MY FUTURELAND

ERASMUS+ PROGRAMME

"FORENSICS AND CREATIVE THEATRE"

KA2 PROJECT

2014-1-BG 01-KA201-001396_1 CO-FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION

A collection of pupils’ essays and poems

A. Argumentative essays on the following preselected topics: 1. My Futureland; 2. An apple a day keeps the doctor away?!; 3. Being different is (not) a personal choice; 4. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; 5. Music unites and divides. Do you agree or disagree?

B. Poems.

Pupils' Essays

MY FUTURELAND How do you imagine the country of the future? Perhaps as a more friendly place, or as a place where everyone is happy, loved and lives a life without difficulties? Some could further imagine it as a place where order and laws are respected, and there is no crime and injustice. The notion of a Futureland makes us imagine a different world. As each one of us has their personal point of view, the question is quite specific and strictly individual. For this reason, I would like to express my own opinion on the matter. Firstly, I would draw your attention to environmental issues because I have always wanted to live in a clean and peaceful place. That is the reason why I would pay more attention to this aspect of my dream Futureland. I would like to raise the question of whether the people around me have the necessary values and morality. Why our modern world is full of different criminal cases, murders, controversies and other evil things? In my opinion, every living creature has the right to answer this question. I think that the problem of the society in which we live in is our own way of life. These are the two poles where people live - either on the top of luxury, or at the bottom of misery. Some would argue that everyone chooses how to live. Yes, but that is not always so. It is not always through honest labor and honestly earned money to keep this dream lifestyle. More often than not, people who earn their money in a dishonest way, are in a much better financial position than honest people. Furthermore, the better place that a person has is in this financial pyramid, the more attention they get. In my opinion, this is not fair. It isn't fair for those, who give the best from themselves to get something and don't get anything without making any effort. This is exactly what I want to disappear in my Futureland. I would be happy if everybody would succeed in getting what they really deserve. Another aspect of achieving harmony in my Futureland is to eliminate corruption and the desire for power. If we can change that, I would not like to have anything else. Because when people are good and not interested only in themselves, they could jointly modify their surrounding environment. Thus, the important thing is just the change within us, but not the change in the situation. Throughout the world there are so many beautiful places worth visiting. They only need people who care about them and about nature. I think that it depends on our system of values and morals. If I had the opportunity to change the world we live in, and create a Futureland , I would not change the environment - I would change only the worldview of the people who inhabit it, because everything comes from inside ourselves - the cleaner our souls and intentions are, the better and meaningful ideas we would have to make our future better. Together! Marina Stoeva, Bulgaria

MY FUTURELAND My ideal city should be a place where technology is the society engine. In this city economy doesn’t exist, so all the people can live a better life. This is a utopian idea, but nobody can say this is impossible in the future. In this city the only difference would derive from love for own’s work. This increases the innovations and the result would be a better life for everyone. All the citizens, with their work, can build a perfect life, not only for themselves, but for everyone. Every resource is shared with everybody. In this beautiful place, people will not miss new gadgets. Maybe, this isn’t the correct word to define them. Phones in this city will run many applications that can do a lot of things. For example, they can detect if we are in dangerous and then call help. There are many different ways to use the phone, but the most important is the access to the Big Central Elaboration Unit. The BCEU provides all the services and control the city. This system could be interpreted as a dictator, so this is programmed to be tolerant and the people can do everything without problems. Every citizen can benefit of the BCEU by a holographic terminal. In this city there are also many green areas where it is prohibited to use technological devices for preventing human relationships to be deleted by virtual ones. Thanks to these areas, the citizens can meet new friends. The city is also a cultural centre where art, sport, and school are at the first place. There are a lot of museums of different kinds. Every year many sports events are organized by all the citizens and, so, everybody can play. All the people must study and the method is very efficient. In short a heavenly place. Agresta Giuseppe, Italy

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR

AWAY?!

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! Or... How the degradation of morals ruins our society in the 21st century? ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away‘ is an English proverb claiming that one‘s health depends on the regular consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. So far so good... However, what if the notion of ‘apple‘ is no longer connected with health but with the famous brand on your e-device, thus becoming the symbol of a life-style? Every day we encounter poor people who have no place to live in, a bed to sleep on, or enough food to eat. They consume leftovers they find in street containers; no matter what it is – a piece of bread, meat, or fruit, they don‘t worry about healthy issues but feel lucky to have the chance to survive yet another day... Some believe it is their fault, and there is no point to argue against such a claim. However, how can we be able to explore distant galaxies, uncover the secrets of the past and push ourselves beyond our limits if we cannot stop poverty and hunger? Or, perhaps, the majority of the world population has already accepted that each human being deserves their destiny, no matter how tragic it is. So, if we deal with this case, eating an apple a day will not keep the doctor away but will save a person from starvation. On the other hand, the very figure of an apple on a person‘s device could be crucial for their mental health. Nowadays, people are so emotionally wasted, impolite, and materialistic that they judge one another with regards of their personal belongings. Some are so unhappy with their lives that they tend to define their existence successful only if they possess designer clothes and expensive gadjets. The worst thing is that such people of low self-esteem bring up spoiled children addicted to their cell phones, and sensitive to others‘ opinions. Putting “I” instead ot „we” is what dominates our lives, and is being taught from a very young age. Being indifferent and tolerating what is obviously wrong is equivalent to agreeing with it. This is how younger generations start living with the wrong idea that possessions define personality. In conclusion I could say that if all the people could afford to buy fresh fruit for their starving children, an apple a day will not feed just one‘s ego, but will serve the very purpose it is meant for. So, don’t forget your daily apples. It would be a shame to get sick and get hospitalized, making you leave that new gaming computer at home, or missing out on the pool party you have been invited to. Stelian Rumenov, Bulgaria

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away‘ is a saying that is fully appropriate for our time and age. We are living in a consumer society. This way of life has influenced the daily routine of the majority of the world population. The industry which has fallen under the heaviest influence of consumerism, and the so called wild capitalism, is the food production industry. Billboards, TV and Web advertising have been flooded by the products of fast food brands, which in advertising campaigns always show how good and fresh their products are, and how happy and free their customers are. Everyone wants more, everyone wants to live a life of abundance, to be carefree and to eat large amounts of tasty good- looking food. Who wouldn‘t crave for a life like the one portrayed in advertising? Interestingly, our ancestors aspired for the same kind of happiness, i.e. abundant food and good helth. Unlike us, however, they didn‘t have as much food per meal or day, but they were healthier. Studies of bone fragments and teeth have shown that, contrary to popular belief, our Stone Age ancestors were much healthier. Their life might have been brutal, and a bit less longer than ours, but given the chance to survive the hazards of the Stone Age they would live as long as us; even though they did not have health care or advanced medicine, they did have a thing we should enjoy - natural unprocessed food containing no chemicals or being GMO. Our food is both a medicine and a poison. Sadly, with the rise of industrialised agriculture it has turneed into the latter. There may be more food on the table but the quality it has and the negative effect on our health are much worse. Sugar – a substance that has similar effect to cocaine on the human brain causes diabetes, helps cancer develop at an alarming rate and worsens the condition of our teeth. That may not be good for us, but for the producers of this legal drug, as well as for the industry that profits from it, it is wonderful. First - take their money when they buy it, then - sell them insulin and other medicine, and finally sell coffins to their relatives - a simple plan of how things happen in a consumer society: maximum profit for the producer and minimal currency in the poket of the consumer. If consumers try to stop this and change their eating habits and take care of their own health, just overprice fresh vegetables that are not GMO and contain no chemicals that worsen the health and don‘t fund the farmers who produce them. Some may ask if this is not illegal; well, for me, the person who tries to stop this madness, it is deffinitely so because no truth can be hidden under a golden lid. David Pangelov, Bulgaria

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! The apple is the most common fruit in our area. Each of us has eaten at least one in their life. Apples are also cheap, because the tree doesn’t require too much care. They have a good taste and they are known for their proprieties since Antiquity. I strongly believe that apples and other fruits are very beneficial for our health, and that there is much truth in the old saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. First of all, the health benefits of eating apples have been proven by medical studies. The vitamins and nutrients contained by apples help our bones and teeth, prevent some diseases and some forms of cancer, keep our heart healthy and improve our digestion and immune system. My second argument is that, in this era, when fast food has taken control over us, a natural treat is always welcomed. Everything is upside down now. People are standing in line to buy fast food, and they throw away fruits, forgetting that our body needs certain substances to help it develop and work properly. I am sure that a hamburger or a serving of fries soaked in oil doesn’t help us in any way. Thirdly, why don’t we think about our grandparents? They ate a balanced diet, consisting of vegetables, meat and of course fruits. Everything came from their own garden or household. They got sick later in life, because of old age. Nowadays, we see all around us young children suffering from diabetes or obesity, and the root of these problems can be traced back to our diet. I think that the ordinary apple can help save us. More and more people are making bad decisions regarding their health through what they eat. What we know about the wonderful effects of apples on our health should be enough to make us change our food habits, and include this simple and natural remedy. It’s so much easier to prevent than to cure. We don’t need to spend a fortune on pills and other treatments. The help is in our gardens. Oana Mădălina Burescu, Romania

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! Fruits are some of the healthiest foods, or, better said, they were. Including fruits and vegetables in your diet is said to have several health benefits. As the old English proverb claims, you won’t even have to go to the doctor anymore. But does an apple a day really keep the doctor away?! I think this saying was true many years ago, when you knew for sure that you were eating natural fruits. Nowadays, healthy foods are a rarity. Today, what you are eating is a mystery, because you don’t know whether it’s a fruit or it’s poison. Apples are one of the most highly contaminated crops when it comes to pesticides, which are linked to various health problems. But why would a producer spay his apple trees with so many pesticides? Maybe he wants people to get diseases, but most probably because it’s the only way in which he can make the fruits look better, and thus sell them to supermarket chains. People tend to believe that bigger is better, but this is an incorrect and immature mentality. If you want to eat poison, then go ahead and choose the biggest, the prettiest, the shiniest, the most extraordinary apple this world has even seen. The problem is that these “super-apples” are actually bombs, that could explode when you least expect it. They can trigger dangerous diseases, such as various types of cancer, malformations and sterility problems. If you want to eat a healthy apple, then you should choose a simple-looking apple. It doesn’t necessarily have to be big, beautiful and perfect, but at least you’re sure it’s natural, tasty and good for your body, and that you don’t risk your health by eating it. In conclusion, the apples available nowadays are rather leading us to the doctor, than keeping the doctor away from us. We need to be aware that there is now a “bad side” of the apple, and be careful what kind of apples we choose to consume. Gabriel Musteață, Romania

