Jagiellonian Fair. Feedback from volunteers

31 Aug,2021

Jagiellonian Fair. Feedback from volunteers

The Jagiellonian Fair, a festival of folk art and culture, recently came to an end in Lublin as part of the INTERCULTURE 5S project. We received some feedback from volunteers.

Alyona Kutsenko (26 years old, Kyiv): “This year I joined a three-week volunteer program, which overshadowed all other memories of the summer! The first pleasure that awaited me upon arrival was the volunteers themselves. After all, a meeting with an extraordinary person is always an event, and when each of those around you is interesting and exceptional, it is a holiday in general. But it's not just about the team.

We are all convinced that Lublin is a city of inspiration. The city surprised with its attention to history, the number of cultural centers and youth centers. And even the event, which we contributed to as volunteers, also became a shining example of how history and tradition get along with the present.

Meetings with the coordinators of these centers, as well as the organizers of the Jagiellonian Fair, for which we arrived, kindly shared with us the secrets of fundraising, marketing campaigns, finding craftmen and many other interesting details.

And in fact, in this whole volunteer program there was only one fragment with a doubt - this is its end.

I really hope to return to Lublin in the future again - as a volunteer, organizer or participant of the festival. After all, it was indescribably happy to be part of an event that inspires thousands of people. And such an experience, I will tell you, is worth repeating! ”

Olesya Terletska (23 years old, Kyiv region): “This year I was lucky enough to volunteer in Poland for three weeks. And although I already have a little experience of volunteering, I was impressed by the volunteer program. The whole group of volunteers had the same schedule, and it worked better than any team building and training, because everywhere together we experienced certain emotions and had thoughts that could be exchanged later.

Preparations for the fair were active and helped us to understand how and what Lublin residents live, and, most importantly, to give us a sense of involvement in the community. This facilitated volunteering and the organization of space at the fair itself. Polish lessons became important for me, which gave me confidence in communicating with people in different locations on any issues.

But the most important thing for me was the experience of destroying the subconscious wall between Ukrainians and Poles. After living in Lublin for three weeks, I saw that both people and the city are different. And in this variety I like it.

I wish everyone solidarity and Lublin. "

Oksana Pylypchuk (21, Lviv): “Participation in a volunteer project in Lublin from the European Solidarity Corps is an incredible baggage of experience, new knowledge, skills and interesting acquaintances. I am incredibly glad that I went on this project.

The volunteer program is quite rich - it's meetings with representatives of cultural organizations, behind the scenes of the organizational aspects of the festival, assistance in its organization, city tours, integration into a new environment, as well as Polish language courses. Lublin is called the city of inspiration, and it's hard to disagree. The city falls in love with a variety of events and opportunities.

I was a volunteer at the Jagiellonian Fair, a festival of folk art, culture and music. Here you can go to the fair of artisans with an incredible selection of things for every taste (honey, musical instruments, toys, utensils ..). And you can look at the master class and do something with your own hands; in the playground you can play huge tic-tac-toe or zhenga and play with the toys of the past; and in the evening you can listen to a concert of folk music performed by contemporary artists.

The INTERCULTURE 5S program is a great opportunity for personal and professional development, finding inspiration, and meeting new, interesting people. ”

Anton (Ivano-Frankivsk): “Volunteering went well, especially the program component, which was balanced: free time and activity of the project itself.

For me personally, it was a useful experience, as it gave me the opportunity to experience the work of cultural institutions in Ljubljana and try to join the process of work at the Jagiellonian Fair.

It is worth noting that the coordinators and volunteers of the project (who accompanied us) had a good attitude and the necessary support / assistance, the conditions of stay were also at a high level (as well as attention to the needs of project participants).

Thank you for the opportunity to become a participant in this project. "

This was the third festival within the INTERCULTURE 5S project. We are preparing for the competitive selection of volunteers for the fourth group, namely the Congress of Cross-Border Cooperation.