YOUR RIGHTS – YOUR FUTURE

On December 20-21st in the capital of Moldova, was held the training “Your rights – your future”. The event was organized by the Republican Center “Gutta-Club” with the support of the international network CDN (Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe). Students of the graduating classes of the capital’s lyceums were invited to participate.

  The training became an organic continuation of the meeting in Chisinau, in July 2021, where representatives of youth environmental organizations of the RUMB region gathered under the patronage of CDN with the participation of the RC “Gutta-Club”. After that, the participants from Moldova wanted to organize a large, similar event for the Moldovan youth. A few months later, the RC “Gutta-Club”, receiving direct support from CDN, conducted to the first selection among the multitude of those that wished to participate. As a result, it was decided to focus on those specific human rights that concern young people. The right to education and the right to a healthy environment were selected by most of the participants as the most relevant.

  On the first day, dedicated to education, the students had a unique opportunity to listen to the representatives of the scientific world, professors of European and American universities – Alexandr Macuhin, Doctor of Political Science and Serghei Mangul, Doctor of Biotech. Sci. and experts from the national office of Erasmus+ – Olga Ghilca, and the expert of the Erasmus+ Youth Program National Office – Alexandra Isaicul.

  On the first day of the training, the speakers communicated to the participants about the main problems and achievements in the development of human rights in the RUMB region and also highlighted in detail all the main opportunities associated with the right to receive education and volunteer programs in the EU and in the USA. Participants were very active in asking questions and receiving comprehensive answers. The principle “Nothing for us – without us!”,  proclaimed by the UN legal convention, was  the basis of this training.

  The second day of the training was devoted to the human right to a healthy environment. Special attention was paid to the issues of climate change and the actions of the progressive international community in this direction. The topic of climate was extremely relevant due to the fact that a few days before training, in Glasgow (Great Britain), the 26th session of the conference of the parties ended, which is the supreme body of the negotiation process for the implementation of the provisions of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol (KP) and the Paris Agreement (PC). Today it is the largest international forum held under the auspices of the UN and other international organizations dedicated to the current climate agenda. The expert Anastasia Bekish, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation spoke in particular about the course of the negotiations in Glasgow. Anastasia has repeatedly participated in conferences of the parties (COP) both as a representative of the government delegation and as a civil activist and with pleasure shared her experience with our participants.

  This experience was especially important for the next interactive and creative part of our program – the role-play “Talks during the UN Climate Conference COP“. The participants had the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere of negotiations, trying on the roles of representatives of the delegations of the United States, China, developed countries, developing countries, India, Europe, OPEC representatives, as well as pressure groups of civic activists and the media. The original goal was similar to the goal of the Glasgow Climate Summit – to reduce the trend of increasing global temperatures to + 2 ℃ and raise $ 100 billion in contingencies to help those in need. But each country has its own, often selfish interests and its own problems. Were the parties able to agree? After all, limiting global warming to + 2 ℃ requires unprecedented, prompt and large-scale changes in all fields. Are countries ready for such changes? Such an interactive simulator is one of the most effective teaching methods, as it allows you to immerse yourself in a simulated situation and learn in the course of activities that are as close to reality as possible. When the game was over and the emotions subsided, the results from the real Glasgow summit were presented, which our participants looked at with completely different eyes.

  After that, Natalia Kravciuk – the president of the RC “Gutta-Club”, spoke about the organization’s successful practices in the implementation of youth projects and civic initiatives and to those who wished to share their time, knowledge and energy for the benefit of Nature and society, she explained the procedure for joining the ranks of volunteers.

  Summing up the results, we came to the conclusion that young people need an out-of-school educational program that through the gradual and sequential provision of knowledge and skills formation will narrow the gap in the understanding of human rights. To be an active member of civil society and to participate in its creation and functioning are the goals to which young people around the world aspire and the Republic of Moldova is no exception. Understanding the real operation of the mechanisms of fundamental rights and freedoms will allow program participants in real life to competently use theoretical and practical knowledge, to defend their point of view reasonably, to understand their own rights and obligations both within the framework of laws and international standards in the field of protecting and ensuring human rights.

  Our experienced trainers – Victoria Kulis and Natalia Kravciuk and the wonderful training preparation team, consisting of the Gutta-Club RC activists Olga Subernetcaia – the project coordinator, Mihail Novac, Andrei Lungu, Irina Belous, Iurii Kravciuk and Corneliu Strugaru did their best so the event was held at an optimal level and brought the maximum benefit to the participants.

  In conclusion, I would like to mention the teachers from lyceums – Mariana Persco (TL N.V. Gogol), Snejana Treteac (TL A.S. Puskin), Liudmila Aliferova (TL N. Milescu-Spataru) for active participation in organization of the training.