photos

Building Walls - Breaking Walls, Kibbutz Lotan, Israel (October 26 - November 4, 2019)

In 2020, the Naturkultur association spared no effort and set out to climb the Grenchenberg in Solothurn despite the pandemic. Due to the current situation, it was unfortunately not possible to carry out the project with all five nations, so we were all the more pleased that four young adults from French and German-speaking Switzerland dared to go to Grenchen and do a 30-meter run together with trained specialists for three days have built a long dry stone wall. In addition to the manual part, exciting discussions and mutual exchange were also in the foreground. 

Building Walls - Breaking Walls, Grenchenberg SO, Switzerland (September 1  - September 9, 2019)

Young adults from Switzerland, Ireland and Northern Ireland, Israel and Palestine built a dry stone wall in the Jura together. They explored conflicts and challenges around borders and walls in different countries, shared cultural life, cooked together and experienced Swiss cultural heritage by building a stone wall in the mountains. The youth exchange included a visitor's day of youth workers from all over Switzerland. The visit was organized by the Movetia Foundation in Switzerland, the most important sponsor for international youth exchanges.

Building Walls - Breaking Walls, Cape Clear Island, West, Cork,  Ireland ( June 30 - July 8, 2019)

During a week, the team from the Naturkultur association built a dry stone wall at 1600m above sea level. They explored conflicts and challenges around borders and walls in different countries, shared cultural life, went fishing and kayaking, cooked together and experienced Irish heritage and life on the island by building a stone wall on the sea side.

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Building Walls - Breaking Walls, Val Müstair GR, Switzerland (June 9 - June 17, 2019)

Young adults from Switzerland, Ireland and Northern Ireland, Israel and Palestine came together in the Romansh part of Switzerland (Canton Graubünden). They explored the life and culture of the other participants, discussed conflicts and challenges around borders and walls in different countries, cooked together and experienced Swiss cultural heritage by building a stone wall in the mountains. In 2019 "Building Walls - Breaking Walls Grischun" took place for the first time in Val Müstair, a mountain valley in the Swiss Alps. We are happy that our project in the easternmost part of Switzerland was such a great success!

Seeds of Culture, Kaima Farm, Beit Zayit,  Israel ( April 25 – May 4, 2019)

A group of young people from Switzerland spent ten days on an organic farm near Jerusalem. Together with young people from Israel, they had the opportunity to get to know each other and explore each other's cultures. A project that combines intercultural work with organic farming.

Building Walls - Breaking Walls, Mergoscia TI, Switzerland ( April 7 - April 15, 2019)

Young adults from Switzerland, Ireland and Northern Ireland, Israel and Palestine came together in the Italian part of Switzerland (Canton Ticino). They explored the life and culture of the other participants, discussed conflicts and challenges around borders and walls in different countries, cooked together and experienced Swiss cultural heritage by building a stone wall in the mountains. "Building Walls - Breaking Walls Ticino" took place in Valle de Verzasca (Verzasca Valley), in the beautiful eco-village of Campo Cortoi, above the city of Mergoscia. A cooperation with our partners Pro Mergoscia and Urs Nüesch Waldbau und Landschaftspflege.

3 Cultures in the Snow, Gantrisch region, Switzerland (February 24 - March 2, 2019)

A week in the snow - international youth exchange with young people from Israel, Madeira/Portugal and Switzerland. The youngsters got together for a week and explored each other's cultures through activities in the snow. They built igloos (and were given the opportunity to sleep in them), hiked on snowshoes, and introduced each other to their country's culture and life. The concept of the youth exchange is to bring together young people (15-17 years) from Israel, Ireland and Switzerland for a first intercultural experience in nature. The youth exchange is a cooperation with the youth work of Murten (Switzerland).