about KAJA East+West

KAJA West e. V. and its eastern branch  KAJA- EAST INO ( International Non-Govermental Organisation )  in Minsk/Belarus  is a German-Belarusian charity which organizes international art and architectural workcamps for young people from Eastern and Westem Europe in the European region “ Münsterland” and in Belarus. lt was founded by the Belarussian architect Irina Zaslavskaja and the artist and former student of Joseph Beuys Bernhard Ahlers in 1991/92. They still act as the main organizers of the Westem branch.

lt receives grants from the European Commission, program „youth in action / erasmus+ ,the German county “Northrhein – Westphalia”  and the regional “ Kreis Steinfurt”  on the basis that the workcamps use methods of intercultural learning including the cooperation with local institutions and young people. Nourishing the process of collaboration and the intercultural exchange between young people from Eastem and Westem Europe through art practices and architectural design is the main objective  of the organization. Consequently  does the process receive more attention than the final artifact

Since 1995 NGO KAJA EAST owns a flat in the grundfloor of the so called “ Dollar House“ In the middle of Minsk, near the central market – hall and Metro station Jacuba Scolosa. Best conditions to establish a creative workshop for children and youth and to coordinate the European youth exchange projects. In the early years the focus was on children / youth and architectural projects. With the support of renowned architects as members of the organization,

a project for Chernobyl Children’s Villages – children was developped. Though a plot on the outskirts of Minsk was to the disposal and the project of the first children’s village house, „casa blue“ was honored by the architects Union of Belarus as the best project of the year 1996, it did not come to a realization. The German state of North Rhine – Westphalia as the main financier withdrew its support due to increased construction costs .

In subsequent years, many creative workshops were organized, which aimed to join it the Western concepts of social – participatory art with the eastern traditions of of Suprematism and Constructivism. As a partner, also the famous Moscow architecture children – studio EDAS was present as a guest.