Crossing Borders

Silkeborg Højskole is situated in the heart of Jutland right in the middle of the Det midtjyske Søhøjland district. The school is a modern Danish folk high school, where they consider international participation to be an important aspect, and each term they welcome students from various geographical and cultural backgrounds. A Danish folk high school is an adult boarding school, and it is a place where you involve yourself strongly in a social fellowship and encounter committed and highly skilled teachers. The Change Makers Change Makers is Silkeborg Højskole’s international main subject, focusing on leadership, international cooperation, conflict resolution, and in general being able to make a change in both local areas and the global community. They are an international line so the class this semester has students from Denmark, Japan, the USA, Australia, Luxembourg, and Belgium. They are all like-minded individuals in the sense that they want to learn skills to be able to make a change, but they all bring different perspectives to the class, both from their different cultures, but also different personalities, which they can all learn from. Their names are Niamh De Burca (Lux), Ariane Orban (Bel), Daijiro Skaki (Japan), Emma Sofia Jansen (Dk), Lilly Smith (Aus), Maeve Balavender (USA), Nanna Clemmesen (Dk), Rapaël Victor Dewitte (Bel), Søren Bjerg (Dk). The idea behind the Auction Change Maker group recently fundraised 21.888 DKK for Crossing Borders through one of their activities. They held an auction in which they wanted to both raise money for an organization of their choice, but also create an opportunity for their group to learn about project management and teamwork, as well as improve their skills in these areas. It was both an individual and group learning experience for all of them. They chose Crossing Borders because they felt the values aligned with what they learn in their class and the whole point of their line. Their belief as a class is that young people are the way forward and that providing them with tools such as leadership skills, project management and just generally empowering them is the best way to make a change in society, all across the Globe. As Crossing Borders provides a platform for this it seemed like an obvious choice for them to support it. Because they have a shorter term due to the Covid-19, they aren’t able to do many more projects, but they hope to do one more before their term ends. However, their future plans are either to do a project at the school based on intercultural learning, with things such as food and games, or perhaps a few small projects around the school, focused on sustainability, e.g., food waste or water consumption. In terms of theory work their class will focus more on working as a group on how to be a good leader and a good group member. They also hope to spend some time getting to further explain niche parts of their cultures to the rest of their class and work on intercultural communication skills. Join our international community Become a member of Crossing Borders today Purchase now

Reflections by MAŠA ZUPČIĆ after being part of the climate summer camp back. Crossing Borders have first received an invitation from NOAH Friends of Earth Denmark to be a part of the organizing team for the Climate Summer Camp back in the autumn of 2020. As soon as I heard about it, I was immediately more than willing to participate in it. I felt that this could be an opportunity to be a part of something truly meaningful, as the theme was the Climate Justice approached from different perspectives such as social justice and gender issues. And I was right; it was very meaningful and it helped me to realize how many people are willing to change things for better in this world. Even though we were organizing the event in a very uncertain period, that didn’t stop us. We readily “jumped” into the meetings with the NOAH team with one goal – to help make this Camp possible. After a lot of planning, the circumstances allowed us to meet in person after all; around 20 participants and facilitators gathered for four days from June 30th until July 4th in Makvärket, home to a cultural and environmental collective that almost feels like a magical place full of history. We arrived ready to share the space, conversations and knowledge for the next few days, and what other way is better to connect than working in a team? That is why we played an Escape Game created by the NOAH team called System: reclaim after which we had an active listening workshop. These activities gave us a chance to work together and talk to each other in a bit unconventional way, which eased the introduction part and made it enjoyable so I quickly connected to my fellow participants. The next day, the official program of the Camp started. We had a chance to listen about topics such as Degrowth in the lecture facilitated by NOAH, Doughnut Economics facilitated by SPIRE organization from Norway, and Norway’s Green Transition with Natur & Ungdom. On the same