From July 14 to 20, the “European Kolping Youth Week” took place in Villach, Austria. Young people from all over Europe traveled to Villach to work together on ideas for the future and dedicate themselves to the central topic of nature conservation.
Under the motto “Wildlife Warriors”, the young people from Austria, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine and other European countries took part in a variety of workshops and excursions, such as building bat boxes or actively carrying out a “maintenance mowing” with the nature conservation association in order to preserve the biodiversity around a protected pond. A highlight was the visit to Warmbad Villach and the Dobratsch Nature Park, where rangers explained the importance of biodiversity. The Europe-wide perspective was particularly interesting: why do animals that originally came from Romania now also exist here? How do animals move over such long distances and how do ecosystems change as a result?
In addition to the commitment to nature, the week also offered plenty of opportunities for cultural exchange. Joint hikes, an afternoon of swimming at the lake, an “International Evening” and campfire evenings created a special atmosphere of togetherness. The aim of the Kolping Youth Week, the networking of young people as representatives of their countries, was impressively achieved. Positive experiences and the exchange of ideas lay the foundation for future cross-border projects and strengthen the common European awareness. General Praeses Msgr. Christoph Huber, who took part in the European Kolping Youth Week in Villach, summed up the atmosphere as follows: “I found what I expected, an active community that comes together as a family across national borders, is interested in the issues of our world and tries to do something. Just as is customary at Kolping.”
Photo: KOLPING Austria