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! The original wording of this old English saying was first recorded more than 150 years ago in Wales and it said "Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread." The current phrasing "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" was first used in print in 1922 and to tell the truth, it isn´t much known and used in Slovakia, maybe because when you translate it , it doesn´t rhyme like it does in English language. Nevertheless, my grandpa, who has never heard this proverb, does swear by eating an apple (or two) every day. Having decided to do my research on the Internet to find out how much truth behind this apple propagation is, I came across the results of 2015 study that looked directly at the relationship between apple consumption and physician visit. It turned out, there is no evidence that the statement is entirely true, or there is miraculous food that can 100 % secure your health and longevity. The study, however, confirmed that people who ate an apple a day, did use fewer prescription medications. What components make apples so great? First and foremost - reputable antioxidants, disease- fighting compounds which help prevent and repair oxidation damage that happens during a normal cell activity. They are also full of a fiber called pectin and a medium-sized apple contains about 4 grams of it. A list of benefits I have found when I was doing my research on apples is very long. First of all, they lower levels of bad cholesterol and thus reduce your risk of obesity, stroke and diabetes. Secondly, apples detoxify your liver, neutralize irritable bowel syndrome and avert gallstones, hemorrhoids and cataracts. What is more, they improve neurological health and prevent dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Last but not least, they ward off breast cancer and as bonus you get whiter and healthier teeth. Overall, with everyday consumption of apples, your immune system is boosted. All this being said, to me the saying doesn´t solely relate to apples. I believe it is supposed to remind us, that we should daily think of a healthy diet represented by an apple as one of its symbols. Why apple and not an orange or a banana? To me an apple refers to all homegrown fruits in general. People nowadays suffer from different allergies that are often triggered by various exotic fruits shipped in from other parts of the world, mainly Africa, Asia or South America. It is obvious that if you harvest something early so that it can endure a long distance shipping experience, it’s not going to have the full complement of nutrients it might have had. In addition, transporting food products sometimes requires irradiation (zapping the produce with a burst of radiation to kill germs) and preservatives to protect the produce which is subsequently refrigerated during the trip. There is good reason to believe that eating local is really a much safer option. Fresh, locally harvested foods have their full, whole flavors intact. All factors taken into consideration, we all should be food- conscious and definitely stick to our homegrown apples, pears, plums and cabbage. So I say - eat local! Eat what’s in season. Eat organic. Eat balanced food, because there is much truth in a famous educational reality show logo: „We are what we eat! “ Along with increasing your daily intake of fruit and vegetables, you should cut down on consuming salt, sugar and fat, and reduce eating read meat. It is highly advisable not to smoke or drink alcohol. Do not forget though, that if you want to live a good and long life, you also need to exercise, think positively and avoid stress. Barbora Móreová, Slovakia

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! An apple has been around since the time immortal, mentioned in the Old Testament as the forbidden fruit. An apple is a simple object which indicates love and knowledge and is so popular, that the biggest and most popular company with technologies - Apple Inc. uses it as its symbol. For a lot of people throughout the world it is staple food. Out of all fruits, apples are in Europe probably most popular. For centuries they have been locally grown and you can find an apple tree in almost every garden. They are tasty and rich in vitamins and fibre. They are cheap to buy, available throughout the whole year in every shop in different sizes, shapes, colour shades of red, yellow and green....Moreover, they are easily stored and don´t perish quickly. In spite of all this being said, I believe the apple in the old English saying is a metaphor and represents all fruit and vegetables, or even healthy food in general. Nowadays, with an easy access to information, people´s interest in being healthier and eating nutritious food is increasing rapidly every year. We think about what we eat, strive to reduce or totally cut down junk food and fat, avoid white sugar and eat plenty of fibre and vitamins to be sturdy. Sadly, not everyone is health conscious and not everyone can afford healthy food. When it comes to eating, in today´s word there are mind-blowing contrasts. Some people stuff their faces (often with unhealthy fast food and all sorts of convenience food) and suffer from obesity, and some do not eat for several days and suffer from malnutrition. You may feel like using the “Apple proverb” when you meet the representatives of either of these two groups of people. Another key word in the proverb we are discussing here is the adverb of frequency that advocates eating daily! Despite new technologies famine is still a burning issue, and, quite shockingly, hungry people live also in the most developed countries. When you see heartbreaking photos of malnourished kids in Africa or from other poverty stricken countries all over the world, it compels you to make a change. Did you know that the world’s eight richest billionaires control the same wealth between them as the poorest half of the globe’s population? The Oxfam report claims that since 2015 the richest 1% has owned more wealth than the rest of the planet. But do rich people and those in power care about enormous inequality? Well, most of them actually thrive on it and see only their own “apple”. Currently the gravest humanitarian situation is in Somalia, Yemen, Sudan and Nigeria - all in desperate need of food. Images of malnourished kids on TV news are heartbreaking. Tens of millions people will starve to death if we do not join forces to help and send them donations and secure for them the daily supply of nutrients. Nevertheless, for them the most beneficial choice that will improve their health and wellbeing will not be an apple, but probably a banana, pineapple or a coco nut that grow locally. I believe we all should think globally and give those who need it a helping hand via donations and raising awareness about their plight and suffering. In 21st century all people should be entitled to decent life and nourishing food for every day. All above being said, I have one more quite essential piece of advice regarding the title of this essay, but only for those, whose doctor is cute. Well if this is the case, of course, “forget the fruit“, guys, and go see him/ her every day! Zuzana Stracenská, Slovakia

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! Some little things are bigger benefits than the other things. A small apple can do many things, so don't say "a small apple". First, I will tell about what an apple can do. An apple a day can protect you from all illnesses. An apple a day is a perfect choice for a diet. An apple a day prevents high tension and protects your heart. An apple a day relaxes breathing. If eaten before sleep, it relaxes you and makes you sleep well. An apple a day brightens your skin and makes it beautiful. An apple a day is good for headache. If you eat an apple a day, you won't go to the doctor; you will be healthy. Just eat an apple a day. It is a big favor for yourself! Begüm Atsan, Turkey

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! Apple is a healthy fruit. Its taste is good, its smell is good and it has so many benefits for human health. We must eat an apple a day. Eating an apple everyday keeps disease away. If we eat two apples, we protect ourselves from heart diseases. Apple protects heart. Green apples prevent nausea. Apples give energy. And another thing; they give beauty and brightness to the skin. An apple a day keeps the cancer away. Cancer is one of the biggest health problems of our day. It is so dangerous, and we can protect ourselves only with an apple. Isn’t it amazing? Our grandparents are getting smaller every day. Because their bones are getting smaller. If they eat apples, they might prevent this. But there is a warning. Apple is amazing, yes. On the other hand, everything has a limit. We all know apple has sugar. If we cross the line, it can raise our glucose. Of course, there is a big difference between eating apples eating cakes, cookies. There are more benefits of course. Getting so many benefits from a small fruit is amazing, isn’t it? Our country is the 3rd in growing apples. We should seize the chance. Edanur Ertürk, Turkey

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?!

One of the major problems which is very much discussed is world hunger. The children who die of hunger are becoming increasingly common, there are more than 800 million people, especially in developing countries. The causes of hunger in the world are quite complex. Behind this there are principles related to economic development, health systems and social development. In the Horn of Africa, the heart of despair, 80% of the population suffers from serious diseases related to malnutrition. To try not to spread this problem we should try to spend as little as possible, creating healthy ecosystems with regard to the food market. It’s an urgent problem, whose solution cannot be delayed. But especially, to see, in who suffers, themselves. I think that only through greater attention to the way we consume, and manage the wealth that we have abundantly available, it is possible to contribute to the creation of a "balanced" world of wealth.

Nicola Tino, Italy

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! The so called emancipated world increasingly uses the computer and internet. All children also use the computer to play, communicate, work and relax. I think that in addition to all the various functions of the use of computer there should be a very important one: to try with the help of new technologies to eliminate world hunger. I know there is a competition in which young people can participate: The challenge of the students in the race is to develop software - but also videogames or work of digital media - focusing on the eight Millennium Goals of the United Nations, the Millennium Development Goals that the UN and its member countries have pledged to achieve by 2015: the fight against extreme poverty and hunger in the world, the spread of primary education across the planet, the promotion of policies of equality between men and women, reducing child mortality and improving the conditions of motherhood, combating epidemics and diseases like AIDS and malaria, environmentally sustainable development and global participation. I hope many students will join and that everyone can make a contribution to this aim. Many small minds who work for one goal can do so much. Simone Muraca, Italy

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! Today people try to eat healthy. That means to eat vegetables and fruits in order to have a healthy body. If we don't get that sentence literally, but that technologies these days are helping people to learn things faster than ever and also make communication easier, but also make people lazy and narrow minded, we are going to see everything from a different point of view. That point of view can be understood as using computer for destroying humans. People become addicted to all kinds of technologies like smart phones, computers, and television. They replace their social life with today's popular social networks like Facebook, Instagram and many more. Another important thing that has to be mentioned is that kids and teenagers prefer playing computer games and smart phones applications to playing outside with other adults. More and more of the younger generation don't want to practice some kind of sport or use their free time to read a book or do some exercise. On the one hand, technologies make people anti-social in real life and also don't stimulate them to train or study. On the other hand, when somebody wants to make some research about a famous person or something that can be found in a book, it's much easier to use one of the biggest search engines - Google. People can find almost everything with just one simple click. Technologies can be useful, but also harmful; that is why we have to find the perfect combination between the cyber world and real life, between the Apple and the apple. Ylenia Ortega Téllez, Spain

