Knowledge Exchange Trip to CubaCarleton University, October 25th to November 3rd, 2013

Introduction

Recrear is a non-profit organization comprised of young social innovators from around the globewho work to ensure that young people are actively involved in the development of theircommunities. From September to December 2013, Recrear will be carrying out a series ofparticipatory workshops involving 25 Cuban youth environmental leaders in order to collect andcompile the grassroots knowledge they have acquired in their roles as activists.

As part of this participatory research project, Recrear is organizing a 9-day trip with 15 studentsfrom Carleton University in order to facilitate an intercultural and knowledge exchange onenvironmental work. We are looking for students with an interest in the following fields:Environmental Sustainability , Environmental Policy, Community Development, Advocacy.

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About Recrear

www.recrearinternational.org

Recrear’s mission is to ensure that young people are actively involved in the development of theircommunities, because we see young people as essential catalysts and agents for impactfulsustainable development.

We provide consulting services to support our partnering organizations with the design,implementation, and monitoring of youth-friendly programs. We use a youth-to-youth approach tocollect information on young people’s perspectives through participatory research projects.Through programs that use creative and engaging techniques (photography, sports, developmenttheatre, and many others), we supply space and tools for youth to articulate their needs and build avision for their community’s development. Based on the information and insight we gather, wethen strive to deepen the connection and improve the quality of collaboration between youth anddevelopment partners through consulting.

Vision

Recrear envisions an intercultural world where young people are connected to their local andglobal communities by proactively participating with development partners to create inspireddialogue and innovative development projects.

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How we work

As young people ourselves, we naturally create a youth-centric environment that is both intimateand inclusive. We provide this space for uninhibited, uncensored dialogue and ideas to surface byengaging youth in participatory techniques such as theatre, photography, sports, creative writing,

community tours, and street art. Ourprojects are centered around themessuch as youth leadership andintercultural communication. Weengage groups for a time span of 3 to6 months; each project is tailoredbased on the specific needs of ourpartners and based on thecharacteristics of the group withwhom we are working.

Our work engages young people to: openly discuss community dynamics; practice how to effectively communicate with their peers and institutions; raise youths' confidence on their capacity to learn, teach, exchange with others, and be

agents of change; promote empathy and intercultural exchange.

Recrear’s work in Cuba

The research that Recrear is carrying out in Cuba from September to December 2013 is designedto connect youth environmental leaders in Cuba with each other and with international youthleaders. The initiative aims to allow youth leaders to consolidate, share, and expand the knowledgeand experience on climate change adaptation that they have acquired through grassroots work.

From September to December, 25 participants will be taking part in workshops to bring togetherthe experience they have gathered in their work as activists. The workshops will present a platformto share best practices and discuss challenges and opportunities to strengthen grassroots work onclimate change adaptation. The workshops will also include activities to capacitate the group inthree themes: youth leadership, conflict resolution and intercultural communication.

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Knowledge Exchange Trips

As part of the intercultural communication module, 15 Canadian university students will visitCuba on a Knowledge Exchange Trip. The Exchange will provide a platform for both Cuban andCanadian participants to:

Exchange ideas in an intercultural context as a way to encourage reflections; Learn about Cuba and Canada’s society, environmental policies and best practices on

grassroots environmental work; Share experiences, anecdotes and viewpoints on youth engagement in community

development; Explore different culturalinterpretations of the relationship betweenpeople and the environment throughcreative activities.

We are selecting a group of 10-15 studentsfrom Carleton University with an interestin Environmental Sustainability,Environmental Policy, CommunityDevelopment and Advocacy.Students are not required to speak Spanish,however basic knowledge of the languagewould be an asset.

The total cost of the trip is 1200 CAD per person. The price includes:

- Pre departure orientation in Canada- A 4-day course at the University of Havana (FLACSO) on ‘Social Development and theEnvironment in the Cuban Context’- Translation services for the course- A visit to the organic farm of Teatro de los Elementos- Visits to local NGOs- Food and accommodation in Cuba for 9 days- Ground transportation in Cuba- Donation in support of the work of the Cuban host organization- Costs for a supervisor to travel with the group to Cuba- Cost of entry Visa + airport exit tax

The price does not include the cost of flight and health insurance.

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Local Partners

About FLACSO

The Latin American School of Social Sciences (FLACSO) was founded in 1957 by the initiative of UNESCO. FLACSO was created as an international, inter-governmental, regional and autonomous body comprised of the following Latin American and Caribbean countries which adhered to the Agreement: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Suriname and Uruguay.The core objective of FLACSO is establishing postgraduate programs for the purpose of training new Latin American generations in different fields within Social Sciences.More information at: www.flacso.org.ar

During the exchange, both the Cuban and the Canadian participants will take a 12-hour course on‘Social Development and the Environment in the Cuban Context’. In addition, FLACSO willcoordinate with partner NGOs to organize field visits to key project sites where environmentalwork is taking place in the Havana area.

About Teatro de Los Elementos

Teatro de los Elementosis a Cuban theatercompany which exploresthe connection betweennature and communitydevelopment throughtheatre. Once a fairlynomadic theater troupe,in 1995 they decided tosettle down inCumanayagua wherethey established a caringand eco-friendlycommunity. Thecommunity practices

sustainable agriculture and community-based social programs.

As part of the exchange, Canadian and Cuban participants will spend 4 days at Teatro de LosElementos. During the four days, participants will take part in a number of creative workshopsdesigned to bridge cultural differences, share experiences, and explore the relationship betweenpeople, nature, and the community around them.

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Accommodation and Amenities

During their stay in Cuba, students will have the opportunity to experience both life in the city aswell as in Cuba’s more rural countryside.

Havana

In Havana, students will be staying at the Hotel Colinain the center of Havana City. Located in front of theUniversity of Havana, students can easily walk to theuniversity where the FLACSO course will be held.

Furthermore, the hotel is locatedclose to a number of restaurants,parks, and other sights of interest.A clinic can also be found within5km of the hotel. For access tointernet, students can buy internetcards at Hotel Colina or any othermajor hotel nearby. As mentioned,courses will take place at theUniversity of Havana. The facultyof Law has kindly offered theirclassrooms to host the 4-day coursewith Canadian and Cuban students.

An interpreter will translate thecourse from Spanish into English.

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Cumanayagua

Following the initial introductory sessions in Havana City, students will travel by bus toCumayanagua - a town 6 hours inland from the capital. Here students will be hosted by Teatro delos Elementos in a number of small houses located on the estate. Life on the farm is rustic but allthe essential services are available.

During the 4 days in Cumayanagua, Cuban and Canadian students will participate in a number ofcreative exercises to explore their understanding of the environment. In particular, Teatros de losElementos will employ development theater techniques and other participatory development toolsto stimulate individual and group reflections about community practice and environmental work.Furthermore, Recrear will be facilitating discussions (translation included) at the end of each dayto gather and document the lessons learned.

Although students will be spending most of their time on the estate, the surrounding community ofCumayanagua is within walking distance. The community has a number of basic facilities includingclinics in case of medical emergency.

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Recrear International Youth Organizationwww.recrearinternational.orgTwitter: @ThisIsRecrear

Recrear Internationalc/o Wellington St. Post#300-200 Metcalfe St.Ottawa ONK2P 1P7

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