22–26 June 2022

20th
MitOst
Festival

Maribor

The MitOst Festival 2022

Resilient Communities in Times of Uncertainty 

The 20th MitOst Festival is taking place in Maribor, Slovenia, on June 22–26, 2022! 

The MitOst Festival is a place of cultural exchange, a chance to connect with the MitOst network and learn with and from each other. The Festival is open to anyone who wants to get involved or already plays an active role in civil society. As the MitOst Network encompasses hundreds of members worldwide, the Festival becomes a place to celebrate cultural diversity and international collaboration. 

Local Hosts

While we have been preparing to host the MitOst Festival 2022 in Moldova and with our partner Ecovisio, the current situation forced us to diverge our plans and change the Festival location.

Thank you, Ecovisio, for your efforts and the heart you put into the MitOst Festival planning in the past 3 years. Your energy is much needed somewhere else now, but we are confident that we will still co-create the Festival experience in years to come.

To provide space for connection and togetherness in these challenging times, the MitOst Festival 2022 will be co-created with hiša! Association for People and Places, our local partner in Maribor, Slovenia. We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate and co-host the annual civil society celebration of the MitOst network with them this year.

Festival Statement

MitOst and also the MitOst Festival do not exclude anyone because of their national background and will therefore remain open to all its members. However, we do acknowledge that the war escalated by Russia into Ukrainian territories makes a lot of relationships within the MitOst cosmos difficult or even impossible to maintain. We will not mediate nor engage anyone in dialogue. The Festival relies on the respectful engagement and sensitivity of all our present network members. Focusing on Resilient Communities in Times of Uncertainty, we will be looking actively at the Ukrainian cause  and continue our efforts to support Ukraine also through the presence of our Ukraine Solidarity Fund in Maribor.

As a result of many conversations and consultations of MitOst members, we understood that the Festival as network gathering is needed this year not despite but because of the war and the difficulties our communities are going through. We want to create space for togetherness, support resilience building and, in this way, strengthen our network that is and will be facing challenges now and in the near future. We also decided to keep the name MitOst Festival because of its brand, which implies trust and values by which we operate.

Theme of the Festival

It is the 20th edition of the MitOst Festival this year, and in the light of the current global events, it focuses on Resilient Communities in Times of Uncertainty.  We witnessed the power of our network in demonstrating solidarity with people in Ukraine and those who fled the war. Seeing just how the MitOst network can manifest itself across borders and show up for people in need, we decided that this year’s Festival should act as a platform to explore that further. We will focus on how a network and its communities have demonstrated resilience and how we can build upon that starting now.

The Festival constitutes a space for experimentation, conversation and collaboration across borders. It is the place to connect with other people driven by the same values and who want to impact their communities by creating positive, sustainable solutions.

No Members’ Assembly during this Festival 

We would also like to inform you that the Members’ Assembly will not be happening during the Festival this year, but in an online format on September 24, 2022. That decision has been taken to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of the Members’ Assembly. All MitOst Members will be invited to participate in the Members’ Assembly in due time.

Program

This year marks the 25th anniversary of MitOst and all inputs will be given as a birthday gift for MitOst Network. Thank you very much for all the Festival participants that have generously offered to share their knowledge and experience with the Festival Community.

Especially now, we believe it is essential to get together and connect as a network and explore what resilience means in the civil society sector. The program, like every year, is composed of the communities´ inputs and responding to our three topical pillars. The final program which includes sessions and workshops will be updated soon.

The workshop pillars are made up of:

Art, Culture and Conflict  

Self- and Organisation Care

Civil Society Now and in the Future

Check out the Festival program:

Check out the Festival program:

Festival Staples

Tombola

The Tombola is a chance to connect with other Festival participants in a playful and informal atmosphere. Keep an eye out for our MitOst team selling lots at the Info Point in the Festival Zentrale.

