EYPUK and Youth United in Peace

Following the Alba Extended Regional Session in March, six of us EYPUKers had the pleasure of being invited by Glasgow City Council to represent the city at the Youth United in Peace Camp. This camp was hosted by the city of Nürnberg, Germany, and was funded through the Twin Cities programme, with countries from Togo to Macedonia and Nicaragua attending.

After a long and eventful day of travel we arrived at the camp situated on the river Wöhrder to a welcome from Elisabeth Reis, a member of the city’s council, and got to know the other participants. On the first afternoon we set off on walking tours of the city and had the opportunity to learn about the city’s Jewish history and the Way of Human Rights.

Throughout the rest of the week there was a range of activities available throughout the day- from outdoor activities such as hiking and raft-building, to creative activities such as jewellery making and TV production.

There was also a fascinating tour of the former Nazi rally grounds, where we learnt about the history of the city during the time of the Nazi party, and the current debates taking place in the city surrounding what should be done with these grounds. There was even opportunities to learn more about the EU, and plenty of free time to enjoy the museums of the city and some retail therapy.

The final day of the camp was a day trip to the Adidas Campus. Here we began the day with a panel discussion, before leaving for guided tours of the campus. After lunch we had the opportunity to make use of the sports facilities on the campus, playing football, basketball, and more. Our day ended with a Q&A with the company’s Director of Sales, Matthieu Sidokpohou, before heading to their outlet store and enjoying even more retail therapy.

Although all of the daytime activities were incredible, the true highlight of the camp was the evening activities. On the first night every city did a presentation about their city and its culture, with everyone taking a different approach to this. San Carlos showcased a Nicaraguan dance, and Shenzhen serenaded us whilst playing a video of the city.

The second night was a pool party, and despite the weather trying to stop us, we all had a great party, with music, a BBQ, photo booths, and even TV crews- the party was officially opened by the city’s mayor, Marcus König, landing us on local news whilst riding unicorns in the pool.

We were reunited with the mayor again just a couple of nights later at Rathaus Clubbing- every year the mayor invites everyone in the city who is turning 18 that year to attend a party in the town hall. This was an unforgettably unique experience that allowed us to interact with Nürnberg locals, and confuse them with our presence. The party didn’t end there- the next night we walked along the river to the Bonsai Music Festival, and the next night we had our farewell party.

The week we spent in Nürnberg was unforgettable, we learnt so much about the city and all of the other cities participating, as well as forming what I’m sure are some lifelong friendships. We can not thank the organisers and all of the participating cities of Youth United in Peace enough for such an amazing experience!

When I say Youth, You say Camp!