day, Crossing Borders had a chance to present and facilitate playing the board game Last Chance which is teaching young people about SDGs and the importance of teamwork and partnership. We concluded the day with a movie night, watching an Icelandic movie called Woman at War, which I would warmly recommend to everyone reading this, as it is tackling some important topics in a very impactful way. The second day of the camp started with an introduction to the EU Green Deal and continued with a workshop on Environmental Racism by the Collective Against Environmental Racism. We spend our afternoon with the team from RAPOLITICS that introduced their project Pieces for Palestine. Both of these topics are very important, and the presentations were very intense, but both teams of facilitators made sure not to overwhelm us with information and made us feel safe and comfortable at all times by including a lot of interactive activities in their workshops. Saturday started with the Dancing Class held by the Crossing Borders team, in which we introduced different ways to connect with nature through dancing and body movements. We spent the rest of the morning preparing for the debate with two MEPs: Molin Björk from the Swedish Left Party and Marie Toussaint, a member of the Group of the Greens and European Free Alliance. We asked them questions about perspectives of Economic, Social-Racial and Gender Justice and discussed about the process of writing and implementing the EU Green Deal and what it will mean for the future of the EU. In the second half of the day, we learned about Ecofeminism through the lecture and a discussion facilitated by NOAH. We spent the last day of the camp reflecting on everything we have heard, learned, shared, and experienced. We mostly focused on the element of hope that these kinds of experiences provide. Thinking and talking about environmental issues and different kinds of injustice that we are surrounded by sometimes can cause anxiety and feeling of hopelessness. That is why I am beyond grateful to the NOAH team and everyone else who organized and participated in this Camp. It disconnected me for a short time from the daily responsibilities and “real life” and connected me to the wonderful group of people, to nature and to myself. It also gave me a chance to feel more comfortable sharing my personal feelings, positive energy and concerns, with the group of people I just met. The camp provided us with a safe space and gently encouraged us to speak, reflect and support each other. The biggest lesson I took with me from this Camp is that we are not alone; we are all part of a closely interconnected community. We are all part of nature. Everyone should play their role in protecting each other and our environment. That is why our job is not over – it has just started. Education is the key, and I encourage everyone to join events like these whenever they have a chance. Only by learning, we can take care of ourselves, others and the world. MAŠA ZUPČIĆ European Solidarity Corps volunteer at Crossing Borders

Reflections by Margrethe Tougaard Møller Being a part of the bio construction course on Ibiza with Crossing Borders was such a beautiful and nourishing experience in so many ways. It was an experience filled with growth, diversity, and love surrounded by nature. We were about 15 young people living one week outside in tents with mud on our skin and stars in our eyes. The bio construction course took place on a permaculture farm in between tree-covered mountains with a glimpse of the sea. The farm owners made us feel at the home right of the batch. Likewise, everyone so quickly connected almost as we had been friends for a long time. By the end of the week, it felt like we were a well-established community, almost like a little tribe. The instructors also made a great environment for learning with their inclusive teaching approach. Overall, the course taught us how to build a house from natural materials with traditional Mediterranean methods. Every morning started out with the theoretical basis to understand the building tasks of the day. This included knowledge about various wall constructions, measurements of the different quantities of soil, sand, mud, and straw – and the different assets of the materials. The rest of the day we would mix the materials and build walls. The embodied knowledge approach made it both easy to understand and super fun to have our bodies covered in mud while the sun was burning. In the evening we went to the beautiful beaches nearby and lighted a bonfire in the camp under the stars at night.The course was after all about cultural exchange and connections between humans and nature. I learned a lot about the basic and beautiful human experiences we all share while being in a group with people from France, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Italy, and Denmark. I’m grateful for all the energy that went into arranging this training in a time of the corona pandemic where everyone needed community and adventure more than ever!

