There were many turning points in the history of mankind that inspired hope that the worst was left behind and the times of irreversible progress, coexistence and peace have finally arrived.. Yet, every time and unfortunately rather soon, these hopes were dashed and relinquished… And if to single out one such occasion, the aftermath of the Second World War probably is the most vivid example – expected to herald and safeguard the peace that generations longed for, the world promptly descended into a state of discord and division that lasted for many years to come and the crisis we are living through on our continent now is a loud echo of lessons never learnt…

Roots Tandem Project “Then, Now, Later: Towards Composite Memory” held in YMCA Camp Leusden, Netherlands was an endeavor to revisit and evaluate the past in order to find solutions for the present and the future. 25 Participants from France, Georgia, Ireland, Kosovo, Netherlands, and Scotland have spent between April 30th and May 7th, 7 days together engaged in “…a wide array of activities with the theme of commemoration as a central point and to create the bond of trust between young people that transcends the borders and enhances the sense of solidarity among them”.

Tragic shared past and specifically The Soviet Soldiers Cemetery  in Leusden, Netherlands were the major discussion and reflection point of the program – several visits to the site to learn about the stories and fate of hundreds of initially unnamed Second World War soldiers from the Soviet Union that found the final resting place in the Netherlands and the subsequent strive of one individual, Remco Reiding that dedicated his life to identifying and finding descendants of those that never managed to return home…

Creation of an innovative product dedicated to commemoration of the past and to peace was another program component that kept participants working together throughout the week – with results truly living up to the expectations; Various workshops, outdoor games and activities prepared by each national delegation and the intercultural evening were another big highlights of the program that lasted full seven days, but left all involved craving for more time.

There was still time to explore nearby charming towns of Amersfoort & Utrecht and for 2-day digital interactive sessions to involve participants from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia that were originally supposed to be present at the activity venue, but were unable to do so due to the conflict in Ukraine and related restrictions. Roots for Peace Online Hangout and YMCA Kosovo Roots Peace Award Winning Project“e-bridge” also featured on the other side of the screen to give those in the Netherlands a deeper insight of what our project is and does.

Overall, a new and impactful experience for young people that admittedly do not reflect much on the past and look mostly ahead – a clear catalyst for change and action, because as one participant remarked: “we need to know our past well in order to build a better future!”