The Norwegian project-group had made a great platform for the participants to gain information, experiences and power for themselves – but also, very importantly, for their national youth-work at home, and for future co-operation with other countries.
Lectures, discussions, group-work, physical activities and parties during the nights gave the theme of the congress “The Power in you” more than 100% credit and we all broke a lot of barriers.

Articles in newsletter no. 7, mail sent to the project-group and messages in the new guestbook show that we more than reached our goals with the IYC 2001. For many participants the IYC changed their life. It was simply a fantastic week….

On the first day I talked with one of the participants. She felt unmotivated in her youth-work back home, it was so difficult for her to reach and get other young people with rheumatism motivated. I talked with her some times during the week and I could see that she changed step by step. On the last day she came to me and said “oh, I don’t want to go home in a way, I want to stay”. But also – with a big smile – she said “but I also have got so much power and ideas what to do when I come home” and she continued “I also know that if I get unmotivated again and want to get ideas I have a lot of friends and contacts all over Europe”.

I know that many others feel like this. The Norwegian proect-group had made the platform and the participants showed that they could use it. Thanks to everybody supporting, working for and participating at the IYC 2001. You all made the week very special!!

4 New members
During the IYC we got 4 new members of IOYR. And we are very happy to welcome Latvia, Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia. Now IOYR has 18 members and we hope that we can soon welcome more. At least 3 have shown a lot of interest during and after the congress.
You can see a list of all members here.

New board
At the IYC the General Assembly also took place. Here the participants discussed the future of IOYR and gave the board a lot of ideas to work with. We will soon send out the minutes from the General Assembly.

During the General Assembly of course the election for the board took place. New members on the board are Laura Margulies from Switzerland and Kirsten Russ from Germany. Very welcome to you! Lucinda Blauw, Catherine Gibb, Vilma Bandzeviciute and Georg Hodnefell from the old board got elected again. Montse Sánchez-Oro Perez from Spain and Karolina Piotrowska from Poland left the board and I want to thank the two of you for your work in IOYR.
After the General Assembly the board had a small meeting and here Lucinda was elected at the treasurer.

For me personally the IYC 2001 also meant a lot. Not only as a participant and a part of the proect-group, but also because I got elected as chair of IOYR. I’m very happy, but also humble about this. I will work very hard to fulfil your wishes and support to me and I’m looking forward very much to the work with all our members, the board and of course our co-operation-partners.

You can also see a list of the board here.

One of my goals is to spread information about IOYR, but also to develop the exchange of information and experiences, not only between IOYR and the members but also between the members. The IOYR-board can't do this alone and it is my hope that you will all help us with this. I hope that in spreading the information we can gain more members and also give people power – like we got at IYC - to start and develop not only national but also international work.

Now we can all start looking forward to the next IYC. It will take place in 2004. Thanks to Switzerland for taking the challenge with hosting this congress. Be sure that you have a lot of friends who wants to help you...

Published in Newsletter no. 7, August 2001

More articles about the IYC 2001:

Articles from Newsletter no. 7 - August 2001

• Once upon a time, by Gábor Kürtösi, Hungary

• The week was too short, by Signe Bicule, Latvia

• Breaking barriers, by Camilla Ladestam, Sweden

• You are accepted, by Ingrid Kósová, Slovakia

• A sense of belonging, by Richard effery, United Kingdom

• Heavy, cosy and relaxing by Lucinda Blauw, Sylvia Langbroek and Juul van der Veen, the Netherlands

• The whole wide world at one place, by Tina M.-L. Mortensen, Denmark

Other articles:

• At my first IYC, by Halla Hrund Himarsdóttir, Iceland

• Youth rheumatics breaking barriers in Norway, by Lars Espen Rath Vestad, Norway

• Meeting of Young Rheumatics in Norway by Romana Lukasova

• More to come - if you have any articles please mail them to postmaster@ioyr.org.

More about IYC 2001