“The essence of participation is not just in asking people what they want. It’s about people’s desire to make changes themselves.” Does the modern world need a leader? Like other participants, this is a question Bohdan asked himself during the Democracy Hub training. A few months before the project started, this young 17 years-old Ukrainian with a creative and ambitious mindset tried to introduce a waste sorting system on his porch and motivate waste sorting habits in his neighbourhood. His initiative did not encounter the success he hoped for, but when a friend told him about the Democracy Hub project, Bohdan seized this opportunity to learn about how to involve the community to solve problems and create change. For Bohdan, democracy was simply a regime where people were valued, respected, and listened to by a single leading person. The several lectures and discussions with 40 other teenagers enhanced his critical thinking and led him to rethink citizens’ role in a democratic system. Indeed, he realized that as a citizen, everything was in his hand. Not only his life but also the development of his country and of the world he lives in. Loaded with energy and confidence, Bohdan decided to take the role of a changemaker. Bursting with ideas and a desire to deepen his knowledge of active citizenship and responsible leadership, Bohdan is now prepared to share what he learned in the Democracy Hub project. As a survey revealed a dangerous lack of interest among young people of Ukraine in political and social activities, Bohdan and his inspiration represent the possibility to reverse that tendency. A more active, politically, and socially involved Ukrainian youth is certainly on the way. Explore our project Know more about the Kyiv Democracy Hub Know more

Sarah at the airport in Zambia Sarah in the plane en route to Denmark. The trip and before Travelling to another country is always exciting for me and better off going to Europe is something I look forward to. I always look forward to the transition even if it lasts for only a short time, the tall buildings, the beautiful sceneries, the Food and the culture experience. I enjoy taking pictures and posting on my social media pages. As an African with all visa barriers and travel regulations, you take extra precautions to plan your trip and ensure all documentations are in place before you embark on the trip. This time around I had to wait for confirmation from the school as to when I can travel. When I was cleared to travel, I embarked on my journey via Dubai and I had to take about 3 covid-19 tests, 2 before travelling and one final one at the airport in Copenhagen. It was not the best time to travel due to the many restrictions that came with the pandemic. The ‘almost’ empty airports greeted me with a cold elbow and this is when it dawned on me that my danish experience this time around will not be the same. It should be noted that I have travelled to Denmark more than twice before this and this time around things were different. My biggest shock was the many restrictions that came with the Covid-19 pandemic; the malls where closed, restaurants only served on takeaway basis, not many people in the streets. I was so looking forward to meeting friends and taking some outdoor chills, but I did not think this it was going to be possible this time around at least not at the moment or the very nearest future. Sarah in quarantine. During quarantine: I had to spend four days in quarantine and take the test on the fourth day and wait one or 2 two days for the results before getting out to meet with other people. This was my first time to be in quarantine or rather being in a place where I cannot interact with other people. Coming from Africa, where we live in groups and families, we socialise a lot and share a lot of things amongst each other. Back at home I live with my mum, sister, cousin and my little dog so I always must talk to my family every day, this time was different, before I could adapt to the danish culture where people are more independent than where I come from, I had to go through the routine quarantine. Day one`s routine included, waking up and taking a bath, waiting for a knock at 7:30am for breakfast delivery by one of the students, Netflix and book reading, wait for 1pm for the lunch delivery and lastly the last knock at 6pm for supper delivery. In between I could video call my family and friends or stare at the construction activities going outside my window to kill the boredom and it went well the days. Day three I think I got depressed, I wanted to talk to someone or just have that one-to-one contact with someone and I could not. The teachers came through to check up on me but could not really chat with them for a long time as they must check on other students. It was a weird, crazy period. I yearned to the time when I will end the quarantine. Day four came and I was so excited because I was going to go and take a covid test, I was so excited I was all bathed up as early as 8 am with my little make up on. I noticed the student volunteer delivering the lunch staring at me longer, she was probably amazed at the makeover because the past three days she found me pyjamas. I took the test and went back to the school and waited a day before my results come out. That night I kept staring at my phone for a message from the testing centre that says “Negative”, but it did not come until the following day. In the afternoon I checked my email and there was nothing also then I logged on to the Covid-19 results.dk website and my results where there: NEGATIVE.I