August 2021

After almost two years of online meetings, it was finally time to reunite in person! Due to the ongoing pandemic, only six Coordinators were able to travel to Berlin for the meeting. However, the other six joined us digitally via zoom in our hybrid setting

Programme

Next to enjoying each others’ physical presence, laughing with each other and reconnecting with new and old friends in the network, the Coordinators:

• received a full-day Anti-Racism workshop by Lawrence Oduro-Sarpong,
• discussed the new cooperation agreement with EYP,
• learnt about new funding structures and requesting funds for activities,
• received an overview over all educational materials we currently have and
• brainstormed on how to use the resources in the network better together with Samie Blasingame.

Get an impression of our activities in the photo gallery 👇

Hybrid buddy system & other activities

Our digital participants were connected to our participants on site not only in the working session but also with a buddy system: every day, they got allocated a buddy on site with whom they would talk on the phone, via zoom or other tools and discuss work, exchange ideas or just reflect on what has happened so far.

The programme was framed by a hybrid improvisation theatre evening and some marshmallow-grilling at a bonfire on the shore of lake Wannsee.

All in all:

We were quite happy with how well the hypbrid setting worked out, knowing that it was still not always easy for our digital participants. We are deeply grateful for and impressed by everybody taking part in the meeting, contributing so much passion, inspiration and new energy to the project!

We would also like to thank Stiftung Mercator, our funding partner for the Understanding Europe Network.