EVA ZAVRŠNIK, Slovenia: It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities!

1. Hi Eva, how are you? I would kindly ask you to introduce yourself to the Bellspiration readers so that we all can get to know you?

Hi Belma, I’m great! Thanks again for inviting me to be a part of your blog.

My name is Eva and I come from Slovenia.  I’m 26 years old, I have a B.A. in Social Education and now I’m finishing up my Master’s studies in Safety and Security, specifically Criminology. I’m currently most wrapped up in writing my thesis and enjoying the last months of being a student!

I’m usually studying, working, and volunteering at different organizations that support causes I believe in: women’s rights, non-violent communication, and creating a more sustainable and ethical world.

Two of the things I’m most proud of and fond of in my life are a solo hike I did along the 200 km long coastal trail which is a part of the Rota Vicentina hiking trail in Alentejo, Portugal. Another is when I won a scholarship to attend a short film course in London MetFilm School, where I learned more about video editing, a secret passion, and interest of mine. :) 

2. Can you tell us more about your experience of volunteering in a fair trade shop in Ljubljana and the topics of fair trade, (anti)consumerism, and living more ethically and sustainable?

I’ve been a volunteer in 3MUHE for around four years now. 3MUHE is a special kind of shop offering different products made under the Fair trade label (like coffee, tea, rice, artisanry, etc.), as well as some local and sustainably made products. This shop is a part of a larger-scale initiative that focuses on the ideas of a more ethical and more sustainable “consumption”, reduce-reuse-recycle movement, and ideas of degrowth.

I joined 3MUHE as a volunteer after going down the rabbit hole of the terrible aspects of the fast fashion industry. Years before that I was a mindless consumer of clothes and every time I would earn some money, this usually meant I went to buy some new ones. After learning the terrible truth about the fast fashion industry, I was horrified. I realized I had been supporting the industry that is based on the exploitation of workers in countries in development. The workers for most fast fashion brands (even the high-end brands) are working in poor conditions, are underpaid and many times faced with violence in the workplace.

After joining 3MUHE, I learned that the same kind of exploitation happens within the production of coffee, tea, bananas, and so on. The whole world is taking for granted all these commodities, but do we ever ask ourselves, where does this coffee even come from? Who is the farmer that grew these coffee beans and is he or she paid enough to support his or her family and survive? 

Under the term “Fair trade” we can understand the broader movement for a more ethical, fairer, and transparent world trade system. This means ensuring workers and producers a fair price that is higher than the production costs and set to be independent of the world market prices. It includes a social premium, paid to support the development of the local communities. It ensures no child labor within the whole process, secures workers’ and women’s rights, and more.

3. You are writing in your thesis about the pros and cons of social media. Would you give us some insights about that topic?

My thesis is about the oversharing of children’s photos and other posts on social media about children by their parents. I discuss this phenomenon from the perspective of privacy and safety of the children. I was inspired to research this topic, firstly, after realizing how much time I spend on social media and the (negative) effects it has on me. After this realization, I tried to downsize the use of social media and soon I joined an interesting project, where I, together with other participants, had spent 10 days in a community without our phones, computers, or even digital alarm clocks!

The second thing that led me to my choice of this topic was seeing just how much some parents post about children on Facebook. Not only are these kids too young to express their wishes about what their parents post, but it can also lead to some safety concerns. The photos and the information that parents post about their children can lead to misuse of their personal data, the photos can be later used for bullying or even abuse, and excessive posting can also lead to various social and emotional issues of the child. The seemingly private space within our social media profiles is never really private and we lose control over shared information in the same instance we share it.

Younger generations will be faced with a mountain of information about them on social media, despite the fact they don’t even have social media accounts at this very moment.

4. What motivates you in life? What inspires you the most? 

I think my main inspiration is fighting the injustice and cruelty that unfortunately still persists in this world. It inspires me most when I see other people fighting for their cause and making a change in this world. My inspiration is to be able to be a change in this world, even if this means I need to live a life that is different from others’ lives. I believe that whether we have the resources to fight different kinds of oppression, we should. I’m still learning what is the ultimate cause that I want to dedicate my energy and resources to though.

For me personally, this means a lot of things, and to list a few that most of us can do in our lives... To “vote” with our wallets, support small businesses. To say no to the things we don’t really need. To be kind to everyone. To not support the cruel animal exploitation industry. All in all, saying no to the capital-driven system and the consumerism culture we live in.

5. Do you have an inspiring message for young people all around the world?

I’ll be short and quote a character of wisdom that can be found in my so-called second home – books and magical world.

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – A. D.

6. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this Bellspiration interview! Good luck and see you soon :) 

Thank you, Belma, and all the best!

CONTACT EVA:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/evazavrsnik/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/eva.zavrsnik