was declared Covid-19 free by the teacher on duty and allowed to mingle with others and what was even more exciting was the upcoming costume party that day, such a relief to come out. Sarah after finishing quarantine. My disposition during and post quarantine If I were to describe how I felt during this time, I would say lonely. I do not like to be confined to one place. As a person I like to do what makes me happy, eat what makes me happy and hangout with people so being in one place where I had no control of what I ate or who I talked to, was challenging. However, it made me see another side of me that I never knew, like the fact that I was able to accept what life threw at me during that time. Now that I am out of the quarantine, I can take walks around the school, make friends and sit at the dinner table with everyone. I know that the pandemic has changed most of our lives and I believe we must find a way to keep on keeping on as individuals. My only wish is for a time to come where my friends from Copenhagen can come to my school so I can show them around and hopefully that it happens soon. About Sarah Nkandu. Sarah Nkandu is a communication specialist working in the NGO sector to help improve communications efforts for different causes. Sarah has a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and pursuing her masters in the same field (thesis level). She is a Zambian national aged 28 and is deeply passionate about community mobilisation as she

A Student Research and Crossing Borders Collab We are all aware of the increasing impact climate change is having on our lives, from the direct effects of natural disasters and increasing temperatures to the other sometimes more long-lasting effects on health and well-being – but it’s time to recognise that these impacts are felt differently amongst different social groups! Women are at higher risk of suffering from the negative effects of climate change and are therefore more vulnerable to climate change. Knowing how they are vulnerable and what we can do to address it are some important questions that we hope to answer with the help of Crossing Borders in our research project. Our research group is made up of three students from Roskilde University studying International Studies. Jessica has roots in Liberia and Denmark while Ringisai and Raramai have lived experiences in Indonesia, Australia and southern Africa, our combined experiences mean we’ve seen how climate change can affect women differently globally. So, this topic is both important and personal to us as a group. Our research aims to understand ideas of resilience, risk and vulnerability in the context of climate change and gender. We are very excited to collaborate with Crossing Borders as a partner for our research project, not only because they have insights into how organisations respond to gendered climate vulnerability, but also because like us they believe in empowering youth to be the change they want to see in the world. This topic is increasingly relevant as international climate change initiatives become more critical of their actions and have started to look at the additional vulnerabilities that women face to climate change. Organisations such as Crossing Boarders are great case studies because of their emphasis on youth, inclusion and diversity. For more information on the impact of climate change, and what forms of gendered climate action that exist Click here Feel free to contact us if you’d like more information on our project! Ringisai Susara Campbell Jessica Petersen Raramai Campbell

This interactive, online course is divided into three sections, with each segment bringing a unique perception of The Nordic Welfare Model. The first unit introduces the welfare model and reflects on current affairs, while the second part offers a critical analysis of the model from the perception of environmental issues. The third discusses social protection as a crucial element of the Nordic Welfare Model, relating to the example of Finland. Reflecting on current geopolitical affairs, the global pandemic and climate change crises, one naturally thinks about the long-term sustainability of the Nordic Welfare Model. This kind of sustainability is placed in the context of international development, social structures and environmental issues. This course reflects on each Nordic country individually, and by such an analysis, students have the opportunity to understand the model as such, as well as its various aspects and how each country was able to reflect on the crisis. This section allows students to see damages done by the crisis situation but also possible solutions. The second part of the lecture analyses the model from an environmental perspective, drawing from the knowledge of experts like Dr Jason Hickle, who offers a critical analysis of Scandinavian politics in terms of environmental practices. The reader is allowed to broaden their perception of attitudes to sustainability in the Nordics and take a more critical approach, asking, how can they and thus other countries do better? The third section focused on social protection with a specific example from Finland. By understanding and analysing social politics, one can appreciate the Finnish historical narrative of social politics and its impact on Finland’s development. This case study serves as a functional model and a possible solution for various countries concepts. The lecture offers a comprehensive analysis from different pespectives and a fantastic opportunity for students to critically reflect on the Nordic Welfare Model.

