International youth seminar "Youth identity in modernity"
(With the support of EUROPEAN YOUTH FOUNDATION of COE)

Sofia, Bulgaria, 03.11.2001 – 08.11.2001

SCAS, 10 Narodno sabranie sq., Sofia 1000, Bulgaria,
phone/fax: +359 2 9870293, fax: + 359 2 9877477
e-mail: course@scas.acad.bg, URL: www.scas.acad.bg

The context of "Youth identity in modernity":

The phenomenon "Identity" has a lot of faces, some of them - hidden, some of them - visible: cultural identity, social identity, personal identity, national identity etc. The identity is a large-scale collective phenomenon and long-term historical process. 

The recent political, economical and cultural transformations in whole Europe and especially in South-Eastern Europe have changed the European map, have broken the old links, stereotypes and visions. The whole set of significant changes and inter-influences aroused the problem of the identity. The European integration of the region also posted a lot of questions related to the identity preservation. 

How do young people choose identity when more than one possibility is available to them? Nowadays one of the fields of comparatively big interests of young people is modern media and communications. Through them everyone can express personal visions and ideas, can change his/her own identity and experiment with it. 

Also, nowadays technology strongly influences the human thinking, working and living and in that way influences the basics of human nature. The battle of the sexes, the traditional moral steering mechanism and the old stereotypes are strongly modified and we see the contours of the “Unisex culture”. The slight borders between male and female hairstyles, male and female perfumes, male and female accessories, between male and female professions, male and female roles in business and family leads to melting into universal “uni”-culture. 
  
The International youth seminar "Youth identity in modernity" will take place in Sofia, Bulgaria from 03.11.2001 to 08.11.2001. The seminar will give an opportunity to young people from European youth organisations and information centers to share experience about youth identity in the light of modern media and communications in the technology advanced society. It will try to enhance the active participation of young people in the integration process and to stimulate them to think about their identity and their place in the modern society. 

The aims of the seminar are: 
-	To exchange experience how to use modern media and communications to facilitate the identity expression and self-labeling in the space of modern media;

-	To give the participants a chance to share positive experience in light of new media and technologies to encourage young people participation in the integration processes in Europe and will explore the identity transformation during that processes;

-	To give young people from the South-Eastern Europe the opportunity to explore the problem with identity that have been cause from the political, economical and cultural transformation in this region; 

-	To try to explore the relations between the emigration in South-Eastern Europe and immigration processes in Western Europe; the attention of the participants will be focused on problems related with identity finding and “escape of identity”;

-	To train young people from minorities organizations (or organizations working with minorities) how to use modern media for identity presentation;

-	To show the ways of enhancing the youth participation in the society;

Almost all of the expenses will be covered by the hosting organisation SCAS (for details see the “costs” section bellow) and this is a great opportunity to meet and exchange information.

The main training and information exchange methods will be lectures, discussions, meetings, confrontation games, workshops, and exhibitions.  

Target group: 

1/ Students and young artists with interests in the field of modern media and information technologies; 

2/ Young people from ethnic, religious and social minorities who would like to use new media and communications for preserving their identity;

3/ Members and youth leaders form youth organizations in South-Eastern region, willing to co-operate with youngsters from Central and Western Europe.

Deadline for receiving the application forms: 20.09.2001

Working languages: English and Bulgarian.

Dates and place: Sofia, 03 - 08 November 2001   

Hosting organization and supporters:

Hosting organization is the National association- Student Computer Art Society /SCAS/, Bulgaria. The international youth seminar "Youth identity in modernity" is supported by the European Youth foundation of COE. The event is also supported by SCAS. The seminar is developed in partnership with a lot of organizations and institutions (more information about the program and organizers will be sent to the selected participants).

Costs and reimbursements: 

-	board and lodging are provided by the hosting organization and are covered by the project budget;
-	80% of the travel expenses will be reimbursed on the basis of the most economic transport fairs (APEX, student fare etc.); Also there are limitations for the travel reimbursements, depending on the country and the distance (detailed table will be send to the selected participants). In principle, the biggest compensation for the travel costs will be up to 350 EUR (but 80% of the costs).  
-	Participation fee is 60 EUR for Western European Countries and 30 EUR for Eastern European countries (former socialist countries); The fee will be deducted from the travel reimbursement;

Application and selection of participants:

-	Please, send filled application form (by fax, post or e-mail) to the address of SCAS; All the applications must be received before the deadline;
-	Participants will be selected by the Organizing Committee of the event on the base of: 1/Different geographical areas and organizations; 2/ Experience, expectations and training needs; 3/According to the above described profile of participants and the rules of “EYF”; 4/According to the project partners proposals.

The accepted candidates will receive more detailed information and confirmation of their participation till 01.10.2001.

The DEADLINE for receiving the applications (by fax, post or E-mail): 20.09.2001

Address:
SCAS, 10 Narodno sabranie sq., Sofia 1000, Bulgaria,
phone/fax: +359 2 9870293, fax: + 359 2 9877477
e-mail: course@scas.acad.bg, URL: www.scas.acad.bg