20th June – 1st July 2012
Cathrine Abu Amsha, a young volunteer, through the JAI, had participated at the Global Week and Teenagers (TT) Festivals in Norway from the 20th of June to the 1st of July 2012, organized by the YMCA-YWCA in Norway, where she presented key issues of the Palestinian cause, life under occupation, the YMCA and YWCA work in Palestine through the JAI in this regard, and worked on lobbying youth from various countries.
The Global week is a program which aims to empower participants to be change makers, and to be active in helping the world to be better. This year 2012 the theme of Global Week was "Yong Voices Stop Poverty". This year' program included sharing of YMCA-YWCA experience in working for respective national and social issues, groups and plenary discussions, workshops and building of campaign tools, beside other activities, with focus on the issue of "Climate Justice".
At the cultural night Cathrine presented a Palestinian poem called "Shades of anger" and with another Palestinian girl performed some Palestinians traditional folklore dance "Dabkah".
During the Global week, participants had to work together to prepare some activities for the TT Festival.
The TT festival gathers around 2000 Norwegian youths, together with the internationals who take part at the global week, and allows international participants to be part of the team of volunteers working for Y Global during the festival and promoting the "Stop Poverty Campaign".
During the festival, internationals had the chance of informing the participant Norwegian teenagers about the YMCA and YWCA in their respective countries, through the various workshops.
Beside the creation of friendship, some sport and outdoor activities and fun, leadership and social skills personal achievement, Cathrine believes that her participation was a very good opportunity to present the Palestinian cause globally, gain more supporters of justice for the Palestinians.