VILA VERDE – Volunteers from the European Solidarity Corps develop a project in Ribeira do Neiva

For the first time, Vila Verde welcomes two young volunteers from the European Solidarity Corps (CES) who chose the municipality and the Association O Mundo Somos Nós (OMSN) in Goães, in Ribeira do Neiva, to develop an environmental and social project.

CES is an international volunteer program that promotes the opportunity for young people to get involved in activities that produce positive social change with a special focus on inclusion, diversity and equal opportunities.

The program offers support and resources to ensure that all young people, including those with fewer opportunities, can actively participate in CES’s diverse volunteering projects in different parts of the world.

The CES is present throughout the country, member states of the European Union, third countries associated with the program, with Vila Verde also becoming part of this international solidarity mission.

In Vila Verde, young women will delve into major themes such as environment and climate change, intercultural, intergenerational and social diversity, paying special attention to promoting inclusive democratic participation, through non-formal educational experiences.

The young people will carry out their activities at the OMSN association’s learning center, which has different initiatives aimed at children, young people, parents, educators and the general public and whose purpose is to promote the education of human beings as a whole.

The volunteers will remain at the Albergue de Peregrinos de Goães, contributing to enriching the environment and welcoming the pilgrims who spend the night there.

According to the association, “the arrival of the volunteers in Vila Verde is a milestone for the community, highlighting the importance of solidarity and the involvement of young people in building a more inclusive and sustainable future”.

“We hope that your presence will inspire other young people from Vila Verde to participate in the European Solidarity Corps and contribute to a better world, where solidarity and cooperation are fundamental in the society of tomorrow”, says OMSN.

To carry out this volunteering project, the OMSN association counts on its international partners Mundus Group (Spain) and Green Association (Bulgaria), funding from the European Union and the support of Vila Verde City Council and the Junta da União das Freguesias da Ribeira do Neiva.