"What Has the 2007 GYFHC Meant to You?"Following ten days in Warsaw, Krakow, and Prague (including a two-day study program at Auschwitz), the student delegates of the 2007 People to People International (PTPI) Global Youth Forum Humanitarian Conference were asked to reflect on their time in these wonderful countries and to write a brief explanation of what the program has meant to them. Below are their responses…
“To me, the GYFHC is a trip that has completely changed my life. I came into this trip knowing it would affect my life but I never expected it to so drastically change me forever. This experience really made me look into my life. I learned from the different people how important simple acts of kindness can change someone’s life. I learned the importance of friendship and to never let go of important people. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and the people I’ve met. They will forever be a part of my heart and I will always treasure these memories.”
-PTPI Delegate
“This GYFHC experience is impossible to explain, define, or relate to anyone that hasn’t been fortunate enough to experience it firsthand. The friendships made, stories shared, memories created, and lives touched will remain with me for the rest of my life. This conference has opened my eyes to the horrors of the past and how blessed I am to be here. I’ve met some truly amazing people and witnessed the effects that hatred can have on the world, even when it seems insignificant. My greatest hope is that the understanding and compassion doesn’t end here but is the beginning of a movement against the ignorance, prejudice, and apathy that plagues the world today.”
-PTPI Delegate
“The GYFHC has changed so many different portions of my life, I can not even fathom the way I will act and feel after this trip. I have not only made new friends, but have found a greater inner being in myself. For the first time in a very long time I have been able to experience things that my ancestors experienced. It also opened my mind to new ways of thinking. I feel that in many ways the people whom I have traveled with have changed me in ways that I can not describe. My time spent at Auschwitz was a time where I felt most connected to my friends and the leaders. I feel that I must mention a friend of mine. He has taught me so much, so for this I say ‘thank you.’ Many of my other friends were either there when I was down or they gave me a good laugh. I feel that this was the best of all GYFHC’s I’ve been on!”
-PTPI Delegate
“This GYFHC has taught me so much about life and has changed me forever. I truly understand for the first time in my life both how insignificant I am and also how much change I can create in the world if I put my mind to it. I feel that I am like an atom –practically nothing on its own, but when split or cracked it can be extremely powerful – and this GYFHC was the first crack in the wall that I have hidden behind for so many years. I thank God that I was able to attend this year’s GYFHC and that it was changed from Morocco to Poland and the Czech Republic.”
-PTPI Delegate
“To me, the GYFHC is a way of life. I sometimes wonder what my life would be like had I never gone on one of these trips. I don’t like what I imagine. I’ve realized through my travels with this program that people all generally yearn for the same things in life. We all want to experience love, have happiness, and see our friends and family live in a peaceful world. Although the details of how a person achieves these emotions differ, I believe that once they are achieved the feeling we have in our hearts is the same as the people standing next to us. I hope that one day the world is able to be at peace the way these trips have allowed me to be in my heart.”
-PTPI Delegate
“To reflect on these PTPI trips inevitably imparts to me a feeling of ineffable awe each time. Exceeding expectations isn’t the goal but is always the result and I am indubitably left with more knowledge about myself through other people. It isn’t the activities of the trip that causes veritable brilliance, but the undeniable connection between people to people. I thank you all.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Love, as I learned it, is effectively willing the true good of the beloved. This definition of love is the essence of this year’s GYFHC. This group was small so everyone really got to know each other over these two weeks. There were many times during the trip that the delegates performed the action that I believe is love. Whether it [was a delegate] giving his sandals to [another delegate] after hers broke at Auschwitz, or [a delegate] taking the time to find a complement for each person on the trip, or [delegates] gaining a bond that will last a lifetime, everyone on this trip has, whether they know it or not, has learned the true meaning of love. A four letter word: L-O-V-E, with an 8-word definition, is a lesson that 34 students and adults have learned and will last a lifetime. LOVE and its true definition is what PTPI’s GYFHC 2007 to Poland and the Czech Republic has meant to me.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Compassion. Kindness. Sincerity. Understanding one another. Understanding myself. These are the lessons I learned on this GYFHC and I will never forget them.”