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?! This is a proverb that was mentioned for the first time more than a century ago. Similar to other fruits, apples do benefit your health in many ways. An apple also has many great nutrients that perform various tasks to keep your body healthy, and these include vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The proverb means that eating an apple each day keeps you healthy; apples are so full of vitamins that if you eat one every day, you will not become sick and you will therefore not have to visit the doctor. The idea of eating apples for health has existed for over a thousand years in Asia. Recent studies have found out that eating an apple a day helps significantly reduce levels of bad cholesterol. In it’s specific sense, this proverb is telling us literally to eat an apple every single day if we cannot get the benefit to the fiber, vitamins and other nutritional advantages this fruit offers. In it’s more general sense, this proverb signifies that we should look after our health. The proverb states that eating an apple each day, and looking after our health, will keep the doctor away. This means that we will not need any medical appointments because we will be healthy. This is a proverb that we can use to motivate ourselves to look after ourselves.A simple, rhyming proverb, this saying actually, has a lot to tell us. Firstly, it motivates us to take positive action to look after our health. It emphasizes the importance of well being and of valuing ourselves by taking good care of ourselves every day. This proverb also shows us the value of a good daily routine. It also encourages us to get into good habits as soon as possible rather than not taking a positive action until it is too late. Erika Sánchez Benitez, Spain

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL

CHOICE

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE Only mediocre people change. *Kierkegaard As a prisoner of art, which is probably the purest manifestation of the human spirit, I would support the thesis that rather our destiny chooses us than the contrary. Having for example great thinkers like Carlyle and Nietzsche and their unhidden elitism, I could only claim that the impersonal fate, or the Roman goddess Fortune, or the three Parks, or almighty God, choose their mortal human- favourites for heroic deeds and glorious life. This is why I would like to emphasize that – in my opinion – there is a strong connection, an eternal bond between the extraordinary person and his extraordinary fate. Hence, I would not agree that the providence pre-defines every life and that every man is essential for the world’s being. According to my approach to this topic, I prefer to understand the difference as a gift, a special talent, a rare natural ability. Therefore, I am not talking about the whims of human’s character, for example the vagaries of fashion, the weird clothing, the strange appearance of nowadays’ youth and so on. On the contrary, I accept and – very important! – respect this difference which reveals itself through artistic tastes – for music, literature, painting, or at least which excites with outstanding thoughts and views on everything. Of course, all this extraordinarity gets developed throughout time, so the will or intellect are responsible for maintaining the idea of one’s difference, but here I mostly emphasize that the roots of each significant difference are within us since our birth. The ancient philosopher Plato explains this positive, artistic distinction with the belief of soul’s reincarnation through which we inherit someone else’s tastes and differences. And if these are special and rarely seen, we are talking about a genius. Moreover, I also consider human’s character – the source of every difference, – as a constant, an unchangeable essence of life. This is why a number of good qualities like strong will, wish, or ambition may just not be enough to defeat this essence. The well-known dramatist Menander has once said that our character is our destiny. If we accept the character for basis of existence which slightly changes during our earthly years, we could, therefore, accept that being different means also to be pre-ordained. Actually, there is no enjoyment in trying to change the character and this is very often the saddest thing of all. Because one’s satisfaction could be full only in bad deeds and bad intensions – changing a character like that towards good deeds and good intensions might be suitable for society or ethics but is nevertheless deadly for the character itself. Hence, the best thing to do is neither to repent of our difference, nor to waste time in changing ourselves. Being different might exclude us from the normal stream of life and make us unimpressed, passive, cold. It might even get us to that point where there is no satisfaction of living because of our sublime ideals. But as long as everything has a dialectical nature, being different also make us unique and gives us the chance – on the basis of our gifts – to be part of eternity. Kristiyan Iliev, Bulgaria

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE „The Only person that I was destined to be, is the person you have chosen to be'' Pam Finger To come to great thoughts a man should first get through insanity. Great people are remembered with their qualities and drawbacks: they are strange but in the same time original with their noncommercial visions and unusual lives. They are different but that is their own choice. When you choose your destiny, you build your future and you learn from the mistakes you have done, from the chances you have missed. There is another kind of “different people”. They cannot be judged for the person they have become. These “different people” didn‘t choose their physical or psychological condition. Their weirdness is not a way to express themselves. Their strenght is in their faith for a better life, their only weapon is their will. They are permanent targets of insults but even God should not judge them. They claim everyone has the freedom to choose whether to be different or not. Sadly, this so called “freedom” is nothing but illusion. It is not us who make a choice; it is the world around us - our families and friends, our country, and society with its moral issues and laws. The environment that surrounds us will always have a tremendous effect on our dreams and values. In order to be loved and accepted, we have to become someone different so that we can survive in this injust and hostile world. We are forced to change our ways of doing things to get what we want. People around us often make us do or say things that we would never even dream of doing. Desperate to find happiness, we let the world change us without even realizing it. And even if we do, we just do not have a choice. It doesn’t matter if we want to be different or not; the society forces it on us and we have to learn to live with a certain difference. This difference could be either a blessing or a curse; it strongly depends on the world around us. To conclude - be different, enrich reality! Ivana Pelovska, Bulgaria

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE Everyone has their own identity and differs from others to some extent. In my opinion, being different is both a right and an honour. It is also a very personal choice, one that often requires determination and courage. The first argument in support of this statement is that, although we are born with certain innate traits, such as temperament, these characteristics can be educated during our life, by adjusting our behaviour to the unforeseen situations that we encounter. Groups of friends, our family and our environment have a great impact on our evolution, and can change us for the better or for the worse. I think that, because we are endowed with reason, the choices that we make characterise us as people. The education that we receive during childhood from our parents, but also from our teachers, is the foundation from which we start in life. Many people never deviate from the basic rules and principles learned during this period, which are so important in our formation. Another argument comes from treating this topic in terms of conformism versus non- conformism. Some people try to imitate certain behaviours in order to fit into a particular social group. This is a way in which many people behave in their circle of friends or around those with whom they want to become friends. Such behaviour is rarely successful, as imitating others can make you look silly and even be misunderstood. You are not your original self, only a copy of someone else and this is easily noticed by those around you. I believe it is important to accept that people are different, and to respect and honour their characteristics. By treating them this way and expecting the same from them, we can live together in understanding and harmony, and society would only stand to gain. In the words of social rights activist and bishop Desmond Tutu: “Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another.” Through the arguments presented above, I support my idea that being different is our choice, one that characterises us during our entire life. No matter how hard we try to imitate someone else, we fail entirely. We don’t need to fear or deny our differences. Being different is one of the greatest gifts of being human. By being ourselves and showing our personality, we demonstrate our originality, strength and bravery. Alexandru Costinel Grădinaru, Romania

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE Being different. For me that is being yourself. We’ve all heard this statement so often. But what does it mean? Our true self is who we really are when we let go of all the stories, labels and judgements that we have placed upon ourselves. It is who we naturally are, without the masks and pretentions. Is being yourself a personal choice? Some people desperately want to be someone else, they refuse to be what they really are, without realising that the best they can be is themselves. Does it make sense? Nobody likes someone who is a fake. So, to answer the question, I believe it is a personal choice. Sadly, most people make the wrong choice. We feel attracted to people that are genuine. Every single one of us is different and unique, and that makes everything much more interesting. Imagine how boring it would be if we were all the same. Would you like to see thousands of mirror images of yourself? Being different it’s priceless. When you are yourself and you love it, that’s when you are at your best. So, everyone that can’t find their path in life, those who are unhappy and miserable, I urge you to be yourself! Don’t hide your uniqueness! It’s not easy to do it when the world is constantly trying to turn you into something else, but if you accomplish it, then you will truly be amazing. I am going to end with a quote which I hope it will motivate you to be different and show you it’s the best choice that you can make: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Deborah Sara Stan, Romania

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE World population has reached 7.5 billion people of different races, color of skin, different sizes, cultures, languages, religions, different tastes and styles, living standards, different dreams and goals in our lives. Globalization and technological revolution bring about growing impact of world- wide interconnectedness. Nowadays more than ever, different people with different backgrounds mix and live together. Societies can thrive on multiculturalism, but they also face different problems, that multiculturalism may stir. One of the reactions to the rise of globalization is xenophobia and nationalism – fear or hatred of foreigners, people from different cultures, or strangers. The current refugee crises with growing amounts of immigrants settling in Europe shows, that people are afraid of these people from different parts of the world and often for very good reasons. Terror acts create terror of fear, in order to achieve a political, religious, or ideological aim. Sadly, they have become shockingly common: Paris, Brussels, Nice, Berlin, Istanbul, Stockholm, Manchester or London. We feel a lot less safe in our part of the world than we did just a decade ago. However, when I am watching or reading the news, I try to imagine myself in shoes of a refugee – an individual who is fleeing his/ her country to escape persecution based on race, religion, nationality or membership of a certain group or political opinion. The whole families often with little babies run away, because they are different from people who are in power in their homeland, who are often extremists believing in and supporting ideas that are very far from what most people consider correct or reasonable. Desperate refugees fleeing from unstable Syria or Afghanistan have different opinions from ISIL and refuse to live under Sharia law, but when they come to Europe or America, they are often ostracized and may face the challenges of starvation, abduction, violence and difficulties to obtain admission into a protected and safe country. It is a very peculiar situation. Millions flee from their countries because they are different from their rulers, they live in very bad conditions in refugee camps, desire to cross European borders exhausted beyond words by life without description, but we are afraid to let them in, afraid to have them in our neighborhoods, because they are different. Different from us. We know how disastrous was the Nazi ambition during WW2 to eliminate those, who were different. To create a world both dominated and populated by the "Aryan" race, the Nazi machinery was dedicated to eradicating millions of „different“ people undesirable by Nazi standards because of who they were, their genetic or cultural origins, or health conditions. These included Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, and people with physical or mental disabilities, Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, the dissenting clergy, Communists, Socialists, asocial people, and different political enemies. We need to learn a lesson from the Holocaust and other genocides and prevent them from happening in this century. Being different is not a personal choice! Or are we – humans living in the 21st century actually so different? Son of Adam, son of Moses, son of Noah, Jesus, Mohammad. I am sure every person in this world is a blessed brother or relative of mine one way or another. We need to respect all religions and

traditions and relish in our differences. Yes, we may differ in some aspects, yet, we need to coexist, tolerate one another, not to impose by force our idea of what is better on others! We need to be tolerant but also protect our culture and freedom. Tolerance, solidarity, understanding and empathy is the recipe for peaceful coexistence, but it has to be done by each party. Love ultimately is the only way to counteract rhetorical hate of those who demonize people and cultures that are different, nonviolence is the only way to success .There is enough place for everyone on this beautiful planet. I hope our European politicians will make wise decisions to help those in need but also secure our safety. There is a lot more of what we – the current world population have in common, than what is different. Let´s stand up to those few that thrive on divisions. All of us want to live in Europe in peace with dignity and basic human rights where the European Union's motto „United in diversity! „ is true. YES TO TOLERANCE, LOVE and PEACE. Soňa Babinská and Viktória Iglodyová, Slovakia

