Section work around the world: global and local
On the second Saturday of January, we had the opportunity to host a global network call; learn from one another’s work, what has happened in 2024 and what is coming in 2025 as well as hear updates from global projects and working groups.
A core part of the network of the Youth Section, is the moment that members from youth groups around the world meet: the Co-workers’ Gathering. In June of 2023, a group of about 40 young people met in Dornach; people that were carrying members of youth groups in their regions. One of the intentions that came out of this, was hosting an annual Co-workers’ Gathering, where it had previously been bi-annual. We were very thankful to be invited to have our gathering at a farm in the Netherlands through a collaboration with the Iona Stichting. We spent five rainy days on a beautiful field at the Warmonderhof in Dronten (NL) in May of 2024. In these days, different global projects were brought into the room and developed in smaller working groups.
One goal that was already there in the summer of 2023, was that the communication channels (website, social media, newsletter,...) would reflect the worldwide network of the Youth Section. Ani Jibgashvili and Jacinta Gorchs took up this project concretely after the gathering in May 2024, being in touch with all the groups and arranging a year long calendar where each group will share about their work via the Youth Section Instagram channel. Over the past months, you have probably seen the life and uniqueness of the different groups and their work! After Georgia started, there were insights into the work of the Youth Section in Brazil, you could get a glimpse of the Youth Section in North America preparing for their event in August - and many more are to come.
After a successful fundraiser to bring co-workers to the gathering in the Netherlands, the Global Access Fund was again a focal working group. Over the past seven months, a group of five people has been meeting regularly to develop this fund, now the Youth Section Global Access and Project Fund. This fund will, on top of the travel support to bring people to the CWG, give out small grants to youth groups around the world through a participatory gifting process. Currently, a letter is going around to collect signatures from co-workers that stand behind this project and it will soon be sent out to foundations and individuals.
Three other working groups formed during the gathering that should also be mentioned here, are the 'Anthro-preneurship' group (connecting young people with entrepreneurs as mentors and seeing the importance and need of renewal in the economy), the ‘Campfire’ group (connecting study and research about what young people need today with excursions and going out into nature) as well as the work with the School for Spiritual Science for young people (working with the Class lessons).
To hear from one another, we asked all our co-workers to share three things from the past year, and three things they’re looking ahead to in the coming year. Below you can read the answers to get an insight into the work that is happening around the world!
Some of our friends from around the world who were not able to join, have their hands full with planning regional events!
In Argentina, as I am writing this, an intercultural youth conference is taking place in Jujuy. In March, a Youth Section group will have their founding festival in Tauranga, New Zealand. And in Tanzania, a youth conference including a safari will be held at the end of September 2025!
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Eva, Salome, Jonna Louise and Merit from the Youth Section in Germany
| Looking back |
Workshops with the topic of heart rooms/spaces. Working with the Class Lessons (Hochschularbeit). Our Advent gathering with the topic: " The spiritual striving of the Youth".
| Looking forward |
Networking between initiatives and young people in Germany. Website and public relations work. And right now we are meeting to plan the coming year and reflect on the past year!
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Ana Dufner from the Youth Section at the Goetheanum
| Looking forward |
February Days!! "A Quest for a pictorial understanding of Anthroposophy"
I’ll be hosting pre-event sessions online on the 23rd and 30th of January, hope to see you all there!!
The event itself will be from the 13. - 16. February at the Goetheanum in Dornach, CH.
And: participating in Youth Section events around the world this coming year!
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Leonora from the International Youth Initiative Program (YIP)
| Looking back |
Facing some visa challenges and redesigning the curriculum for YIP17. Welcoming 37 new participants from 24 different nationalities. Relocated to India for three months (currently staying in Auroville).
| Looking forward |
Initiative Forum in April (17th-21st), designing YIP 18 and welcoming a new generation of Yippies by the end of August.
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Clara from the Youth Section in Brazil
| Looking back |
1. We finished our book club! We read a book by Steiner called "Becoming the Archangel Michael's Companions" (CW217).
2. Youth event: gathered together, brought Antroposophy to young people and created a space for them to share what they know (in workshops and presentations).
3. Immersion: we were able to be together for a week to reflect on the past year, set a new route to the future and share moments of joy.
| Looking forward |
1. Study group, buddy reading sessions and lectures monthly: Antroposophical studies in the group and hopefully also for young people outside.
2. Easter Immersion, led by a great great person working with biographies and artist.
3. Improve our financial structure and focus on achieving our projects.
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Ani Jibgashvili from Youth Society Parzival (GEO)
| Looking back |
1) Creating a new style of working with Anthroposophical texts (more creative).
2) Creating ground for several projects like garden, horse stable, volunteering/internship programs.
3) Dealing with the political situation in our country. Where do we see the Anthroposophical impulses that could shape how we interact with it?
| Looking forward |
1) living and developing our initiatives together alongside/together with the political situation in our country...
2) Volunteers, horse therapy, garden, youth seminar - seeing them all bloom.
3) Local conference for educators; the second year already!
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Berenika, Gabel, Soren and Iona from the Youth Section in North America
| Looking back |
This past year, there has been a lot of energy in the Youth Section in North America and many new people have joined.
- We had two conferences this past summer in two different parts of New York State.
- Initiatives working out of the Youth Section such as free Columbia, Chrysalis, and True Search have gained energy.
- There are a few strong study groups going, some in person and one online, studying the Philosophy of Freedom, How to Know Higher Worlds, and Towards Social Renewal.
| Looking forward |
Looking forward to this coming year these initiatives are coming into being:
- A new publication featuring the work of youth section friends in print-only form.
- We are looking forward to our national tour where we will invite and introduce high school students from around the country to our conference and the Youth Section.
- From August 6th - 10th 2025, we will be hosting “The Light Between” conference in upstate New York.
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Paco from the Youth Section in Spain
| Looking back |
We visited Montserrat and met with Mariano Kasanetz in March.
We organised a public conference with Andrés Muñoz about 7 Paths of Liberty in September.
We are collaborating with a small biodynamic farm and learned to make compost in December.
| Looking forward |
We will try to continue these projects!
Organise public conferences, collaborate with the biodynamic farm, and hope to meet more people that want to join us!
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Juno from Biodynamic Youth International
| Looking back |
Open spaces with the youth during the agricultural conference at the Goetheanum in February.
We joined the circle of representatives (of biodynamics, from the Goetheanum) for the first time!
Currently we are working on a pre-conference for the biodynamic youth, just before the agriculture conference is starting in February of 2025.
| Looking forward |
Finding a way together for how we want to shape the future of biodynamics.
Being internationally connected and inspire eachother for doing projects locally.
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Iasmina from Romania
| Looking back |
The book club initiative we started!
| Looking forward |
I hope to see myself more focused on the group activities.
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As we look forward to this coming year, one important moment for the whole network will be the Co-workers’ Gathering. With the intention of having an annual gathering, there was also the hope of connecting it to a local event and so the global work could strengthen the local work. With many events happening this year, we received invitations to Upstate New York in August as well as Tanzania in September. A third quite unique idea: host the Co-workers’ Gathering in the Christmas time of 2025/2026 at the Goetheanum in Dornach, also going back to the intention of having the gathering one year in Dornach, one year in the world. By having sent around a poll with these options and also being open to other ideas, we hope that we find the right time and location that as many co-workers can be a part of the gathering, also thinking of the two hemispheres and summer and winter breaks. A save the date with location will be shared soon.
To close, one concrete goal that is coming out of this online meeting: host these calls with the whole network four times a year. So, we’ll see you all sometime in March again!