by Tony Marlon*
30 days. 59 youths. 8 languages. 3 continents represented and over 300 hours of experiential activities uninterrupted. In Santos, coast of São Paulo state, where the 7th edition of the program took place, 3 communities and hundreds of residents were mobilized in joint efforts for transformation. Starting with the numbers, the Warriors Without Weapons program impresses. But it doesn’t stop there.
Since its first edition, held 12 years ago, 360 youth were trained by Instituto Elos. This vibrant and dynamic network of social entrepreneurs, have positively impacted more than 200 communities in 26 countries.
And it doesn’t stop here.
THE CHALLENGE
Between a hug and farewell, the last hours of The Warriors Without Weapons 2012 were all about talking and looking to the future. Plans drawn upon a challenge, more: an invitation to keep materializing together: to perform 120 OASIS worldwide.
The challenge was launched, and the Warriors started conversations on every corner, for the best strategies to make that happen. Glenda Barcarol and Clarissa Muller, however, already knew “the” how, the community and even how to invite people. It was just a matter of getting back to Curitiba, Paraná, to decrease in one, the challenge’s marker.
“During the program, Glenda and I decided the date of our collective effort: it would be 11 and 12 August,” said Clarissa, from Finland, where she is now, on a learning interchange. “I had my ticket (to Finland) booked and the Oasis had to happen before my trip.” And it did. A week after returning from the program, Clarissa and Glenda visited Jardim Parana, to chosen community to host the Oasis. And the crowd: Warriors Without Weapons from Brazil, India and Turkey went to Curitiba to offer their support. And a little more faith that everything would work out. And it did.
“Right when we thought no one would show up at the Talent Show, the room was filled with diversity and talent: children, youth and adults performed and were applauded,” said Clarissa. Take a look on everything that happened in Oasis Jardim Parana (only in Portuguese). A lot of learning to be shared emerged from experience, besides the physical transformations and relationships built on the process. This sharing is, by the way, the next challenge for Glenda who offers the opportunity for more people to meet and be positively impacted by OASIS Methodology, together with Cibele Dibiasi – Oasis Santa Catarina 2009. Clarissa, continues her journey as a Warrior publishing an e-book (http://issuu.com/clarissabm/docs/uma_jornada_de_transforma__o) to tell her experience in the WWW 2012 as a gift to those who financially supported her participation in the program, and she is already preparing her next steps: conversations with Finnish local organizations to perform on OASIS over there.
GOOD STORIES INSPIRE MORE GOOD STORIES
The good conversations have been one of the main strategy for the Warriors 2012 to inspire, engage and mobilize people in Brazil and worldwide. Back home Nuno Arcanjo participated in The Hub Escola -Belo Horizonte, leading a creative workshop named “how to transform reality with your own hands” to share the experience he lived in the Warriors Without Weapons 2012.
Meanwhile, 220km away, Mayra Temponi also accessed her good memories to inspire by example. She shared her experience with some young social entrepreneurs from CHOICE, co-workers and students. What is her direct contribution to meeting the collective goal? She is organizing an OASIS in a public school on Viçosa and it will happen soon – the conversations with the school already started. She is getting serious support to achieve so: colleagues from university, young people who live in communities and Gabriel Agrelli, Warrior Without Weapons 2009, who accomplished to realize dozens of Oasis in public schools in Campinas, São Paulo.
Connection. This word summarizes the stories we’re telling. It is all about people meeting people, and discovering friends, ideas and dreams in common. And so the connection happens. And the bonds are made. Transformation makes its way. That’s the case of the OASIS Berlin. Organized by a group that includes the Warrior Without Weapons 2011, Johanna Bachmann, it ended up receiving inspiration, in a recent conversation from Nola Bally, Warrior 2012. Two generations of participants offering their best to make real change happen in Germany. But those encounters are not exclusive from Berlin: João Henrique Arcalá learned about the OASIS Game last year, when he was in Rio de Janeiro for the OASIS Cidade de Deus and Raphael Polydoro (Warrior 2012) were there too. Now the two of them together are planning the OASIS – Gaia Sorocaba. On the other side of the ocean, the Kenyan Peninah and Grace had organized the OASIS Youth Day in Kaswesha. Barbara Jota also published the photos of the Oasis
A date to mark on your agenda: the hands on of Oasis Aldeia- continuity of dreams, takes place on 29 and 30 September, with the direct participation of the Warrior of Minas Gerais, Brazil, Jamerson Mancio doing that together with Instituto Elos. (Follow here http://www.facebook.com/events/414281561962168/).
These numbers are likely to grow in the coming days since Kurt Schoop, Warrior Curacao, and Felipe Denz, Brazil are in the planning stages. At least seven new OASIS about to happen.
Whether through workshops or experiences. Good conversations or putting literally Hands On, youth are making dramatic changes happen in people, relationships and places.
And you, what is the way you change the world? Tell us.
Tony Marlon Warrior Without Weapons 2009, graduated in journalism from the University of Santo Amaro – UNISA, has been dedicated to research how Information and Communication Technologies, drive change and create real positive impact on society. Leading the Instituto Escola de Notícias since 2011, he has the dream to contribute to an education able to empower purposes, not to create professions. tony@escoladenoticias.org / www.escoladenoticias.org
“There is a time that is, perfectly, my learning in OASIS Garden Paraná. It was the day of Re-Evolution, when a lady turned to the church, responsible for the space we were using for meetings in the community, spoke to John (oasiano 8 years, our partner from start to finish): “Did you see John that cool what they did here in the community? “. then He turned to her and said,” No they were, we were. “Ai is a beautiful spot of light that we know will continue shining and illuminating Community Garden Paraná “. Clarissa Muller