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE It is a normal human desire to be different and special, but also in some respects fit in and not to be different from others. Basically, more often than not, being different is your personal choice. Yes, you are born into a particular family and a country and these facts can´t be altered. Your family and upbringing influence you most, but one can always decide to „derail” and become the black sheep of their family. Usually in puberty young people desire to be recognized as an individual with individual needs, hopes, dreams and preferences. It is the first step on the road to try to tell the world "Love me for me!" One of the easiest ways to differentiate from your parents (and often siblings) and signal "who I am", to all the other people is through clothing and other changes in appearance. Young people want to get out of the line and stand out, even though their parents do not always understand and support their experiments - piercing, tattoo, half - shaven head. They do not care and demonstrate that who they are, is the result of their and not their parents´ choice. This applies not only to appearance, but also different life values and actions. You may decide to expand the changes in lots of aspects of your life. Be an atheist or a Buddhist in a family of Christians or vice versa, become an Emo or a Hippie, a party animal or a drop out of school, unemployed or homeless. All of these new identities can make your parents despair and wonder where they went wrong. However, being the black sheep of the family doesn't necessarily make you a bad person, especially when your changes are positive. You are entitled to see things differently and have you own opinions. It's your life and you need to understand that not everyone is going to agree with you, but ultimately you need to do what is right for you and follow your dreams, even if your dream is to work in the woods for the rest of your life - and your parents can't understand that. Another problem is peer pressure and the opposite desire - not to be different from the crowd. Teenagers are easily persuaded by the herd mentality and often succumb to it. They will not stop for a moment to question anything that they’ve been told, only to be accepted by their peers. Desiring not to be different from their friends, they lose their individuality, and the consequences of this are often enormous: they can barely use their critical thinking, and their willpower is almost nonexistent. This is OK if you are surrounded by nice people and follow their good example. The problem arises when the pressure comes from a crowd of difficult people. In these situations it is a personal choice to show courage and to speak out or act when you see wrongdoing, and the others are silent. This stance is called bravery. When you see your classmates bullying someone, you can act differently, you can speak out! When they offer you the first cigarette or some drug, you should feel free to refuse and be different form your crowd. The pressure to adjust and „ get in line“, doesn´t concern only youngsters. Almost everywhere you look, you can see individuals who are suppressed and suffering, mainly because they conform to those around them, in order to feel liked and accepted. They sacrifice themselves just so they can please others. They’re afraid, that if they express their individuality, they may be ostracized. Their life is a torture, because they feel the burden of conformity growing heavier and heavier on their shoulders. Here is my advice to all who are in this situation. Tear off your masks! Act responsibly. Live YOUR life! The moment you stop desiring others’ acceptance and begin to express yourself, you may be called a rebel and oftentimes a freak, but you feel free, because you don’t need anyone else’s permission or approval. Rebels don’t allow anyone to dictate to them how to live. On the contrary, they see themselves as the creators of their own destiny and are masters of their own lives.

Even though you may be happy with your current status quo, life is change and we all need it from time to time. In my opinion, we all should continually try to make some progress and be different from who we are today. This definitely is our personal choice. We can be better, more tolerant, helpful, more educated, polite and active, we can be slimmer and live a healthier life, learn different languages and get to know different countries. We can get out of the system and change a lot! Nevertheless, there are also many things that we simply can´t alter and I guess we all have a list of such. Well, we should learn to be OK with that and quit fretting about what can´ be changed. Once you have accepted some things the way they are, life gets simpler and happier. Marek Nemky, Slovakia

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE We can't choose our origin, family, hometown, sex.... Maybe we can be born without a leg, arm or other disabilities. These are not our choices. No one can judge you because of all these. You can be white or black. Being white or black is not your choice and not your fault. Every person can be different and difference is not our choice. You can have a super brain or you can be a slow learner. No one can blame you because you are a slow learner. This is not your personal choice. You can't choose all of these differences which separates you from society. You can be black or white, poor or rich, female or male. You can have a healthy body or you can have a disability. You can have green, black, brown or blue eyes. No one can choose these, they choose us. Because of these everyone should respect each other. We should accept all these differences and we shouldn't judge people because they have differences which separate them from other people. We are all human. Nobody wants to be like what they don't like but being different is not our choice. So, we should treat equally to everyone even they are different from us. Think and put yourself in their place. It’s difficult to be different, isn’t it? Begüm Atsan, Turkey

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE There are differences in people from birth. It is not only our physical differences. They are people's talents, thoughts, ideas as well. Let's just say there are innate differences in people. Eye colour height, skin colour, family and some illnesses are innately possessed differences. It is wrong to exclude people for being different. Differences make human specific. But the important thing is not the differences in the appearance of human skin. According to me, the difference is a person's thoughts and abilities. Capabilities we have from our birth is our speciality. The place where a person lives makes his thoughts and every new thought is a difference. Being a human is understanding each other. We should know that differences are the richness of life and respect them. By this way, we can live together peacefully. İlayda Turan, Turkey

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE Everyone has their own individuality, we are original, but for one reason or another we prefer to copy others, not to show what we really feel or think. We are probably afraid not to stand out and be different from the rest. Nowadays, being “different” often takes on a negative connotation in that it does not refer to an original and unique person, but to one that is unable to be the same with others, to conform to their standards. I believe that this is totally wrong. First, there are already too many people with the same mentality, with the same ideas. The purpose of each one of us is to be successful, which is possible only if we distance ourselves from the others and do something different from them. So, you’ll be successful only if you think outside of the box. Secondly, being “different” does not mean being “weird”. Everyone is original, and should have enough self-confidence to express themselves as they wish, without taking into account the opinion of others. It is true that man was and remains a social animal who needs to belong to a group, but that does not mean that all the members of the group must be exactly the same. Each should be allowed to bring a touch of originality. In conclusion, being “you” does not make you vulnerable, but rather demonstrates that you are a strong person. Do not lose yourself in the crowd. Stand out! Siavenka Anastasiya, Italy

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE We are all different. Fortunately. That’s what a commercial says nowadays and I think it’s right. We are all born different, aren’t we? Some of us are born thinner, others are born fatter; some are born smaller, others are born taller, and we can continue this list. We also have some inner qualities which make the difference between us, and it’s up to us if we choose to show them. I think that nowadays to be different is a rarity. For most of us not to dress as the others dress, not to speak like they do, not to behave as they behave is a hard thing to do. For instance, most teenage girls are tempted to dress fashionably, to be trendy. I don’t say that’s a bad thing, but everything has a limit, and that can make the difference. It’s the same with language: many young people like to use swear words. They don’t care that sometimes they are hurting the people they love by these ugly words. In these cases, we should choose to be different from the others. We shouldn’t care that they will laugh and say that we are old-fashioned, we should be proud of ourselves because being different is priceless. Very few people choose to be different, and we should be an example for the others. To be different also means to make your own way in the world, no matter what, to have your own dream and to follow it. It’s your choice. For me, being different is a personal choice. You decide what way your steps will lead. You decide how it’s going to be: will you be like a sheep from the flock, or will you try to be a shepherd who leads the others to a better way of life? I choose to be like a shepherd for the people around me. What do you choose? Be different! Orzhekhivskyy Vicktor, Italy

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE People personally decide what to become when they grow up. Choice includes making a decision. So it’s up to people whether they will be different ot not. Firstly, the power of being different embraces your uniqueness. All of our choices are created within us. We control the thoughts we have, we select the words that we utter, and, supposedly, we are in full control of the actions we undertake. In many cases our choices are influenced by others, but we should not feel afraid to speak up our opinion. Secondly, every one of us decides on their own whether it is right or wrong to be different. For instance, if a friend introduces us a new diet, we should carefully decide whether to try it or not; if we do not like it, we should simply say it. In conclusion, I would like to express my opinion that being different is a personal choice, because you decide whether to be part of the mass or to be ... unique! Isaac Veas Zarzuela, Spain

BEING DIFFERENT IS (NOT) A PERSONAL CHOICE From an early age we start to observe people and then to admire them. First it is our mothers, fathers or family figures, and then public figures like singers, actors, or anyone that appears on TV. For a kid this is a way of learning, of discovering the world. Then a strange stage of our lives begins… Being part of a group is a basic human instinct. Sometimes our differences can make this a little hard. Teenagers are often in the position to either change themselves in order to be accepted, or to accentuate their differences in order to prove something. At this age, we start to define our personality, and we try to find things that fit us best. It is not an easy task, and we change our minds so often! Now we like something and one month later we hate it, we get along with someone, and say he or she is our best friend, and then we see things fall apart quickly. All the things we love or hate define us and make us unique human beings. The way we deal with our problems, the people we choose to spend our lives with, our preferences regarding music, movies, clothes, our ambition, our soul and also our appearance are all little pieces of this “construction”. As a consequence, I think it is impossible for two persons to be exactly the same, and that being different and being honest about our differences are personal choices. Nuria Sánchez Barrera, Spain

