The Euro.Soul Festival 2026 successfully took place in the heart of Soverato. Following their first days of preparation with JUMP, the Slovak students from Spojená škola Kollárova 17 (Sečovce) officially entered the heart of the event, playing a key role during the grand opening and connecting with youth from all over Europe.
Below is the personal journal of that exciting debut. While all the Slovak students collaborated together to collect these daily experiences, this official report was finely written and finalized by the slovak team.
Day 5: Grand Opening, Local Discoveries, and Cultural Insights
The first day of the festival in Soverato started in grand style. In the square in front of the town hall, we enthusiastically welcomed delegations from Lithuania, Hungary, Spain, Bulgaria, Estonia, and Poland. The energetic atmosphere immediately connected us.
Right after the opening, we dived into the field. The activity took us into the streets, where we tried to communicate with locals who do not speak English. We visited a candy shop, where we soaked in the local flavors, the town church, where we looked for traces of history, and a fragrant shop with handmade products and an authentic atmosphere.
We spent the afternoon at the town hall and at a lecture by literary critic Prof. Daniela Marcheschi. Her analysis of the book Pinocchio showed us this story in a completely new, adult light. The cultural experience was complemented by the young musician Nicola Squillace. His talented musical contributions were the perfect interlude between lectures and added a modern artistic touch to the day. The first day was demanding, but it taught us that even without a common language, we can understand each other. We are taking with us a bunch of knowledge and a great mood!
Authors: the slovak team!
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