The experience of Danae at the “Waste Hero” youth exchange in Slovakia

We sent Danae to Slovakia for the Erasmus+ youth exchange ‘Waste Hero’ in August 2022.

This is her testimony!

Hi everyone, I am Danae from Italy! I went to Košice, Slovakia in August for the “Waste Hero” project. It was such an amazing experience that I want to share with you!

I met people from 6 different countries: Lithuania, Spain, Slovakia, Greece, Romania and Poland. It was an opportunity to improve my English and to learn more about environment issues from other point of view through expert’s presentations, testimonies of other young participants and an interesting visit in an eco House where I discovered new methods to reduce my footprint. Our days was full of activities, there was no way to get bored! Team building moments were a must. Most of activities were presented in an innovative way with the aim to feel free to express our ideas and to discuss with other participants about the topic. We also learned more about reels, carousels and presentations; they are useful tools to raise awareness of environmental issues.

Another unforgettable highlight are the evenings spent with the other guys: the cultural nights let me taste food from all over Europe and get to know traditions I had no idea about.

However, this experience is not yet over.

Follow up activities:

During the last few days in Slovakia, together with the Italian team I reflected on what contribution we can bring to encourage our friends and acquaintances to have an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Once I arrived in Milan, I told all my acquaintances about my experience and discussed environmental issues with them, a very important topic in the run-up to the general elections.

In addition, Linda and I, together with a local association, have decide to organize an event in Milan. We will set up stands and posters on the theme of reuse and second hand which will be displayed in a small park. It will be an opportunity to talk about environmental issues and to point out second-hand shops in the neighborhood to passers-by and association members.

I will not forget this experience; I really recommend it to everyone to get out of their comfort zone and to understand the relevance of environmental issues.

Danae