The recent EVS meeting in Mollina was a good occasion to take a break from the work at FCV and hectic life of Barcelona, to take look back at what happened so far in the program and to sense what could/should happen in the second half of the project and what potential lies beyond that. Having a large number of participants was helpful in gaining a comparative perspective about the individual experiences of the volunteers and the variety/diversity of the EVS projects. During the sessions I went through the narrative of the EVS project, the practical aspects and recollecting the concrete tasks and deliverables which are competed and those that are still pending. The personal tutoring with the trainer and the informal discussions with other participants were the moments with the highest learning outcomes and deepest insights for me. They were good occasions to reflect about my learning process and my ability to learn, my role and agency as an EVS volunteer and finally about the value of my input and contributions to others.
The recent events in Barcelona, have shaken me and at the same time reinforced my conviction to continue on my path of peace work. Peacebuilding and conflict transformation are not new, utopian, unrealistic ideas. They have been practiced for centuries, they work and, so far, they have proven to be the best tools we have at our disposal to overcome tension and conflict. Standing in Solidarity with the residents of Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, I am firm in my drive to develop and utilize learning methods for peace, empathy, nonviolence and oneness.
Andrei