From: YPFDJ Media (media@youngpfdj.com)
Date: Tue Nov 17 2009 - 06:04:22 EST
http://youngpfdj.org/index.php/news/ypfdj-news/151-3rd-ypfdj-scandinavian-ga
thering-2009-report
On the weekend of Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 2009 the
YPFDJ chapters in Scandinavia gathered for the 3rd consecutive year. The
first gathering was held in 2007 hosted by YPFDJ Oslo, continued in 2008 as
the chapters were hosted by YPFDJ Copenhagen, and had in this year of 2009
came to Gothenburg, Sweden.
The gathering serves as an opportunity for the chapters and their members to
network, share experiences and continue their effort to build a strong,
conscious and patriotic youth movement in Scandinavia.
The 90 participants from Oslo, Trondheim, Borås, Copenhagen, Örebro,
Gothenburg, Stockholm, Uppsala, and not to forget, one participant, Bitsay
Sirak Bahlbi, from London arrived at the Conference Venue located outside
Gothenburg on Friday evening, at which time a Barbeque dinner awaited them.
On Saturday morning, after the National Anthem was sung and a Moment of
Silence for our Martyrs was held, Bitsay Tekle Mengistu, Head of Public &
Community Affairs, and Bitsay Tedros Goitom, from Eritrean Embassy in
Stockholm gave opening remarks during the Opening Ceremony before lectures
on Project Management, Introduction to YPFDJ, and Organizational Structure
of PFDJ took place.
After lunch participants were divided into small groups, in which they
performed project simulation to get hands-on experience in project
management. The groups worked on their simulated projects for several hours
until dinner.
Around dinner time on Saturday evening, according to YPFDJ
Conference/Gathering tradition, 70 invited people from the Eritrean
Community in Gothenburg, represented by Eritrean Associations, Gedaim Abalat
and member’s parents arrived to the venue for a ceremony.
Parents had brought traditional Eritrean dish for the participants and
invited guests to enjoy in unison. Following dinner, youth and the invited
guests expressed their appreciation for each others’ past, present, and
future support.
YPFDJ Gothenburg had prepared a plaque in memory of the late Abdullah Alhag,
who passed away recently. The plaque was received by Mr. Alhag’s daughter,
Amna Alhag, who attended the ceremony to receive the plaque in the name of
her late father.
The ceremony continued with youth from all over Scandinavia, parents, Gedaim
Abalat, and members of Eritrean Associations dancing the night away together
to songs in Tigrinya, Kunama, Tigre, and etc.
On Sunday morning, the different groups presented their simulated projects
before a full-throttle Critique Panel, to which each group had to defend
their projects against the Panel’s critique, questions, and challenges.
The 3rd YPFDJ Scandinavian Gathering 2009 was concluded by Bitsay Tekle
Mengistu presenting a way forward for the movement in Scandinavia, before a
Moment of Silence for our Martyr’s was held.
The Gathering and, more specifically, the planning of it, required all
chapters’ involvement. Each Scandinavian chapter leader had a significant
role in the planning of the Gathering. The chapter leaders had even met
during a September weekend in Gothenburg to plan the details of the
Gathering. This Gathering is a testament to the strong network and
relationship between the Scandinavian YPFDJ chapters.
Zelalemawi Zikri N’Suwatna!
Awet N’Hafash!
For pictures and report in Tigrigna please click here
http://youngpfdj.org/index.php/news/ypfdj-news/151-3rd-ypfdj-scandinavian-ga
thering-2009-report
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