Photos and Report of "Bouquet of Cultures project" by project participants
It was November the 6th when we, a group of 24 young adventurers coming from 3 different countries. As soon as we stepped out at the airport 8 lovely people greeted us with all their warmth that we knew we were up to something very promising. We started our program with some fun in a casual atmosphere, trying to know more about each other through various games. Together we learned how to respect each other, participate in team buildings and be inclusive. Around this time, we could already feel a shy yet ascending bond between the participants. A game which had a special impact on us was ‘A Step Forward’, which made us realize that we deeply depend on each other and unless we create an environment equitable for everyone, we risk witnessing the suffering of both the poor and rich.
Afterwards, we went on a scavenge hunt in the center of Willemstad where we got to learn quite a lot from the locals and the city itself. Bright colors, a marvelous European influenced architecture and authentic instrumental music were some of the things that we could not help but endlessly admire. We could also witness the swinging of the Queen Emma bridge that allows bigger ships to enter the harbour, while the huge variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from the floating market made us quite an appetite. The following evenings were dedicated towards cultural presentations of all the countries involved. We exchanged our traditions through food, music and dance and had the opportunity to taste from the various experiences we all encountered. We had Georgian chacha, Portuguese canned sardins and Moldovian dances. Clearly, the Curaçao team had the most impressive presentation. Their performance included everything a culture represents: history, theatrical acting, authentic dances and music. As for the theoretical part, we touched upon the topics of multiculturalism and interculturalism in a morning session, and afterwards we had a long and stimulating debate.
The most unique moment of the project, however, was the visit of the FELIS-foundation, an institution gathering smart and warm-hearted children who hug you with their smile and beautiful glances. We were reminded of childhood as we drew, sang, danced, played and built confections with them. It’s a shame that this was the only thing that we could do up until now, but it seems that they did not lack material things, they were craving for something much more valuable, love and understanding, and that’s what we tried to do. Before coming here, we all had our own expectations, now it seems that they were all surpassed, except the thing that we wanted to spend much more time with each other. We hope we will still collaborate together in the future, as what we did in this project definitely made long-lasting relationships.
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