-PTPI Delegate
“The renewal of the human spirit. I have heard of this clichéd event happening for many different people at many different times and places but I had never entirely believed it was possible until I came to Eastern Europe with the GYFHC. I saw it in two ways, the first of which was experiencing the exponential growth that Poland and the Czech Republic have enjoyed. These two countries have suffered from oppression for centuries, and faced human rights violations under Nazi and then Soviet rule. Yet even with the horrors of the Holocaust dominating their past, these nations have been able to move forward with creating a better future for their citizens. The advent of free-market capitalism can be seen in the cranes that are currently building skyscrapers in Warsaw and Prague. The future of Poland and the Czech Republic is bright and I look forward to visiting these countries in the future.
The second way that I have seen the renewal of the human spirit is through the experiences of my fellow delegates. Although I cannot go into detail about some of the things I learned out of respect for my fellow delegates, I am proud to know such courageous people who have endured so many hardships to get to where they are today. God bless and I wish you all the best of luck.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Even the smallest actions can change lives. Nobody is too small to make a difference. The one action that will validate humans for years to come is not the amount of money they have or the material possessions they amass; rather validation as a person will come from the amount you give back to others.”
-PTPI Delegate
“The amazing thing about the People to People International experience is not about the exotic places one goes and the beautiful things one sees. People to People International is about exactly what its name implies – people sharing, growing, learning and influencing other people. The experiences I’ve had on this trip have far surpassed any previous trips and any expectations I had. The individuals in this group are so diverse, yet surprisingly the same. They are the same in the sense that they want to help, understand and appreciate people. Because of the wonderful kids on this trip, I have been helped, understood and appreciated much more than I ever have in my life. It is for that reason that I will forever remember and will forever be indebted to the people from the GYFHC 2007.”
-PTPI Delegate
“This GYFHC Adventure has been the greatest experience in my life thus far. I was struggling with ADHD, friendship issues and some devastating events in my life. This all combined together and made life very difficult and lonely. On this trip, however, someone reached out and touched my hand and my heart and for the first time in nearly one and a half lonely years, I was included in a group and before long, my friendships spread, eventually encompassing all the GYFHC delegates. This experience was only made possible by the superb leadership of the delegation leaders who cared so much they enabled all GYFHC delegates to not only change the world, but to change ourselves. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Many people will walk in and out of your lives, but only friends will leave footprints on the heart.” For the first time, in a very long time, I am content and proud of who and what makes me, me. Thank you People to People and all the GYFHC delegates and staff!”
-PTPI Delegate
“Finding who I am has never been a simple task. I’ve made my way through many different groups, my likes and dislikes have changed, but one thing about myself never has: the passion and love that burns inside my heart when I make a difference in someone’s life. People to People International has enabled me to find individuals who share that interest. Every time I lend my hand out to someone in need or the love of someone else is extended to me, pieces of my heart seem to place together. I have come to the realization that I am not who I am because of my own doing. Every person in this world who has crossed my path has added on to my being, which means I will never truly find and settle with who I am. The more and more unique individuals from all around the world, with all different backgrounds and experiences, will continue to change who I am, as I will do to them. If one smile can change someone’s life, imagine what two can do. Then take it one step further and you can imagine that peace is not impossible. PTPI has made that perfectly clear to me. Now it is time for us to make it clear to the rest of the world.”
-PTPI Delegate
“As much as I love singer/songwriter John Mayer he couldn’t be more wrong when he wrote the lyrics “we’re waiting on the world to change.” We CAN’T wait, and this trip has made this so clear to me. How can we expect a change to happen in the world if everyone is “waiting for the world to change.” We have to be the change we want to see in our family, school, community, nation and the world. And honestly, we have been waiting long enough. This trip focused a lot on the Holocaust. The world knew what was happening in Europe and with Hitler and they just waited for the world to change. Now, our country, along with the countless others know what is going on in Iraq, Darfur, etc. and once again everyone is “waiting” for others to stop the violence. How long is our world going to wait? When is someone going to start that change? This trip has inspired at least me to stop “waiting” for the world to change…I know I want to and will make a change.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Over the last two weeks, this GYFHC has allowed me to see so many things. Mostly, that life is about decisions and actions. Also, that life is always worth the friendships we make or lose, the decisions that change our lives, and especially, is always worth that which we fight through. Spending time in Poland and the Czech Republic with every person here, as well as experiencing all that we have, has allowed me to come to understand these things about in general.
