160 Youth Klinic Moldova volunteers passed on “The Power of Example”
Young people took part in a flashmob dedicated to preventing gender-based violence and promoting relationships built on respect, equality and non-violence
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Holercani, 31 July – 160 Youth Klinic Moldova volunteers, who are preparing to become peer educators in their communities as part of the Youth Klinic Moldova Summer School 2026, participated in a flash mob dedicated to preventing gender-based violence and promoting relationships built on respect, equality and non-violence.
The activity took place on the second day of the Summer School, which was dedicated to gender-based violence. Alongside the 160 volunteers, 28 volunteer coordinators and Satoshi, Ambassador of the national “The Power of Example” Campaign, also participated.
The activity was part of the young people’s preparation for the peer-to-peer activities they will carry out in their schools and communities. Before passing on the campaign’s messages, the volunteers took part in an experience designed to show them how beliefs, values and behaviours are formed and spread. Just as violence can be learned and repeated, respect, empathy and responsibility can be cultivated and passed on, becoming examples that change people and communities.
A living chain of the power of example
Following a discussion with the volunteers, Satoshi gave them purple origami birds – the symbol of “The Power of Example” Campaign. Wearing Youth Klinic Moldova’s purple T-shirts – a colour internationally associated with preventing and combating violence – the young people recreated one of the campaign video’s most iconic scenes.
Standing in several rows, the volunteers passed the birds from hand to hand, forming a living chain in continuous motion. Each participant became a link in a larger chain, illustrating the campaign’s central idea: what we choose to do and pass on continues to spread. At the end, the young people used the origami birds to create a collective installation, symbolising their shared commitment to the campaign’s message and to promoting relationships based on respect and non-violence through their own example.
During his discussion with the volunteers, Satoshi spoke about how changing mindsets takes time and sustained effort. He noted that, although “The Power of Example” Campaign is designed as a long-term initiative, change requires perseverance and everyone’s involvement. The artist encouraged the young people to continue learning and to become positive examples for others, stressing that “education is one of the most important factors in preventing violence” and that every positive example contributes to changing society.
Change begins with what we see and experience
Valentina Bordian, Social and Behaviour Change Officer at UNICEF Moldova, also participated in the activity. She highlighted the importance of practical experiences in changing social norms and preventing gender-based violence.
“Adolescence is the period when beliefs about relationships, identity and social roles are formed. Young people learn not only from what they are told, but especially from what they see and experience. The behaviours they observe become models that are passed on. This is why preventing gender-based violence means changing the beliefs that normalise control, domination or disrespect and replacing them with models based on respect, equality and responsibility. Experiences such as this flashmob help young people understand that every gesture and every choice can influence the behaviour of those around them and contribute to changing social norms.”
In the coming period, Youth Klinic Moldova volunteers will carry out peer-to-peer education activities in schools and communities, promoting relationships based on respect, equality, and non-violence.
The message they will pass on is simple and powerful: true power does not mean control or fear, but the example we set for those around us. We cannot change what we have seen or experienced, but we can choose what we pass on. When we choose respect, empathy and responsibility, we become part of the change ourselves.
The violence prevention activities organised as part of the Youth Klinic Moldova Summer School 2026 are part of the national “The Power of Example” Campaign. Under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, the Campaign is coordinated by the National Agency for the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (ANPCV), in partnership with UN Moldova and with the support of the Government of the United Kingdom.
The 11th edition of the Youth Klinic Moldova Summer School for volunteers and volunteer coordinators is organised by UNICEF and the NGO “Sănătate pentru Tineri”, in collaboration with the National Resource Centre for Youth-Friendly Health Services “NEOVITA”, with financial support from the Government of Germany through KfW Development Bank and with the support of the Government of the United Kingdom, as part of the National Programme on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights 2023–2027. The Summer School also benefits from the support of ERIKS Development Partner and the World Health Organization. The event is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Health.