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Hardly ever has any other statement implied so much truth since people differ tremendously in their perception of the world that surrounds them. Thus, for example, a person may find extraordinary beauty in a tiny flower, yet another - in a flock of geese flying south for the winter. Humanity thrives thanks to the everlasting curiosity for novelties and refinement is one of the criteria for a successful quest. People aspire for the beautiful aspects of life and feel satisfied if they reach their goals. Without beauty (wherever, however shown) people would be “dead inside”. Furthermore, there comes the time when people start searching for their soulmates. Some of them find physical appearance more important than a person’s character. I firmly believe beauty cannot only be perceived with the eyes; it must also be felt with the heart. What I am searching for is a person’s “inner world” - their fears and desires. One shouldn‘t hide their true self behind a mask just to be beautiful and liked by the community. When the term ‘beauty‘ moves beyond its basic definition into the realms of artistic expression, it becomes even more subjective. Photography is definitely my connection to art; thanks to it my soul is “alive “. This kind of art, the art of capturing so little with so much meaning, with such a deep story, is what keeps me away from being a robot. Moreover, that is where a person’s point of view is seen. Personally, I encounter beauty in people’s eyes. They are our window to the world, a mirror which reflects our souls and who we actually are; they show true happiness or disappointment, love or sadness. I love taking photographs of human eyes because I am eager to capture the primitive emotions they express. This is what I find beautiful, especially if the picture is in the shades of black, white and grey. I once read in a book that a colored photograph shows looks, while a black-and- white one shows feelings. To sum up, beauty manifests itself in various forms. Whatever seems amazing to us may be accordingly rejected by others. People should keep searching for, create and contemplate beauty for our souls to be alive. Eva Tsaneva, Bulgaria

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Look at me. Do it very carefully, stare! Am I beautiful, or does your perception deceive you? How can you determine what is beautiful, when beauty is so fluid a thing as a river? How can you be sure, when what for me is astonishing for you can be repulsive? There are a lot of things that are easily recognizable: a tree or a shoe, or any other object around you. However, we get rather puzzled when it comes to things that are not so easy to define. No matter how obvious it is, many people desperately try to designate notions that are too subjective. Let‘s brood about beauty. How can we specify this concept if what appeals to me may rise quite the opposite emotions to you? Beauty is not something that can be easily defined. “Beautiful is a thing that appeals to us and brings joy/positive feelings” says the dictionary. Oh, really? Then, should this mean that if a psychopath finds the sliced guts of their victim beautiful, they can be considered as such by the rest of us? Is this the norm we have so much craved for? There are many other examples for the overlooked fact that defining strongly individual and subjective things is far from being a piece of cake. There are billions of people around the world, and everyone has their individual mindset. The explanation for this is connected to one‘s psyche, experience, the social environment they grew up in and the way their brain functions. That is why the things that appeal to me can be really different from those that appeal to you. Thus, for example, do you think German language sounds beautifully? Maybe you don’t, but I do! Then how can we be sure if its sounds are beautiful indeed or not? Somebody might say the constructive criticism is a solution to this problem. But then again, how can you criticize a thing that is understood and felt by every individual in a different way? Just think about it and you will realize the truth; once you do, you will spare yourself a lot of snags. To conclude, a lot of problems in human relationships are caused mainly because people have different constructs for beauty. I believe, it is high time we started giving credit to opinions that might be also true, no matter how different from our personal views. Ivelin Georgiev, Bulgaria

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Each person has their own opinion about what or who is beautiful, and each person conceives beauty in their own way. This means that you may think something is beautiful, but someone else may not. It is said that beauty is an image that is pleasing to the eye, but the phrase “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” shows us that there is not just one definition of beauty. What we see as beautiful can vary according to race, age, culture, gender, personal perspective, and taste. Therefore, beauty is a relative concept, and this also means that there is also no single definition of the opposite of beauty, either. In my opinion, beauty is something that encloses many meanings, motivating us to seek, to find and to explore them. Thus, the beholder becomes someone who is interested in watching and discovering things or persons, and endowing them with beauty. Sometimes we can see beauty in the ugliest of things, just by taking our time and analysing them closely. Beauty is not necessarily in what we see, but in how we look at it. Beauty can be found everywhere around us, if we only have the eyes to see it. I think that everyone is beautiful in the opinion of at least one other person in this world. Everyone has a beautiful side, even if they have many flaws, problems or disabilities. Someone who is close to them will see their hidden beauty, even though the whole world may disagree. In conclusion, I believe that beauty is only a matter of perception, and that each person or object is beautiful in their own way. When you love someone, their beauty will shine for you in all they do and say. Ancuța Boghian, Romania

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER The proverb “The beauty is in the eye of the beholder” owes its current form to the writer Margaret Wolfe Hungerford. It means that each person can have a different view about what or who is beautiful, and very often we see what we choose to see. Nowadays, more than ever, a definition of what is considered beautiful is variable, and it differs from person to person. We all have divergent opinions about and standards of what beauty means. Someone may find beauty in a forest or in a flower, while another may consider these far too common to represent real beauty. Many people believe that the actors or actresses playing in Hollywood movies are the epitome of perfection, while others can’t find beauty at all on the big screen, preferring picturesque locations around the world. Beauty in nature often gives artists the motivation to create, trying to capture the beauty they see. The multitude of colours and landscapes has inspired painters and photographers worldwide. On the other hand, to a blind man, beauty may be the song of birds and the smell of rain. Beauty is often equated with physical appearance, but I think that beauty can’t only be perceived with the eyes, it must also be felt with the heart. Even so, we may all get a similar feeling about beauty, but the source of those feelings can vary greatly. What does beauty mean to me? First of all, I find beauty in my family. Each member is beautiful in a multitude of ways and for a variety of reasons. My sister delights me with her gorgeous smile and melodious laughter. My mother always finds new ways to turn our humble house into a wonderful home. My brother is a generous soul, always ready to lend a hand to a person in need. I also see beauty in nature, in the diffused light and changing colours of the sunset, or in the shining of stars on the velvety summer night sky. In conclusion, I think that beauty is elusive and we must strive to find out what it really means. More often than not, it isn’t a palpable beauty, but one that you see with the eyes of the heart. Bianca Luculescu, Romania

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER The definition in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary reads: Beauty is the combination of qualities that make something pleasing and impressive to listen to or touch, or especially to look at. The opinion on what is beautiful and what is not has changed over centuries and people have always had different opinions on what is beautiful and what is ugly. Literal meaning of the saying “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder„ is that the perception of beauty is subjective and you can´t expect people have the same opinion on what is beautiful. One´s “eye” is influenced by one´s age, country of origin, culture, social status, upbringing, previous experience, education, different eras they live in and who knows what else. They affect our minds and the way we see and understand things. Not only do we like different architecture, songs, films, but also we dress differently, we buy diverse furniture, we have often diverse take on who is pretty and who is not. Would you believe that in the past people would blacken their teeth and wear atrocious wigs attached to their heads by animal fat to look rich and “attractive” according to the standards from those times? Disgusting, right? In my opinion, our perceiving beauty has its roots in education. If your parents take you to the theatre, opera and ballet, it is likely that you will appreciate these forms of arts also later in your life. This is why our school takes us to various performances – to train our eyes to see the real beauty. For a tribe living in Amazon jungle Picasso will hardly have any value. The value is very much determined by the consensus of a society and the thing has such a value as we attribute to it. There is another very similar saying that goes like this: One man's trash is another man's treasure. You may see your gorgeous sister or best friend going out with a guy that looks like a villain from Dickens novel and wonder, what the hell she sees in him? Well, it seems love really is blind when it comes to physical flaws. Research suggests that we view our loved ones through rose-tinted glasses that overlook the crooked legs or noses, bulging tummies or other attributes that might put others off. And that you fall in love with one particular women or man depends mostly on your eye and your values you look for in your future partner. As it is said in the claim 'we see and understand things not as they are but as WE ARE '. I do believe there is more than one vision for each thing and the beauty is absolutely in the eye of the beholder. The best demonstration of this is the fact, that for each mother her baby is absolutely the most beautiful one in the whole world. Bronislava Pokorná, Slovakia

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER When people have disagreement about what is pretty in the arts, architecture, music, film, fashion industry, there may be someone around, who will close the discussion by saying: „Beauty is in the eye of a beholder...“. We have a very similar saying in Slovak language: „There is no accounting for taste“(„Proti gustu žiaden dišputát“.) These are common phrases with a power to silence people who try to educate others about aesthetics, but should they? How do we as people judge what is beautiful? There are no set rules or standards as to what can be called beautiful, so who determines this. Originally, the phrase was used as a shield against snobbery when „experts “tried to shape taste of ordinary people with stern authority, told them what to like and treated any dissent with scorn. It was a defense against intolerance and those who said that, meant to communicate something like: “Stop trying to persuade me into submission. My preferences are my personal choice and I can think and feel as I like.” However, the idea that beauty is totally subjective is untrue and quite dangerous, because it can backfire. With all the freedom and democracy we now have, we basically know, that some things are simply generally uglier than other and some are totally pain in the eye. If we can have view on science, politics, economics et cetera, why shouldn´t we be able to have a clear view on aesthetics? I believe that people have the ability to make fair judgements about what things are beautiful and what are not. Our doubts about beauty can be easily abused by developers, fashion and furniture designers and quasi artists. If there was no such thing as an objective measure of beauty, then you could pretty much do what you want to a city or landscape and that is dangerous. No one likes the ghastly blocks of flats in our housing estates that we inherited from the post-communist era, but someone must have said they were OK before they were built. You can pay an expensive ticket to a gallery exhibiting ridiculous rubbish that is called modern art and leave it totally disappointed or even disgusted, or switch off your TV after 3 hours of changing channels and not seeing any film worth watching. From my point of view, closing down conversation with ‘beauty lies in the eye of the beholder’ can be harmful especially for the culture obsessed by quick profit. A society that can’t talk openly and sensibly about beauty may condemn itself to ugliness. If we agree that all beauty is always relative, only because no one knows what beautiful is, we may end up being condemned to live in unattractive environments that have become so common and complaining about films, books, music, different forms of arts being a lot worse, than they used to be in the old days. To avoid this situation, we need to engage in aesthetic debate. Daniela Mattová, Slovakia