We are all so fortunate to have been on this journey. It has changed, in my opinion, each and every one of us in ways that others, and even ourselves, cannot fully understand. Experiences that change us so deeply are gifts that should be remembered for the rest of our lives and are meant to be shared and experienced by others as well.”
-PTPI Delegate
“It’s hard for me to write down what this trip means to me because words cannot even describe it. I have learned so much in these 12 days than I ever could have imagined. I never knew that a simple gesture, such as holding someone when they’re upset, can change their life. I thank all of you on this trip for changing my life and helping me discover the potential I have in making a difference in the world around me. I will remember this trip and these memories all of us have created forever.”
-PTPI Delegate
“What GYFHC means to me is knowing that no matter what I do or what I symbolize that people will always love me. When we were at Auschwitz and I gave my sandals to [another delegate] I didn’t give them to her to get attention from the leaders or Mary, I did it because that’s what the GYFHC stands for to me. It stands for doing something without being told or wondering what people will say about you or if all of your friends think you’re weird. It’s impossible for me to say what GYFHC means to me in a paragraph because everybody is my paragraph. There are no words to say it.”
-PTPI Delegate
“This GYFHC trip has made me realize that there are good people in the world. When I mean ‘good’ I simply mean those who care for others and are able to look past their own social spheres or levels of comfort. It has made me reflect upon my own little bubble back home. I now know how I’ve blocked people out of social circles or had fun at another person’s expense. Looking at the compassion of the other delegates on this trip has given me the desire to change certain habits that I thought of as harmless. I think I understand now that people are messy and chaotic entities of emotion and logic who simply want to feel cared for. Tough I don’t think I’ve solidified my beliefs as an individual yet, I do feel the need to do good in the world. I feel that this trip has given me a direction and a drive to not only control my anger that I feel for events like the Holocaust, but also the ability to translate this anger into clear, rational, practical but also caring and sympathetic solutions for the problems of the world.”
-PTPI Delegate
“The GYFHC to me is a new beginning. It means meeting new people, making new friends and meeting new kinds of personalities. At my school everyone knows me for what I acted like since Kindergarten, but at GYFHC I was able to get a new start and everyone knows me for what my personality is now. A big goal of GYFHC is that you get to meet new people – U.S. delegates & those of our host countries - who don’t know anything about you, so they don’t have an opinion about you until they meet you. I’ve learned I am capable with many personalities and can gain friendships through reaching out.”
-PTPI Delegate
“This year’s GYFHC is hard to explain in words alone. Our group meetings on the second to last night of the trip said more than I could ever squeeze into a single paragraph bounded by the limitations of our dictionary and written and I know that nobody outside of that meeting will be able to understand the emotions felt in that room. I felt the compassion that everyone felt for each other, for the value of human life, and the need for us to understand one another despite our many differences. I never realized the true meaning of love and how much a person can love another person, not in the sense of physical attraction, but rather the spiritual connecting and deep compassion toe be with each other and to act upon the same ideals than in any other instance in my life. I discovered the true meaning of the idea of compassion which made me realize that there is hope for us, as human beings, to achieve peaceful relationships as long as we continue to make such meaningful connection, change lives the way we have, and spread the heartfelt love for on another that was so contagious at this year’s GYFHC. I have found new friends, brothers, sisters, mentors who I have experienced as some of the most memorable feelings and connections that I will remember for the rest of my life. I will remember you all in everything I do until I die and I thank you all for changing my life permanently.”
-PTPI Delegate
“From being here at GYFHC I have learned so much. Not only have I reunited with old friends but I have also made several new friends and gained a better understanding of what it means to have a true friend.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Days go by, and slowly I begin to store all of my incredible memories, but then comes the summer, a time to unwind for most. But ever since 2002, summer is a time of discovery. Because of People to People I can share everything. This organization is so near to my heart, tears swell in my eyes and a frog occupies my throat whenever I look back on my memories. It has been something that I hold in my heart. I discover the world and embark on the adventure that is life, simply through my passport I can tell stories for hours. I let myself go on these journeys and the time flies... I can discover new states, new people, new emotions and myself all through these trips. I mainly don’t want to grow up because these experiences may become more distant to me. But I will never forget. This is a refreshing time that in a couple summers, I will no longer have the opportunity to do, but look at pictures and remind myself. And with tears in my soul, I intend to share that my strength comes from these programs, and I never want to leave, I will always be with the people I’ve met and the places I’ve seen.”