Migration and Refugee Aspects of Life is one of many courses offered by Crossing Borders International College in collaboration with the social learning platform CanopyLAB. Through the collaboration Crossing Borders aims to in provide accessible education to all those with an interest in empowering themselves with the knowledge needed to build a peaceful and sustainable world. The courses Crossing Borders International College offers are comprehensive, utilizing the real-life experience of experts in the subject-areas to empower learners in their own individual journeys. The courses offered touch on topics such as the UN’s Sustainability Goals, Inequality, Conflict and Peacemaking, and Climate Activism, amongst many others. In this article the contents and learning experience within the “Migration and Refugee Aspects of Life” will be discussed from my own perspective, as someone who was recently fortunate enough to take part in the course. Over the past few years the global refugee situation has gained increasing attention in a world that has globalized rapidly. Information on the refugee situation comes from many different sources, the media, world governments, UN organizations and, of course, word of mouth. Due to the many different voices speaking about refugees and migrants, there has also been an increased level of debate around the topic and a variety of questions have been raised, such as “what is a refugee?”, “who should be responsible for solving the refugee situation?” and “how can we help the refugee situation?”. With these questions and many others in mind, Crossing Borders developed this course “Migration and Refugee Aspects of Life” with the intention of increasing education on refugee issues through focusing on three main topics: what it means to be a refugee, the current refugee situation and how Covid-19 has impacted it, and what it means to be a young refugee. These topics make up the three units for the course, with learners progressing through units each designed with different focus points that, when combined, provide a comprehensive understanding of the global refugee situation. The course begins with unit one “What does it mean to be a refugee?”, where learners are provided with video lectures and learning materials that provide a solid background on what a refugee is, how the refugee situation has gotten to where it is today historically, what protections refugees are rightfully entitled to and what the life of a refugee is like. Once the learner has passed through the learning materials provided they are able to take a quiz, where they are encouraged to reflect on a series of questions involving the historical background of refugee protection, and the rights that refugees have globally. Unit two begins with a lecture provided by Garba Diallo, the Crossing Borders Founding Director, which is truly a highlight of the course. Garba discusses the current refugee situation with a far-reaching insight and provides brilliant perspectives on the impact that Covid-19 has had on the refugee crisis and the underlying political systems, foreign influences and world order that has caused the current issues within the refugee situation. Garba ends his lecture by encouraging learners to engage their creativity to brainstorm possible solutions for how the world can share the burden of hosting refugees, how countries should integrate refugees, and how we can deal with the deeper traumas that many refugees have to struggle with. The topics Garba raises are followed up with extremely relevant learning materials, and a series of exercises designed to facilitate analysis, debate and investigation from the learner. Unit three is designed to provide insight into the topic of Youth Refugees, and the unique set of issues that a child must deal with while navigating their journey as a refugee. Through a series of videos and follow up materials, the nuances of the life of a young refugee are discussed, enabling the learner to reflect on the different contexts and circumstances that the struggles of a refugee can come in.  This unit takes an important look at the productive ways in which the life of a child refugee can be improved in our own countries, through projects and initiatives that aim to support their journeys. Overall the Migration and Refugees Aspects of Life course offered by Crossing Borders provides a detailed and clear understanding of migrants and refugees in today’s world, through identifying three main topics and providing video materials, lectures, articles and reports that support the learning experience throughout the process. This course is designed for someone who wishes to empower themselves with a more nuanced and well-rounded understanding of the refugee in a modern context, or who maybe wishes to gain new perspectives in their knowledge of the refugee situation. The units are designed to empower learners with historical and statistical data while also encouraging each learner to reflect on the life of a refugee through their individual perspectives, and starts the learner on their own journey of brainstorming and problem solving. Once completing the course, the learner should be left with a strong base understanding of the current refugee situation, as well as a respect for the many different contexts and perspectives that are involved.

