What do the coal regions Lusatia (Lausitz), Lviv-Volyn, Donbas and Kuzbas have in common? For thousands of years decaying and growing forests covered these lands and were transformed into valuable coal deposits. The energy of this coal is running industrial production, is warming and lighting our houses. With coal mining many settlements were established. The identity, social life and culture of people were shaped by the very specific circumstances in these regions.
Today, coal regions are facing a changing era: some regions more intensely than others. The international community agreed on the need to decarbonise our economies and societies by the middle of this century because of the global challenge of climate change. What does that mean for our coal regions? What future-visions do we see for our coal regions and what part do we play as young people and the future change makers?
We are looking for young people from coal regions in Germany, Ukraine and Russia, who are interested in

• discussing these questions together in 2 exchange events in Germany and Ukraine an
• expressing their thoughts and ideas in media products (video, article, comic etc.) that will result in a common multimedia website

What and when will happen in the project?
July - beginning of August 2018: forming national groups in Germany, Russia and Ukraine (6 young people + a groupcoordinator)
Middle/end ofAugust 2018 1st international meeting to Lusatia Region (Germany, 7 days): young people from Germany, Russia and Ukraine come together

• exchanging on current situation and future visions of their coal regions/
• expanding know-how on sustainable development approaches and perspectives for the young people (jobs, civic participation)
• gaining skills in the development of media products (storytelling methods, technical toolkits)
• meeting the coal region Lusatia and its people: site visits, talks to inhabitants, organisations, and companies

September 2018 - February 2019, in their home regions, young people work on media products that tell their story about “their” coal region and will contribute to the common multimedia-website, assistance is provided by the coordinators of the national groups

March 2019: 2nd international meeting in Western Ukraine

• meeting the coal region Lviv-Volyn (around the miners’ cities Chervonograd and Novovolinsk) and its people: site visits, talks to inhabitants, organisations, and companies
• finalising the media products and the common multimedia website
• public event (presentation of the media products)
  The project offers you to meet people with a similar background from your region and other countries. You will have time, space and atmosphere to reflect on your personal development and role in your region, exchange your ideas, hopes and fears.

Eligibility criteria:

• Your life, work or studies are strongly connected to one of the coal regions Lusatia (Lausitz), Lviv-Volyn, Donbas or Kuzbas
• You are between 18 and 35 years old
• You are interested in meeting peers from other countries (Germany, Ukraine, Russia) in order to reflect together on regional transformation questions, future challenges and visions for the development of coal regions and your personal role in that context
• You are interested in expressing your impressions, experiences and ideas in a self-made media product (text, video / audio production, comic and the like)
• Your English is sufficient enough to read and understand this call

All costs are covered by the project organisers.

Interested? Fill in the application form (https://goo.gl/forms/MM1qYacMRxQOmvvz2) till the 29th of June 2018.

We will contact you back till the 2nd of July 2018.

Contact
Mariia Kryvokhyzhyna
Project assistant Environment and Climate Protection
DRA e.V.
Badstraße 44
D-13357 Berlin
Tel: +49(0)30/44 66 80 18
Fax: +49(0)30/44 66 80 10
mariia.kryvokhyzhyna@austausch.org