Be Volunteer in Serbia: 11 days project on Environment protection: Apply

Description: The small village of Trsic is the birthplace of Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic, the 19th century language reformer who is considered the father of the modern Serbian language. A portion of the village has been turned into an ethnographic park, centred on a recreation of the Karadzic family home. The pedestrian zone connecting Trsic and Tronosa monastery, once the road Vuk Karadzic was passing every day on his way to school (monastery itself), is polluted with mini waste dumps and garbage spreaded by tourists and local inhabitants. The environment as well as the attraction of this touristy place is endangered by the waste and its quantity. The goal is to educate local people and motivate them to be active citizens in preserving the nature and other values for the sake of generations to come.

Type of Work: The workcamp is a joint initiative of several local partner organizations working together on introducing the spirit of volunteerism and developing and improving rural and eco-tourism in Trsic (www.kamp-trsic.org.rs). This is the 7th year the camp is organized here, as the first 6 gave great results. Volunteers will work on cleaning the woods from garbage, clearing the vegetation, reconstruction of the info signs and boards, marking the walking and biking paths which are connecting Vuk’s house and 5km distant XIV century Tronosa monastery. Volunteers should be prepared for long hiking and hard work. The additional activity will be about sculpturing in the forests using natural materials (the idea is to make and hang them on the paths in the forest). The art workshops will be led by artists

Study Theme: Excursions to important cultural and historical points will be organized, together with visits to museums and one day for getting to know the children from the local school and participating in their special event. Participation of the local volunteers will be an essential part of the workcamp.

Accommodation: In a fully equipped house only 50m away from Vuk’s house (www.trsic.co.rs), built in the same, traditional, style but at the same time very technologically advanced, in the heart of the ethno village. No sleeping bags needed.

Requirements: Volunteers should be nature and culture lovers prepared for long walks and hard work. Also, volunteers with interest and experience in land art are very welcome.

Approximate Location: Trsic is a small village famous as the birth place of Vuk Karadzic, the reformist of Serbian language and orthography. Beside beautiful and preserved nature, green glades, thick forests and bounty of streams, this landscape offer an idyllic atmosphere of traditional Serbia of 18th and 19th century. Trsic is situated close to Loznica in the western part of Serbia.

Notes: Extra fee of 20 euros is used as an addition to the workcamp budget, for additional excursions and material for work.

Apply here: http://www.workcamps.info/icamps/camp-details/camp-7915.html