Or: How a strong Network between the European Falcon Organisations can be set up

Imagine there are 30 young People from 11 European Falcon Organisations who are attending a Seminar. So know you can say that this is not special within a worldwide Organisation like the IFM-SEI. And yes you are right. But it is something special if those young People spend their free time on a Ferry between Helsinki and Stockholm to discuss the values of the European Falcon Network, when they exchange their experiences in Erasmus+ Programs and think about how they can cooperate in the next years.

It is special when you have in mind, that since the BREXIT the European Union has been torn. And so, all the young Members of IFM-SEI agree that now it is more important than ever, to set up a strong cooperation between our Organisations. Not only within Europe – it must be a strong cooperation all over the world.

So as you read before, there where 30 young people who came between the 6th of October and 9th October to Helsinki to attend a Seminar. A Seminar that was filled with a lot of Information about ERASMUS+ and a lot of discussions about the future cooperation between their Organisations. They also spoke about setting up a new Pool of Trainers for IFM-SEI and how this could be managed. There have been a lot of discussions about the Camps in the next years, so we spoke about Woodcraft 2020, the International Camp in Finland in 2018 and the International Camp in Austria in 2017. All of the Participants agreed, that now is the time to set up a strong network between the IFM-SEI Member Organisations and use the upcoming international Camps to strengthen the relationships and to change the world.

But it wouldn’t be an IFM-SEI Seminar if there was not a lot of fun. So you have to Imagine: that the Seminar was not only called “A Ferry to Europe” it even took place on a Ferry. And this was the reason why some of the Participants got nearly seasick. After discussing and working out all of these Topics we had a great time at the self-organized “Over/under the Sea Theme Party” where we carried out a lot of crazy costumes and had a great time amongst all the other guests at the Ferry. We also got a sightseeing-tour through Stockholm’s old city and the Parliament as well as an introduction about Ungar Örnar’s Solidarity Projects all over the world.

At the End of this short Article, I want to say thank you to the great Team of the IFM-SEI Office and to Nuoret Kotkat who made this amazing weekend possible for all of us. I want to say thank you to Ungar Örnar as well for showing us Stockholm and give us an overview about their international work.

And now let’s continue in spreading the world with friendship. See you all at the upcoming international Camps.

Friendship!

Article contributed by Heli Gotthartsleitner and photos contributed by Jiří Tomčala and Miikka Lönnqvist