-PTPI Delegate
“This GYFHC has helped me find religion within myself. Growing up in a family with mixed religions, I never could really identify myself with any of them. In my early teenage years, I decided to be agnostic and didn’t really know what to believe. On this trip, I found a spiritual identity with Christianity and I feel more complete. I feel that without this trip I would not have found such a spiritual identity.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Well where do I start? There is so much that I learned about myself and everyone else on this trip. What I have learned about myself is that I don’t need to depend on other people to do things for me. I am more self-confident about myself. I also see people in a different way now from this time at GYF. Everyone can do some good things in their lives; they just have to find their inner self – which, for me, was hard. There are also a lot of things I liked about the people on this trip that made it worthwhile to go on. I will never regret this trip. If it could be longer I would want it that way. I want to see everyone some time sooner or later in life. I will always remember the summer of 2007 because of the people and all the good memories that I made. I love all of you.”
-PTPI Delegate
“I really was able to reflect on who I am and who I want to be. This trip took me out of normal life and helped me know who I want to be after this trip.”
-PTPI Delegate
“I learned who I am in a deeper sense than flesh and blood but in an emotional and mental way. I learned more about relationships and people in general which gave me a deeper understanding of myself. I also relearned that humor never fails.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Love, as I learned it, is effectively willing the true good of the beloved. This definition of love is the essence of this year’s GYFHC. This group was small so everyone really got to know each other over these two weeks. There were many times during the trip that the delegates performed the action that I believe is love. Whether it [was a delegate] giving his sandals to [another delegate] after hers broke at Auschwitz, or [a delegate] taking the time to find a complement for each person on the trip, or [delegates] gaining a bond that will last a lifetime, everyone on this trip has, whether they know it or not, has learned the true meaning of love. A four letter word: L-O-V-E, with an 8-word definition, is a lesson that 34 students and adults have learned and will last a lifetime. LOVE and its true definition is what PTPI’s GYFHC 2007 to Poland and the Czech Republic has meant to me.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Compassion. Kindness. Sincerity. Understanding one another. Understanding myself. These are the lessons I learned on this GYFHC and I will never forget them.”
-PTPI Delegate
“The renewal of the human spirit. I have heard of this clichéd event happening for many different people at many different times and places but I had never entirely believed it was possible until I came to Eastern Europe with the GYFHC. I saw it in two ways, the first of which was experiencing the exponential growth that Poland and the Czech Republic have enjoyed. These two countries have suffered from oppression for centuries, and faced human rights violations under Nazi and then Soviet rule. Yet even with the horrors of the Holocaust dominating their past, these nations have been able to move forward with creating a better future for their citizens. The advent of free-market capitalism can be seen in the cranes that are currently building skyscrapers in Warsaw and Prague. The future of Poland and the Czech Republic is bright and I look forward to visiting these countries in the future.
The second way that I have seen the renewal of the human spirit is through the experiences of my fellow delegates. Although I cannot go into detail about some of the things I learned out of respect for my fellow delegates, I am proud to know such courageous people who have endured so many hardships to get to where they are today. God bless and I wish you all the best of luck.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Even the smallest actions can change lives. Nobody is too small to make a difference. The one action that will validate humans for years to come is not the amount of money they have or the material possessions they amass; rather validation as a person will come from the amount you give back to others.”
-PTPI Delegate
“The amazing thing about the People to People International experience is not about the exotic places one goes and the beautiful things one sees. People to People International is about exactly what its name implies – people sharing, growing, learning and influencing other people. The experiences I’ve had on this trip have far surpassed any previous trips and any expectations I had. The individuals in this group are so diverse, yet surprisingly the same. They are the same in the sense that they want to help, understand and appreciate people. Because of the wonderful kids on this trip, I have been helped, understood and appreciated much more than I ever have in my life. It is for that reason that I will forever remember and will forever be indebted to the people from the GYFHC 2007.”
