INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE & SOLIDARITY (E4) is the project of Amics del Nepal focused on promoting the dialog and cultural exchange between Catalonia and Nepal. We believe these types of exchanges are crucial in our current global climate in order to foster the values of global citizenship, mutual respect and solidarity.
The schools and communities in Catalonia, specifically in Barcelona Province have had an integral part in Amics del Nepal programs’ development and sustainability. Through the support of the city halls and the local communities, our Children, Youth and Women programs have been able to grow and continue empowering hundreds of school-going children and youth, and their families. Our Children Program beneficiaries continue to create active dialogues and cultural and knowledge exchange through art projects based on solidarity, and an exchange project called School Doc-Fest with students in Catalonia.
Similarly, through our school visits to the government high school Salas i Xandri of Sant Quirze del Vallés from 2019, we were able to establish a network among the students there and our youth beneficiaries.
The direct beneficiaries of the project are the Amics staff and the key beneficiaries receiving the exchange in both Nepal and Spain. Similarly, because of the annual visits of our Nepaleese staff to Catalonia, to participating schools and towns in Catalonia, other key beneficiaries would include the participating schools, the local communities and city halls there. The larger Amics family and friends as well as potential volunteers also benefit from the project as these key stakeholders are able to interact with the Amics Nepal team and learn firsthand about the program updates and the work we do in Nepal.
The International Exchange and Solidarity is crucial to the organisation as it enables to maintain the collaboration aims with the schools in Catalonia, and to strengthen relationships with the students and the educational community there at large. Formal talks and presentations of project updates and justifications held among a wider audience that include local authority representatives, members of the city halls and the local community members and relevant NGOs create information dissemination platforms, and also provide opportunity for interested and potential volunteers to meet directly with the local staff, and engage in direct queries regarding their volunteership. Similarly, other solidarity events such as lunch/dinner events highlighting Nepali cuisines also take place to strengthen Amic’s relation with its members and any new guests. Based on availability of training during the time of visit, these trips also provide project staff opportunities for professional development.
The project takes into account SDG17 of Partnerships for the Goals wherein through the exchange programs between Amics student beneficiaries and Catalonia children and youth, and the annual Catalonia visit, it aims to enhance North-South cooperation by supporting Amics’ organisational goals and mission to improve the lives of the underprivileged children, youth and women in Nepal.
This project is possible thanks to the support of all the members of Amics de Nepal and the collaborating partners:
