Jazz. About what do you think when you hear this word? Probably everyone of you who is reading this article right now, thinks about different things.
The reason for that is that Jazz is diverse. First of all Jazz is not only Jazz music, jazz as a style is very multifaceted.

There is the New Orleans Jazz, which is considered as the fist „jazz style“ and came up around 1905 but at the same time there is the Dixieland Jazz (around 1910), Chicago Jazz (around 1919), Swing (around 1926), Bebop (around 1940), Latin Jazz (around 1947), Cool Jazz (around 1948), Hard Bop (around 1955), Free Jazz (around the end of the 1950s) and Jazz fusion which came up at the end of the 1960s.
After that and until today there are still developing new Jazz styles in the contemporary field.

But maybe you are wondering now: “if they are so many different styles of Jazz music, what is the one ting that makes all those different things to Jazz?”
They are a few characteristics which are common in every Jazz style.
First of all Jazz combines European and African music elements.
The tone system in Jazz music is European just like the instruments which are used, also the melodic and harmony is European.
But although all of those elements are European in Jazz music they are use in they own way and not in the same way like in European music.
The rhythmic, which is a central part of Jazz music is on the other hand an African element and also the spontaneous interaction (like call and response) and the improvisation which also plays a big part in jazz music, are African elements.
Of course this is just a short overview of all the elements that Jazz has but maybe you get a little idea of the style.

Beside all this theoretical facts you have just read, if you look at the history of Jazz it is a lot of more than “just music”.
Here are a few examples what Jazz is also beside music.
Jazz is a symbol of peace and unity and it is a vector of freedom of expression.
Jazz is an opportunity to break down barriers and to create a mutual understanding and tolerance.
Jazz reduces tension between individuals, communities and groups.
And also Jazz supports gender equality it helped to provide jobs for woman in the music industry, particularly as singers.

As you can see Jazz can be a lot of different things and maybe if I asked you in the beginning of the article what you are thinking when you hear the word jazz you did not thought about the music but about one of the other things.

All of those things are reasons why we need the international Jazz Day. So if you have free five minutes today just think about those things and maybe listen to your favourite jazz musician.
​
At the end of this article: Happy International Jazz Day!

Last friday I saw something, that maked me really really angry. It was a situation about plastic and seas, and I had the strong feeling that I have to do something, so I will write this article now.


But let´s start with the story about last friday.


I was in Volos together with Johanna because of our arrival training. It was our last day and we had some time left before our bus started, so we decided to take a coffee. Volos is a really nice city directly at the seaside, so we tought about going to one of the many coffee places at the nice promenade. It was a stormy day, the sea and the waves looked great. When we went to the promenade, we heard at first a lot of noises, and then we saw a wedding party. So far so good, but on the ground was a loooot of trash. The thing that scared me the most was the mas of plastic confetti strings with which they welcomed the newlyweds. It scared me because it was, as I sad before, directly at the seaside.


After a while the wedding party moved to another place, but the mas of plastic trash was still there. Because of the stormy weather, the whole promenade was directly full of the glittering plastic confetti, and no one cared. Some children played with the plastic, some pieces flew to the sea, and there was still so much on the promenade.


Johanna and me decided to try to collect the plastic and throw it into a trashbin, but it was impossible to collect everything because of the wind, the mas and the small pieces.


While we tried to collect as much as possible, a lot of peolpe looked at us in a strange way, some also asked us what we are doing. I think no one understood our motivation to throw all the plastic away, and no one had the idea to help us.


That is the thing that makes me angry.


I think everyone heard about plastic problems before. That it is not good to throw plastic in the sea, because it destroys our whole environment. That fishes eat the plastic and so one.


But why are there so many peolple who just don´t care? It starts with small things that everyone can do. A reusable coffee to go cup for example or a cloth bag instead of all the plastic bags in our everyday life. And of course, throwing trash in the trashbin, and not in the sea, it doesn´t matter if we talk about plastic bottles, glittering confetti or any other kind of trash, it belongs to a trashbin.


If everyone is helping, we can change something, but the awerness for this big problem of the society of today has to be there.


Help to spread the news:


Plastic is dangereous.

