Before traveling to Romania, participants participated in the online civic educational tutorial that is accessed with a username and password, which are provided after registering to this website upon approval from the organizers (go to the Register tab for more details). This secure collaborative workspace is part of the overall EEADYN website, which has been hosted since March 2007 by OpenVES and is sponsored by The Vreeland Institute in the US. The Turda Democracy Gatherings took place the summer of 2007 from July 19-29. The camp will be held on more or less similar dates in the summer of 2008.
Overall participants were exposed to the problems and adaptations of Eastern European civil society during the transition from Communist to democratic governance, as well as contemporary challenges in post-transition societies. Students were be to compare and contrast the experiences during the time of Eastern European transition, the current effects on local populations, and the skills involved in advancing local democratic movements to that of the Arab world. The Turda Democracy Gatherings took the form of a camp, which allowed students to live and learn together in a more intimate setting.
The camp was a guide for the students rather than a preacher, to develop their individual understanding of the values and behaviors of democracy while drawing on the experience of their peers and evening guests.
The camp activities were divided into four primary aspects: (click on each to learn more)
· Workshops
· Volunteering
· Evening Gatherings
· Excursions
For those accepted to the 2008 Turda Democracy Gatherings, be prepared to have to complete preparatory work through this website, meetings with other students and organizers beforehand that will take place online, and then the actual camp (lectures (SOMETHING NEW!), workshops, volunteering, and evening gatherings). You will be expected to complete a final project relevant to the workshop you choose.