"Hannibal ante Portas" in English means "Hannibal before the gates". The Roman senators would exclaim "Hannibal ante Portas" to express their fear or anxiety.

This evolved into the famous Latin phrase and common expression which is still often used when a client arrives through the door or when one is faced with calamity.

The project "Hannibal ante Portas" will be a seminar that will bring together 12 organizations (2 young leaders from  each) from the EU and South Eastern Europe. The project will take place in Tirana (Albania) from 15th to 24th November 2012.

The project aims to present to the youth of Europe the challenges that they face today. It will highlight the priority measures to be taken by young people themselves and their local organizations to avert these problems. We want to raise the awareness of young people about the problems which will increase to the highest rate in future decades. The aim of the project is to give general information about our current problems. How can we go ahead? Which are the techniques to prevent and give new solutions to our society? We will give new ideas and practices. Show how to seek the ways of living, working and being that enable all people of the world to lead healthy, fulfilling, and economically secure lives without destroying the environment and without endangering the future welfare of people and the planet.

Today, senators are not Roman but European. Youth are using this statement to highlight the current challenges the world faces such as: cultural differences, environmental pollution, sustainable development, climate change, unemployment, xenophobia, human rights etc. This metaphorical statement can be used to define our current global challenges.

• Raise the awareness of youth about current challenges
• Every person has to know the problems that our society faces today:

- Almost half the world - over 3 billion people - live on less than $2.50 a day
- 1 billion children live in poverty (1 in 2 children in the world). 640 million live without adequate shelter, 400 million have no access to safe water, 270 million have no access to health services. 10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5 (or roughly 29,000 children per day).

• "Think global, act local" will be a statement that everyone has to know and become more responsible for his own actions against environmental, friends, family etc.
• Involve all participants in discussion, despite their level of language, attitude and origin. Create an environment where every person feels free to express his/her ideas.
• The reduction of inequality by involving everyone in discussion

The real cause of the environmental and ecological threats arises from the unenlightened economic and political activity of humankind. The threat of global warming has been brought about through the cumulative process of wealth creation that involves ever increasing levels of economic activity and energy consumption.
Environmental destruction is causing a dangerous problem for human health.

If you would like to be involved with this project please contact me at:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Meivis Struga
Environmental Center for Protection, Education and Rehabilitation - EPER Center, Albania

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu