Recreational Youth Center “Lazurny”

1. Recreational Youth Center “Lazurny” Youth Centre “Lazurny” is situated 2 hours drive from Nizhny Novgorod. It is a recreational all-the-year-round centre which receives about 460 children and young people from all over the region to have rest, to communicate with each other, learn and study as well to improve their health. This centre belongs to the Ministry of Education of the Nizhny Novgorod region (www.lazurny-nn.ru)

2. Recreational Youth Center “Lazurny” The camp has a picturesque landscape and is situated in the wood near the river. The camp is well-equipped and has all necessary facilities for the participants to have rest - a swimming pool, a large gym, sport grounds, a stadium, a theatre, a big square, a dining hall, a sport hall, its own medical department, open and close cafés, administration and study buildings, five comfortable campuses of double and four-bedded rooms with a bathroom in each.

3. International Youth Seasons Since 1995, the Ministry of Education of the Nizhny Novgorod region and the organization “Sportjugend” North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) cooperated to hold the International Youth Camp “Lazurny”. This youth exchange at the agenda of the Camp becametraditionaland gained a strong reputation. Over 3000 young people from more than 25 countries experienced the atmosphere of 2-week international fest and witnessed the development of the international youth exchange in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Each summer season in the Camp is a special one and the participants cherish warm reminiscences about the time they spent with their friends from all over the world.

4. Impressions of participants What will you take home from this camp? • A lot of new experiences, knowledge about other countries • New friends, new thoughts, new memories • Atmosphere of love, friendship and plans to visit my new friends from the Camp during the year • Patience towards other nations • Happiness • Memory of friendship, entertainment, happiness and sorrow from saying good-bye to my new friends What do you think about the Camp in general? • It was a wonderful adventure for me and I will never forget it • People are great, atmosphere is incredible • Every time I think about the camp, there is a big smile on my face. I love this international atmosphere • It’s a great camp which changes lives of many people. I wish this camp to flourish and enlarge • Unforgettable experience • I love Lazurny – every event, every small talk and big discussion, every teamer, every participant, every single moment which I shared with my friends, every place in this wonderful world of happiness and friendship • There are no enough words to explain how much this camp is wonderful and what is more important meaningful to every person who had an opportunity to experience these two weeks of international fest • You can’t imagine how many hours I spent watching the photos of Lazurny on the computer screen; it even happens that I look at a photo and I gaze at a specific point of it, or even the light of the keyboard, for minutes and minutes thinking, and only after “waking up” from my memories I realize how many time I spend doing this. Once I looked a photo for more than half of an hour…

5. Group leaders role Responsibilities of group leaders before the camp: Read all the information about the Camp forwarded by the organizers to the partner organizations; get acquainted with the programme and aims of the Camp Meet with your delegation several times in order to explain the concept of the project, its aims and targets, facilities of the Camp, explain programme points and clear camp rules up. !!! Do not forget to bring national flag and anthem, national music, national costumes if you need, make T-shirts for the delegation for big shows. Prepare your delegation for programme points: International Exhibition (present your country on a stand: story, pictures, national food, posters, small gifts etc.), International evening (15 min long short show about your nation), Free offers from GL & PT (language course, sports, handicrafts, national cuisine, customs, dances, songs, games etc.) Additional information will be sent to you later, the tasks mentioned above are the main ones!!!! Be in contact with responsible Teamer and Team leaders till the Camp starts.

6. Group leaders role Responsibilities of GLs in the camp are the following:Gl is responsible for life of members of the delegationGl is responsible for active participation of all members of the delegation in the programme Gl is responsible for following the rules by all members of the delegationGl takes part in group leaders meetingsGl and his delegation meet with responsible Teamer each morningGl does night shifts Gl is responsible for free offers of his delegationGl is responsible for checking order in the roomsGl is responsible for certain events in the programme

7. Camp rules: Pay special attention to the Camp rules which you receive with the programme of the Camp. They are worked out by teamers and administration of Youth Centre “Lazurny”. We ask all group leaders to have a serious talk to the participants about these rules and about what may happen if they violate them. WE WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, DRUNKEN PARTICIPANTS, DRUGS AND INDECENT BEHAVIOUR IN THE CAMP! The Ministry of Education of the Nizhny Novgorod region take a lot of effort to organize this camp. We do not consider this camp as a resort where participants can do whatever they want; this camp aims at intercultural learning and communication of representatives of different nations. In case of serious violation of Camp rules participants will be sent home at their own expense!

