Four young Woodcraft Folk members travelled to Berlin during the Christmas holidays to participate in the annual WinterSchool at Kurt Loewenstein House.
Over 90 young people aged between 18-30 years old travelled to Berlin for the week-long seminar, coming from Senegal, Ukraine, Ireland, England, Slovenia, Catalonia, Armenia, Lithuanian, Germany and Austria.
The event focused on democracy and inequality with workshops exploring the strengths and weaknesses of different democratic structures adopted by countries across Europe including; gender, reproductive rights, abortion, barriers to democratic participation and more.
Other activities included a New Years Eve party, cultural food sharing evening and sightseeing in Berlin.
Comments from the team included:
- Alex, from Nottingham “I had a great time meeting people from various cultures, in particular the Slovenian delegation. I also enjoyed being part of committees”.
- Anastasia, from Cambridge described the event as “the best experience of my life, and would recommend similar experiences to anyone to make friends!!!!”
- Mickey, from Birkenhead “I am so grateful I went, as I built so many connections with so many people that I will never forget.”
- Eliza of Birkenhead “I was incredibly honoured to attend the KLH winter school this past month, spending nine days in one of the most empowering places. It was inspiring to be surrounded by so many powerful, socialist comrades- being able to learn about their differing cultures and own person experiences. It reminded me how lucky I am to be part of the woodcraft folk, being able to have opportunities to meet other likeminded people from around the world. Both Mickey and I joined the Trust team, meaning we were a point of contact for anyone feeling emotionally drained or overwhelmed. As well as this, due to my love of organising and desire to create a safe and beautiful space over the week, I became the head of the Woman and Trans committee, NYE committee and the Farewell Evening committee. It was a privilege to have been able to create three wonderful evenings, allowing others to share their stories together. The theme for the woman and trans evening was centred around self love and body confidence, linking to the workshop Mickey and I ran on the last day of the seminar. The experience was like no other, and I am changed for the better because of it, I have formed friendships and connections that I will obtain for life.”
For more information about Woodcraft Folk’s international opportunities please visit their website.