A simulation game “escape” took place in Rēzekne District. 24 h – refugee.

On 16 May, the National Border Guard College in the rural training centre “Janopole” in Janapole, Griškānu parish, took place in the Rēzekne municipality in the municipality of Rēzekne, in cooperation with the 24 h simulation game “escape” held by the National Border Guard College and the Rēzekne municipality, in which the people of the refugee are in the role of the refugee and crossing the borders in order to get to Latvia and obtain a residence permit. The participants of the game - young people aged 15 –19 - are grouped in 7 families by 5 people. Each person was given his passport, his own story. In the course of the game, it was not allowed to contact Latvian. Negotiations with the carrier (gidu), the Embassy staff took place in Russian/English.
The mission of the game was, in the role of a refugee, to successfully cross national borders in order to get to Latvia and obtain a residence permit/citizenship.
Goals of the game:
- allow young people to be in a refugee role in order to be able to understand the situation in the world with refugees;
- provide an opportunity for cadets of the National Border Guard College to use their newly acquired knowledge of refugees;
- to develop the experience of the acquired game in each and co-human humanity and tolerance;
- promote mutual communication between young people;
- educate young people about the working day of the State Border Guard college.
Design of the game:
1. Introduction;
2. Village;
3. 1 st flight of the day;
4. Embassy;
5. Day 2 of the day;
6. Refugee camp;
7. Night flight;
8. Boundary;
9. Evaluation.
In the evaluation, the most common benefits were:
- all serious, could feel like being a refugee and understand the importance of languages;
- spending time without telephone was a good challenge that liked it;
- could observe what and how the duties of border guards are in place;
- real as a refugee, fleeing and hiding.
For one of the families, the “escape” of the simulation game 24 h with words - famine, bruising, trauma, adventure, fatigue, adrenaline, speed, silence.
Thank the participants of the game for their interest and willingness to participate, thanks to the municipality of Rezekne and the college of the State Border Guard, regarding participation in the planning and organisation of the game!
Eva Rubene
Head of the Youth Unit of the Rēzekne Committee of Latvia
Aivars Mežatučs
Rezekne municipality youth affairs specialist