-PTPI Delegate
“This GYFHC Adventure has been the greatest experience in my life thus far. I was struggling with ADHD, friendship issues and some devastating events in my life. This all combined together and made life very difficult and lonely. On this trip, however, someone reached out and touched my hand and my heart and for the first time in nearly one and a half lonely years, I was included in a group and before long, my friendships spread, eventually encompassing all the GYFHC delegates. This experience was only made possible by the superb leadership of the delegation leaders who cared so much they enabled all GYFHC delegates to not only change the world, but to change ourselves. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Many people will walk in and out of your lives, but only friends will leave footprints on the heart.” For the first time, in a very long time, I am content and proud of who and what makes me, me. Thank you People to People and all the GYFHC delegates and staff!”
-PTPI Delegate
“Finding who I am has never been a simple task. I’ve made my way through many different groups, my likes and dislikes have changed, but one thing about myself never has: the passion and love that burns inside my heart when I make a difference in someone’s life. People to People International has enabled me to find individuals who share that interest. Every time I lend my hand out to someone in need or the love of someone else is extended to me, pieces of my heart seem to place together. I have come to the realization that I am not who I am because of my own doing. Every person in this world who has crossed my path has added on to my being, which means I will never truly find and settle with who I am. The more and more unique individuals from all around the world, with all different backgrounds and experiences, will continue to change who I am, as I will do to them. If one smile can change someone’s life, imagine what two can do. Then take it one step further and you can imagine that peace is not impossible. PTPI has made that perfectly clear to me. Now it is time for us to make it clear to the rest of the world.”
-PTPI Delegate
“As much as I love singer/songwriter John Mayer he couldn’t be more wrong when he wrote the lyrics “we’re waiting on the world to change.” We CAN’T wait, and this trip has made this so clear to me. How can we expect a change to happen in the world if everyone is “waiting for the world to change.” We have to be the change we want to see in our family, school, community, nation and the world. And honestly, we have been waiting long enough. This trip focused a lot on the Holocaust. The world knew what was happening in Europe and with Hitler and they just waited for the world to change. Now, our country, along with the countless others know what is going on in Iraq, Darfur, etc. and once again everyone is “waiting” for others to stop the violence. How long is our world going to wait? When is someone going to start that change? This trip has inspired at least me to stop “waiting” for the world to change…I know I want to and will make a change.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Over the last two weeks, this GYFHC has allowed me to see so many things. Mostly, that life is about decisions and actions. Also, that life is always worth the friendships we make or lose, the decisions that change our lives, and especially, is always worth that which we fight through. Spending time in Poland and the Czech Republic with every person here, as well as experiencing all that we have, has allowed me to come to understand these things about in general.
We are all so fortunate to have been on this journey. It has changed, in my opinion, each and every one of us in ways that others, and even ourselves, cannot fully understand. Experiences that change us so deeply are gifts that should be remembered for the rest of our lives and are meant to be shared and experienced by others as well.”
-PTPI Delegate
“It’s hard for me to write down what this trip means to me because words cannot even describe it. I have learned so much in these 12 days than I ever could have imagined. I never knew that a simple gesture, such as holding someone when they’re upset, can change their life. I thank all of you on this trip for changing my life and helping me discover the potential I have in making a difference in the world around me. I will remember this trip and these memories all of us have created forever.”
-PTPI Delegate
“What GYFHC means to me is knowing that no matter what I do or what I symbolize that people will always love me. When we were at Auschwitz and I gave my sandals to [another delegate] I didn’t give them to her to get attention from the leaders or Mary, I did it because that’s what the GYFHC stands for to me. It stands for doing something without being told or wondering what people will say about you or if all of your friends think you’re weird. It’s impossible for me to say what GYFHC means to me in a paragraph because everybody is my paragraph. There are no words to say it.”
-PTPI Delegate
“This GYFHC trip has made me realize that there are good people in the world. When I mean ‘good’ I simply mean those who care for others and are able to look past their own social spheres or levels of comfort. It has made me reflect upon my own little bubble back home. I now know how I’ve blocked people out of social circles or had fun at another person’s expense. Looking at the compassion of the other delegates on this trip has given me the desire to change certain habits that I thought of as harmless. I think I understand now that people are messy and chaotic entities of emotion and logic who simply want to feel cared for. Tough I don’t think I’ve solidified my beliefs as an individual yet, I do feel the need to do good in the world. I feel that this trip has given me a direction and a drive to not only control my anger that I feel for events like the Holocaust, but also the ability to translate this anger into clear, rational, practical but also caring and sympathetic solutions for the problems of the world.”
