News

On 30th June, 2025, we organised an online training session on the topic Volunteering and Mental Health under the ALF NES3 framework. During the session, participants were presented for theories and research linking mental health to volunteering. They also got more information and knowledge about how and why volunteering is a good strategy for improving young people’s mental health condition while at the same time offering them a social platform for dealing with life challenges. The session also consisted of real case-scenarios as the floor was given to ESC-volunteers who shared their personal experiences of volunteering, including how it has affected them in their life, their mental health specifically and personal development overall. The purpose of the session was to make participants able to understand why it is both effectful and meaningful to keep developing and implementing volunteering projects in the field of youth, as well as to make them aware of both challenges and potentials in creating sustainable, supportive, resilient, and responsive volunteering centres in the future.

The program of the session was as follows:

• Test your knowledge: What do you know? (Kahoot)
• What does it mean to be a Volunteer?
• The ABC of Mental Health: Act, Belong, Commit
• Research Findings: The Impact of Volunteering
• Findings from Practice: The Potential of future Volunteering Centres
• The 8R's of Resilience
• Combatting Loneliness through Volunteering
• The Pitfalls and Room for Improvement
• Volunteer Perspectives: ESC-Volunteers Sharing their Personal Experiences
• Test your knowledge: What did you learn (Kahoot)
• Final Remarks // Q&A

It was a very fruitful session with engaged participants who were curious, asked questions, and made each other wiser on the topic of volunteering for positive mental health.

Here is some of the feedback we received from the participants:
 

"It [the session] was informative, well-structured, and inspiring (...), it combined both theoretical insights and personal experiences. I expected to learn how volunteering affects mental health, and the presentation provided scientific background as well as real-life ESC-volunteer stories, which made it more impactful and relatable (...) the link between volunteering and mental health was explained clearly through research-based data"

"I was already interested in the connection between volunteering and mental health, but this session helped me see the topic more clearly with real examples and open discussions. It was not just theory, it felt close to real life (...) I liked the friendly and respectful atmosphere. Everyone had a chance to speak and be listened to. Also, the part where we talked about how helping others can heal our own emotional wounds really touched me. The facilitator made it feel safe and open"

"The session was insightful and aligned well with my expectations. It offered both psychological and practical perspectives on the positive impact of volunteering on mental health, supported by real-life examples (...) I appreciated the speaker’s (Mrs.Ida’s) warm and relatable communication style. The interactive nature of the session, including opportunities to share our own experiences, made the training more engaging and meaningful".

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​We would like to thank all participants who took part in the session, and special thanks to the ESC-volunteers who joined and shared their perspectives on what it means to be a volunteer and how it can impact one's mental health, personal development, and life experience.
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Why join?
 

You will be presented for theories and research that links mental health with volunteering and learn more about how and why volunteering is a good strategy for improving young people’s mental health condition while at the same time offering them a social platform for dealing

with life challenges. The session will also present you for real case-scenarios as the floor will be given to ESC-volunteers who will share their personal experiences of volunteering, including how it has affected them in their life, their mental health specifically and personal development overall.

With this knowledge and insights, you will be able to understand and give answer to how and why it is both effectful and meaningful to keep developing and implementing volunteering projects in the field of youth.

We hope to see at the session!
 

Please register by filling out this form:

https://forms.gle/oBoMZSnU38GrkHfVA

ALForum 2025: Discover What Amina Learned!

I was honored to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina at the ALFORUM 2025! As a Master’s student in data science and artificial intelligence, I spoke about how AI and digital tools can be leveraged for peacebuilding. It was inspiring to connect with participants from 43 different countries. Here is an overview of the sessions I participated in, what I learned from them, and how I can use this knowledge in the future.

Outreach and Advocacy Techniques on Policy-Relevant Issues

This session dealt with topics of; Dialogue as a tool for actionable change in the Euro-Mediterranean region; bridging policy gaps through youth engagement; amplifying youth voices in policy discussions; innovative strategies for advocacy and outreach; and from knowledge to action: redefining dialogue for impact.

Take-Home Messages

The power of dialogue is essential to shape real, actionable change across the Euro-Mediterranean region.

Engaging young leaders from diverse countries enriches policy advocacy with fresh perspectives and commitment.

Innovative outreach and advocacy techniques can effectively bridge gaps between knowledge and policy action.

Youth voices must be amplified to ensure their role in decision-making processes and regional development.

Transforming ideas into impact requires continuous dialogue and collaborative strategies.

Greener Together: Taking Youth Participation in Sustainable Climate Policy to the Next Level

This session dealt with topics of; youth participation in sustainable climate policy; climate justice and equity in the Euro-Mediterranean region; inclusive governance and civil society engagement; institutionalizing youth leadership; and community resilience through decentralization and green jobs. While focusing on these topics, the session highlighted the urgent need to move beyond tokenistic involvement toward sustained, institutionalized youth leadership, particularly in the Southern Mediterranean where climate change worsens existing vulnerabilities.

