The cultural foundation Routes of the Olive Tree participate for the fourth consecutive year,
in the Italian Civil Service program — promoted by the Ministry for Youth Policies — opens new opportunities for young people to engage in solidarity actions abroad. In Greece, this journey takes shape through the project “Cultivating Tomorrow”, promoted and coordinated by CNCA – Coordinamento Nazionale Comunità di Accoglienza.
These days, 12 young volunteers from Italy and Greece are meeting in Kalamata for their preparatory training, before starting their year of service in Messinia and Athens.
The main goal is supporting vulnerable communities and reducing the risk of social marginalization, through a strong partnership of organizations active in Messinia and Athens:
- PALMI | Koin.S.Ep. – Social Cooperative— social and labour inclusion work
Iris Social Inclusion Association — promoting mental health and wellbeing
Routes of the Olive Tree Cultural Foundation — with emphasis on Mediterranean culture and sustainable development - Myrtillo Social Cooperative Enterprise — located in Athens working on inclusion through employment and empowerment
Kinitro ONG — an organization promoting non-formal education, youth activism and equality
The training, hosted by Routes of the Olive Tree Cultural Foundation, gained even more value thanks to the interventions of local experts and professionals. These seminars covered diverse fields of action and gave the volunteers the chance to understand the Greek local context, and to learn from existing social and territorial experiences as model examples.
Throughout the week:
- Stavros Sotiropoulos from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of the Peloponnese, PhD specialist in olive harvesting, led a seminar on the environmental impact of intensive cultivation. He brought to light the agro-economic situation in Messinia: its potential, but also the risks faced by the territory.
- Sotiris Marinis, founder of the “Art Farm” project, presented an example of community entrepreneurship and eco-sustainable tourism. Art Farm is an eco-village that investigates themes of sustainable tourism and environmental respect through zero-impact, eco-friendly materials, producing a shared space also as result of collective work.
- Marianthi Kalogeropoulou, a pedagogue and founder of the “Child Center ‘Mazi’” (Κέντρο Παιδιού “Μαζί”) for Psychomotor Therapy and Rehabilitation in Kalamata, offered insights into social education and therapeutic support for children with disabilities and psychomotor difficulties — exemplary in professionalism, resilience, and investment in local youth.
- Ms Georgia Kalogeropoulou, expert representative of the Peloponnisos International Doc Film Festival (Peldocfest) in the Peloponnese Documentary Festival – cornerstone of Kalamata’s cultural scene – spoke about cultural and artistic inclusivity, especially through film and documentary art. Followed by the screening of the Documentary “Beyond my eyes”
- Ioanna Ravani, manager of the Environmental Education Center (Κπε Καλαματας ) in Kalamata, shared educational and reflective techniques regarding environmental themes. Her centre has long engaged youth and families in reflecting on the human-nature relationship and environmental sustainability, using outdoor education.
- The training week concludes with Professor Johannes Eisenbach, the figure behind Biocyclic Park (Kalamata / Panhellenic Biocyclic Vegan Network). This project, well known for producing biocyclic vegan compost and humus soil, is a leading example of scientific and technological innovation, sustainable agriculture, composting, and support to farmers
For three weeks, the participants are undertaking intensive, intercultural training. From October they will be ready to start their service in Greece, living closely with local communities.
Over the years the project “Cultivating Tomorrow”has allowed us to host volunteers, grow our community, and above all to observe how the principles of international cooperation and intercultural exchange are a powerful driving force for sustainable local development and for implementing our activities.
A year of service that will not only be a gift of solidarity to local communities but also a life-changing experience for every young person involved.