Source of co-financing: Public Call for the Development and Professionalization of NGOs and Volunteering 2025, financed by the Ministry of Public Administration.
Priority of the public call: Co-financing of sustainable jobs in organizations that respond to environmental and societal needs through effective and high-quality services.
Objectives of the public call: Strengthening a stable, connected, and innovative non-governmental sector, its professionalization for the provision of public services, and the development of sustainable jobs and well-organized, high-quality volunteering.
Project duration: 24 months (February 2026 – January 2028)
Project value: €248,500.00
Project partners: Zavod Epiona, Zavod Cona B.P., Walk of Peace in the Soča Region Foundation, and Inter-Municipal Association of Friends of Youth for the Goriška Region
The project Young People in the Landscape of Memory – for Peace, Health, and the Future aims to strengthen the mental health of young people and to develop a culture of peace in the cross-border area of the Primorska region. It arises from the need to address social divisions, the historical memory of both World Wars, and issues of identity and borders that continue to influence individuals and communities today.
By combining psychoeducation, creative-therapeutic approaches (clay work, sandplay, creative writing, collage), movement in nature, and educational activities in authentic locations such as the Walk of Peace, the project provides young people with a safe space to explore personal and collective stories and to develop empathy, critical thinking, and social connectedness.
Special emphasis is placed on the inclusion of vulnerable groups, refugees, and young people from both sides of the border, with the aim of preventing the repetition of historical divisions and promoting cooperation, coexistence, and sustainable community development.
The project also connects NGOs from different fields (mental health, art, history, youth work) and strengthens their cooperation and professionalization.
– To strengthen the mental health of young people and promote a culture of peace, dialogue, and cooperation in the cross-border area through innovative educational, physical, and creative programs.
-To raise awareness among young people about historical trauma, collective memory, and ethnic and ideological divisions in society, while addressing issues of identity and borders and their impact on individuals and communities
– To strengthen young people’s psychosocial resilience through psychoeducation, art, and movement in nature
– To develop a comprehensive program of innovative methods for working with young people on themes of borders, war, peace, and memory culture, combining psychoeducation, creativity, and movement
– To promote intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding, empathy, and coexistence, with a focus on including vulnerable groups, refugees, and young people from both sides of the border
– To strengthen cooperation and professionalization of NGOs in the region
– Development and implementation of educational-creative and physical workshops along the Walk of Peace, in cooperation with NGOs and primary and secondary schools in the region, with active involvement of young people from conflict areas, cross-border communities, and young refugees and migrants
-Preparation of a professional e-publication and development of a board game as an educational tool for training in peace education
– Implementation of the youth competition “Souvenirs of Peace,” aimed at creating clay objects on the themes of peace, memory, and coexistence
– Organization and implementation of summer “Knowledge Camps” in Trenta, including new workshops, expert-guided tours, and innovative educational approaches
– Preparation and implementation of professional meetings and public consultations on themes of borders, coexistence, and overcoming social polarization, with active encouragement of youth participation and critical reflection
– Improved mental health and psychosocial resilience of young people, as well as a deeper understanding of historical memory and the culture of peace
– An e-manual of working methods for youth workshops in the field of peace education
– Development of a new board game as an educational tool
– Strengthened cooperation among NGOs
