Recently took place the annual volunteering meeting in Spain, where 50 ex-volunteers who were volunteering during las year gathered in Alicante (eastern part of Spain). During one weekend, all these volunteers had the chance to share their volunteering experiences besides receiving many useful tools for their professional future.

The event started with the opening speech of the Spanish National Agency responsible for youth, where the importance of volunteering and improving the local community was highlighted, thanking the valuable job of the volunteers. Afterwards, in the co-cathedral of Alicante, a delicatessen snack dinner was waiting for the volunteers to come, escorted by Spanish wine and everything spiced up under the live music concert of a local country band.

The upcoming day, the members of REVE (Red Española de Ex-voluntarios Europeos // Spanish european ex-volunteers network) carried out activities aimed to encourage the own-reflexion after this transitory year as well as provide some key information for many aspects related with new volunteering opportunities, establishment of new organizations, or info linked with European mobility programs was tackled. However, the flourishing of new ideas between the participants was what make the event so fruitful.

The last day was kept for fostering the EVS in the city, therefore the volunteers joined the local celebration named as “moros y cristianos” where for 3 hours, the 50 volunteers paraded throughout the city spreading information of what was the European Voluntary Service about.

Just in case there would be anyone wondering if Silvia Blanco Gonzalez and I (Enrique De Paz Miguel) were there, of course we were, sharing all our experiences and very proud of our year in Kézdivásárhely with Green Sun Association. 

Author: Enrique De Paz