59th THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL [1-11/11/2018] || 1-11/11/2018
Exhibition opening: “#CedefopPhotoAward: Youth education and training”
As part of the 59th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, on Friday, November 2, 2018, the opening of the photo exhibition “#CedefopPhotoAward: Youth in education and training” took place at the Cinema Museum of Thessaloniki (Warehouse A’, Harbor), in the presence of the TIFF General Director, Elise Jalladeau.
The exhibition is organized by Cedefop, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (www.cedefop.europa.eu), located in Thessaloniki, and is curated by Cedefop and TIFF. The exhibition showcases the first, second and third prize winning stories, along with the runners-up in the competition “#CedefopPhotoAward 2018: Youth education and training” organized by Cedefop. As part of the competition, groups of European vocational school students were invited to illustrate their experiences in the form of photo stories.
The first to speak was the deputy chairman of Cedefop board Mara Brugia, who warmly thanked TIFF’s General Director and Anna Milossi, Head of Public Relations. Mrs Brugia noted that Cedefop is awarding these prizes for the third consecutive year and added: “One of the winning groups, the one from Lithuania, also attended the opening ceremony of the 59th TIFF and will spend their weekend watching films”. After thanking the Cinema Museum of Thessaloniki for hosting the exhibition, she noted that this award ceremony “is another way for us to appreciate the usefulness of our work in action” since the event gives Cedefop members the opportunity to make contact with the young people they work with.
Mrs Brugia said that education and training are very high on the European agenda. According to a research organized by Cedefop, not only the institutions, but an overwhelming 90% of European citizens consider education and training to be of high value. “Studies in the field of education and training are highly appreciated by employers”, she added, noting how important education and training are for society itself. “In Cedefop we are trying to change the belief that vocational training has to be of minor importance compared to other options”, she concluded.
No less than 100 groups with more than 300 members and about 80 schools from 18 EU member states took part in the competition #CedefopPhotoAward 2018. The photo stories illustrating the experiences of these groups in education and training can be considered an excellent example of innovation, communication and group work. The three winning groups are from Italy, Hungary and Lithuania; the first two were invited to attend the Vocational Skills Week that will take place next week in Vienna.
Consequently, TIFF’s General Director Elise Jalladeau took the floor. After welcoming the Cedefop team and the competition winners, Mrs Jaladdeau pointed out that the photos were a collective project by young people from all over Europe, that “gives all of us the opportunity to admire their work in Thessaloniki and the Festival, and helps them benefit from their presence in the event”. As she noted, “The Festival appreciates and promotes education; we offer film education programs for young children, in an effort to instruct the new generation of cinephiles, and not just them. We also offer training to film professionals, such as the distributors”. Concluding, Mrs Jaladdeau talked about the theme idea of the exhibition, “Tell us your story”, pointing out that this is what cinema does: it tells stories, thus unifying photography with motion picture.
After the award ceremony, it was the winners’ turn to speak. They thanked the committee and the Festival for the invitation, making special mention to the team spirit that marked their work, the self-confidence they acquired via the competition, and the strong friendships they developed both between them and with their teachers. One of them described Greece as one of the most beautiful countries he has visited and thanked the Festival for giving him the opportunity to be here and take interesting photos.
At the end of the event, Cedefop head of communication Gerd Oskar Bausewein gave gifts and brochures to the winners and the audience.
