Cover Photo: Steph Fawdry
Text: Seweryna Lewon
Edit: Sophie Spickenbom
With every new day there are more programme activities to be discovered. On the night of 25 July, the Roverway campground was blessed with yet another space for fun activities – The Rainbow Cafe!
The Rainbow Cafe opened its doors with bright colours, board games and, most importantly, popcorn! As with every part of the programme, the Rainbow Cafe did not show up unexpectedly. A dedicated team of managers and volunteers have been preparing the space for several days and put in a lot of effort to make sure everyone would enjoy it to the fullest.
We wanted to know more about some of the members of this dedicated team, that put in so much work into creating the Rainbow Cafe. We took the time to ask the Jony Martin (Deputy Section Leader of the Side Programme) and Mannaïg Bär (International Service Team (IST)) some questions:
What is the idea behind the “Rainbow Cafe”?
Jony: The main goal of the cafe is to provide an inclusive space for everyone, no matter who they like, what gender they identify as. This cafe makes sure that everybody has that safe space, where they won’t face any barriers, so they can just come in, get some coffee, and hang out. They can also ask any questions, share any kind of worries they have related to LGBTQ+ issues.
Manna: For me personally I see the Rainbow Cafe as a place to meet new people, who are both very similar and different from you. Here you can learn new things that you have never heard of or gain new perspectives about things you were told were wrong in some way. It’s more than anything, a safe space and a place to learn.
Why is it important to have a place like this present at Roverway?
Jony: It’s really important to have a Rainbow Cafe or something similar at every camp to promote the acceptance of socially vulnerable groups. In many countries, both inside and outside of Europe, these minorities are considered to not be very important or, in worse cases, they are viewed negatively. That’s why with this space we show them that they are accepted and they can be themselves – whether that’s at a Guide/Scout scout camp or any other youth event.
Manna: Especially at big events like Roverway, there are a lot of Guides and Scouts from different cultures, backgrounds and it’s nice to have a place that can unify and teach about our differences in a respectful and calm manner.
What can the participants expect in terms of the programme at the Rainbow Cafe in the upcoming days?
Jony: The participants can expect a lot of activities – we have prepared a quiz night, arts and crafts and a Human Library event – just to name a few. At the cafe you can find a lot of board games, coffee, popcorn, music and many more things to help you relax. We also have a nail painting station, where you can decorate your nails, so you could have the prettiest nails at camp 🙂
Manna: We also have posters with information about different gender identities and sexualities. By the time the participants arrive, we should also have posters with information about different menstrual products. So there are a lot of things to do here. Anyone can drop in, either alone or with a group of friends.
With all being said and done, you can (and definitely must!) visit The Rainbow Cafe any day you wish and enjoy one of the many activities. Check the app to find out about the many events taking place in the Rainbow Cafe tent and don’t be afraid to come alone, since this is the place to find your new friends!
