When it comes to engaging in social responsibility and when that engagement is voluntary, connecting and sharing becomes a crucial part of the whole idea. Each connection creates stronger bonds and makes all the effort count. More importantly, social responsibility awakens and inspires others to join and give their contribution. Our mentors, Swati Bhatt and Agyat Mitra, who are conducting PFP games in refugee camps across Europe, and who worked closely with youth in AMAL club in Skaramangas refugee camp in Athens in February, had an opportunity to meet Olimpia Theodoli, founder of Crete for Life*, who was also one of the volunteers in this camp. Olimpia was present when AMAL club in Skaramangas was born. Inspired by the idea of connecting and sharing, she decided to have AMAL club youth facilitate children coming from Belarus whose families were victims of the Chernobyl tragedy. Every year, children from Belarus come to Crete for a month. This year, the children were in Crete June-July, with youth from AMAL PFP club joining July 6-17. They were really excited to make this visit and travel on a overnight ship from Athens and then to take a 2-hour bus ride to arrive in Lerepatra in Crete. The young people from AMAL were 15-20 years old and for them it was a challenge to facilitate Play for Peace sessions with the children from Belarus. They spoke different languages, with only a couple of them able to strike some conversation in English. Recognizing the challenge involved, Crete for Life invited Swati and Agyat to mentor the AMAL club members to facilitate the sessions. In the 13 days that followed, challenges became opportunities. Language barriers became less challenging, and friendship and connection evolved.
The AMAL youth conducted several Practice Peace Sessions. The daily schedule involved going to the beach in the morning and socializing in late afternoon. By the second week, the AMAL youth from AMAL and the Belarus youth became one group. At the beach, they would build sand castles together, play cards, and sit together during lunch and dinner. They also worked on a puppet show. Swati and Agyat facilitated a session where all the young people from Belarus and AMAL Club worked on what they will paint on the walls of ‘Crete for Life’. The connection that was built between those two groups was deep and impactful, which became most visible on departure day. For two hours, they could not stop crying, and as the AMAL youth were the first to leave, the children and teachers from Belarus walked to the bus stop: waited, hugged, waved, hugged, and waved again. Swati and Agyat share that this experience was a rewarding experience for the AMAL youth, who are themselves identified as refugees, have experienced loss and displacement, and wake up with uncertainty and fear:
"Unlike the forced displacement, this was a sweet parting. There was no force involved, they parted as friends with people who were complete strangers two weeks prior. This experience might serve as an anchor for them whenever they get located to another country. They will know that language; nationality will not get in their way of making friends and being happy. It was a healing experience for everyone involved. The canvas of possibility expanded for all of us."
*Crete for Life is a voluntary organization registered in Italy. The main aim is to provide healing and recuperation to people who are in difficulties. Every year Crete for Life organizes summer camp for children from Belarus whose families were affected by the Chernobyl tragedy.
