Being Organizer - Gristuf 2006

Ten Days Paradise

The day before the students arrive: most of the volunteers did not sleep for quite some time, are nervous, excited, and anxious, motivated and near tears when the first are students arriving. We expected up to 250 students, after half of the arriving day only 40 participants showed up. Being depressed, looking for alternatives and then, at 10pm, two trains full with crazy people from more than 30 countries, celebrating that event even before they got to the town, finally arrived!


By MARTIN WILHELM
from Greifswald, GERMANY


How come that certain young people from all over Europe know a small place in the very north-east of Germany called Greifswald, and how come that certain people from Greifswald can travel everywhere in Europe and bump into friends? It's the result of a very active network and its national members that allow for connections and friendship across the entire continent. The /Greifswald International Students' Festival/, GrIStuF e.V, is a member of SOrCE, which is presented in more than 10 different countries. Every two years the small town in Germany is packed with up to 400 students from all over the World that come together to exchange their knowledge, experiences and ideas of how our world should look like in future. Here, they are evolving a multicultural community highly motivated.

This gathering is made possible by a group of distinct students that work honorary and volunteer for several months to make true their visions of a peaceful world by organizing international students' festivals and conferences. The last conference in Greifswald has taken place in summer 2006 and lasted for ten days - with a variety of 14 workshops covering a wide range from European media, to theatre play and photo-art to minimal standards of associations. Beside, lots of cultural events have been organized in co-operation with local partners. During that period the city of Greifswald turned into the biggest cultural event in the region of Pomeranian.

How did it all start? About 10 Students came together at least a year before the event should take place. They write project proposals, define workshops, and find contacts to distinct experts from science, media and economy to give lectures, motivate the town to prepare for the next event and to host the foreign guests. They apply at any level of governance for support and funding, set up a huge media campaign, getting in contact the different ministries, embassies looking for new members of the organizing team and - a never ending story. It is impossible to give a complete picture of the work which has to be fulfilled - just imagine about 40 students working non-stop for several months until late night to make this event happening.

The day before the students arrive: most of the volunteers did not sleep for quite some time, are nervous, excited, and anxious, motivated and near tears when the first are students arriving. We expected up to 250 students, after half of the arriving day only 40 participants showed up. Being depressed, thinking over the PR campaign, looking for alternatives and then, at 10pm, two trains full with crazy people from more than 30 countries, celebrating that event even before they got to the town, finally arrived! Within 30min "half" of the town has been called out of home to greet the guests to take them home and host them.

What happened throughout the week you can read at www.gristuf.org. However, being responsible for incoming students I took some of them back to the train after the festival to depart back to all over the continent. After ten days of extraordinary excitement and the true believe and knowledge to have found friends all over Europe and have been blessed to be able to take part in this event, I have never seen so many people crying, being thankful, full with beautiful memories of a place that appeared to them to be paradise for ten days. They return to their countries full with motivation to spread the news how beautiful, inspiring and life-changing international exchange can be. Seeing their gratefulness in their eyes and their true hugs all this work seemed to be so little for that what you get in return. Blessed are those who were able to enjoy those deep experiences.