The European project EVEN (European Volunteering Engagement Network), financed by the European Union within the framework of the 'Europe For Citizens Programme', held in the municipality of Deryneia, in the extreme east of Cyprus,
a joint meeting within DEVICE (Developing European Volunteers International Civic Engagement) that includes three more projects related to volunteering.
With an extensive and very full agenda, a total of 15 international delegations worked and enjoyed the hospitality of the hosts of this meeting. In addition to the Pedreguer City Council and the hosts, delegations from Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Malta, Slovakia, Greece and Serbia participated. All of them exchanged experiences on associationism and volunteering over the course of five days, from December 1 to 5.
Pedreguer, led by the mayor, Sergi Ferrús Peris, accompanied by the Sports Councilor, José Vicente Cabrera Puigcerver, highlighted the active associative life that moves in the municipality, highlighting that justice, equality and freedom, such as expressed in the Charter of the United Nations, are the values that motivate volunteers. "A society," he said, "that supports and encourages various forms of volunteering is a society that also promotes well-being among its citizens." Among the contributions that the consortium partners valued the most, and which were presented by the mayor of Pedreguer, was the large number of people from Pedreguer who in one way or another are linked to a cultural, sports or social association, as well as the support and the economic effort that the City Council makes to support.
Ferrús also took the opportunity to once again claim the use of Valencian in Europe as an official language, making most of his intervention in that language, while the English text was displayed on the screen.
The enhancement of the solidarity of the peoples, volunteering, and the exchange of practices for better results and to be able to build relationships between the different nations, were ideas worked on at Deryneia, a fundamental part of the EVEN project. In addition, all the delegations were able to enjoy a very complete cultural agenda, such as the performances in the Christmas Village of the host municipality, where they could enjoy a Bulgarian night, with food, drinks, music and dance from that land, and another night with recital of poetry and improvisation by members of the association of traditional poets, accompanied by violin and lute; or a visit to the Molins
from Hadjigiorgis, to Frenaros, visiting its museum and cooking a traditional sweet, and to the botanical garden of Cyherbia, where different medicinal oils are distilled.
From the 15th to the 19th of this month Pedreguer will host the last meeting of the EVEN project. Before, this Thursday, the 8th, it will have the meeting that will put an end to another of the projects in which Pedreguer participates, the MAGICS, for the recovery of medieval and traditional sports, which will have its main course on Friday, the 9th, with an exhibition of the Sbandieratori de orte during the celebration of the I ROLSER Trophy for women's raspall.
