Seasonal greetings from everyone at YIP9,
Here in Ytterjärna we are getting ready to leave Tallevana for the next two months. Firstly we will enjoy a bit of a break, some of us going to see family, friends and also new places. Then we will jet off to our internships!
We have had a very busy few months; a lot of things have changed in our group as there was a big moment of uncertainty when the 6 awaited student visas got denied. As each of the affected yippies allotted 3 months’ visa in Sweden came to an end, we had to say a temporary farewell to them. They will be going on the internships and will return at the latest to be part of Initiative Forum.
Preparing for Initiative Forum 2017 is another big part of what has kept us so busy and we extremely excited to announce that:
REGISTRATIONS FOR INITIATIVE FORUM ARE NOW OPEN!
Have a read below for more information on Initiative Forum in general and also this year’s theme.
Initiative Forum is an annual week-long conference with the purpose of connecting and engaging with others in the face of global challenges. Bringing together a network of forward-thinking organisations and people, it serves as a platform to empower and ignite personal and social developments.
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Since the beginning of YIP, we’ve been meeting in the afternoons, after the morning courses, to organise the Initiative Forum. It is a large part of the curriculum, one the cornerstones of the program. Every year us yippies get the chance to organise the event and make it in our own way, with our own choice of theme, events and contributors.
The Initiative Forum has many purposes. First and foremost, it is an event for the young change-makers of the world to gather, network and join forces; share ideas, initiatives, projects and platforms for working together and making a change in the world. It is a space to share stories and experience, as a meeting of like-minds and hearts who have a common concern towards the state of the world and humanities place and purpose in it. It is a space for both practical networking and true meeting, eye to eye, heart to heart and hand in hand.
YIP is an international program, and the forum is an international event. It brings people from all over the world and from many different communities together. This helps to create and strengthen the link between individuals and groups who are interested in a positive shift in the world. Typically, it also serves as a meeting place for previous participants of YIP and their friends to meet each other, to see each other again and share what has been taking place in their lives. This strengthens the community and keeps the thread of their relationships alive.
Overarching each Initiative Forum there is typically a theme. Through this theme, we get the chance to bring into the world an event that highlights and questions the key issues we face as humanity. Throughout the event, the theme is also used as a ‘red-thread’ that creates continuity and structure. The morning lectures will likely follow this thread but is also not limited to the theme’s topic. There will also be workshops, action-days, evening events, music and lots of surprises.
It took a while for us to decide on the theme of the next Initiative Forum. It’s been an interesting process to witness as we came to a consensus on the decision. You may have already heard about the issues YIP has been facing regarding visa issues as nine participants have been denied their visa to stay in Sweden for the period of YIP9.
Because of these events and other related trends occurring throughout the world today, we decided to host the Initiative Forum around the theme of borders and boundaries, with the title Beyond Borders. The theme is related to personal, social and planetary borders. A personal boundary can be necessary and useful under certain circumstances, but perhaps we keep too many boundaries raised between each other. Why is there a trend of fear and exclusion happening across the world today and what would happen if we worked together as one planet, one humanity? If we questioned our own personal borders and boundaries, would this affect our social borders, and in turn help to prevent our planet’s boundaries from being crossed?
There is still plenty of work left for us yippies in organising the event for next April 2017, but we are all really excited! We have split up into various working-groups that take responsibility for the different tasks needed to put on the conference, and we have been meeting in a big group to share our progress.
We are excited to co-create this event with you! If you would like to share your music, workshops, initiatives and projects, please add this information onto the registration form found on the website below.
We are also food-raising for the event. One of the challenges we are facing is how to feed 300+ people during 5 days, keep our expenses low and offer a reasonable participation fee. We are now looking for food contributions, preferably organic and/or biodynamic or any other kind of donation related to accommodation practices (toilet paper, cleaning supplies, etc.). In exchange, we would be happy to promote our sponsors on the Initiative Forum website or we could offer a table in the foyer, where products and information material can be displayed (a more accurate deal should be discussed in that case).
We also want to find funds that could support those that would like to attend but who are not in a financial position to do so. We would love to find some organisations or investors that would be willing to help these potential participants by finding a deal with the interested person themselves. We would be happy to promote this on the IF website.
There are early bird tickets available until 31st January 2017 with a reduced price. If you would like more information, visit the website or email us with your questions. Below is the official invitation to Initiative Forum.
You are kindly invited to Initiative Forum: Beyond Borders. It will take place in the beautiful cultural surroundings of Ytterjärna, Sweden from 9-14th April 2017.
Where are my personal boundaries and what can I gain from leaving my comfort zone?
How can we address the concerning situation of national borders, immigration and exclusion?
Standing at the edge of our planet’s limit, how do we create a world for the future?
We feel called to explore the solutions to current world issues through personal development, social justice and sustainable living. Beyond Borders will open a space for discussion and lectures around these topics.
There are many more questions to be asked!
Come and join the discussion
Ytterjärna, Sweden
9th-14th APRIL 2017
Come and join the discussionThere is accommodation available in the surrounding campus and food is provided. In the evenings, there will be plenty of activities, including live music, games and social events. We also invite you to co-create this event with us! Bring workshops, music and projects to share and add it to the registration form.
If you would like to support us in any way, be it food donation, monetary donation or your willingness to help, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!
Find out more information at the Initiative Forum website, including a mailing list and registration form for the event. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us using the email address below.
A brief poem by Paolo Apostolides
Hanging beneath your green spikes. I roll to the very edge. You bend as I fall. A tongue licks the pine, as I transform. I am a raindrop.
See you soon
From the beginning of January until mid-February we will be spread across 5 continents, but also re-united with those of us who have had to leave Sweden before the end of term, as we embark on our internships. We hope that on our return we will have received many of your registrations and we will dive into the more detailed planning of Initiative Forum with much renewed energy.
To conclude we would like to wish you all a happy and relaxing Christmas and Winter time and we hope to see you in April at the Initiative Forum!
Much love from all of us in YIP 9.
