2019 is the UN’s international year of Indigenous languages, while global warming is rapidly changing the environment and the field of technology is making steady progress.
In the light of the current development, BRYC has a desire to make a big youth event looking at how these changes affect us and whether we could learn something from the Indigenous philosophy of “living with the nature, and not off it”.
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As young people living in the Barents Region, how do we interact with nature? What influence does social media have on our outdoor activities and recreation?
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The BRYC Annual Event 2019 "Switch" will take you deep into the forests of Vuokatti, Kainuu (Finland). Together, we are going to participate in workshops and outdoor activities, while making reflections about our online life and how it affects our experiences in the "real world". After all, are we in it for the hikes or the "likes"?
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So get ready to switch off your phones and see you in Vuokatti!
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ABOUT THE EVENT
Since 2006, BRYC has been organizing annual events for youth living in the Barents Region. The main purpose of these events is to create a platform for cross-border networking, cultural exchange and cooperation between youth. Each year BRYC chooses a theme based on the priorities outlined in the Barents Regional Youth Programme. The BRYC Annual Event is a great way for young people to explore different parts of the Barents Region, meet new friends from other countries and participate in fun workshops. Travel, accommodation and meals for the participants are covered by BRYC.
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The theme of this year's annual event is “social media’s influence on our outdoor activities and recreation”. The BRYC Annual Event 2019 will be held on the 15th-18th of August (the 15th and 18th are travel days). The BRYC’s annual event is rotating the hosting country each year and this year it is Finland's turn. The last time BRYC held an Annual event in Finland was in 2015 ("Barents Roots").
The program in Vuokatti will include interactive workshops, lectures and social activities. The core of the program will contain topics like social media, environment, art and outdoor activities. Throughout the activities, the participants will be able to make reflections about our online life and how it affects our thinking about experiences we encounter in the real world. The lectures will be followed up with case solving, where participants will be put together in mixed groups to discuss and come up with
solutions to the topics addressed in the workshops and lectures. During the event we hope that youths from the Barents Region will get inspired to find joy in their own “backyard”. The participants will also learn about the Kainuu Region and its history.
You will find the program for the annual event HERE. For more news and updates about the program, follow BRYC on Facebook and Instagram.
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