1st of August: A day in Dresden and the official last day of the project..

The party lasted until dawn and we could listen to the music until the morning. Everybody is tired, sleepy and moves very slow. However today, it is the only day that the participants can visit Dresden and go sightseeing. It is a bit troublesome to arrive in Dresden as we have to take first the bus from the project area to Freiberg's train station, then the train to Dresden's main station and afterwards the tram to the centre of Dresden.

A visit to the old city of Dresden is the first thing we have to do since Dresden's old city is famous for its barok and roccoco architecture. Most of its buildings were bombed and destroyed in the Second World War but since the reunification of Germany in 1990, they have been renovated and now they offer glamour and character to the city. Martin, a german volunteer is the tour guide of the group and shows the participants the hot spots and most popular sights of Dresden.

Free time is always good to walk by the Elbe river, to wander around the old city's streets, to get lost in the shopping malls or to take a nap in the parks..

Around 21.00 we gather to eat and enjoy the last night of the Trash Rash project. We are all exhausted and need to sleep but we have to be brave until tomorrow! Some food, a little bit chatting and drinking is what we need now to relax and exchange our impressions about the project.

Some of the participants came very close to each other and created good friendships. This is actually what remains from this kind of exchanges. It is a great opportunity for young people to get to know each other, learn from each other, talk about their cultural differences and their customs and traditions.

Not to mention the chance to learn how to build musical instruments out of trash and use creativity and imagination to achieve this aim is also something unique and quite original. We don't know if the participants will follow up this idea and use the knowledge they gained into making their future musical instruments or other installations but at least it is nice to learn and be encouraged to create something out of nothing! Human' s power and mind are so strong that people can make miracles and it is good to use these talents and skills for good purposes.

What we need is ideas, communication, cooperation and the strong will to create and work together peacefully and fruitfully! This was the aim of the project and we are happy that we fullfilled it!

Hopefully there will be a follow-up project so that we will improve and develop what we have already learned!

31st of July: Last day of the Festival and the Trash Rash performance live on stage!

 

Today is the day that we were so much waiting for! At last the Trash Rash project is on the final stage: the performance!! The last rehearsal is taking place on the Sun Flower Stage and the participants seem to be very excited. Finally their hard work will be shown in public.  

All participants have taken their positions on stage and the workshop leaders give the final signal to begin. It is a moment where we see all the efforts and the patience of these young people from Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, Italy and Turkey. The atmosphere is warm and the audience welcomes the Trash Rash project with a great applause. The participants look confident and comfortable on stage and they seem to enjoy a lot this moment.

Merve, the Turkish girl with her beautiful voice is singing a Turkish song accompanied with some percussion and stringed instruments. Merve's eyes are shining and her melodies offer us a great pleasure to our ears.  

 After the song, a jam session follows but the audience wants more, "it can't be finishing so early", so now the workshop leaders Robert and Dobrin give the rhythm to the orchestra! It's time for improvisation and apparently it seems that they play pretty well. They are quite relaxed and the audience shows its satisfaction by giving a warm clap and shouts of excitement. It is a great relief to see this scene and to feel that after all these days something good came out of this project.                                                                 
   

After the Trash Rash concert, more bands play until 22.30 which is the end of the Sun Flower Festival but not of the Trash Rash project..! The Backstage party is to start around 23.00 without time limit!!

Before the party, a fire and juggling  performance is being carried out by several young people from Belarus, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia and Spain and the show is quite spectacular.

Fire fans - juggling
Staff & Doublestaff
Club juggling
Levi stick
Staff twirling
Fire orb
Hula Hoop

They are moving and dancing whilst playing with fire and at the same time drums give them the tempo. These drums are our Trash Rash drums!












At the end of the fire show a surprise by Stefan Kiehne, the chairman of the board makes us all stare at the sky...fireworks!!! They color the sky with beautiful shapes and forms and give the signal to start the party!







Balkan sounds and dance music incite everybody to dance until dawn. We are all exhausted, dirty, full of mud and wet from the rain but we don't give up and are still fighting to live this moment until the end!!

30th of July: 2nd day of the Sun Flower Festival

Saturday morning - the greatest day of the Sun Flower Festival but unfortunately it is raining a lot and it is quite cold. A lot of concerts are being carried out today and the participants have all the time to join them and wander around the festival area. It is one day before their live performance on the Sun Flower Stage. 

Many bands have come from different places to play in the festival: Baby Universal, Lady Moscow from Norway, La Pinata from Ecuador, Madskat from Belgium, Oranzas Brivdienas from Latvia, Transmitter, Beat Safari, Radio Havana, Yerbabuena Kajahla from Mexico, Georg Viktor Emmanuel from Austria, Japanese Birds from New Zealand and many more!!

The effort of the people who have organised this big event is really admirable and even the selection of the bands is very good. They are all young artists and not so well known but they are professional musicians and their potentials are great. This festival really gives the opportunity to young talented artists to unfold their skills and to offer unforgettable moments to the audience and the visitors of the festival. All night long melodies are coming from different sides just a few kilometres far from Freiberg. It is probably the only time that Freiberg is so vibrant and lively!

29th of July: 1st day of the Sun Flower Festival!!!

 The first day of the Sun Flower Festival is just getting started and the the Trash Rash project is almost ready. The participants are having rehearsals and the workshop leaders are giving them the last tips and instructions about their performance. Each participant plays a musical instrument out of trash, stringed, wind or percussion instrument and we are setting the programme of the Trash Rash performance. It is unbelievable how beautiful instruments these young people have created and it's even more interesting watching them playing them!!

The only problem is the weather as the sky looks quite ominous covered in grey colors and clouds. Hmmm...it will not help so much if it rains. We are keeping fingers crossed but nature is stronger than our will probably!

The first concerts have already started in the evening and quite a lot of people have gathered to see what is going on in the different stages. There are four stages which host different kinds of events:

Ska, Rock, Reggae & Blues at the main stage which is the Sun Flower Stage, Cabaret, Theatre & Readings at the Art Stage, Hard Rock & Punk Rock at the Rock Stage, Reggae, Dancehall, Dub, Goa Trance & Chillout at the Dub and Space Station. Apart from the concerts, theatrical performances and  readings, there are yoga, fire performing, juggling, circus, belly dance, jam session and body painting workshops and a wellness and spa area with hot tubs, sauna and chill out space. 

 The participants have a free weekend to explore the festival, meet international people, enjoy various concerts and performances and participate in any workshop they are interested in.