We jumped into the our time machine, fastened seat belts and started our trip. And then after a  while we were in the year 2012.

That was the time when 5 editorial groups created 5 unusual newspapers and looked back to 5 days in 2011.

So..

Day 1- Get to know each other

Newspaper- Jaundomapling

“*What was the best and funniest get- to- know- each- other game you did? – A game with a clock- we had a meeting at every hour, where we were talking to someone about something like your favorite food. 1 minute in the game was 1 hour.”

Day 2- Team building

Newspaper- TEAM Building

Who’s that chik?

“The class included everything from improvisation dance with live piano music and very necessary and relaxing streching session to an awesome show dance with changing partners..”

City Rally

“City rally with singing outside the opera and divers checking the river by the statue of Liberty”

Drama

Live pictures, jumping 16 times, the evil turtle and Albanian radio theater “No one speaks Albanian, so if you have to close your eyes you need to listen very carefully, and guess what is happening.”

Dance till you drop!

“The schedule said “Lunch”, but girl from Sweden had another plan in mind. With the help from a couple of friends and devoted dance teachers, she managed to make the paln reality.”

Day 3- Skill day

Explenations:

Dance SWE- Lindy hop

Dance LV- Traditional Latvian dance and Hip Hop

Drama LV/SWE- Drama excercises from different angles

Art therapy- express yourself with a paintbrush or a pencil

Metall formating- An opportunity to make your own jewellery

“Fun and challenging”- Stephanie, student from Sweden

“Laughter- inducing! And love..”- Jon, drama teacher from Sweden

“Hot and bubbly”- Sabina, dance teacher from Sweden

Day 4- Heritage day

Newspaper- Daily Youth paper

“On the 16th of June “Youth Space” participants were enjoying the Open Air Museum, when suddenly it started to rain. (..) The organisers had to face a situation where they had to come up with a new plan for the rest of the evening (..) The day continued in Youth Space center, where participants had Latvian traditional food for dinner. (..) The evening was full of games, national food and dancing.”

Day 5- what else?

Newspaper- YOUTH PAPER

What will happen!?

Shows and exibitions:

dance, drama, fashionshow, music, art, photography

“Next week, Riga will be transformed to a cultural Mecka. Activities such as workshops, performances and exebitions will be arranged for every age and taste. Several countries are invited to participate and share their culture. There will be both professionals and amateurs so don’t be scared to try neww things! (..)

Meet new people from all over the world with the same open- mindfulness and interests as you.

Even the children will be able to enjoy the festival, not only of the sweets but because they can listen to fairytales and participate in several workshops.

The best will be saved to the last: Saturday evening, there will be a big Barbeque party! bring your own food or indulge yourself a meal made by our gourmetchefs.

So don’t hesitate- bring your friends and families and enjoy these inspiring happenings in Riga festival!”

So, that was the evaluation part at last day of Youth Space festival preparation week. Thank you all for your participation and creativity!

Photos made by Cristina Blendea (Sweden)

Photos made by Gunilla Forssblad

Day 2- Where we should go? who is Rainis? Where is my team? what should I do with this card? (in tram). Ohh, I know them! They are from Youth Space!

Day 3- Where is Daugmale? What I have to do now? What did you do at metal formating workshop?

Day 4- How far is Open- air museum? Can we go back? Where is the bus? It’ cold and rainy! Ohh, they have nice Midsummer traditions! What is that? (about dinner)

Day 5- Are we going home today?

Seriously, this is it! This was the last day of project “Youth Space” preparation week for festival in Riga next summer. Ideas, emotions, feelings, different activities and new people- that’ s the part of this week.

With evaluation newspaper we looked back at all this weeks activities, emotions and suggestions for next summer. This was only the start, the first step for long walk to create a festival, we still have a lot things to do and we need to improve our ideas and create new ones. But still, thank you all for participating in this event!

Photos made by Gunilla Forssblad (Sweden)

Photos made by Santa Stivrina (Latvia) and Gunilla Forssblad (Sweden)

The fourth day of preparation of Youth Space festival in Riga next summer began with making different Latvian handicrafts at Open- air museum. Ceramic, weave straw, wood etcher, birch- bark weave and small museum expedition was activities for today. At the begining our aim was that we will spent all day at Open- air museum, however our plans changed because of the weather and we returned to the Riga Youth center.

Today we also remebered different Midsummer celebration traditions and traveled from Latvian Midsummer celebration to Swedish and Estonian- singing songs and  playing traditional games. And this farewell party was good and funny and it doesn’t matter were we celebrate it- Open- air museum or in the yard of Riga Youth center- we still had fun.

Photos made by Cristina Blendea (Sweden)

The third day in festival preparation event was a skill day, with opportunity to upgrade existing skills in dance and drama and learn something new- art therapy and metal formating. Today dance and drama classes were given also by Latvian teachers.

The third day was really active and it is hard to tell that or write on paper. You just have to see and feel that. And you will- just wait for photos

But now… Next stop- Open- air museum

Young people from Sweden and Estonia were divided into 6 groups. Each group, together with Latvian  guide from partcipants went to the streets to get to know the city and its most important and interesting places. Each team had to find 9 checkpoints, were they had some chalenges-  sing a song in style of opera in front of Opera hause, sell 1 package of matches in central market, name 10 European Union member states and capiltals, reanact a part of one famous movie, sing a poem in their native language in front of Monument of Rainis, act one type of performance that happens in circus, perform a drama part of 1 famous play, create a statue out of their bodies. That was seen in group presentations  the youth have learned and noticed a lot of interesting things about Riga.

The next part of day was for dance and drama workshops. We learned some dance moves and it was a realy great opportunity to move our bodies and not to fall asleep after lunch. In drama workshop we were learning some methods that can be used to develop concentration ability, some team building tasks. And of course, we had fun.

And also this day was the day when we tried to be musicians who are playing hand made instruments, singing some interesting sounds, improvise- this was percussion of group.

That’s it! This was our second day at Riga Youth Center. And at the third day we are changing our location- youth center “Daugmale”. Drama, dance, metal formating and art theraphy workshops. Enjoy!