Youth exchange programme “ World is colourful - youth against racism”.

Bialy - Dunajec , Poland 31st March – 8th April 2005

On the kind invitation of the Polish Organization, “ Stowarzyszenie Inicjatyw Regionalnych”, two members of the Qrendi Scout Group – Malta, namely Group Scout Leader David and Assistant Cub Scout Leader Brenda Zammit, joined by Krista Borg, formerly of the San Gwann Scouts, participated in the youth exchange programme „ W o r l d i s c o l ou r f u l - youth against racism”.

No fewer that forty five youths hailing from Spain , Portugal , Poland and Malta participated in this youth exchange, held in at the beautiful hamlet of Bialy – Dunajec in Poland , a few kilometers south of the town of Zakopane at the foot of the Tetra Mountains between the 31 st March and 8 th April 2005.

A vast programme of w orkshops saw the participants tackling issues such as “The European identity” as addressed by Mike Huttinger, where after the able international work of Polish volunteers from the NGO, Polska Akcja Humanitarna, was clearly defined.

An “Oxford Debate' entitled “Intolerance and racism in art”, together with a simulation job related interview tackled tolerance, discrimination, racism in each of our different national environments

The issue of ethnic cleansing, as experienced in the Nazi Occupation of Poland during the last World War was elaborated by a trip to “Auschwitz-Birkenau” concentration camp in Oswiecim , where over six million Jews, Poles were executed.

On the 1 st April 2005 , Poland and all the rest of the world were shocked by the news of the demise of our Holy Father and successor to Peter, Pope John Paul II, a death that brought all the country and world together in prayer. Participants joined numerous other Poles that flocked to the “Maria of Fatima” chapel in Zakopane, a church built following the assassination attempt on the pontiff's life, spending a few moments in solitude and prayer.

But the Youth exchange in Poland was not just seminars and prayer, as historical and cultural as well as sight seeing excursions were organized by our Polish Hosts. Trips to Zakopane, Cracow and the Tetra mountains formed an integral part of the programme.


Participants were given the opportunity to show their country's beauty, history, traditions and culture during the respective “International Nights”, where all were able to savor traditional food and drink so proudly presented by the different participating countries.

“We came as friends but shall leave as family”, were the Qrendi Group Scout Leader, David Schembri's final message, thanking individually each of the Polish team for all their efforts, hard work and perseverance in helping to make this Youth Exchange a truly memorable.

“We shall not say Goodbye” but “Hope to see you again” he added. “For you have a beautiful country and are a truly remarkable people”.