Share and develop new perspectives on sustainability in mountaineering

Dear Naturefriends,

Are you a mountaineering or tracking guide or on the way to become one? Are you curious how you can make your outdoor activities more sustainably responsible? Would you like to get new inspiration on how to deepen the emotional relationship of your participants with the natural and social surrounding? Do you want to share your inspiring stories and hear good practices from like-minded colleagues and friends in the mountaineering field from different Naturefriends organisations? And next to this climb up some beautiful mountains while practicing all you have learned?

Then feel very invited to participate at the upcoming international training course “The Way is the Goal”

The Petřín Park is a good place to rest and read the Green Toolbox.

On Monday the 13th my girlfriend Lisa and I came to the capital of Czech Republic. We are both active members in the Flemish Naturefriends organization ATB De Natuurvrienden and were excited to visit 'Praha' and the IYNF office for our first time.

Since we had a couple of days to visit the capital we decided to ask IYNF to help us guide trough the magnificent city. We are both quite interested in a green lifestyle, that's why we wanted to see the city from a green perspective and get to know the cool places in town. And what is a better way to get to know a city than by help of the local people? Although… when we met those locals, it seemed they weren't so local like we had imagined them. Together with the help of Alex, who is an EVS volunteer from Romania, and Miguel from Spain who is doing his internship at IYNF we investigated the city.

Deepening nature connection and awareness through primitive skills and the ancient art of coyote mentoring

Wilderness Mentoring is a 7 day training course which will be held in the beautiful woods and hills of the Eifel in Germany.

The course is aimed at inspiring trainers to care for nature and enabling them to kindle the passion for nature in others. We will be building an intimate relationship with and a deep understanding of the natural world and our role in it by applying the time-tested mentoring methods of people living close to Earth.

Attachment: 

registration fees.pdf

On Saturday, 29^th of March, the urban landscape was dramatically altered for one hour as iconic landmarks and national monuments across the globe went dark. Electronic billboards in Times Square no longer flashed. Rome’s Acropolis was no longer illuminated. In Saudi Arabia, the lights went out on Kingdom Tower while Berlin’s Brandenburg gate fell dark. Over 7,000 cities in 150 countries joined Earth Hour, WWF’s movement to raise awareness about climate change and energy consumption.

International Young Naturefriends together with Young Naturefriends Frankfurt are organizing a two week workcamp between 16 and 30 August 2014! There you'll not only have the opportunity to learn, explore and share ideas about resilience and self-governance, but to truly experience self-governance principles in action while going ‘off the grid’. The workcamp will bring together young volunteers, activists, youth workers and members of grassroots and community organisations to explore how they can engage young people in self/participatory governance while developing organisational resilience and self-sufficiency. We are aiming to create a vision of a fully balanced community life, including a perfect mix of work, leisure & education activities. 

Attachment: 

Off the Grid workcamp call.pdf

The very complex Ukrainian situation has levels which are important from an environmental perspective as well. This week Morgan Henley writes about the current and possible future state of affairs of the gas pipelines going from Russia through Ukraine.

After a breakup, it can be difficult to split up the things that you once shared together. Whether it be dividing up your friends or divying up your old favorite hangouts, the practicalities of creating a new life after a relationship can often be hard. For a relationship that has more drama than a daytime television series, the now hostilities between Ukraine and Russia are proving how difficult it can be to move on from their once loving relationship. While the world has their eye to see how these two will handle their old shared seaside getaway, Crimea, there’s another piece of the puzzle drawing some international concern- the pipelines that pump Russian natural gas to Ukraine and Europe.

As Ukraine gave Russia the harsh, "it's not me, it's you," line by ousting the former pro-Russian President Yanukovich, the world is not expecting Russia to take the breakup well. Call it jealousy or hurt feelings, but Russia has shown in the past that it does not deal with breakups well, especially concerning it's once darling- Ukraine. Russia knows Ukraine extremely well, including exactly how to annoy it. So like a vengeful ex, many expect the Kremlin to do something that will really irritate the Ukraine- like cutting off its supply of natural gas which covers anywhere between one half to one third of its energy needs.

Have you heard of EVS and are you considering to become a volunteer yourself? Are you searching for a project where your contribution would be seen and valued on the local as well as on the global level? Are you interested in environmental outdoor education, sustainability and youth work? Would you like to learn, grow and develop your skills in the related fields?

Then don’t hesitate to apply and join the IYNF team in 2015!