With buying a lot you help great projects to take place as 100% of the proceeds will go into the funding pot for the members’ projects in the next year. Please remember, in order to participate you have to bring a small gift. You are eligible to buy as many lots as you want, that way it will increase your chances to win. The winners of the Tombola will be announced on Friday evening, June 24.

Football Tournament

We carry on the old tradition – the footballs will roll yet again this year. Just as in recent years, different teams will compete for the Cup of Friendship at the Football Tournament.

If you want to collect and register a Football Team, please contact Tino Rasche prior to the Festival. Don’t forget to bring your sportswear, water bottles and a towel – the pitch is waiting for you!

Learning with and from each other

Impression from the 17th International MitOst Festival in Budapest, 2019
(Photo: Ruslan Altimirov)

The Festival App

The MitOst Festival App will make your stay in Maribor more easy and interesting. In the App, the latest news and updates of the Festival will be uploaded on a daily basis.

Here, you can check the schedule of the Festival program, easily navigate through various locations and Festival venues, and learn more about Maribor, our local host hiša! and the MitOst Festival itself, as its contributors.

You can also find useful information regarding restaurant recommendations and other important addresses such as pharmacies, hospitals or ATMs, shown in a map format. Furthermore, contacts for support and emergency requests during the Festival are provided.

How to access the App

You can access the App online from a phone, tablet, or PC or simply by downloading it on your mobile devices.

For this, please use the ‘Add to Home Screen’ feature in your browser.

The password to enter is: MitOst_Festival_Maribor

A chance to connect

Tools for Citizens Workshop at the 16th International MitOst Festival in Athens, 2018
(Photo: Panos Georgiou)

Fees & Registration

The registration for the Festival is closed.

Did you register as an Early bird, or did you choose a Standard Fee and you don’t remember how much money you shall transfer? Please check the Fee Calculation Graphic.

Request the bank details

A place of cultural exchange

Impression from the 14th International MitOst Festival in Tiblisi, 2016
(Photo: Serg Kuznetsov)

Travel Fund

While our limited funding does not allow us to cover the Festival fees, we do have a minimal travel fund of 5000€ available to support those who need it the most.

The registration form will allow you to communicate your needs with us. However, if you find yourself in a position where you could support another member through a donation to the Solidarity Travel Fund, we would be highly grateful for your contribution. (Please make an estimation of your donation in the registration form.)

What to pack for Maribor? 

We encourage you to bring your own cup, cutlery and water bottle to reduce plastic waste during the Festival. Please also pack a towel or two for your stay at the hostel in Maribor.

If you want to participate in the Football Tournament for the Cup of Friendship, bring your sportswear and everything else you need for this. As part of the Festival program will take place outside, please think of bringing sun screen for protection from the Maribor sun and pack a warm hoodie and long pants for the evenings as it does get chilly once the sun sets. 

And last but not least: Bring a gift for the Tombola. Surprise the other participants either with something unique, funny, cheesy or delicious. Make sure to attach a small message to your gift so the winner of your present knows what they are now in possession of and can treasure it accordingly. 

Celebrating international collaboration

Impression from the13th International MitOst Festival in Ivano-Frankivsk, 2015
(Photo: Serg Kuznetsov)

Team

Marta Kanarkiewicz

MitOst Network Team
Overall Coordination and Special Inquiries

Florentina Abendstein

MitOst Network Team
Workshop and Session Management

Esterina
Ukaj

MitOst Network Team
Social Media Management and Participant Support

Marie Sommerhage

MitOst Network Team
Tech- and Participant Support

Agata
Maziarz

MitOst Network Team
Social Media Management and Photographer

Maja
Pegan

President of hisa!
Local Coordination and Support

Contact us

Should you have any questions or comments regarding the program, contributing a workshop, your accommodation or your travel please do not hesitate to get in touch!

Experiencing cultural diversity

Impression from the 15th International MitOst-Festival 2017 in Frankfurt (Oder) and Slubice

(Photo: Uta Protzmann)

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