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER When the mother looks at her daughter or her son, she sees the most beautiful creature all around the world. The mom doesn’t love her child because of her/his beauty, she loves her child because she/he is a part of her heart. In the famous story “Leyla and Mecnun” of Fuzuli, someone asked Mecnun “You’re saying -Leyla, Leyla-, you want to die for your love to her. But, she is not a beautiful girl. Why do you love her?” And Mecnun answered like that “You must see Leyla from my eyes.” If Mecnun was not Mecnun, Leyla wouldn’t be Leyla. In the poem of Nazım Hikmet, he tells the love story about “Tahir and Zühre” and he said that “It is not a shame to be Tahir or Zühre, either. / And even dying of love is not shameful./ The hard part is being Tahir and Zühre, / I mean in the heart.” The meaning of beauty is not just about physical appearances. The beauty of human’s heart is important. And that beauty because of love is beauty of heart. Our folk poet Aşık Veysel Şatıroğlu says that, “Your beauty is utterly worthless/ If I don’t love you.” There is beauty in every soul. Looking nicely and being able to see the beauty is one of the most important talents. Serenay Özbilgin, Turkey

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Every person conceives beauty in their own way. We can each decide what is beautiful, but what seems beautiful to us can be considered ugly by others. A first argument to support the idea above is the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. Sometimes, people put too much emphasis on exterior beauty, treating with indifference what lies at the heart of something. The exterior can be misleading, most of the times, therefore inner beauty should also be valued. For example, the packaging of some products may seem very beautiful and attract us, but when we open the package we are often disappointed by what we find inside. The same happens with some people. Their beauty can fool us, but when we get to know them, we discover that their personality or behaviour is ugly, and lose our interest. Another argument is that each person has different tastes and concepts, thus beauty can take on different forms. Why is that? The answer is simple: we aren’t alike. God made us different, everyone is special in their own way. If we aren’t the same, our opinions can’t be the same. If I like something it is not obligatory for someone else to have a similar opinion. Moreover, sometimes, when there is love involved, a person can become perfect. The beholder can transform the defects into qualities and ugliness into beauty, because in our mind everything acquires a new meaning. This is what’s special about us, humans. Therefore, beauty can be a specific trait with which some of us are born, but its perception differs from beholder to beholder. I believe that each person is beautiful in their own way, and that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Çisem Karagöz, Turkey

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER What’s beauty? “Beauty is the quality present in a thing or a person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction”. Could we explain its definition better? Yet, how we surely know, if someone likes something, another person could not love that. So, is beauty a subjective feeling? Maybe yes, maybe not. Let me explain better. If two friend see a girl, for the first one she could be the best woman on the Earth, but, for example, for the other one she is a mussel. But if these two friends see instead an old Roman monument, maybe they could not love it, but they will surely appreciate its style, its greatness. However, in the second example, I dealt with about monuments, not about people. In this sense, beauty is a subjective feeling. Not surprisingly, a famous italian proverb says “It's not nice what is nice but it's nice what you like”. But this feeling mustn’t become a discrimination issue for people who aren’t considered beautiful. Every one is beautiful in his own way. Who isn’t pretty maybe is a genius, or is a good athlete, etc. but everyone has a personal talent that should be used in the right way. Accordingly beauty isn’t the principal skill of a person. And it’s subjective. So, “beauty is in the eyes of who watches us”. Rocco Simonetta, Italy

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Today, in our society, beauty plays an important role: in fact, people take care of ones' looks, forgetting the real values. So, if someone doesn't want to get a beauty treatment or is not interested in being fashionable, he may be considered a strange or abnormal person. This isn't right: I believe that a person should be considered and judged for his actions and not for his appearance. This behavior has been going on for a long time and people judge each other without even thinking. Beauty. What comes to mind when you hear that word? Is it concerned with the faces of models or actors? Extraordinary paintings or lovely pieces of music? Everyone has his own idea of what beauty is, but we all want it. We want it around us, but more than that, we want it for ourselves. That is why the cosmetics industry is one of the most profitable in the world, generating billions each year. Beauty in the eye of the beholder. It means that each individual person see beauty different from the others. So, I think you can’t judge someone just ‘cause for you is ugly, you can’t please everyone. How do you feel if someone calls you ugly? I think you’d feel hurt about it! To be flawless is the most thing every teenager wants. Thanks right filter, lighting, and photo editing at least on social (like instagram or facebook) we can be almost perfect. But why do we use so many things to look beautiful? ‘Cause it’s the world to tell us, it’s the world to tell that you have to be perfect or you won’t be accepted. I think that it’s important to look good but not too much, life is for living, not for appearances. In this world we are all different but at the same time equal. Michele Orofino, Italy

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER What is beauty? Each one of us perceives the world in a different way. Therefore, there are many definitions of beauty. “Beauty, like truth, is relative to the time when one lives and to the individual who can grasp it” says Gustave Courbet. Standards of beauty never stop changing and they depend on many factors such as the culture, age, and others. Every country has its own way of looking at things that others might find weird or unacceptable. Our perspective of the world isn’t the same as when we were five years old, for example. But beauty has always existed. Historically, beauty has always been an inspiration for artists. However, it has also caused wars. In the past, beauty was a sign that a person is healthy. Some women were accused for being witches just because they were beautiful. Nowadays, people tend to judge a book by its cover, but not always things are the same from the inside. In my opinion, what matters the most is the inner beauty. People often don’t accept that everyone likes different things. It’s natural for groups to react negatively when someone looks or acts differently. For example, if one person thinks that something is beautiful and others don’t, that’s okay because if everyone were the same the world would be a boring place. In conclusion, no one can see what you see and it is up to you to decide what is beautiful. Maria Nerea Montero Fernández, Spain

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Everyone has their own opinions, preferences, hopes and beliefs that make them unique. Each of us has our own personal perspective of how the world works. Sometimes something simple as the idea of beauty may cause a serious dispute and may be both objective and subjective. That is why James Deacon states: “What you see depends not only on what you look at, but also on where you look it from”. On the one hand, there are standards of the concept of beauty that the majority of people agree with. That is one of the reasons why beauty is considered as objective. However, the word “objective” means that people should search the beauty only in the objects and in the outside world. But beauty shouldn’t be represented only as an object; sometimes beauty is simply the sound of a well-played symphony. On the other hand, the word beauty is very subjective. Probably that is because of the fact that people have their own personal taste or liking. For example a painting, that is likable for some can be dislikable for other. Furthermore, often people change their preferences depending on the way they feel, or the way the people they are with affect them. In my opinion, the idea of beauty is subjective and I assume that people are pretty much alike. Perhaps, as Isabella Poretsis says,” …the only thing that makes us different from each other is just the perception of the eye that sees any different.” In conclusion, beauty could be found everywhere; we just need to have our senses ready to behold it. Miguel Olivera Sánchez, Spain

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE?

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? Music has been the art of sharing ideas, feelings and all sorts of messages for millennia. It has proven its power to withstand the test of time, as some prices of music have survived for hundreds of years and are still considered to be the finest creations of humanity. In the meantime, its popularity continues to grow: the modern advancement of technology has made it possible for a great number of artists to express themselves and create music in different genres. The diversity of musical styles and genres, however, has had a paradoxical effect on society. It has simultaneously brought people together in order to form groups of like- minded individuals, but it has also allowed for other groups to spread their hatred towards individuals with different mindsets. This is how some interesting questions arise, one of which is whether music brings people together or divides them. Many people believe that music is an instrument which brings people of different backgrounds together. Music, like any other type of art, conveys different ideas. Songs like “Imagine” by John Lennon have been used in the protest against war that took place in the 1960s in the USA. Similar songs spread the ideas of the Western world among young people of the Soviet Union which ultimately led to the end the state. Music, among many other factors, has proved it can bring people together by spreading ideas among them. Today music is used to share ideas all over the world. The sheer number of people creating music results thousands of ideas being spread amongst billions of people and thus they bring people from all over the world together. Music can also be used to tell different stories. The popularity of musicals proves that people are willing to put aside their differences and come together to hear stories in the form of music. Music is also at the heart of any celebration and it is precisely during celebrations that people become close friends. There are, however, people who think that music is a reason for people to discriminate against others. It is true that music, like any other type of art, can share not only positive, but also negative ideas. Many artists have been accused of causing divides between groups of people, who live their lives in different ways and believe in different things. Certain genres have been accused of speeding the idea that one religion is superior to others, hip-hop music is considered by many to be homophobic, racist and for sexist. It is therefore used as propaganda amongst some hate groups around the world. Music can also lead to differences between groups of people. Some people would completely dedicate their lives to a certain lifestyle because of their own taste. Differences caused by a certain taste in music have been the cause of conflicts amongst fans of rap and rock, as well as those of metal and pop. In my opinion, music brings people together. By sharing ideas and stories it has influenced many people, both famous and unknown, to follow their dreams. There are, of course, those who would use the power of music to spread hatred and misinformation, but I believe they are far fewer than those, who use music to share positive ideas and bring people together. Gergana Stefanova, Bulgaria

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? Music is all about emotions. I simply call it a companion on our emotional roller coaster that helps us survive. Despite our ability to feel the bad “vibes” we are always frantically searching for happiness. That makes us burn daylight and waste our potential by being too self-centered or materialistical. This constant search for fulfilment and satisfaction can turn into a vicious circle really fast. We can’t fit in a specified environment anymore and feel comfortable within a community that doesn‘t share our life concepts. A logical aftermath is turning back to people and often start looking for the positive influence of art, music in particular. However, music is not only a reflection of our negative emotions. Some people often underestimate the positive effect of music in our lives. It can influence our mind-state and simply motivate us to reach for the stars. Using its broader scope, music can arouse our interests and curiosity and unite people in different social groups. I personally think that music has an extremely positive effect on us. Some can use it to boost their potential and make a positive contribution to the society. I’m trying to bring somethings to people’s lives using the motivation that comes with music and to enlighten the others to reach their higher self the way I try to reach mine. That makes music a powerful tool which we can use for our own good. Music signifies different things to different people, extending to a deeply personal level. That’s why we sometimes think of music being about individuals expressing themselves and their talents, but, globally, music tends to be more of a social phenomenon with the power to bring about substential social change. Polina Encheva, Bulgaria