Knowledge it gave me

Emphasis was placed on supporting youth-led research and bottom-up vulnerability assessments to better understand local challenges. Advancing decentralization and strengthening local governance emerged as crucial strategies to enhance community resilience. Promoting green jobs and inclusive transition strategies was recognized as essential for a just climate future. Finally, embedding youth participation in all stages of climate policy—from design to monitoring—was underscored as vital to achieving meaningful and equitable climate action.

Tech for Good: Exploring the nexus between Innovation, Inclusion, and Digital Citizenship

This was an interesting panel debate session concerning AI and digital transformation in society; AI governance models globally; capacity building for responsible innovation in Euro-Med countries; interdisciplinary integration in STEM education; as well as mainstreaming AI literacy across sectors. The panel underscored the growing divergence in AI governance models worldwide and highlighted the need for Euro-Mediterranean countries to build capacity for responsible innovation. It emphasized the critical role of interdisciplinary approaches in STEM education to prepare future generations effectively.

Knowledge it gave me

It is essential to mainstream AI literacy across all sectors to ensure inclusive and informed digital citizenship. Recognizing AI as a foundational pillar of the Forum reinforced the urgency to broaden conversations about its societal impacts, risks, and opportunities.

Youth Economic Empowerment: Financial and Legal Skills for Action in the Mediterranean

In this session, I learned more about; youth economic empowerment in the Mediterranean region; financial and legal skills development; youth engagement in participatory dialogues and decision-making; and regional collaboration among youth civil society leaders.

Knowledge it gave me

The session emphasized the importance of equipping youth with financial and legal skills to empower them economically across the Mediterranean region. Engaging with fellow youth civil society leaders from Morocco to Lebanon highlighted the vital role of youth participation in dialogue and decision-making processes. Such collaborative conversations foster hope and energy for meaningful regional impact. The experience underscored the value of platforms like the Anna Lindh Foundation in facilitating knowledge sharing and youth-led action.

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Amina (July, 2025)

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#TheDialogueEffect

ALForum 2025: Discover What Fadi Learned

I was happy to participate at the forum and learned a lot from the many sessions, events, and activities I joined. Here is an overview of the sessions I took part in.

”(Re)thinking Mediterranean Diplomacy: Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Cooperation”

This session covered the following topics: Mediterranean diplomacy is fragmented; needing responses to shared issues like climate change, security, and economic instability; Rethinking regional frameworks to unlock the Mediterranean’s untapped potential as a unified geopolitical actor. The key proposals of the session includes institutional reform, breaking diplomatic issues, and engaging civil society is key.

Take-Home Messages:

Without coordinated diplomacy, the region remains vulnerable to shared threats, true regional cooperation requires substantive strategic alignment and political will. Rising above political issues can unlock more responsive and flexible policy-making.

”The Signs of Times: How AI tools are reshaping the way we work, and how to make the most out of it” 

This session covered the topics of AI; Transformation; Youth; Labour Market Disruptions; Digital Divides; Ethical Issues; Inclusive and Right-based Approaches. I felt very inspired by the talks about AI as transforming the workforce, especially for youth in the Euro-Mediterranean. The speakers also mentioned that while AI brings opportunities, it also causes labour market disruptions, widens digital divides, and raises ethical issues. Overall, the session highlighted the need for inclusive and rights-based approaches to empower youth in the evolving job market.

Take-Home Messages:

Youth need both digital skills and ethical awareness to thrive in AI-driven jobs. Take care sharing personal info with Ai LLMs, as it stores data for other purposes. Human-centered innovation ensures that technology serves people, not the other way around.

“Unlocking Youth Competitiveness: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Skills”

This session covered the topics of; Youth; Innovation; Cultural Renewal; Inclusive Growth, as the speakers promoting viewing youth not as a challenge, but as drivers of innovation, cultural renewal, and inclusive growth. At the same time, the session highlighted the reasons to focus on blending formal and non-formal education, including digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and creative thinking, as it is key to preparing youth for Ai-driven and social innovation sectors. Furthermore, the session pointed out the need to call for regional strategies to invest in skills development, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and the removal of structural barriers like limited mobility and outdated curricula.

Knowledge it gave me:

Key skills for entrepreneurship, storytelling, the underestimated skill, networking, and keep doing what you are doing. Systemic obstacles, such as lack of access to finance or outdated education systems, must be actively addressed. Cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange can amplify impact and bridge opportunity gaps.

