Three days full of exchanging ideas, bonding with new and old friends, learning, and empowering each other! In the enchanting city of Kosice, Slovakia, hosted by EDU4U, 45 COOLeaders hailing from 15 diverse countries shared a common mission: to collectively cultivate peace during the MasterPeace Europe/MENA Bootcamp “EYE 2023 | COOLeaders; European Youth Leaders Empowered’. 

Our overarching objective was clear: to enhance the capabilities and expertise of our clubs while facilitating the exchange of best practices and knowledge. The BootCamp commenced with an exhilarating day dedicated to the vibrant exchange of ideas and knowledge. Within the conference room, a lively atmosphere prevailed as participants freely shared insights, passed around materials, swapped books, and drew inspiration from one another.

While exploring the captivating landscapes of the Vysoke Tatry region, participants not only forged connections with each other but also immersed themselves in the rich cultural heritage and history of the area.

The second day delved deep into subjects such as Doughnut Economics by Rob Shorter from DEAL (Doughnut Economics Action Lab), Artivism, and Social Entrepreneurship. Innovative workshops, method-sharing sessions, and project revelations were the highlights. Club representatives enriched their understanding, honed their skills, and expanded their knowledge base. They offered mutual empowerment, shared their expertise, established meaningful connections, and laid the groundwork for scaling their projects and methodologies, all within the dynamic setting of "Sponeja Skola" in Sečovce.

Adding a personal dimension to the event, the second day concluded with a heartfelt show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people. This moving moment culminated in a storytelling session led by our colleague Taras from MasterPeace Ukraine. Through compelling narratives, all the youth leaders explored the challenges of being catalysts for change in demanding circumstances.

Participants further deepened their bond with nature and honed their interpersonal skills through a variety of engaging methodologies and workshops. Their voices resonated in harmony as they sang the E(art)h Heartbeat song, symbolizing peace and unity with the Earth.

The primary focus was on cultivating core competencies and methodological expertise in innovative approaches to engage, connect with, and empower their ultimate beneficiaries—the youth. True magic had unfolded on multiple levels. As the BootCamp concluded, the enchantment did not dissipate; it left an indelible impression on the hearts and minds of all who gathered in Kosice.

Hold on tight, because the world is about to witness an unprecedented wave of excitement and transformation! Just a few months ago, the MasterPeace Foundation boldly unveiled its groundbreaking initiative—the MasterPeace Innovation Factory. 

MasterPeace’s Innovation Factory is an incubator-like for social impact initiatives that aims to host some of the movement’s most promising innovations and accelerate them to the next stage of creating impact and being ‘market’ ready.  The Innovation Factory supports selected innovations with coaching on business development, managing winning teams, and scalability. The factory aims to open its door to thematic innovations in the future and beyond the MasterPeace movement.

MasterPeace clubs from every corner of the globe, coming together to showcase their most ingenious and locally-tested projects, ready to rock the world! With innovation and collaboration as the fuel propelling us forward, the MasterPeace Innovation Factory stands tall as a beacon of hope, ready to ignite a world-altering movement.

So what's the mission? it's nothing short of extraordinary. The Innovation Factory is all about nurturing peace, inclusivity, and sustainability on a jaw-dropping global scale. The Innovation Factory is on a mission to accelerate and scale community-based innovations that drive real impact in creating a more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable world. We recognize the urgent need to collaborate and elevate grassroots innovations to the global stage to address today's challenges. Together, we can foster sustainable change by nurturing bottom-up, innovative products backed by strong community support. Our collective efforts will empower innovators, transform communities, and pave the way for a brighter, more resilient future!

To make a significant mark in this movement, MasterPeace Clubs were encouraged to step forward and present their innovative projects that had already demonstrated positive impact at the local level. The application criteria were thoughtfully designed to identify projects with inherent potential to bring about profound and meaningful changes on a global scale. Taking this selection process seriously, an external jury diligently assessed the submissions. From numerous applications, they selected 2 exceptional locally-tested projects from MasterPeace Clubs to receive tailored coaching from experienced business experts to help drive scaling up their success and to get assistance for expanding their project reach into new markets worldwide with other clubs.

This exclusive opportunity within the MasterPeace Innovation Factory reaffirms the organization's commitment to nurture and amplify the most promising initiatives, steering the journey towards a better world through collective action and innovation. The stage is set for an electrifying adventure—a quest to change the world and prove that when innovation and collaboration join forces, the possibilities are limitless.

Buckle up, adventurers, because the MasterPeace Innovation Factory is set to reshape the world as we know it. Because the applications that did not make it to the final 2 were as promising to get very fast to the same stage. We're about to embark on an unforgettable journey—a journey that will go down in history as the moment we ignited a world of thrilling innovation and unleashed global impact for peace! And, it is just the beginning…..

Embracing the Power of Inclusion and Diversity: Insights from the Salto Inclusion and Diversity Forum 2023.College

In a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected and diverse, the importance of fostering inclusion and embracing diversity has never been more significant. Recognizing this need, Salto organized their second I&D forum in Bucharest at the end of April 2023 dedicated to exploring, discussing, and promoting inclusion and diversity. This forum provided a platform for individuals  and organizations from different backgrounds to come together, share experiences, exchange ideas, and collaborate towards creating a more inclusive society. MasterPeace was invited to join the Dutch team and share some of our best practices on the topic of inclusion and diversity. 

The event was focused on inclusion & diversity in a broad sense (following the definition of young people with fewer opportunities) and offered space for working on different issues. The diverse 3-day programme gave the opportunity for participants to learn, connect, network and acknowledge the people who put inclusion & diversity into practice: youth workers, educators, social workers, youth practitioners, mentors or coaches. The forum was also a space to reflect, share practices, tools and resources, and discuss strategies for driving more inclusion and diversity into the EU Youth Programmes.

