Culture is better when we’re all included!

Culture is Better When We’re all included!

AUS highly values ​​equality and human rights and joins the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia held on 17th of May around the world. It is hard to say it better than Ellen DeGeneres’s did in her empowering message, “Here are the values ​​I stand for: honesty, equality, Kindness, compassion, treating people the Way You Want to be treated and helping Those in need. to me, Those are traditional values. ”

Keep learning

Education and open Discussions together with volunteering are efficient Ways to support and spread the ideas of solidarity Within youth and world community. In this context the training courses are one of the most efficient tools.

AUS is delighted to have a chance to take part in the 5-day training “YOUTHWORKS Can Unite: Merging Parallel Realities in Europe”, Which took place in Graz, Austria from February 22-26, 2017 Brought together 25 youth workers from 13 countries (Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Switzerland, UK). Provided it anti-racism training and underserved to developping an action plan to support refugees and NGOs working with refuges, as well as Identifying partners, networking and Possibilities at the EU level. UNITED for Intercultural Action, European Network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees’, a partner in the project and Provided valuable information on the situation of refugees and the rise of hate speech across Europe.

Putting into practice

Read the detailed report here

AUS has an OPPORTUNITY to directly implementable gained knowledge into practice – our volunteers are Involved into the social support program for asylum seekers and refugees in Iceland in collaboration with American Red Cross .

Yfirlýsing frá AUS

Vegna umræðunnar uppá síðkastið um sjálfboðaliða í ólöglegri vinnu á Íslandi viljum við koma eftirfarandi á framfæri:
Ungmenni á vegum AUS eru hér í óformlegu námi á vegum Erasmus + áætlunarinnar sem Menntamálaráðuneytið tekur þátt í ásamt öðrum Evrópuríkjum. Evrópa unga fólksins (EUF) er umsjónaraðili með verkefninu. Verkefnið byggir á ákveðnu lærdómsferli allra þeirra sem taka þátt og hefur að markmiði að gefa ungu fólki tækifæri til að þroska sig og læra um mismunandi menningu og um leið auðga starfið sem þau taka þátt í. Við vonum að umræðan varpi ekki skugga á það góða starf sem samstarfsaðilar okkar og ungmennin okkar eru að vinna í samvinnu við menntamálayfirvöld og AUS.

Samúðarkveðjur

Okkur þykir leitt að segja frá því að velgjörðarkona AUS til margra ára, Hanna Pálsdóttir, lést 24. janúar síðastliðinn. Útför hennar fer fram í Lindakirkju föstudaginn 3. febrúar næstkomandi kl. 15:00.

Hanna var ekkja Jóns Bjarman en þau hjón unnu mikið og gott starf fyrir AUS og hýstu marga sjálfboðaliða í gegnum tíðina.

Við sendum samúðarkveðjur til fjölskyldu og vina Hönnu.

Talks without a tie with Icelandic President

On 17th of November AUS volunteers, office team and AUS board members met with newly elected President of Iceland Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson.

 

After only 3 months since becoming president AUS volunteers had the opportunity to visit the President at his house Bessastaðir in Garðabær and had a rather informal talk.

Being a historian, he was a docent at the University of Iceland until his election and you can really feel that he is very experienced communicating with young people. You could hear the laughter in the president`s living room after almost every sentence he spoke.

After the traditional greetings and introductions the President declared how honoured and privileged he is by being in this position and how happy he is receiving people: “I love every single part of it. Meeting new people, chatting and learning new things – that’s one of the most exciting parts of it. So feel free to ask me anything you want to. And…just take it easy folks!”

He also shared how he and his family have been adapting to the new house and environment. The President has 5 children, 4 of them are quite young: 3, 5, 7 and 9 years old. They are loving life here, says Guðni Th Jóhannesson, but they also love crayons and it can be very tempting to colour in the old bible in the President’s library, which was written in the late 16th century in Iceland. We have to do something about it, before… something happens, the President concluded. Or he could just follow his butler`s advice – you can always just turn the page.

With the recent media discussions about the “wrong” length of his tie fresh in his memory, Guðni Th Jóhannesson shared this story with AUS team: “Did you tell them about the tie issue?” he asked his ex-student – now looking at his former professor in this different role. She replies that it was on the news. The President continued, “My tie was way too long and the fashion police in Iceland was not very positive. Somebody has to teach this guy, he is new in his job.” We suggested that the “Fashion police has been very hard on you” to which he replied, “Yes. Not only the tie but also the buff, the bandana I was wearing. Apparently you are not supposed to do that if you are a President. Nobody tells me these things! But now…(as he takes off his tie)…it is more informal. Yes!” And of course, we all cheered.

 

AUS hjón

Ástin kviknaði fyrir tilstuðlan AUS

Ástir samlyndra hjóna kviknuðu svo sannarlega fyrir tilstillan Alþjóðlegra ungmennaskipta seint á áttunda áratug síðustu aldar. Þau Björn og Áslaug hittust einmitt fyrir tilstuðlan AUS og hafa fetað ævibrautina saman alla tíð síðan. Þau hafa upplifað virkilega mörg #ausmoments.

Björn Sigurðsson, sem nú er vefstjóri og vinnur í Forsætisráðuneytinu fór til Svíþjóðar á vegum AUS á árunum 1986 til 1987. Hann hitti síðan Áslaugu Ásmundsdóttur, sem er Þroskaþjálfi og vinnur í Tækniskólanum, þegar velja átti skiptinema ári síðar, en Áslaug fór til Costa Riga á árunum 1988 til 89.

Þau Áslaug og Björn eiga tvo syni, annar þeirra er fæddur 1992 og hinn 1999 og svo eiga þau eitt barnabarn.

Árin sem þau fóru á vegum AUS mótuðu líf þeirra beggja og gáfu af sér vinskap sem endist ævina út. Horfið á sögu Áslaugar og Björns.