8. Study –circles of International Youth Camp «Lazurny» An important point in the programme is study circles which are obligatory for all participants to attend. To study-circle we invite a group of 8 - 12 people from different backgrounds and viewpoints and obligatory from different countries, who meet several times (actually 4 during the Camp) to talk about an issue or to work through a topic. For example: 1.Music for us 2.Movie star 3.Senses and sensibility 4. Piece and War 5.Theatre 6.Teamwork 7.Cultural Identity 8.Art and Creativity 9. Intercultural learning All study – circles will be presented in the first day of the Camp!

9. International Youth Camp “Lazurny” • International eveningsWeaskevery delegationto prepare for the International Evening a 10-15 minute-long presentation, reflecting some cultural peculiarities, customs or lifestyle in their country with the elements of national music, dance or language. The performance can be done in any chosen form (dancing, singing, acting, videos, etc.). National groups also offer some national food for the participants to taste. Please follow time limits – not more than 15 minutes!!!!

10. International Youth Camp “Lazurny” The highlight of the camp programme is international exhibition “All flags are welcome”. Each delegation makes a presentation of its country by arranging a stall. Books, posters, toys, flags, cookies, national handicrafts, and video films – all works to represent a country. Each participant will get a chance to learn more about other countries, make pictures and exchange small gifts.

11. International Youth Camp “Lazurny” • Each delegation and group leader should prepare somefree offersfor Camp programme. It can be alanguage course, sport activities, handicrafts, dancing, songs, games, theatre improvisation etc.

12. International Youth Camp “Lazurny” “Make a difference” project: The main point of Camp is to involve participants into volunteer activities and make them understand the necessity of volunteer work for the benefit of the society and the world which is around us. Summing up the results of the previous camps we decided to dedicate not only one day to this kind of activities but the whole block in the camp’s programme. Special project called “Make a difference” as well as many other events in the programme aim at molding in participants such qualities as responsibility, consideration, active social position. Main events of the project: 1. Orphanage service. Each second day a group of 10 participants will travel to the orphanage to help the staff with the children age 0 to 4 years old – playing, going for a walk with children as well as repairing and cleaning the house where children live, decorating the rooms and playing grounds. If you have the opportunity you may bring some small presents for these small children or clothes. Any help will be welcome. 2.Visit to a neighborhood camp for Russian children with an entertaining, sport and intercultural programme. In the nowadays situation most of the children in Russia do not have a possibility to travel abroad, and get acquainted with other cultures. So the main goal of this visit is to give a chance to Russian children to get acquainted with the cultural peculiarities of foreign countries and gain experience of intercultural communication. 3.Concert for old people from a special hospital for this category of people. Many of them are forgotten and left by their families. These people need special attention of the society. We are planning to organize a concert for these people. • Special events for Russian camp. On the territory of the Youth Centre except International camp there is also Russian camp. So we plan to contribute into the development of Russian camp by organizing some events as football match “International camp” vs “Russian camp”, also in the morning you will have the possibilities to offer some events for these children. !!!!!!!! Please think in advance what you and your participants may offer for these projects.

13. Other information Necessary equipment for participants: • Summer clothes, sport clothes and shoes, warm clothes for evening and night events, waterproof clothes, swimming trunks, little presents for international friends, sun lotions, repellents and a flashlight. Weather conditions: • They promise that this period from the middle of July till the beginning of August will be warm weather with the average temperature about 25 degrees Celsius but it can be chilly at nights, so we advise you to have some warm clothes especially for the evenings. Also it can be rainy, so bring your raincoats or umbrellas along. Health confirmation: • More over we ask your participants to bring with them health confirmation papers from their doctors that they do not have any disease and can stay in a Youth camp without any harm to the health of other participants. Organizational fee: • Organizational fee (about 100 Euro per participant) will be paid directly at your arrival in the Camp, you will receive a confirmation letter from the Ministry of Education of Nizhny Novgorod region.