Naturfreundejugend Deutschlands – NFJD in partnership with IYNF is organising the training course Wilderness Mentoring. Taking place in Eifel, Germany between 15 and 21 September 2014, it will be aimed at inspiring trainers to care for nature and to enable them to kindle the passion for nature in others. Its purpose will be to build an intimate relationship with the natural world by applying time-tested mentoring methods of people living in close touch to Earth.

On 9 - 11 May 2014 for the first time, The Eu parliament will open its doors to young people from all over Europe and invite them to the house of European Democracy. Throughout three days they we'll be exchanging ideas and perspectives for the future of Europe. It will be an exceptional, bu its scope, several thousand people, timing, just ahead the EU elections, and its premises, the official building of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. To offer you the perfect mix of meaningful and enjoyable event, the European Youth Event will feature ideas labas, political debates, role-play games concerts and even a sreet parade.

Attachment: 

IYNF at EYE - call for participants 2.pdf

This week Morgan Henley brings you an comprehensive article about the controversial topic of fracking. She explains why fracking cannot be labeled as a clean energy source.

There’s a new epidemic that is ravaging the U.S. and it could come to your town next. Its street name is "fracking" - short for hydraulic fracturing. It's a dangerous addiction and is transforming once thriving neighborhoods into wastelands. The dealers are tough and will go to any extreme to get their dollar. These pushers, instead of tempting junkies into filling their bodies with deadly drugs, are helping countries pump toxic chemicals into their own ground. This dangerous trend is only growing in popularity because as with drug abusers, these states somehow neglect to realize that this new shale gas fix is just a temporary and dangerous high.

The process of fracking begins drilling deep holes into the ground, at depths of 2 km or more. Then millions of liters of a water, chemical, sand combination are inserted into this hole at really high pressures in order to fracture the shale rock and release natural gas.

2014 is the IYNF’s year of Urban Outdoors. Urban Green Citizenship is a unique training course which combines non-formal learning with direct community work and active experience of open air workshop festival Give&Get. It will bring together youth workers, youth leaders and NGO workers from across Europe, providing them with an opportunity to share their experiences in the field and learn from other participants the different approaches to youth work in cities when it comes to green urban activism.

Attachment: 

Training Course Urban Green Citizenship - Call for Participants

The annual Networking Conference 2014 comes with the title Urban Outdoors – Resilient Cities, Resilient Youth!

Do you have interesting ideas how to transform your city into a better place? Would you like to involve your young nature-friendly group into meaningful local initiatives? Have you implemented an interesting project and do you believe it could inspire Young Naturefriends around Europe? Are you keen on finding more about topics that connect the urban phenomenon with the nature? Do you like to spend your free time outdoors?

If you answered yes at least to one of the questions, then you are the right person we are looking for!

Attachment: 

IYNF NETWORKING CONFERENCE 2014_invitation.pdf

First Fresh Planning Weekend Impressions! Brought to you by Henrique Gonçalves!

There is something special about attending IYNF events and it starts with a travel. Every journey is a unique experience, the unknown places that are being drawn in our ways by the speed of the train, while our eyes are gazing at the landscapes, houses and towns until we finally reach the venue. 

Share and develop new perspectives on sustainability in mountaineering

Dear Naturefriends,

Are you a mountaineering or tracking guide or on the way to become one? Are you curious how you can make your outdoor activities more sustainably responsible? Would you like to get new inspiration on how to deepen the emotional relationship of your participants with the natural and social surrounding? Do you want to share your inspiring stories and hear good practices from like-minded colleagues and friends in the mountaineering field from different Naturefriends organisations? And next to this climb up some beautiful mountains while practicing all you have learned?

Then feel very invited to participate at the upcoming international training course “The Way is the Goal”

Write to adriana@iynf.org to place an order!

We are absolutely delighted to announce that “Green Toolbox” is now available online on IYNF website and can be requested in printed version from IYNF office.

Green Toolbox encourages and inspires various sector organizations to apply sustainable working practices in their daily work and within their project and office management. It responds to the questions ranging from how we can choose the most environmentally friendly merchandise and gadgets to most socially responsible banking for our organization; what office and project management practices can do most good and least harm for people, natural environment and animals.  

Sustainability is a combination and synergy of social justice, ecological health, and economic vitality. This publication responds to a growing interest in sustainable consumption, addresses urgent global matters, and conveys the necessity for action. It aims to provide NGOs with the tools, information, and inspiration needed to introduce a wide variety of sustainable practices.

Attachment: 

Green Toolbox