Our modern democratic society is based on the preservation of human rights and especially gender equality.We are all born free and equal and should be provided a meritocratic living environment in which we will be able to design our own life paths without unexpected and immoral barriers .However, real life is not about what we should have.It is about what we are able to have due to social , national ,financial and other existing barriers. Equipped with those privileges , we have the option to work together in order to achieve what we dream of . Because to improve the world is an option that every free citizen should choose.

Mediaterranea ,as an association that always supports initiatives with positive impact on the society, takes actively part in the Erasmus+ KA2 project “Challenging traditional leadership – empowering women” coordinated by the Albanian association RIAS. Mediaterraneas staff members in cooperation with the coordinator and the other partners associations already implemented successfully the kick-off meeting in Tirana (December 2019) and the Training of trainers in Durres (February 2020).

During the kick off meeting , representatives from the participating organizations finalized practicalities related to the project and worked on ensuring a qualitative and fruitful series of activities. Moreover , after this meeting we had the opportunity to add some new organizations in our working network.

Since for all the participating organizations it is important to increase the capacity of their youth-workers in the field of empowering women a training of trainers took place in Durres at February 2020. There, 24 experienced and in experienced trainers and youth workers from Albania, Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Kosovo*, North Macedonia and Serbia were guided by trainer Ira Topalli into a innovative and fruitful non formal learning procedure .Participants achieved in a great meassure :

• To be youth workers, trainers, facilitators or young professionals in their everyday work.
• To have had national and international experience in the youth work field with a function of responsibility.
• To have the potential and need to develop training or other activities competences and act after the course as a trainer for Erasmus+ project Challenging traditional leadership – empowering women!.
• To show initiative and willingness to self-direct their own learning process.
• To be prepared to reflect on and question their own beliefs and approaches as trainers.
• To be able to run training courses in English.

Mediaterranea will host the next youth exchange of the Erasmus+ KA2 project “Challenging traditional leadership – empowering women” in which youth workers from the participating organisation will be able to practice the theoretical knowledge that they already gained during the Training of trainers in Durres. #empoweringwomen