Ten Years Later Dubbed Bread, Social Justice, and Freedom: the Arab Spring was a culmination of long-standing anger against bad governance across the region. The spark that ignited the keg happened on December 17, 2010, just one month after the self-immolation of Khalid Said in Egypt who was under the custody of the police. The uprising exploded in different parts of the region and turned into relatively peaceful protests that chased out 30-42 long-time rulers from Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen. Some rulers were luckier and managed to escape soon enough to keep their lives, while others like Ghaddafi in Libya got lynched by protesters. The revolution was relatively successful in Tunisia, while in Egypt and Bahrain the uprising relapsed back to square one, in Yemen and Syria, it tragically degenerated into protracted bloody civil wars raging even to this day, causing the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives. Now, ten years after these events, we find ourselves wandering: is there a reason to celebrate? Some people say yes, because they believe that the citizens of their own countries are no longer afraid to speak out about civic, social, and sexual freedoms. Other people disagree, arguing that the hopes of the Arab Spring have been dashed. Below are some of the reflections from the region. Abdullah Alsmaeel from Syria, Suaad Alsalahi from Yemen, Rasha Abdel Wahab from Egypt and Khalid Albaih from Sudan share their thoughts about the meaning of the Arab revolutions and the future prospective for their home countries. Photo by Gianluigi Guercia/AFP/Getty Ima 1 Our crime is believing in freedom  By Abdullah Alsmaeel Ten years ago, we participated to the peaceful civilian demonstrations that took place at the beginning of the Syrian revolution, inspired by the Arabic Spring. Our aim in Syria was to restore dignity and freedom for the people of the region. We did it, knowing well that we were putting our lives at risk. Our dream of obtaining freedom and defeating dictatorship gave us enough courage to stand in the face of one of the bloodiest and most oppressive regimes of modern times. As a result, we were forced out of the country. Our sole crime was our passion for freedom, democracy, and social justice. Today, the civil activists who have fled, find themselves surrounded by huge challenges. We are learning to be equipped with skills which enable us to communicate with the international community regarding issues of forced migration, opposition to dictatorships, support to causes of equality, social justice, and democracy in our home countries. All that, with the aim to create pressure and provide a voice to our people to finally see our dream come true. We believe that change will take time and that our movement is a work in progress. As the Syrian playwright, Saadallah Wannous said: “We are condemned to hope”. Arab Autumn in Yemen By Suaad Alsalahi We pinned great hopes on the Arab Spring revolutions. In Yemen we carried ambitions and intentions to change the regime that had ruled for 33 years, along with its errors, corruption, and grievances. What we longed for was finally achieved in 2011 with the departure of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, through a political settlement initiative sponsored by the Arab Gulf states. After that, all our hopes and aspirations were nothing but dispersed. We witnessed only devastation, destruction and corruption that inevitably led to a relentless war, which has been striking us since 2015. The Yemeni Spring has become a nightmare haunting us, with the state institutions collapsing, trapped in chaos, sectarianism, wars, terrorism, poverty and with the population turning into hungry, homeless, and displaced refugees. Hatred and revenge have accumulated so much ever since, that we are now besieged within our own borders. I ask myself if we will celebrate the anniversary of the Arab Spring since in Yemen it has turned into a cold autumn. There is much to celebrate on the 10th anniversary of the Arab Spring By Rasha Abdel Wahab Looking back at the past 10 years, I reckon that for the Egyptians it has been a bumpy ride. First, Mubarak got thrown off the power but then the Muslim Brotherhood took over. At that point, we all wondered whether Egypt would have become a new Algeria, stroke by civil wars, or a closed country, much like Iran. I honestly believe that many people, including myself, insisted on getting rid of the Muslim Brotherhood for the country’s own sake, despite the world might criticize us as undemocratic. As I live most of the time here in Egypt, I can see how the country is building impressive infrastructures, improving healthcare, promoting start-ups and export and developing the education system. Although we have not seen the fruits of these initiatives yet, we can feel the development of the process.  I believe that the country is going in the right direction, although we all need to focus to create a stronger Egypt, with a stable economy, reasonable education system and good healthcare. Nevertheless, there is still a lot to be done and I can’t say to be totally satisfied about Egypt right now. Without any doubt, the Arab revolution was an important step for us, but we still have a long way to make the dreams we shared in 2011 finally come true. We demonstrated for freedom, equality, and a decent livelihood ten years ago, and we still have not achieved it. Now we have something more important – that is stability, developing countryside, safety at night. Egypt will have to undertake a long journey in order to become a democracy in all and for all, and for this we will need more educated people that are able to understand the guidelines of a democracy and the difference between chaos and freedom.  The Arab Spring wind of change is still blowing By @Khalidalbaih