#startthechangeproject

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What We Are Learning from Pandemic

The world is facing one of the most important crisis of recent times. The pandemic has changed our current routine, and probably also the way we will live in the future. We will no longer live, work, and relate one another the way we considered normal before.

There are some lessons we can learn from what we are living:

We are in the same storm... We were focused on our own lives, pursuing our personal success and wealth. Now we know that we are all part of the same community: I’ll be safe, if everyone will be safe. We can’t deal with a global emergency by local actions only. The world in interconnected, we need to act together.

…But we travel with different boats. The quarantine shows us, one more time, that inequalities are everywhere. Some people simply can’t stay home. Some of us have the opportunity and the tools to stay connected, to keep studying and working. Someone does not. In tough times, inequalities get even worse.

We all are migrants. We were afraid of them. We tried to keep them away, we wanted them to stay home. But the virus doesn’t know borders. So, suddenly, we became the rejected. Now the entire world looks at us with fear and suspect. It takes just one minute to switch to the wrong side.

The value of human connections. We were passionate about virtual meetings and digital emotions. Now we are forced to keep in contact with people we love only by phone and computer. We are not allowed to hold the hand of our partner or of our parents. We can’t hug friends. We miss them.

It takes a village to educate a child. Education was something school did. Now schools are closed, and we have to learn how to study together with our parents, or with our children. It reminds us that everyone has a role in young people’s education.

The planet is suffering. Before we knew it, but only few of us were acting to help the planet. Now the virus is forcing us to stop business. Economy is suffering but pollution is decreasing. Dolphins are back to our coasts, the planet starts breathing again. Only if we respect the balance of the hearth, the hearth will respect us.

The value of our rights. Before, we took for granted some of our rights. Now we are rediscovering the value of key words: welfare, inclusion, solidarity.

We need to stop, sometimes. We were used to rush day and night to produce and consume no matter what. Now we are forced to stay at home, spending time with our relatives, giving up on shopping malls, exotic holidays, business travels. We have to manage our time and, sometimes, our boredom too. Are we still able to do this?

World is speaking to us: we are all part of the same global community, and we are all called to take care of it. Every action we do has an impact, not only on people close to us, but also on people who live far away. And their actions have an impact on us as well. 

We can save the world only if we act together.

They say that there is an opportunity that lies in every crisis. This is the time for all of us to look forward and to take action.

This is the time to start the change. The world is calling for that.

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How the epidemic changed our plans

Due to the impact of the epidemic, Start the Change activities slowed down all over Europe. The crisis forced us to change our daily routine and it makes difficult to plan new events until things will be better. But change doesn’t stop!

Giovanni Cappellotto, Start the Change project manager, says: “The coronavirus showed us, one more time, how deeply interconnected we are. We can’t respond to global problems with local actions only, we need to act together. At Start the Change we are looking for a common solution to restart activities as soon as it will be possible”.

Italy was one of the first and most affected countries, and the Change Makers in the country had soon to cope with isolation. How are they managing this challenging situation?

Valeria Melegari, Progettomondo.mlal, says: “Meetings continue on line, of course with some difficulties but also with a lot of energy, resources, and the desire to move forward.

Change Makers miss friends and school colleagues but they are filling their time with online courses, playing and doing school homework. We spend the time during on line meeting discussing about what we are experimenting, isolation and freedom, human rights and commonweal. We also invite guests to participate in our discussion, or we simply stay together”.

“In Rome the mood is good” says Claudio Nicosia, Amnesty international. “We are working on the production of web contents about SDGs. Due to isolation, people are going to spend even more time than usual on social networks, so we want to stimulate them to think and reflect about some important topics”.

Margherita Licastro, Amici dei Popoli, continues: “Change Makers are glad to keep in contact on line and to continue activities. They are particularly involved in environmental issues: they are planning specific actions in one of the most difficult neighbourhoods in Padua, but they are also pushing for a common and global discussion about environmental and social consequences of the pandemic. They still are in contact with the institutions and local associations and they look forward to restarting activities as soon as possible”.

 Change Makers know that there is an opportunity that lies in every crisis, so we are trying to focus on lessons we can learn from what we are living and we all hope situation will get better soon.

Yesterday a heartfelt message was address from Sara, Change Maker from Croatia, to all Italian’s mates: “Hey, all the Italians, I hope you are doing ok and using this time the best you can, this is a little support our city, Osijek, made for you. Wish you all the best and a lot of health”.

It shows that, despite difficulties, Europe can be so close.  

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[Here we come, Lampedusa!]

They have been travelling since yesterday from all across Europe (enjoying the beauties and tastes of Italy).

Most of them have already arrived in Lampedusa, some are still on their way. Everybody is more than excited about the time they will spend together.

Let's start the camp, Change Makers!

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«The first day in a new project is always special in many ways. You get to know the people you will be living and learning with for some days, start creating bonds and, most of all, the spirit of the group become alive.

We come from different countries, have different ages and backgrounds. But it's surprising to discover how many things we have in common and that we are all here for a shared goal.

The introduction and activities we did today were fun, inspiring and the first step of an intense project. I am looking forward to keep learning from each one of them!»

Ana Garcia, 24 yo, Change Maker from Spain.

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«Day 2 in Lampedusa. Today the #ChangeMakers have been part of a number of inspiring workshops. My group discussed the role of mass media in crafting narratives on migration.

It was a stimulating and at times shocking exchange, in the meaningful frame of Lampedusa, with peopel coming from all sorts of country and life trajectory»

Alessia, 24 yo, Change Maker from Italy

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On 3 October 2013, 368 women, men and children died in a shipwrech off the coast of Lampedusa. Today, 6 years later, the #ChangeMakers walked the roads of the city together with Comitato Tre Ottobre, other civil society organisations, students, institutions, survivors and families of the victims. Together, they honoured the tragic day, and sent a powerful message about the need to help human beings risking their lives.

Says Sofia, 16 yo, Change Maker from Italy: «Today we took part in the memorial march. It was mind-blowing to see people of all ages getting together in the street with the same intention: remember. While walking next to survivors and people who had lost a family member, I couldn’t but ask myself how come we Europeans feel “civilised”, when we continue to watch people die in our sea and do nothing».

#StartTheChangeProject #ChangeMakers #sdgs2030 #lampedusa #3ottobre #migration #refugees #europe #siamosullastessabarca #todayistheday

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In these hours the #ChangeMakers are drafting "La Carta di #Lampedusa", to promote values such as human rights, equality and dignity.

The experiences of these months, the reflections, the stories they heard and the challenges they faced up will be part of this precious document.

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«5th of october, the last day in Lampedusa.

After a lot of work we finalized the Carta di Lampedusa. We all choose different ways to express ourselfs. Poems, posters, illustrations, podcasts and a song are visualizing our Carta di Lampedusa.

Living, learning and growing with these beautiful people was a pleasure. Thank you for all the good talks and unforgettable memories».

Romy, 16 yo, Change Maker from Austria