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? “Music is a great blessing. It has the power to elevate and liberate us. It sets people free to dream. It can unite us to sing with one voice. Such is the value of music.” (Nelson Mandela) Music is one of the rare things in life that can unite people of all races and nationalities. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, where you are from or what car you drive, music unites us all! Music doesn’t have any boundaries, it doesn’t care what language you speak, because music is truly a universal language that we all understand. I agree with the musician Jai Uttal who said: “World music is music from everywhere: music that creates bridges, music that unites hearts and cultures, music that brings peace.” Music connects people who have the same ideals in life, and it unites people with the same musical taste, those who feel and understand music in the same way. Music can be a call to action, it can inspire and motivate people everywhere. There are some powerful songs that can just make us feel better, and think that anything is possible. But the question is: if music unites, how can it also divide? It divides us because we all have our own taste in music. There are people who love classical music, people who’d die for rock, people who listen only to Christian songs. Many people think that you can tell what a person is like by the music they listen to, and that their favourite genre defines their personality. We tend to navigate towards the people who share our taste in music, and discriminate against those who don’t. We are tempted to judge people who listen to other genres than us based on stereotypes. This can lead to barriers in communication or even conflicts, as shown in the lyrics of the song “Suburban War” by the band Arcade Fire: “And now the music divides / Us into tribes / You choose your side and I’ll choose my side.” In conclusion, music is an incredible force that plays an essential role in our emotional lives. It has the power to unite us across borders, but also to divide us inside our own home. Otilia Hrițcu, Romania

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? “Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul.” (Anonymous) In my opinion, music speaks to us in a way nothing else can. Music changes who we are, not just in comparison with others – it is a deeply personal experience, and we take away a memory from every melody that we listen to. As a consequence of this, the music that we grow to appreciate tells a lot about who we are as persons, even things that we don’t normally like to admit or share with others. In answer to the question “Do you agree that music unites and divides?”, the best answer that I can give is: “Yes, I do”. It does both of these things and more, it reassures, it motivates, it soothes and it educates. Music is more complex than any one person can truly appreciate, and so I feel it is an injustice to cast it as an instrument which simply divides or unites. Music means different things, it is more than just black and white, it comforts people when they are down, it excites people when they are in need of encouragement, and it calms people when they are stressed. We can see everywhere how music divides, from line-ups on TV shows, such as The Voice or The X Factor, to arguments over the internet. Lil’ Wayne or Lil’ John? Miles Davis or Louis Armstrong? One Direction or the Beatles? All of these questions cause conflict on a small or large scale between friends, family, strangers and acquaintances alike. Not just out of allegiance to a particular genre or artist, but also because of the message conveyed by the lyrics of a song. For instance, in 1984, Madonna released a hugely controversial single, “Like a Virgin”, which received unbelievably bad press and slanderous reports, yet it was number 1 in the charts for six weeks. In conclusion, wherever music is, there will always be disagreement – that is the nature of it. But this happens because wherever music is, there will always be people too, and people will always have different opinions, because that is the nature of us. Therefore, it is not actually music that divides people, but the judgements surrounding it. Ana Maria Oboroceanu, Romania

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? Learn about different cultures but learn about your roots No scientist can explain the power that music has over us and our emotions. It accompanies us and provides the “soundtrack” of our lives from the lullabies our mothers sang to us as babies, till the music played in funerals to say the last good bye. It is a part of almost every important personal and collective moment. With music we celebrate the triumphs and commemorate tragedies of life. Music penetrates almost its every part: our rest, our entertainment, education and religious rituals. Not surprisingly it is also a basic marketing tool capable of influencing consumer attitudes and behavior in shopping and service environments. Music is a proven mood elevator. Scientists have found that the pleasurable experience of listening to music releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain associated with rewards such as food, drugs, and sex. In puberty and adolescence music reigns supreme and divides us into „tribes“. The bands you choose when you are growing up define who you are or were. Someone is Eminem, someone Jimmy Hendrix…we are defined by our music. Those bands are us, we have their songs on our mobiles and listen to each and every song multiply times on the way to and from school. When confronted, we are ready to defend them to the death. Like with books, people opine that it is easy to tell what a person is like, by the music they listen to. Same taste in music unites. People love to go to concerts and their mutual music experience unites them in the opera, concert hall or a stadium. Many fans even tend to dress like their beloved performers or sport the same haircut. They feel united also on you tube, where they watch their favorite singers performing, leave complimentary comments and share their appreciation with other fans, or criticize the performer. As a universal language, music unites people across cultures and can comfort people in times of need and sadness. Musicians see its tremendous power not only as a personal spiritual experience but also as a force for important changes and often organize big charitable events for those in need of money or attention. Music can serve as voice for social advocacy and enhance mutual understanding between differing cultures. Music both shapes and reflects society, protesters use it to find their voice. „We Shall Overcome" was a favorite hit throughout the 60s civil rights protests, during WW2 Russian „Sacred War“ was a song that called all for the defense of their motherland, to mention just a few powerful examples. Music promotes ideals of peace and solidarity in events like Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonials. It unites sport fans when they cheer and chant songs in support of their team. National anthems are very powerful tools that magically unite the whole nations. Music can also prepare armies for battle and was used as a psychological weapon in wars, when soldiers marched into battle accompanied by horns, drums and bagpipes. News broadcasts are frequently carrying stories of disheartened soldiers abroad smiling again after a visit from familiar pop music artists as it connects them with their homes and normal life. Music both shapes and reflects society. Recently we have had a music reality show on Slovak TV under the title “The Land is singing”. Similar to X-Factor format, it looked for talented musicians, singers and dancers, but was focused solely on folk genre. Surprisingly, according to the statistics, most Slovak households were glued to their TV sets and watched the program every weekend over the period of 2 month. Virtually the program brought the whole Slovak nation together and there was a lot of talk about it in the media. This proves, that revival of our folk music is something, we Slovaks, feel strongly about and are very proud of. In conclusion, I believe, that in the future music will continue to use its power to unite communities, bridge divides, and heal the wounds of wars and conflict. War divides, but music connects. Teodor Szabó, Slovakia

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? Music is ubiquitous. The first thing you do in the morning is to turn on the radio to listen to some music, the choice of the station depends on what kind of music they play. There are lots of different styles of music for different types of people and different age groups: classical, pop, rock, metal, techno, house, country, folk, growl etc. And already in the morning you may have a clash with your parents or siblings over what station you should listen to, or the volume. “Turn that music down...!” is an order repeated in the households with teenagers again and again. Music is a universal language and one of the rare things in life that can unite people of both genders, all shapes and sizes, all ages and different religions, countries and continents. Think about the last music show you went to. In particular, think about the crowd. The truth is, that you probably don't know much about anyone in the audience, but the beauty of it is the fact that people from different walks of life and age groups attended that concert simply because the music spoke to them like it did to you. It is this singular thing that brought together thousands of people in a concert hall (or a big stadium). That's what is great about music! We overcome long distances and are willing to pay all our pocket money to see and hear our idols live. Some of us even dress like our favorite music stars, or at least sport the same hairstyle. Certain universal aspects of music can serve as a means of communication between people who have little else in common. Music unites people and makes them socialize. You could be singing a symphony in a folk ensemble, join the school band and play, sing or dance in various important school events, either way you are uniting together, expressing yourself, and creating new friendships that may last a lifetime. Another outstanding thing about music is the fact that it can instill love. You are on a school trip or matriculation party and finally get to dance with the girl you like so much. Then, many years later, every time you listen to this song, you tend to remember the first dance with your school sweetheart. And maybe when you hear it, it makes you fall in love all over again. On the other hand, music is also a frequent source of arguments, especially between different generations. Grandparents are rarely found enjoying the same music as their children or grandchildren and the same is true for the grandchildren´s attitude to what style of music their grandparents or parents like. Different age groups are often heard complaining or mocking the older/ younger generation´s taste in music. Each generation´s music represents the aspirations, heartbreaks, achievements of people living in that specific time period. And as they carry different viewpoints on many daily social and political issues, they get further divided by varying taste of music. This is why the music of different generations is more often referred to by its respective decade (i.e. 'the sixties', 'the eighties', the ninetieth), rather than by its most popular artists or a particular genre. However, the desire to express life's experiences through music remains common to all, irrespective of the generation gap, nationality or other differences. It is capable of crossing the most guarded country borders. Our grandparents massively listened to the music from behind the Iron Curtain – despite differences in the regimes and censorship. Music artists of today and yesterday have been known to help cross cultural divides in times of conflict and even war. Their music is capable of bringing crowds of people in warring countries tapping their feet to the rhythm. News broadcasts are frequently carrying stories of disheartened soldiers abroad smiling again after a visit from familiar pop music artists.

