April 19, 2021
News
The Labyrinth 2030 contest for young people under 30 focuses on innovation in development cooperation and has been running since September 2020. In the past four months, the five best teams have been working on their ideas, and an expert jury will decide the winner this Wednesday, April 21st. The winner will not only have a great feeling from doing a really meaningful work, but they will also gain the opportunity to turn the project into reality and especially will get a chance to go to one of the Caritas Czech Republic‘s country offices.
Caritas Czech Republic not only helps those in need, but through its activities also seeks to educate future experts and enthusiasts in the field of foreign development cooperation and motivates the young generation to actively build a better world. Thanks to the Labyrinth 2030 contest, young people and students under the age of 30 from the Czech Republic can also take part in foreign development cooperation.
The contest has been running since September 2020 and aims to create a space for young people with interesting ideas that can address current challenges in developing countries. Of the 14 projects submitted, five ideas for improving conditions in Zambia, Georgia, and Mongolia have advanced to the second round. They focus on purely technical things such as building a school or groundwater treatment, but also on reducing inequalities through therapy in nature, creating a movie with blind children, or the empowerment of women.
In the last four months, the five selected teams went through a series of workshops that taught them how to properly prepare the project applications or how to present their ideas in front of professionals from other Czech non-profit organizations that focus on development cooperation and humanitarian aid. These professionals also form an expert jury, which will decide on the winner this Wednesday, 21 April. The icing on the cake is the main prize - tickets to one of the country offices of Caritas Czech Republic. "Such an opportunity is very unique for young people in the Czech Republic and it can add a different direction to their future professional career," says one of the coordinators of the entire project, Šárka Zápotocká
Young people as a driving force for progress
"It is important to arouse the interest of young people because they are the future. Young people have a lot of creative ideas and I like to say that they are not looking for obstacles, but discovering new ways. Inviting young people to solve development problems is a great opportunity for all of us to work together to create a better future, ”says Šárka Zápotocká about the contest and its purpose.
According to Šárka Zápotocká, the very name Labyrinth 2030 points to the discovery of one's path to global responsibility precisely as an imaginary path through a labyrinth. Unlike a maze, labyrinth is designed in a way that only one correct path leads to the center. "By entering Labyrinth 2030, one finds himself on an extraordinary journey that opens up new horizons and opportunities to actively contribute to the global challenges of the developed and developing countries. There is only one path towards this goal and it cannot be missed – and that is active citizenship and helping others," she adds.
Innovations as a line through the whole contest
A similar project has not yet been carried out in the Czech Republic. The nomination for the European Global Development Education Awards by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic can serve as a piece of evidence.
And what do the participants themselves think about the contest? "I was most interested in the fact that it is an international challenge, ie that it allows you to develop a project not only here in the Czech Republic, but above all to get it abroad. I think that makes the project unique. Certainly, many initiatives do projects here in the Czech Republic, but the opportunity to be able to carry on a project abroad, and even in such interesting countries as Georgia, the destination of my project, is a unique chance and I appreciate this thing the most on the whole contest," says Pavel, one of the participants.
Another participant, Míša, adds that the project has so far met all her expectations. "When I first heard about Labyrinth 2030, I thought it was a great opportunity for those who have some ideas in a drawer and don't know what would lead to their implementation or are not sure if they make sense in the context of specific problems in certain countries. I think that the networking with the people from the country offices will show what is standing between that drawer and reality," she adds.
The competition takes place as part of a project with the same name Labyrinth 2030, which awakens curiosity about our current world and shows the general public and especially young people the path to sustainable development in developing countries through education and their active involvement.
You can find more about the project on Instagram or on the website.
