Colors of Inclusion
Express yourself through Graffiti
Youth Exchange in Udabno, Georgia
23 - 30 September 2014
From 23d till 30th of September, 2014 a youth exchange was conducted in Udabno (in Georgian: desert), a village in Georgia. People from 6 countries - Armenia, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Czech Republic, Latvia and Georgia - gathered in this mysterious eco-migrants village to discuss the social participation of youth in the local community and how graffiti can be a tool to express ideas about cultural diversity. The participants were painting the local school and also interacting with the kids and trying to give them inspiration and motivation to be more involved in the life of their village!
Udabno which literally translate as a desert in Georgian is a small village in the eastern part, inhabited by the eco-migrants from Svaneti. Given the fact that the villagers are quite isolated from the nearby locations, they lack the integration and connection from the rest of the region. Udabno has a school with very distinct cultural activities and "Oasis" - a hostel and a cafe-bar which was recently opened by Polish entrepreneurs.
Udabno was a good example for the participants to realise how exclusion and inclusion work, the village is a closed circle where our group brought international attention. This project was later followed by international festivals and educational activities in Udabno. Now it is a famous destination for young tourists.
