Mission

Epiona Institute from Koper is a non-profit organization, part of the ISKRA Hub of Non-Governmental Organizations of Istria and Karst. It is dedicated to developing lifelong learning programs through symbols, art, and the analytical psychology of C. G. Jung. A special focus is placed on researching traumas tied to borderland spaces—places marked by division, forced migration and lost identities, but also carrying the potential for healing and dialogue.

Our mission is rooted in creating a safe space where individuals can encounter their wounds, bring them into awareness, and gradually integrate them into their life story. We see the therapeutic relationship as a space for growth, development, and connection with inner sources of strength, while also offering the opportunity to face vulnerability as an inseparable part of the human experience.

Among our research projects, one of the most notable is “My Story from Silence” (2022–2023), carried out in collaboration with CPPK Association and the Faculty of Humanities, University of Primorska. The project explored the silenced memories of the people of Istria, Karst, and Trieste related to forced migrations after the Second World War. Building on this foundation, the European project CERV RE4 Healing: Crossborder Remembrance, Reconnection, Restoring and Resilience (2025–2027) was launched with new partners and the support of the Directorate of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia. Through creative-therapeutic workshops, it examines the long-term consequences of division and migration, and their impact on the psyche across generations.

At Epiona, we believe that every person carries their own story and their own inner strength. Our mission is to give these stories a voice, to weave them into a process of communal healing, and to create spaces of encounter, support, and hope—where pain can be transformed into wisdom, and vulnerability into strength.