“Humanity Rising: Healing and hope beyond war “Case Study: the ALFinMotion mobility for creativity exhibition “My Boots are Beautiful”

My own team organised this interactive session that explored the emotional and cultural impact of war through storytelling, art, and lived experiences, by the beautiful hands of children. It also featured the ALF in Motion initiative “My Boots Are Beautiful,” a transnational art project connecting children from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Türkiye and included real-life stories from communities shaped by displacement and diversity to highlight how creativity and civic engagement foster belonging and trust. As a participant, I was invited to draw my own boots, turning abstract themes like peace and identity into personal artistic expression.

Take-Home Messages:

Engage youth in creative projects, promote emotional connection and cross-border understanding.

Symbols and shared experiences, even simple ones like a boot, can carry deep cultural and emotional meaning. Active participation helps and directs the message in a meaningful, long lasting way.

“Green and Fair: Designing Inclusive Climate Futures”

This session was about Human-centred climate action which is vital for a just and green transition in the Euro-Mediterranean; as well as Global collaboration, and North-South cooperation as key to effective climate Preservation.

Knowledge it gave me:

A bottom-up approach that blends local knowledge with scientific and policy frameworks can create more impactful solutions. True climate change prevention involves shared responsibility, especially between the North and South.

Cultural Events and Folks’ Traditions and Music

These consisted of traditional, cultural, folk festival music from Egypt, Jordan, Albania, Spain, Bosnia and Kosovo.

Knowledge it gave me:

This experience showed me that music truly is a universal language. It revealed how the cultures and traditions of different countries naturally intersect. I could feel the shared rhythms in the beats, the music, and even the dance moves. It’s a form of expression that connects people across borders, something everyone can understand and feel.

“Youth and Cultural Narratives: Join actions against polarization and hate speech”

An interesting session that covered topics of Narrative Construction; and Culture as a tool to gather people again and raise awareness. The session highlighted the urgent challenge of polarization and hate speech in the Mediterranean, especially among youth. It emphasized the importance of critical thinking, respectful debate, and intercultural dialogue as tools to counter divisive narratives. Through a structured debate-based format and diverse perspectives, we learned how evidence-based reasoning and constructive disagreement can foster social cohesion. It also underlined the role of youth-led initiatives in shaping inclusive civic spaces and offered a space to reflect on leadership, communication, and resilience-building.

Take-Home Messages:

A key takeaway was that dialogue isn’t just an exchange of opinions, it’s a method for change, helping young people actively build a more united and tolerant Mediterranean region.

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Fadi (July 2025)

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#TheDialogueEffect

This month, our team participated at the ALForum 2025 that was held in Tirana, the capitol of Albania. On the third and last day of the forum we led an interactive session with the title "Impact of War on Humanity" by showcasing one of our own peace promoting projects, "My Boots are Beautiful", in which participants created their own boots and shared messages of peace.

During the days before our own session took place, we joined other network members' sessions, as well as participated in the events and activities organised by the ALF network.

As we all left the forum very inspired by the knowledge and ideas we were presented for during the three days, we would like to share what we learned and became inspired by from our participation in the different sessions and activities.

Under the theme of "ALForum 2025: Discover What We Learned" we would like to invite our readers to discover what each of our team members learned from our participation at the forum and how that knowledge can be useful. The following news aricles will be from the viewpoint of Amina, Gentjana, Fadi, Ida, Victoria, and Karawan, who will share with you the important insights they have gotten.

In the spirit of the ALForum it's good to remember that the more we spread our knowledge, the more knowledgable we become!

Good readings!

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#TheDialogueEffect

Today, S&G president and the volunteering team met for the annual meeting with one of our local partners, the Turkish-American Association (TAD) to do status upon activities done this year together with the Turkish-American Kindergarten (TAA) and for a talk about upcoming events and projects. TAD General Manager Mrs. Dilek Dengizek Ersana welcomed us together with Principal of TAA, Mrs. Senem Özdemir.

The team of teachers at TAA explained about their daily activities together with the kindergarten children and our volunteers, their involvement in the intercultural programme, and their contributions to the different events that has taken place at TAA this year, such as the making of ceramic boots as part of the 'My Boots are Beautiful' Creativity Project, and the international Med-Day that took place at the kindergarten and was celebrated by children singing and dancing to "We are the World" together with our volunteers. The team also thanked our organisation for good collaboration practices and the new cultural experiences they have gotten through the ESC programme, System and Generation has introduced them for.

Our team shared information about our activities and events related to TAD and TAA. First and foremost, we explained about our recent participation at the ALF Forum in Tirana, Albania, at which we delivered an interactive session, focuing on the 'My Boots are Beautiful' ALFinMotion Project and lessons learned from it under the dimension 'Act'. As part of the session, we exhibited the ceramic boots made by the kindergarten children at TAA and presented them for participants at the forum while reading out loud quotes of the children, expressing the feelings they had while making the boots. Furthermore, participants were invited to follow in the steps of the children and draw their own boots to share personal messages of peace by using art as a tool.