-PTPI Delegate
“The GYFHC to me is a new beginning. It means meeting new people, making new friends and meeting new kinds of personalities. At my school everyone knows me for what I acted like since Kindergarten, but at GYFHC I was able to get a new start and everyone knows me for what my personality is now. A big goal of GYFHC is that you get to meet new people – U.S. delegates & those of our host countries - who don’t know anything about you, so they don’t have an opinion about you until they meet you. I’ve learned I am capable with many personalities and can gain friendships through reaching out.”
-PTPI Delegate
“This year’s GYFHC is hard to explain in words alone. Our group meetings on the second to last night of the trip said more than I could ever squeeze into a single paragraph bounded by the limitations of our dictionary and written and I know that nobody outside of that meeting will be able to understand the emotions felt in that room. I felt the compassion that everyone felt for each other, for the value of human life, and the need for us to understand one another despite our many differences. I never realized the true meaning of love and how much a person can love another person, not in the sense of physical attraction, but rather the spiritual connecting and deep compassion toe be with each other and to act upon the same ideals than in any other instance in my life. I discovered the true meaning of the idea of compassion which made me realize that there is hope for us, as human beings, to achieve peaceful relationships as long as we continue to make such meaningful connection, change lives the way we have, and spread the heartfelt love for on another that was so contagious at this year’s GYFHC. I have found new friends, brothers, sisters, mentors who I have experienced as some of the most memorable feelings and connections that I will remember for the rest of my life. I will remember you all in everything I do until I die and I thank you all for changing my life permanently.”
-PTPI Delegate
“From being here at GYFHC I have learned so much. Not only have I reunited with old friends but I have also made several new friends and gained a better understanding of what it means to have a true friend.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Days go by, and slowly I begin to store all of my incredible memories, but then comes the summer, a time to unwind for most. But ever since 2002, summer is a time of discovery. Because of People to People I can share everything. This organization is so near to my heart, tears swell in my eyes and a frog occupies my throat whenever I look back on my memories. It has been something that I hold in my heart. I discover the world and embark on the adventure that is life, simply through my passport I can tell stories for hours. I let myself go on these journeys and the time flies... I can discover new states, new people, new emotions and myself all through these trips. I mainly don’t want to grow up because these experiences may become more distant to me. But I will never forget. This is a refreshing time that in a couple summers, I will no longer have the opportunity to do, but look at pictures and remind myself. And with tears in my soul, I intend to share that my strength comes from these programs, and I never want to leave, I will always be with the people I’ve met and the places I’ve seen.”
-PTPI Delegate
“This GYFHC has helped me find religion within myself. Growing up in a family with mixed religions, I never could really identify myself with any of them. In my early teenage years, I decided to be agnostic and didn’t really know what to believe. On this trip, I found a spiritual identity with Christianity and I feel more complete. I feel that without this trip I would not have found such a spiritual identity.”
-PTPI Delegate
“Well where do I start? There is so much that I learned about myself and everyone else on this trip. What I have learned about myself is that I don’t need to depend on other people to do things for me. I am more self-confident about myself. I also see people in a different way now from this time at GYF. Everyone can do some good things in their lives; they just have to find their inner self – which, for me, was hard. There are also a lot of things I liked about the people on this trip that made it worthwhile to go on. I will never regret this trip. If it could be longer I would want it that way. I want to see everyone some time sooner or later in life. I will always remember the summer of 2007 because of the people and all the good memories that I made. I love all of you.”
-PTPI Delegate
“I really was able to reflect on who I am and who I want to be. This trip took me out of normal life and helped me know who I want to be after this trip.”
-PTPI Delegate
“I learned who I am in a deeper sense than flesh and blood but in an emotional and mental way. I learned more about relationships and people in general which gave me a deeper understanding of myself. I also relearned that humor never fails.”
-PTPI Delegate
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