Czesc, ppl!

What happens when over 40 people from 12 countries arrive at one place at the same time? In the case of “Czesc, ppl!” the result was an amazing exchange of experiences, knowledge and positive vibes. The event was a part of Global Youth Service Day 2019 and the main aim of it was to bring together young people from different cultures. The organizers of the event definitely did well on that.

The event took place on the 12th of April 2019 in O4 Coworking in Olivia Business Centre in Gdansk. People from 12 different countries: Chechnya, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, India, Tunisia, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and Poland gathered to participate in the event.

Training sessions

During the event, there were two training sessions to chose from: “Integrating Like a Pro” and “Nailing Employment in Poland”. The first workshop focused on how to start interesting conversations. Together with tips on how to integrate into a new culture, the participants could learn how to appreciate and enjoy their international experience. The latter workshop focused on training how to write a successful CV. As a result, the participants have an opportunity to become recruiter’s dream candidates and get their dream jobs.

Embracing cultures

The main point of the event, however, was embracing cultures. “Czesc, ppl!” allowed the participants to experience the world’s variety through art, music, dances and much more. This was a part they enjoyed a lot!

None walks hungry!

One of the important parts of the event was “The Melting Pot” – a multicultural dinner. The participants could share their favorite food from their countries of origin. They also had an opportunity to taste other cultures and fall in love with their unique flavours.

A successful event

The initiator and the organizer of the event – Dana Kozubenko summarised “Czesc, ppl!” for us.

For me, it is always thrilling to see when people from different cultural backgrounds come together and establish connections. Our intention was to create an atmosphere, where the participants would not stick to specific groups but would integrate between themselves, approach new people and feel comfortable with one another. I am really grateful for countries’ representatives, who showcased their cultures – Chechnya, India, Tunisia, Mexico, Poland, and Sri Lanka. It was a true joy to experience Chechen, North Indian and Mexican dances, learn about Tunisian beautiful wedding traditions and hear a story of Polish Mazurek, see interesting sightseeing places in South India and Sri Lanka. We also had a chance to try some tasty dishes from India, Poland, Ukraine, and Chechnya.

Personally, one of the most rewarding things was hearing the participants say “Wow, I have never met a person from that country before and now I had a chance to do it here” or “I had no idea that that country is like that and now I have learned something new”. I strongly believe in diversity and in the perks, which come with it and I really hope that we can continue bringing people together with a purpose of sharing, learning, connecting as well as building meaningful relationships.

Partners

Tricity News had a pleasure to be one of the partners of the event.
The other partners of this event were: U.S. Department of State, American Councils for International Education, GYSD 2019, FLEX program, “Expats in Tricity” initiative, Invest in Pomerania, NGO Gladio, Centrum Wsparcia Imigrantów i Imigrantek, Fundacja Kobiety Wędrowne.