In a world of diversity where often values clash, music leaps across language barriers and unites people of quite different cultural backgrounds. Let´s hope, that in the future music will continue to use its power to connect communities, bridge divides, and heal the wounds of wars and conflict. War divides but music connects. And so, through music, I believe all peoples can come together to make the world a more harmonious place. Richard Solárik, Slovakia

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? I think music unites us. Because I believe that music is international. For example; you don’t know how to speak Italian but you’re listening to Italian songs. Maybe you understand nothing from the song but the point is, song makes you happy or feels what you want to feel. Maybe music is the other way to communicate with the other people who is not in your nationality, who does not speak your language and I think that music has a language like everybody can talk the same, like everybody can feel the same way and because of this music definitely unites us. If you enjoy listening to rock music you can be a friend of someone who enjoys listening to rock music and this can help you find friends more easily and you and your friends will have common points to talk and share. I do not think that a human can live without music because I believe that music is in our souls and is living with us, helping us to feel the moment and maybe we are sharing the same headphones, keeping the most valuable memories in one song, freezing the time… And I think the language of music speaks the words we do not have and expresses ideas we could never understand. I would like to finish my essay to saying Nelson Mandela’s precious words ‘Music is a great blessing. It has the power to elevate and liberate us. It sets people free to dream. It can unite us to sing with one voice. Such is value of music.’ Çisem Karagöz, Turkey

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? Music unites people. It’s up to people's age, belief, education, culture, the place they've been born and lived though. But music's uniting part is bigger than dividing part. For example, some people love rock music and it unites people who loves rock music, but also some doesn't like rock music. It might cause disagreement but it doesn't divide people. Dividing is something much bigger than disagreement. Music has various effects on people. It can change your emotions, your heart beatings, even your ideas. Some researches show that people react to music in 4 different ways: Physically, mentally, cognitively and psychologically. For example; while you're driving a car if you listen to a song with fast rhythms, you will get faster and faster. Your heart will start to beat faster. You will breathe faster. Or think that you're in a market and a music you like is playing in there. Even if you don't notice you'll stay in there much longer and you'll want to do your shop from there all the time. In short music affects us. It is with us in every single moment of our lives. From the beginning of our lives we have needed music. And music is borne from the rhythms. Also, we are born from the rhythms. Even when you're in your mother's womb your little heart beats with a rhythm. Then she hears your little heart's beating. And suddenly she becomes the happiest person in this world. Just like this, rhythms are hearts of music. Music is like food for our soul. It is fed from the music, grows and gets shape. Like once Plato said: Music gives a soul to the universe Wings to the mind Flight to the imagination And life to everything Serdar Akbaş, Turkey

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? I think, music can be a way to unite people. Maybe sometimes we’ve a quarrel among different genres (like metal and hip-hop for example). This little issue can be a problem because of the different ideas and the different ways to consider music, it can create a separation that may bring to a disjunction between people. Music means something, but does it divide or unite? Maybe music performs both of these functions. Does music divide? Yes, it does, because the different generations can arouse a conflict among the people (a 90’s person prefers hip-hop while a 60’s likes jazz, reggae or blues, or conflict can derive from personal tastes inside the same kind like Eminem and James Brown etc…). Historically speaking this statement reminds me of Hitler’s deed when the dictator banned the jazz music because he thought that type of music was created by black people . Does music unite? Yes, it does, because by music we can travel into another world, as Bob Dylan wrote in his songs. It comforts people when they are down, it excites people when they are in need of encouragement, it calms people when they are stressed and affected by too many emotions. Through music an artist can communicate a message. Until we can feel the message, regardless of the type of style, we will be united forever. Davide Leone, Italy

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? Music is an art, a discipline, it is something that makes us feel emotions. Music always tells a story. Those who cannot love, can never understand music. The moment when I hear a vibrating guitar string or a button I dive in an ocean of sounds, I am overwhelmed by waves and eddies of sound that drag me into a dimension of peace making me forget everything. I'm a musician myself, I have been performing on stages since I was about eight, and when I get on a stage and start playing, I feel that I'm sending emotions, even with a simple smile. I think that music both unites and divides, because music is divided into various kinds; in fact what unites or divides is the listeners’ attitude or even the ability to accept opinions different from ours own and the eventual mindedness that people have towards music and towards other people. It depends on the person you have before, who is often mentally closed towards music. I close with an aphorism that I found online: “Music does not divide….. music combines”. Domenico Lopilato, Italy

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? “Where words fail, music speaks”, as the famous author Hans Christian Andersen said, shows the power of music. Music can say much more than words because it touches the soul, help us to relax and forget the problems for a while. Concerts are the proof that music can unite people. People, who speak different languages and have different culture and religion, are united by their music taste. These events gather together a lot of people and they dance, sing and have fun together and feel like they belong to one community. Due to the fact that music is one of the most suitable topics when you meet new people, it could also divide them. Some don’t accept others’ taste of music, which I personally find ridiculous because everyone has the right to choose what to listen to. I think that music is being made for fun, not for becoming a reason for useless arguments. In my opinion, meeting people with the same music taste is a really good feeling because you can speak about it and also have fun together at concerts. Due to music you can strengthen the sense of belonging if you surround yourself with people who have the same taste of music like yours and respectively the same way of thinking. To sum up, music is considered as an escape from reality for many people and also gives them strength to handle the problems. Music also has the possibility to connect people, no matter their difference and flaws. Inés Romero Collante, Spain

MUSIC UNITES AND DIVIDES. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? I agree with the statement that music unites, because there are many people who like the same kind of music, and this brings them together. Lonely people can make friends easily through music, and groups of friends can have in common their love for a particular genre. Nowadays, there are many groups on social networks where people share their opinions about certain songs, or debate about music. On the other side, I agree that music divides, because many of us make distinctions between people based on the genre of music they listen to. Take rockers, for example. They are judged by their appearance, but the others don’t really know what they hide inside. Their music is considered improper, without any message, but in fact maybe we just don’t understand its message. In my opinion, though, the unifying force of music is stronger. Music unites people everywhere. If we made an experiment, and went in the middle of a street in a foreign country, and began to sing a famous song, surely many people would come around us and begin to sing with us. I think it’s really beautiful when you see a lot of people at a concert, enjoying the show and sometimes singing along. It doesn’t matter who they are, they are united by their common love of music. Everyone is so excited that they forget they are strangers to each other, and they all treat the others like brothers. The fact that music persists in people’s lives makes me think that music is an essential part in our lives as humans. How would our lives be without any music? It is very difficult to imagine the world without melodies, without lyrics, without music. I think music is impossible to erase from our lives. If all the music recorded on all devices disappeared, if musical instruments disappeared, along with everything that could create music, music would still be there, music would survive because people themselves would start to sing. Angel Bello Cárdenas, Spain

Pupils' poems

THE LONG ROAD Like an angel you will stand All day, all night - Helping people and their land. Ride along the road so wide; Chains of slavery you will break; Road towards a brighter future, Whole new worlds will awake, Road towards a greater virtue. All their freedoms they will retake; Road of jealosy and pain, Now they will know what‘s true and fake Road where happiness is slain, Enforced rules you shall remake. Road where everything is earned, What makes this road so unique Road where nothing is returned. Is that the weak may reach the peak! Sometimes, only hope will last; After all, the good is passed. Stoyan Mitov, Bulgaria Yet, you have to find the spark That makes you battle through the dark. You will be tired to the bone But know that you are not alone; All your family and friends - None of them are gonna bend In your time of need, All your cries they‘re gonna heed. So, don‘t get depressed, Don‘t allow to be oppressed; Tear the apron of despair, Get some help but be aware... Find the people you can trust, And may your friendships never rust! Find the phoenix from inside, For your needs he will provide. Do not expect an easy life; For a good one you should strive. But an example must be set If you fail, do not regret - All the future generations Will learn from your situations. You‘ll be something like a light In a world filled with blight, In a world full of lies You will help the truth arise. When societies are torn asunder You will hit them like a thunder

ELATION You are in my past, Or... are you not? We couldn't last; our love did rot. And yet, again, You are in my mind - I suffer pain Of unbearable kind. But what's that there? Is that a light? A muse so fair That shines so bright! A salvation for my soul It just might be... If from my misery I'd crawl, That soon we shall see... Yasen Popov, Bulgaria

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Sam-o Sam Hi, I am Sam, Sam-o-Sam is who I am Do you find lilies beautiful? Sam-o-Sam? I don't know who I am To judge those flowers, as Sam-o-Sam You gotta choose, Sam-o-Sam who is beautiful, me or them? I can't choose, who is m'am, You're all pretty as I am Can't you see who or what is beautiful, Are you blind, Sam-o-Sam? I'm not blind, I can see, I can see the beauty in them I am who I am I am, Sam-o-Sam Sam-o-Sam cannot judge beauty That is who I am, Sam-o-Sam. Arman Orbay, Turkey

THE SCENT OF AUTUMN Another day has passed over the quiet forest. Thousands of dry leaves have gathered sadly. Only the lonely bitter wind blows fiercely, Its icy voice smothering all warmth and hope. The ailing carpet of fallen leaves mourns its fate, And waits in vain to see the light once more. Another day has passed, and after the early sunset The proud moon bewitches the dark night sky. Melancholy seeps slowly into all our dreams. Tired of burning, they long to be extinguished. Another day has passed over the sad meadows, And all the bids of passage have taken flight. Across the countryside, the fields are bare. The rich crops were all gathered long ago. The cold has withered the fruitful orchard. There are no birds to sing another serenade. The numb smoke slithers amongst the houses. No fire can reheat the blissful summer moments That lay forgotten with a cortege of dead leaves Waiting dismally for the wind to blow them away. I put my cold hand against the frosted glass. I idle watching the shrivelling passers-by. The sweet summer life has faded away, And bleak harsh autumn has taken its place. Another season has passed over my life. The scent of autumn wanders the lonely fields. A thorn of ice pierces my sorrowful heart, But I’ll wait steadfastly for love to bloom again!

Costina Marta Botez, Romania

BOOKS

Books are a thing of joy and pride. They enclose all human knowledge. They’ve collected the springs of light, Without forgetting one single drop. Books are the steady beacons That shine in the darkest night. For centuries they’ve guided us To the holy shore of knowledge. Their sacred pages are overflowing With all the wisdom of the world. Since old times they bear witness To what our ancestors have left us. They’ve helped countless generations Fight against disheartening ignorance. Their precious words hold the key To our own true enlightenment. You, child, must love them, And you must never forget this: As they are your country’s beacon, Books must be your light too!

Andreea Cătălina Pavăl, Romania

FACT anthem

1. We have a dream – to change the world, To live in peace and share what‘s worth Of being kept inside our hearts; That‘s where inspiration starts. Chorus Full of hope for a brighter day When each of us will smile and say, Come, join FACT and stay with us - It‘s changed our lives; we love Erasmus plus! 2. Forensics makes me a better one In solving problems; it‘s real fun To share your views with foreign peers, To share dreams, and hopes, and tears. Chorus... 3. We‘ve made a bunch of friends abroad We act as one, with one accord; Our goal is set and very clear – We need a future without fear. Chorus... 4. The beauty of Bulgaria Of Spain, of Turkey and Romania, Slovakia and Italy – Will always inspire me! Chorus...

Lyrics: Margarita Dobreva (Bulgarian coordinator) Music: Emre Tufan (Turkish music teacher)

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