Defining Inclusion and Diversity: Inclusion refers to creating an environment that values and respects all individuals, regardless of their backgrounds, identities, or abilities. It involves actively involving and engaging everyone, fostering a sense of belonging, and ensuring equal access to opportunities and resources. Diversity, on the other hand, encompasses the presence of a wide range of human characteristics and qualities, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and physical abilities. Inclusion and diversity go hand in hand, as embracing diversity alone is not enough without creating an inclusive environment that enables every individual to thrive.

It was really great to see so many people from all around Europe working toward the great goal of inclusion and diversity, it gives me a lot of hope. But I've also noticed and learned that we still have a long way to go when it comes to this very complex subject. I’ve asked myself the questions; ‘are the projects and workshops I am currently working on accessible for people with disabilities?’, ‘how can I make sure that everyone feels comfortable with the different forms of art we use in our projects?’, and ‘how to ensure that young people know that the projects we organize are for them?’. I haven’t found the answers to these questions yet, but the forum has given me a lot of motivation to work towards finding them.

During the first day there was the opportunity for the participants and organizations to get to know each other. All participants brought a personal item that represents inclusion and diversity for them. We exchanged items and stories. We also drew and shared our personal ID roadmap and shared the stories, insights and challenges of our organizations.

On the second day I got the opportunity to share some of my personal experience with Inclusion and Diversity. It was great to share some MasterPeace projects I have done but also my experience with an international Art exchange in Germany called; Young Art for Queer Rights and Visibility. The documentary I shared with some people there really touched them. For me that is all about inclusion and diversity (=LOVE).

The second day also offered ID skill workshops and field trips to different local youth centers and Ukrainian youth hubs. The last day it was time to look at the ID future and to evaluate and close the intensive program together. 

Key Insights from Inclusion and Diversity Forum 2023:

1. Celebrating the work that has already been done. It is great to see how far we have come. It is good to learn from, and build on that.
2. Sharing Experiences: It is very important for people to be able to share their personal stories, challenges, and triumphs; their personal I&D roadmap. By listening to diverse perspectives, we gain a deeper understanding of the unique barriers and opportunities faced by various groups, leading to increased empathy and compassion.
3. Inspiring Change: By bringing together passionate individuals, we can inspire people, organizations, artists, youth workers and many others to take the learnings and insights and implement them in their respective fields. This way we can provide the spark needed to drive meaningful and sustainable change in society.
4. Salto has created an Inclusion and Diversity Roadmap. This roadmap focuses on five roads; Increasing Commitment and Buy-In, Active Outreach, Reducing Barriers, Maximizing the Impact and Mainstreaming Inclusion and Diversity. 

By focussing on the points mentioned above and the 5 roads mentioned in the I&D Roadmap we can reach the destination; Equal opportunities for all and making sure that young people with fewer opportunities, and
organizations that work with them, have equal access to the opportunities.

Read more about the SALTO ID Forum 2023 here.

Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and a cascade of environmental consequences are the realities of climate change, a pressing global challenge that demands our attention. But alongside this challenge lies another crucial aspect: disaster risk reduction. It is the strategic approach needed to be taken to minimize the impact of natural and human-induced hazards. As climate change intensifies these risks, understanding the interplay between climate change and disaster risk management becomes paramount in safeguarding our communities and building a resilient future. In such a scenario, a workshop on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction, organized by MP VIEWS provided a vital platform for participants to engage in meaningful discussions and gain crucial insights into the risks and vulnerabilities associated with changing climatic conditions in the coastal zones of Odisha. The event was held on June 3, 2923 at the Hill View Cottage in Gopalpur, Ganjam, India and supported by Global GreenGrant Fund (GGF). The event aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Goal 13: Climate Action, Goal 14: Life Below Water, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

The growing challenges posed by climate change and the associated risks of disasters in coastal areas, particularly in Odisha is a burning issue. Hence, the workshop attempted to address the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities, such as the depletion of fish and livelihood challenges faced by the youth from fishing communities. The workshop was important for the neighborhood, the group of people residing in coastal areas, and the country as a whole for several reasons. Firstly, Odisha's coastal regions are highly susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change, including sea-level rise, extreme weather events, and changes in marine ecosystems. These impacts directly affect the livelihoods and well-being of communities dependent on coastal resources. Therefore, addressing climate change and disaster risks is essential for safeguarding the lives, livelihoods, and resilience of these communities.

With a remarkable presence of the speakers from diverse backgrounds, the workshop had representations from academic institutions, organizations, and scientific institutions.It witnessed the participation of enthusiastic individuals from various backgrounds, including youth from 20 fishing communities in different villages. Attendees benefited greatly from engaging sessions, interactive activities, and expert-led discussions on sustainable practices, disaster preparedness, and effective strategies for mitigating climate change effects.

Initiatives like this play a crucial role in building climate literacy among people and fostering resilience in coastal communities. By providing a platform for knowledge-sharing and dialogue, it is important to empower individuals with a deeper understanding of climate change challenges and effective strategies for mitigating its impacts. An evident transformative impact of this workshop is the increased awareness among youth from fishing communities regarding the depletion of fish due to climate change. Moving forward, it is imperative to leverage expertise of field professionals in driving sustainable solutions and enabling communities to adapt, thrive, and build resilience in the face of climate change challenges

"Climate change is not just a distant threat; it is already knocking on our doors, and we must heed its call. Let us not be passive spectators but active change-makers, as we strive to safeguard our environment for generations to come.”  

Dr.Jacob Thundyil, Director, PREM