Archive for the Category




Opportunities for development of tourism in border areas of Istria

Being an EVS Volunteer in Park Istra has been an adventure. During this year I had the challenge and the duty to develop a personal project that would positively impact the local community. When looking for how I could help the local community, I started doing interviews with the locals to understand their needs and the positive and the negative aspects of the inland Istrian region. Since the area has a lot of potential and it is very close to […]

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Improvisation theatre workshop by Anna

Since I arrived in Slovenia for my EVS, working with Park Istra, I organized a few improvisation theatre workshops. In summer, I planned and mentored the first workshop with Melanie, another volunteer from France who also had some experience in theatre improvisation. Then she left but I felt that I had to continue anyway. Recently, we had the chance to welcome five French volunteers (Vincent, Mathilde, Elsa, Pierre and Loris), nice, open and full of energy, which gave me the […]

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Frogs and other things

In the past weeks we have been quite busy in Park Istra, since we’ve been helping several different projects at the same time. Our volunteers have been making a stone path and wooden signs in Debeli Rtič, organizing French workshops and reading fairy tales for the kids in Red Cross resort, socialising with people with disabilities and building a fence in Sonček organization… and picking frogs! Since we have with us a group of great French volunteers at the moment, […]

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Art for the community

As you probably now, Park Istra Volunteers Center is based in Debeli Rtič (Red Cross Rehabilitation Resort) during this winter. We are glad to say we have the opportunity here to help not only the locals but also the red Cross organization and the workers that daily work here. We are also very free to give ideas and start projects that would improve or help them somehow. Inside of the area of the Red Cross Resort, there is a building […]

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Sustainability in food distribution (the example of ADDA association)

Introduction ADDA is a French association in Nantes, a city of 300.000 inhabitants. ADDA means ‘Aujourd’hui restaurons demain’, which could be translated by ‘Today, we have to feed tomorrow’. I know the ADDA association because I was involved in it. I cannot say that I was involved a lot, mainly I was buying my food there, talking with people and helping from time to time. However I had time to discover how they work and to know some of the […]

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Why sustainability is not only ecology

Sustainability means to take care for the ecosystems, of which humans are part of, in the present and in the future. It is important to understand that sustainability is not only ecology. Sustainability implies taking care for three main aspects of our world: ecological, social and economical. What do we mean by ecological, social and economical? – Ecology is a science of ecosystems. Ecological is what takes care for ecosystems based on this science. – Social: there are many different definitions. […]

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Through the Eyes of the Refugees

To raise awareness about the refugee crisis, Trajnostni Park Istra invited EVS Volunteer Gemma Gelabert Gonzalo to set up her exhibition ‘Skozi oči beguncev‘ in Koper. Središče Rotunda Koper was also willing to collaborate, hosting the exhibition until the 15th of January in their main hall where numerous events will take place over the next months, so many people will be able to experience the exhibition.    Gemma Gelabert Gonzalo is an EVS Volunteer in Mladinski Center Velenje for a period of […]

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Permaculture in Park Istra

Permaculture (‘permanent agriculture’) is a sustainability approach which is based on the functioning of natural ecosystems. First we have to observe the ecosystem in which we wish to act: particularly the climate, the soil, the diversity and the links between the components of the ecosystem. Then we plan our actions in a way that transforms the area as minimally as possible, trying not to stop the natural flows but instead encourage the successful interactions offered by nature. Picture: Permaculture garden […]

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EVS volunteering in Park Istra

In the beginning of June I said yes to one of the biggest adventures of my life, I said yes to EVS Programme in Park Istra for a whole year… And by the 1st of July I was arriving in Slovenia! It was a big crazy change. For those who don’t know EVS Programme, EVS means European Voluntary Service, which is supported by Erasmus+ and European Commission. You can do it for a short or a long term with all […]

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Kids’ day in Park Istra

In the morning on 6th of October, Park Istra received a group of 60 children from a school in Koper. As a main goal, we wanted the kids to have a different day, close to the nature, to feel and fully enjoy it while having fun. So, we started our morning with a quick speech to explain why and how we run our project here in Park Istra. With a rotative system, we divided the kids in three different groups: […]

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