YE: Change your mind, Change the world

YE: Change your mind, Change the world

Our seven-member Slovak group experienced an interesting ten days at the beginning of summer in the pleasant surroundings of a manor house in a small town in the northeast of the country with which we are often confused in the world - Slovenia. Within it, we quickly formed a great team that understood each other exceptionally well and cooperated flawlessly. We also got along with participants from other countries, although there were significantly fewer of them than expected. What was interesting, however, was that Hungary was represented by a Mongolian, a Chilean, and a Pakistani, thanks to which we had the opportunity to get to know people and cultures from more distant corners of the world.

Harmony and cooperation between individual nations and cultures were seamless. We all tolerated and respected each other, proving that we can cooperate and be friends, even though each of us is different.

Regarding the program, the day that resonated with us the most was spent with local Roma, either in the Museum of Romani Culture or at a Romani radio station. Individual countries also exchanged their experiences with the Romani minority. We were surprised that the situation is so dramatically different across countries. For example, only about 5,000 Roma live in Lithuania, which is a significant difference compared to our approximately 500,000. We also did not know about the extent of Romani influence on Spanish culture. The biggest “wow-moment” was when we found out that in Slovenia, a country close to us, the situation is dramatically different. Roma are well integrated into society, living a problem-free life similar to the majority, while also preserving their culture.

We unanimously agreed that the best day was when we drove to the Slovenian coast. We saw the beauties of Slovenia, experienced the friendliness of Slovenians, and enjoyed the first genuine summer moments of sun and sea.