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Nature is calling. Pick up!

Because there is no Planet B, our volunteers went abroad to Slovakia to help nature.

Estimated reading time: 1 minute and 42 seconds

Nature is crying out for help! Our volunteers Ana Sofia Mendes, Helder Berenguer, Liliana Macedo, João Pinho and Marisa Murtinha her her plea and travelled to Slovakia to participate in an Youth Exchange where, with the aid of 30 youth workers from Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Croatia, Romania and Latvia, they discussed some of the greatest problems the environment faces.

From March 22nd to the 31st, Lazy pod Makytou was the stage for Nature Calling, an Youth Exchange under the umbrella of Erasmus+ energized by the Mother Flower organization. For 8 days, we had the opportunity to lightheartedly tackle serious subjects such as the pollution of the Baltic sea in Latvia, the inexistence of a recycling platform in Romania or the wildfires that affected Portugal and Spain. Participant and volunteer Helder Berenguer adds:

“It’s incredible what you can achieve just by gathering 30 youth workers in a remote village to the north of Slovakia to work the thematic of the environment and sustainability. The ideas that flow and the bonds that are forged! This youth exchange was a memorable experience!”

We planted hundreds of young trees, collected dozens of kilos of waste, built flower beds with legumes for children, learned how to craft soaps, visited a “zero waste” store and participated in a conference in Trenčín, where Helder Berenguer divulged the Plantar o Futuro (“plant the future”) project to everyone in the conference.

By the end of the day, it was time to make our origins known. We were greeted with original theaters and fun quizzes. Traditional dances and music filled the intercultural nights with joy and colour. The tables were beaming with delightful delicacies from each country. Sitting on the Portuguese table, you could of course find the traditional ovos moles.

Take this chance to find out what Agora Aveiro is doing in the field of Sustainable Development. Find out more about Erasmus+ projects and be sure to keep up with our Facebook and Instagram where we divulge all kinds of opportunities.

Marisa Murtinha