Each participant played an important role in shaping the program of the event. During InspiredBY 2019, parallel sessions were held in five seminar rooms on the following topics: inspired by CULTURE and ART, inspired by ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP and POLITICS, inspired by LOCAL and RURAL ACTIVISM, inspired by ENVIRONMENT and URBANISATION, inspired by EQUALITY and HUMAN RIGHTS. All of these rooms were filled with interactive workshops, seminars and discussions, where participants spent their days teaching and learning from each other. Main idea of the event was co-operation, so many participants were put in diverse groups to create common topics that they could share during the InspiredBY.

Inspired by CULTURE and ART was the most creative block a participant could find on the InspiredBY 2019 campus. Workshops, talks and discussions focused not only on the importance of art in a shifting society and how to carry out a cultural event but also worked deeply with participants on self-realisation and self-education. Topics such as the importance of art activism in an inactive society, how to creatively promote and foster social initiatives and how body experience can change public processes were also a hit in this block.

Inspired by ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP and POLITICS was one of the most popular block, which gathered many activists to elaborate on sensitive topics in their countries. Discussions and workshops focused on how to defend freedom of speech, how to withstand government pressure and how to notice manipulation in politics. Also topics about proactive community development, how to counter infringing legislations and how to partner up local authorities were also popular.

Inspired by LOCAL and RURAL ACTIVISM was specifically formed for participants to develop discussions about activism in more secluded and less populated locations. Participants shared their experience on how to escape big city life, how to remain active in rural areas and how to find shared spaces for community use. Yet, significant attention in this block was given to topics on how to involve local youth in their local town activism and how to engage them in non-formal education projects.

Inspired by ENVIRONMENT and URBANISATION provided workshops and discussions about urbanism for people with different interests, great deal was given to develop conversation on ecology, excessive usage of plastic in daily life and responsible consuming. Participants not only shared their experience on how to help develop the city you live in, but also shared about problems that people face with fast-paced urbanisation and tips how to deal with them.

 Inspired by EQUALITY and HUMAN RIGHTS was a theme for workshops and discussions focusing on equality in a broad sense. Topics of female leadership, gender stereotypes and education for disabled people were the key of this block, gathering different participants for discussion, promotion and analysis on these issues in local communities. A lot of attention was given to topics about personal and professional growth for women, as well as importance of youth education and inclusion.

Day by day

The first day started with opening speeches and inspiring welcoming words from partners, was a get to know each other day with team building activities and working on the ‘Iceberg’, introduction to InspiredBY and Inspired BY Region projects. Later in the evening participants were involved in an art workshop with a discussion about contemporary Belarusian artists.

The second day started with a panel discussion ‘Culture island Astravec. Alternative future’ hosted by Anastasiya, Iryna from Belarusian Political Party Greens, where our participants had an opportunity to participate, express their opinion and share ideas on that particular topic. Later the day was full of discussions, workshops and other types of activities led by the participants themselves until late evening. 

The third day participants continued their work sessions in the seminar rooms, holding discussions, workshops and debates on different topics. A second panel discussion was also held on the third day by urbanist Jekaterina Lavrinec, presenting her topic ‘Urban games as mapping of resources and community formation’, which received a lot of appreciation from the participants.

The last day was time to say good-byes, and to reflect on what happened during InspiredBY 2019. Participants were reflecting and thinking on what just had happened and what is next about to happen further in their lives. As InspiredBY 2019 encouraged participants to cooperate for the greater good, this day was dedicated to inspire participants to take actions and act on behalf of their communities.

I have an idea! and Iceberg workshops

During the event, together with the facilitators, participants were introduced with the Iceberg method, which was an instrument to develop systematic thinking towards themselves and any type of activity they are engaged in. Participants were using this method to analyse any type of events through patterns, structural basis and mental models.

Special session times were arranged every day for reflection and group work for possible future activities brainstorming. Answering how this method contributed to their personal and organisational development, participants mentioned self-development, engaging activities and work in groups as useful experience. Many participants mentioned that the Iceberg method is a very useful tool not only to reflect personal life, but also work-ethics and other spheres.