03.05.2021, 12:13h
Eurodyssee: young interns in Krka National Park again this year
Participants of the Eurodyssee programme from Belgium, Portugal and Spain are on a three-month internship and language course in Šibenik-Knin County
On Monday, 3 May 2021, an official greeting ceremony was held before the Šibenik-Knin County Building for the new participants of the Eurodyssee programme who will perform their internships at the Juraj Šižgorić Library in Šibenik and at Krka National Park.
“I would like to thank Krka National Park, the Juraj Šižgorić Library and the Libar Open University for again this year joining in this worthwhile programme, that has been successfully held since 2012. I am proud to say that we have achieved 43 youth exchanges to date. I believe that in these challenging times, when we are facing a pandemic, their arrival and their decision to choose our county is confirmation that we have sent a message that we are a safe county, ready to tackle the challenges we face, and provide these young people with a safe place to stay, work and learn,” stated Prefect Goran Pauk, wishing the new participants of this programme a warm welcome.
The Public Institute of Krka National Park has participated in the Eurodyssee youth exchange programme in cooperation with Šibenik-Knin County since 2014, and since then has received eight young volunteers for educational programmes at Krka National Park. Sarah Daniele Cochu from Belgium and Jerome Clementa Gouvela de Freitas from Portugal will spend their three-month internship as interpreters at Krka National Park, and in doing so will expand on their knowledge, capabilities and communication skills.
“The experience to date with interns at the park has been excellent. We are so grateful to them for the great desire they expressed to come to one of Croatia’s youngest, but most visited national parks. Their enthusiasm to get to know our natural, cultural and historical heritage is expressed many times over in their direct contacts with visitors, who are always pleasantly surprised to be greeted at the park by someone from their homeland,” stated Nella Slavica, director of the Public Institute of Krka National Park. She added, “At Krka National Park, youth from the EU actively participate in visitor reception, the interpretation of the natural and cultural values of the park, and in numerous ecological and educational workshops. We wish our new interns a warm welcome and a pleasant working stay.”
Volunteer Maria Alegre De Miguel from Spain will spend her three-month internship at the Juraj Šižgorić Library, giving children lessens in Spanish. “To date, the library has hosted two participants of the Eurodyssee programme, both times to our mutual satisfaction: in 2016, Michele Somazzi from Switzerland, and in 2019, Anna Ferràndez López from Spain. Michele assisted our librarian Antonija Miše in her work in the newspaper and journal library, while Anna gave Šibenik primary school children lessons in Spanish. I believe that the cooperation with Marija will be just as fruitful,” stated Vilijam Lakić, library director.
Eurodyssee is an international youth exchange programme between region members of the Assembly of European Regions (AER). The programme enables youth between the ages of 18 and 30 years to receive professional experience in different areas of activities, and to work on their foreign language skills. The exchange sessions can be from three to six months in duration.
The project goals, in addition to gaining professional experience and language skills, include becoming acquainted with the host region, creating friendly contacts with other programme participants, creating a European consciousness, forming interregional bonds, and facilitating faster and better employment upon return to the home region.
The young Europeans will begin their internships at the start of May, and in parallel they will attend a Croatian language course at the Libar Open University. Upon completion of the course, they will receive a certificate.