17 Nisan Çarsamba günü öglen mültecilerin kampına gittik.O gün kendi bayramlarını kutluyorlardı ve deyim yerindeyse gerçekten bayram havası vardı.Gitmemin hiç bu kadar keyif vereceğini düsünmemistim.Burda henüz yeniyim,geleli çok olmadı ama yeni insanlarla tanışmak,gittigim yerleri gözlemlemek,bir kültürü anlamaya çalısmak… insanı yasatan sey bunlar sanki. İlk gittigimizde o kadar fazla çocuk gördüm ve hepsi de o kadar neselilerdi ki ülkesinden ayrılmıs belki ailelerinde koparılmıs olmalarına rağmen hayat enerjileri inanılmaz yüksekti.Onları sevmekten,öpmekten kendimi alamadım.Ellerinde seker torbaları,boyanmıs yumurtaları,kendilerine özgü oyunlarıyla ev ev,kapı kapı dolanıyorlardı.Üzerlerinde inanılmaz tatlı,renkli,süslü kıyafetleri,boyanmıs elleri yüzleriyle çok sekerlerdi.Sonra Praxis Greece’ten tanıdıgımız,ofise gidip gelen birkaç mülteci bizi karsıladı.Evlerine gittik,harika donatılmıs sofra,çesit çesit yemekler,meyveler,sekerler,içecekler..Aman Tanrım gerçekten çok güzeldi..O kadar misafirperver insanlar ki kendi ülkemdeki o samimiyeti hissedebildim bi an sanki.Tok olmamızı söylememize ragmen evden çıktıgımda çantam dolup tasmıstı.Yine de döndügümüzde yememiz için olan ne varsa fazla fazla ikram ettiler,fazla fazla verdiler.Bambaska bir ülkedesin,çok zor durumdasın belki ama buna rağmen elinde olan ne varsa baskasıyla paylaşsbiliyorsun..Bu gerçekten inanılmaz bir sey..Belki de çogu eve ugradık ve hepsinde aynı cömertlikle ve içtenlikle karsılastık.Devamında büyük çadırda toplanıp konuşmacıları dinledik.Bir çok kurumun temsilcileri ve üyeleri de ordaydılar.Yedik,içtik ve sohbet ettik.Dısarıda dans etmeye baslamıs bir grup vardı,asıl aksam saatlerinde asıl gösterinin olacagını söylediler.Güzeldi,gerçekten.Burdaki ilk günlerimde böyle bir deneyim kazanmak bana birkaç sey kazandırdı..Ama kendime tekrar söyledigim ve hep hatırlattığım sey:insan olmak bu kadar kolay iste..


                                     AHSEN YILDIZ

On the 23. of april, we celebrate the World Book and Copyright Day.


The first Book and Copyright Day was celebrated by UNESCO in 1995, since that, the day is growing from year to year.


Every year, the major sectors in relation to books, publishers, booksellers and libraries choose the World Book Capital City for the periode of one year. This year the capital is Sharjah because of the cultural diversity and the community-focused activity programme. Under the slogan „Read- you are in Sharjah“, the programm includes a lot of workshops, a conference about the freedome of speech, a contest and so one.


So fare so good, but why is that an important day? Why should we celebrate it?


„Books are are the intersection of the most essential human freedoms, primarily freedom of expression and freedom to publish. These are fragile freedoms.“

• Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO
  

As Audrey Azoulay said, we have to take care about that essential freedoms, we have to protect them with all we have. And to focus that, we celebrate this specific day.


Books can spread knowledge, joy and exitement. They are important, not only for entertainment, but also for the science.


Books carry humanety on, let´s protect them.

​By: Lioba Einhoff

You have all heard of the tragedy at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday, April 15th, when a violent fire burns the entire frame of the roof for a long time before being controlled by firefighters. A total destruction of the frame, the spire, and partially of the vault.

In a few hours after the tragedy, more than one billion euros were raised, with many promises of donations provided by billionaire, organization and citizen. Huge sums for this Gothic building built from 1163 to 1345.

A capital importance for this colossus of stone, historical monument and one of the biggest symbol of France, following this tragedy a tribute ceremony was held on Thursday, April 18, accompanied by many messages of support.

Written by Jordy Forget

Sources: https://www.lci.fr/police/en-direct-notre-dame-pour-ian-brossat-les-ultra-riches-ne-devraient-pas-beneficier-de-deductions-fiscales-pour-la-cathedrale-2118494.html
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath%C3%A9drale_Notre-Dame_de_Paris
https://www.lesechos.fr/tech-medias/medias/assassins-creed-unity-lautre-hommage-a-notre-dame-1012979

Today is the International Mother Earth Day. On this day we celebrate our mother Earth for all its riches in resources, livable Habitats and everything that lives on our planet.

But not everything is good here, there is trouble, the Earth is in danger and we need to protect it from that. The danger comes in form of climate change and the destruction of the environment.
​Everybody  on the Earth is dependent on it and that is not limited to only Humans. That is why everybody should help to care and maintain it.
But change is not only found within every single person, much bigger Change can be found in large international companies who are the main source of global warming and the destruction of the environment.
That is why people should be aware what they buy and what they vote for with their wallet.
I do not condone consumption here, we all have our needs, I just want to appeal for more consciousness and Mindfulness.

For more information visit:
https://www.un.org/en/events/motherearthday/

Post by: Bjarne Hundt

An article dedicated to the World Creativity and Innovation Day 

Once upon a time, 26 super citizens met in a small and beautiful village in Czech Republic at Lednice. There was a team with the code name “The Fantastic 4” waiting for them.

Once they met, they had to get to know each other. The two of them, “The Trainers” knew exactly what they had to do. They started form the team with energy games, ice breakers and team building exercises with numbers. A lot of numbers! Numbers everywhere!!!

The energy was continuously renewed throughout the week, since the food was plenty for all tastes. (Some cupcakes still missing!!).  Full of energy and self-confidence, the super citizens would have to learn the details of their mission. Information on the program and the concepts of non-formal education. The first day ended with an intercultural night full of food, dance and games. The “Fellowship of Lednice” was formed.

The super citizens are approaching the completion of their mission. Their quest was to organize and suggest useful ideas for implementing future projects. After being informed of the possibilities of Erasmus +, they presented their projects and discussed for new partnerships.

The journey of the super citizens is coming to an end. Happy thoughts, hugs and the team are now rewarded with the title “Super Active Citizens”. They are now ready to travel back across Europe in order to disseminate all this information, to inspire and motivate other young people to become Active Citizens of Today!!