Secondly, the volunteers shared their experiences of working with the children in the kindergarten and expressed their gratitude for the valuable time spent both with the children, the staff of teachers, and the administration team. Our team also thanked the TAD General Manager for offering and providing lessons in Turkish language for our long-term volunteers. Our TAD coordinator presented results of the projects done with TAD this year and ideas for future projects to be developed and implemented in close collaboration. Finally, our president thanked the whole team of teachers, the principal, and the General Manager of TAD for another good year of succesful partnership and collaboration. 

With this meeting, we are now ready to begin a new year of weekly activities, intercultural days, and other events and proejcts that can help to support the development and education of the children at the Turkish-American Kindergarten.

We held the meeting of the network chairmen of the Anna Lindh Foundation, established by 42 countries, in Tirana, the capital of Albania, on 20-21 June 2025.

At the meeting, we discussed different topics concerning the management and involvement of ALF network members, the operationalizing of the Multi-Annual Work Programme 2025–2028, including how to put the programme and its broader goals and actions into practice, the Network Engagement Scheme (NES 4), and, finally, the take-aways from this year's forum.

We would like to thank the president of ALF,  HRH Princess Rym Ali, the Executive Director, Josep Ferré, and all participating network members for organising and contributing to a fruitful meeting with many good take-home messages.

You can read more about the meeting here:
https://www.haberler.com/guncel/tiran-da-avrupa-akdeniz-diyalogu-uzerine-forum-devam-ediyor-18766035-haberi/#

#TheDialogueEffect #ALForum2025

Yesterday, we met with Mr. Argiris Cholias who is one of the first ESC volunteers that worked with System and Generation back in 2009. Today, Mr. Argiris is running his own branch of System and G in Greece where he continues developing and leading youth projects that drive change and social action in local communites.

Mr. Argiris and his family welcomed us in their hometown located in Vissani in the Northern region of Greece and hosted us in the most kind and warm-hearted way. Mr. Argiris and Mr. Gürkan Akçaer shared stories and memories from time together at System and Generation years ago, while we were being served both local specialities, homemade food and greek coffee by Argiris mother, Mrs. Dimitri, who also joined us for a trip around the village this morning where we visited the local church and coffee place. Argiris also showed us around in the city of Ioannis before it was time to say goodbye and see you again.

From all sides, it was a truly touching and memorable meeting that we will all keep with us as inspiration for future ESC projects!

 

Acting Out Messages of Peace within the Euro-Med Region!

“Children are the future of every nation and the symbol of peace”

Our project, ”My Boots are Beautiful”, which brought together children in Türkiye and Bosnia-Herzegovina to explore the topic of peace thorugh art was implemented one year ago in June 2024. The project was back then made as an ALFinMotion: Mobility for Creativity Project. Now it is time to take the project to its next step and present its results, findings and further potential to inspire to the development of future youth-led peace promoting projects! 

We are excited to announce that we will bring our peace promoting project, ”My Boots are Beautiful” to the upcoming ALForum 2025 taking place in Tirana, Albania from 18-20 June as a case to exhibit and learn from under the theme of “The Dialogue Effect: From Knowledge to Action”.

Under the title ”Impact on War and Humanity”, Mr. Gürkan Akçaer, president and LEAR of System and Generation Association and HoN of the Turkish ALF Network, will present an interactive session that aims at demonstrating the substantial significance of understanding as well as promoting values of coexistence, tolerance and fraternity during and post times of conflicts. The session will be run by our four young panelists, Gentjana Hasa, Ida Elsborg, Amina Dzafic, and Karawan Dawoud, who will help participants to explore the topic of war and peace from a multi-perspective view and assist them in using art to act out their own messages of peace!

The session ”My Boots are Beautiful” will take place on the 20 June, at 10:30-11:45 and include:

• Best practices from My Boots are Beautiful in the field of Education and Learning for Peace-Making and How to learn from history to create a better future.
• The important role of Empathy in peacebuilding and the potential of art for developing Social Solidarity and Empathy.
• The use of data to understand the long-term effects of war on individuals and societies, and the use of digital tools to support peacebuilding.
• Learning from first-person perspectives and practising perspective-taking in practice.

During the session participants are invited to draw their own boots and use our photobooth stand to share their messages of peace!
We hope to see as many of you at our session!

Follow our page for more info and updates during and after the forum.

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#TheDialogueEffect 

#MyBootsAreBeautiful #ALForum2025 #PeacePromotion #EuroMed #CreatingSpace #Imagination #Creativity #PlayfulActivity

#Children’sRights #HumanRights #Empathy #SocialChangeandActivism #ALFinMotion #ACT