Project HEROES
PROJECT SUMMARY
The general objective of the project HEROES is to preserve Czech cultural heritage through collective volunteer work. The activities within the project will bring together a diverse group of volunteers, who will join forces and together will work on reconstruction, maintenance and protection of the Czech heritage.
Within the project we plan to host 6 groups of 10-12 volunteers from different countries. Volunteers will stay for two weeks together. They will work, cook, eat and spend free time together. By doing so, they will have the opportunity to experience community life.
The acronym “HEROES” stands for Heritage and European Solidarity. The project also aims at personal development of participants and thus gaining competencies needed in their personal and professional life as well.
Another objective is to increase awareness about Czech cultural heritage and the impact of volunteering on its preservation. The project also brings benefits to local communities – since volunteers contribute to the renovation of the castle and the cultural center, they help locals to realize the value of the heritage and might motivate local people to get involved as well. Renovated objects can attract more visitors in the future and thus revive the region and help the local economy.
What we achieved so far
2024
Farmstudio – A Centre of Contemporary Art
In July, volunteers from Slovakia, Germany, France, and Spain joined the independent art centre Farmstudio in the small village of Vysoká. Their main task was to support the reconstruction of this unique space dedicated to contemporary art, creativity, and cultural exchange. Volunteers worked on various renovation tasks like plastering, painting, woodworking, and landscaping, helping to transform the historic farm into a more functional and inspiring environment. Alongside the practical work, volunteers learned about the story and vision of Farmstudio, took part in a photography workshop, and visited an exhibition of contemporary art. A special Volunteering Day with music and theatre performances gave everyone a taste of the centre’s cultural life. During their free time the group had the opportunity of swimming in a nearby lake, exploring the Kokorinsko nature reserve, sitting around the campfire, or visiting the nearby towns of Mělník and Prague.
Check out photos from the project.
ESC Dive into the history of Terezin
In July, a group of volunteers from across Europe gathered in the historical town of Terezín to support the restoration of its 18th-century fortress. Hosted by the local association “Terezín – City of Change”, their work focused on cleaning underground corridors, maintaining the mini-zoo yard, restoring the fortress’s old water system, and taking care of green areas around the site. Most tasks took place outdoors, which brought the group close to the unique atmosphere of this former military town.
The project wasn’t just about manual work. Volunteers explored the fortress through guided tours, learned about its layered history beyond World War II, and took part in creative workshops showcasing traditional crafts. During their free time, they visited nearby towns like Litoměřice or Ustí nad Labem, went hiking in the Czech Central Highlands, and enjoyed community evenings, barbecues, and local events with town residents.
Check out photos form the project.
2023
Farmstudio – A Centre of Contemporary Art
In July 2023 a group of Czech, French, German, Spanish and Belgian volunteers met in a small village called Vysoká in the Czech Republic. Together they contributed to the renovation of an independent cultural center. The activity was organized in cooperation with NGO Farmstudio, which is located on a historic agricultural farm.
Farmstudio focuses on contemporary live art and culture in connection to cultural and natural heritage and organizes international art residencies, contemporary art exhibitions, creative workshops and multi-genre cultural events. The area is undergoing a gradual reconstruction, so volunteers contributed to this reconstruction. They worked with wood, bricks, renovated old doors, furniture etc.
In their free time they visited Prague and also hiked to some local statues. The local partner also organised a movie night for them. They met with local people during an open music event (“Dobro den”), which was also organized by the local partner. Since beer is also Czech cultural heritage, they couldn’t miss a visit to the local pub with locals!
Veselí Castle
The second activity was organized in cooperation with the association Tvrz Veseli („Fortress Veseli “) in the small village of Veseli nad Uhlavou near the Sumava National Park.
Veseli Castle was built on the site of an older fortress in the second half of the 19th century, and previous regimes left the castle in very poor condition. The mission of the association is to renovate the castle to its original form and reopen its gates to the public again – mainly for cultural and educational purposes.
The goal of this activity was to maintain and restore the castle park, plant shrubs and flowers, cut grass, build a fence, repair a stone wall and clean the cellar of the castle. The group consisted of volunteers from France, Germany, Spain, Estonia and the Czech Republic. In their free time they explored some places in the Czech Republic – together they visited Prague, the capital city of the region Pilsen (where they visited brewery and historical city center), and National Park Šumava.
The local partner organized a workshop about painting and volunteers also joined Country evening in a local pub. They also learnt about Czech culture during public cultural events in Domažlice and Klatovy.
What they wrote about us
Partners of the project
The project is coordinated by INEX-SDA. On the project we cooperate with our partner organizations from Spain, France, Estonia, Belgium, Germany, and Ukraine.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EACEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Coordinator contact details
Anna Čamská
anna.camska@inexsda.cz
