre.

We ended the Week of Sport with the great Skopje Marathon, cheering the runners on and having fun with the youngest at the Drawing Workshop at Europe House, accompanied by music with DJ Double G.

#TeamEurope participated in the Marathon Relay, and the prizes were presented by the EU Ambassador David Geer.

 

Strumica

Connect, Engage, Empower

In the spirit of our motto, “Connect, Engage, Empower,” July and August were all about NETWORKING for Europe House Strumica. The highlight of our events over the course of these few months was the 750 people involved in various nature-based activities, sending the message that YOUNG people are vital to our society; a sustainable and healthier lifestyle is possible; and that anyone can make a change.

One of the best initiatives,  which promoted solidarity and networking, was the Strumica YOUth Festival. It was organised for the first time this year by our friends from the South-East region, connecting the local sports and hiking clubs that confidently navigate Belasica Mountain with many people who supported us beyond the borders of our country.

Europe House Strumica and Kriva Palanka celebrated the European Week of Sport which took place from the 23^rd – 30^th of September across the EU. Together with our young European Ambassadors, we supported the #BeActive initiative and spent a wonderful day at the Sports Climbing Stadium (Karpos) in Skopje.

Kriva Palanka

Warm Up: Summer Music Nights

The Summer Music Nights were organised as part of the Summer Cultural Programme, in partnership with the Municipality of Kriva Palanka. In support of small alternative bands and young musicians across all genres, the six musical performances were open to the public and took place on the main square in Kriva Palanka.

As part of the Summer Cultural Programme, Europe House also supported the Art and Music – Acrylic Exhibition by Vladimir VELIČKOVSKI and the musical performance by the TRIPLET music group. Both events were supported by the City Museum of Kriva Palanka and the CSO Centre for Audio-Visual Arts.

Europe House Kriva Palanka Fun Friday

Who doesn’t enjoy board games, networking, and team-building activities for youth? Such an event took place at the Youth Centre Multikulti in Kumanovo.

Together with our dear colleagues from Multikulti and CSO CID Kumanovo, we organised a fun afternoon for the young people from our region. In a multi-cultural atmosphere, the youth were engaged in social games and skills,  learning how to interact with other team members, and helping them understand the advantages of diversity – even appreciating defeat as a new beginning by exploring better strategies. Europe House Kriva Palanka, as a focal point of younger generations living not only in Kriva Palanka but also in the entire northeastern region, is proud of the talent and open-mindedness of its youth.

Mobility Week:  Car-Free Day – Bike Challenge

Bike touring our many EU Funded Projects is our way of promoting the annual theme for 2022 Mobility Week: Better Connections. Many bike trails funded by the EU in the City of Kriva Palanka provide active, inclusive mobility and better connections, by fostering synergies between people and places.

We were joined on our bike tour by the Mayor of Kriva Palanka and other local CSO representatives and activists. There was plenty of music, an amazing atmosphere, and many happy faces. Everyone who participated sends a message in support of alternative ways of traffic, particularly by promoting sustainable and eco-friendly transportation for a better quality of life and for better connections of people and ideas.

European Week of Sport (EuropeHouse Strumica & Kriva Palanka)

GETAWAY – Europe House Mountaineering

GETAWAY was a joint activity with Europe House Strumica. More than 30 young people from Strumica and Kriva Palanka spent quality time in nature by hiking in the Osogovo Mountains. They reached the peak of Kalin Kamen (1882m), thus symbolically showing that a united, active and engaged youth can conquer the highest peaks.

Well, well, well it seems our journey has come to an end but be not deluded by this optical illusion as the best has yet to come…PUFF!