Report by Ms. Jennifer Radscheid, the City of Marl, Germany
Teenagers (15-18 years old) from Brazil, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Poland and Turkey met in Marl for the International Youth Meeting 2024. From July 15th to 21st they spent together one exciting week with workshops, day trips and cultural activities under the slogan “Together on the path 4 future“.
The program included graffiti design, yoga and drums classes, sports and swimming games, dancing, a visit to an industrial culture site, work experiences in gender atypical jobs, karaoke and bonfire nights.
Two highlights of the youth meeting were the planting of a Ginkgo seedling from Hiroshima, kindly provided by the local peace initiative of Gau Algesheim (Germany) and the “Spectacle of Cultures“: a cultural show at which all youngsters gave a performance representing their home country’s culture. The audience with Mayors and representatives of the participating cities celebrated the show with standing ovations.
The project aimed to nurture intercultural understanding, international friendships and peace among the youngsters and was a success. It will be continued in two of the participating cities in 2025 and 2026.
Photos: courtesy of the City of Marl