16th of September
As usual, we started the day with an energizer, called “superstar”. In the seminar room we formed four groups, who received the task to interview the people of Heiligenstadt. We wanted to find out how they relate to the EU and how far away Brussels is, for them. The different research groups interviewed approximately fifty persons. The majority of the respondents are between 18 and 30. After the statistical analysis of the results, we came to the following conclusions:
1. Nobody knows exactly how many countries are member of the EU (the correct answer is 27).
2. 50% of the respondents plan to vote during the next elections for the European Parliament.
3. TV is the most important source of information about European issues.
4. Many people are positive about the EU in general. However, when we asked questions which relate to more concrete topics, it was not easy for the respondents to imagine the influence of the EU in their everyday life.

The exercise was very interesting. A group of young people from all over Europe had the possibility to interact with the inhabitants of a small town (which we would usually never meet in our lives). We think that this experience was interesting, both for us and for them.

The afternoon started with a presentation of some scary participation statistics for the 2004 European elections. From that the discussion on the reasons of such results began. It was very intense as very different opinions were presented. Some thought most of the blame was to be put on the members of the political elites, too discredited in the eyes of the people that should vote them. Also, the perceived distance of the European institutions was given as a reason for low participation. The discussion became very stimulating when it was underlined how more general aspects regarding individual political action should be taken into consideration beyond the reasons that in each election round caused a low participation.
This, in fact, brought the group to the next workshop: we were divided in four teams and we were asked to create a campaign template for the next elections. As guidelines the following structure was suggested:
1. To consider the starting point of our campaign, building up from the analysis we made in the discussion regarding the characteristics of the election body.
2. To build a strategy after defining the aims and objectives, the target group and the operational area, and to come up with some messages and claims.
3. To put in practice the previous points through examples of actions and projects
4. To outline a timetable together with an action plan
5. To design, also aesthetically, our campaign
6. Finally, to make a budget plan

The groups worked very hard to create a presentation that is going to take place tomorrow morning. In the meanwhile, a consideration that can be made is surely about how moving from abstract suggestions on how to win over abstention to practical tools to accomplish that can be difficult.


15th of September
The fifteenth of September was the outside day!!! We went to Erfurt European Center and to Weimar.
In the Erfurt European Center we first met the editor of the daily regional newspaper of Thüringen: TLZ. He showed us the journal, their books, its contents and also how European Union is present in it. The group was interested in how locals were feeling involved in the EU and in what measure the local media can make the make the bridge between Brussels and the regions. After some questions, we’ve realized that usually they don’t publish every news coming from the European agencies/correspondents. Indeed the most specific news, e.g., the 24 hours medical service for truck drivers, are the ones which get generally a space.
We also met the Director of the European Center of Erfurt who welcomed us. We felt some difficulties in the center because we couldn’t find information in English.
After that, we took the train to Weimar. We spent a very good time in such an important city, above all, for cultural reasons. Being in the Bauhaus museum was very special for many of us. Also the Liszt museum was a great program. Some of us also enjoyed the coffees of Goethe’s city, and others the shopping!
Even if it was a rainy, we enjoyed our day!