66 Years of EYS

From September 23^th-25^th, 2022 , 44 active and former teamers, camp partners, supporters and companions met at the Helmut-Gollwitzer-Haus in Wünsdorf for the EYS Future Workshop and the 66th anniversary of the Ecumenical Youth Services.

We celebrated what we had achieved (33 years in a divided and 33 years in a united Germany) and planned for the future. After this weekend, we will go into the next 33 years strengthened and already looking forward to the next reunion!
As a reminder: After the 2nd World War, the construction camp movement (now called work camp) spread to all areas of the world.
The emergence of the Ecumenical Reconstruction Camps/ Ecumenical Youth Services (EYS) can be attributed to the Youth Department of the World Council of Churches in Geneva (WCC). Ecumenical Youth Services were organised from various countries, including the former GDR. Today, Ecumenical Youth Services are only offered in Germany. This is the successor organisation to the Ecumenical Youth Services so active in the GDR. This, as the only remaining organisation of EYSs, needed to be celebrated and developed.

It was an international gathering, bringing together people from Austria, Poland, Serbia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany (Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, NRW, Saxony). Theo was the youngest participant at 3 years old, Martin the oldest at 80.

General conditions

Who: Former and current team members, participants, camp partners and camp coordinators from the entire time of the EYS are invited.
Date: 23 – 25 September
Place: Wünsdorf-Waldstadt
Accommodation: Helmut-Gollwitzer-House
Costs: Accommodation and meals are free of charge. Travel costs to and from the meeting must be covered by the participants themselves. The EYS office will be happy to help with carpooling.
- Attention:
- Accommodation is in shared rooms. There are very few single rooms.
- Please bring sheets/bed linen and a towel.
- These costs have to be paid by you
  - Supplement for a single room: 7,50€/night
  - Bed linen set from the house: 20,00€
  - Towel from the house: 6,00€
Corona: Of course, the jubilee will take place according to the Corona guidelines in force in September. As these are not yet known, information will be provided here in time.

The programme includes
Friday from 18.00am: Arrival, getting to know each other, exchanging ideas.
Saturday: 9.30am: History of the EYS / 3.30pm: International dances / 4.00pm: Future workshop / 8.00pm: Celebrations
Sunday: 10am: Festive service in the village church of Wünsdorf

Ecumenical Youth Services (EYS)
Karolin Minkner, Camp Coordinator
Telephone +49-(0)30 / 31 91-131
Mobil +49-(0)151 210 630 26
Fax +49-(0)30 / 31 91-100
E-Mail workcamp@akd-ekbo.de

Postal Address
Ökumenische Jugenddienste (ÖJD) / Ecumenical Youth Services (EYS)
Amt für kirchliche Dienste
Goethestraße 26-30
D – 10625 Berlin
Germany

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