This is one of the activities within the project "EQUAL Status, Possibilities, Responsibilities" which is being implemented by the Varaždin association Bedem ljubavi with the funds of the Central State Office for Demography and Youth. The aim of the project is to improve the democratic culture and awareness of young people in Varaždin counties, especially members of vulnerable groups, and encourage them to engage in greater civic engagement aimed at full integration into society. In everyday life, young people often mention justice as a value we strive for, but also injustice as a reflection of certain personal experiences and what they do not want to experience. At the same time, the concepts of social justice and social inclusion have found their place in world, European and national public policies as social values, but more and more concrete measures and activities that contribute to them are being regulated more and more. The lecture will further shed light on the importance and own possibilities of contributing to social justice and social inclusion.
Martina Horvat graduated from the Department of Behavioral Disorders of the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation at the University of Zagreb and obtained the title of prof. soc. pedagogues. She is currently studying for a Doctorate in Social Policy at the Social Work Study Center of the Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb. I primarily deal with work with young people, psycho-social support and social inclusion, and the implementation of informal education programs with young people, but also experts in the field of education, social welfare and civil society. She is also very engaged in the field of civic and media education. She was employed in different systems, from the ministry, through elementary school to the center for social welfare. However, she spent most of her professional engagement in civil society organizations. She is continuously engaged in various civil society organizations that deal with social inclusion, youth and education, from the Croatian Youth Network and GONG to the Ambidekster Club, where she has been employed since 2021.
BEDEM LJUBAVI VARAŽDIN, founded during the war in 1991 as the Movement of Mothers for Peace, today operates in the field of non-institutional social welfare, mostly with members of the so-called marginalized groups, which are most often poor citizens, multi-member families, people with disabilities, the unemployed and Roma. The association's activities are mostly focused on providing various forms of humanitarian aid (food, clothing, shoes, household items, furniture, etc.) and non-institutional social services that also aim to improve the quality of life of the users. Of particular importance are the different educations that aim to contribute to improving the knowledge and skills of the users, as well as activities to raise awareness among the general public and advocacy activities that influence the removal of prejudices and aim to contribute to the equalization of opportunities, i.e., to ensure the equal position of all citizens in the local community, and to improve public awareness of the needs of certain vulnerable groups that are socially excluded or at risk of social exclusion. In addition to donations from citizens and the business sector, the association's activities are financed by various state administration bodies, JRLS and other donors. Bastion of Love Varaždin received a series of awards for its work, among others, the Plaque of the City of Varaždin and the Charter of Humanism of the International League of Humanists.
