Erasmus+ Youth ExchangeSounio and Lavrio, Attica, Greece
PositiveActivism
Activism that protects, creates and connects.
Positive Activism was a nine-day Erasmus+ Youth Exchange in Sounio and Lavrio, bringing together 29 people from Greece, Poland, Slovakia and Spain. Through volunteering, creative expression, physical wellbeing and respect for cultural heritage, participants explored how activism can create visible change without damaging the places, communities and cultural treasures it aims to defend.
Nine days. Four countries. One shared commitment to positive change.
The project in six numbers
Verified figures from the project documentation.
The project
An activism that leaves no wound behind
Why the project was created
The project was created in response to growing concern about destructive forms of protest that damage works of art, museums and cultural heritage sites. Although these actions aim to draw attention to important causes, they can cause irreversible damage to cultural assets and create a negative public image of activism.
For many young people, this image can lead to frustration, embarrassment and disengagement. Positive Activism was designed to explore another path: activism that is dynamic and visible, while remaining creative, respectful and constructive.
What the project set out to do
The main objective of Positive Activism was to transform the way young people understand activism and demonstrate that meaningful action does not have to harm cultural treasures, the environment or local communities.
The project empowered participants to recognise their ability to influence society through positive and respectful action.
What positive activism means
- Bold without being destructive
- Creative without damaging cultural heritage
- Visible without becoming hostile
- Physical, social, environmental and cultural at the same time
Four ways to act
Positive Activism treats these four as one practice, not four separate topics. Each day of the exchange moved between them.
Volunteering
Taking practical action that produces a visible benefit for local communities.
In Lavrio this meant preparing and painting the exterior walls of the 2nd Kindergarten alongside local young volunteers, and lifting more than 1.5 tonnes of waste from the harbour seabed.
Creative Expression
Using art, design, storytelling and digital tools to communicate ideas.
Heritage research became hand-drawn diagrams, then three websites, then personal canvases painted in front of the Temple of Poseidon.
Physical Wellbeing
Connecting movement, teamwork, confidence and personal wellbeing.
Three hours of pool games, a survivor-style beach triathlon, an introductory dive with specialised instructors and first-aid training with certified lifeguards.
Respect for Heritage
Protecting cultural and natural heritage while making it meaningful to younger generations.
Monuments were researched, visited, guided, drawn and published online. They were never used as a surface for protest.
Countries
Four countries, one hillside
Twenty-nine people travelled to the southern tip of Attica. Four national teams, one coordinator, one place.
Departure cities of the four national teams. Country outlines from Natural Earth.
Greece
Coordinator organisationCP WHY NOTCoordinator
Coordinator, hosting team and local implementation.
- participants
- 6 participants
- team leader
- 1 team leader
- organiser
- 1 organiser
Poland
Partner organisationEUROMOVE POLAND
Partner team and digital heritage contribution.
- participants
- 6 participants
- team leader
- 1 team leader
Slovakia
Partner organisationKoalicia svetlej buducnosti, o.z.
Partner team and digital heritage contribution.
- participants
- 6 participants
- team leader
- 1 team leader
Spain
Municipal partnerMunicipality of Quart de les Valls
Municipal partner and digital heritage contribution.
- participants
- 6 participants
- team leader
- 1 team leader
9 days
Our journey
Nine activity days, in the order they happened. Every day has its own photo archive.
- 01From strangers to one teamSounio
- 02Discovering the stories behind our heritageLavrio Municipal Library
- 03From research to websites, from ideas to actionLavrio Municipal Library and the 2nd Kindergarten of Lavrio
- 04Colouring the community and experiencing art in AthensLavrio and Athens
- 05Movement, teamwork and flavours without bordersSounio
- 06A day to exploreLavrio and Athens
- 07A beach challenge and a new view of ancient heritageSounio beach and the Temple of Poseidon
- 08Learning to dive, learning to respondCoastal area near Sounio and Lavrio
- 09More than 1.5 tonnes removed from Lavrio harbourPort of Lavrio
Day 01Sounio
From strangers to one team
The journey began by creating trust, curiosity and a shared sense of belonging.
On the first day, the participants began getting to know one another through ice-breaking activities, name games, speed dating and the Secret Friend activity.
The international group explored the details of the youth exchange and discussed expectations, fears and personal goals. This created a safer environment in which everyone could contribute and participate.
The group was also introduced to Youthpass, its purpose and the importance of recognising the knowledge, skills and competences developed through non-formal learning.
Key moments
- Ice-breaking games
- Name games
- Speed dating
- Secret Friend activity
- Expectations and fears
- Project introduction
- Youthpass introduction
Photo archive · 15
What we took from it
- Group connection
- Intercultural communication
- Trust building
- Understanding non-formal learning
- Personal learning awareness
Before a group can act together, it first has to become a group.
Day 02Lavrio Municipal Library
Discovering the stories behind our heritage
Before protecting heritage, we first needed to understand it.
Working in cooperation with the Municipality of Lavrio, the participants visited the foreign-language section of the Lavrio Municipal Library.
The national teams researched cultural heritage from their own communities. They identified important monuments and cultural places, investigated the problems these sites face and explored realistic ways of protecting them.
Each team organised its findings through hand-drawn diagrams and presented its research to the rest of the group.
During the afternoon, team-building activities strengthened cooperation and prepared the participants for the collaborative work that followed.
Key moments
- Visit to Lavrio Municipal Library
- National heritage research
- Identification of heritage challenges
- Development of possible solutions
- Hand-drawn visual diagrams
- Team presentations
- Team-building activities
Photo archive · 15
What we took from it
- Research skills
- Cultural awareness
- Problem analysis
- Public presentation
- Collaborative decision-making
- Heritage protection awareness
You cannot protect what you have never really looked at.
Day 03Lavrio Municipal Library and the 2nd Kindergarten of Lavrio
From research to websites, from ideas to action
The participants transformed heritage research into digital tools and community volunteering.
On the third day, the participants returned to the Lavrio Municipal Library and continued working on the cultural heritage challenges researched during the previous day.
The teams first drew and planned how their websites should look. They considered the structure, messages, photographs and solutions that would help them communicate their findings after returning to their countries.
The participants were then introduced to the process of creating websites and worked together to transform their paper concepts into real digital dissemination results.
At the school
Later, with permission and support from the Municipality, the group began painting the exterior walls of the 2nd Kindergarten of Lavrio. Young volunteers from the local community joined the activity.
A professional guided the group, showing participants how to prepare the walls, scrape damaged areas and apply paint correctly.
Photo archive · 15
Key moments
- Website sketches
- Dissemination planning
- Introduction to website creation
- Collaborative website development
- Preparation of school walls
- Painting the kindergarten
- Local youth volunteering
- Guidance from a professional painter
What we took from it
- Digital communication
- Website planning
- Visual storytelling
- Community volunteering
- Practical painting skills
- Cooperation with local institutions
One morning of planning, one afternoon of paint.
Day 04Lavrio and Athens
Colouring the community and experiencing art in Athens
Positive activism moved from local volunteering to artistic and environmental expression.
Morning in Lavrio
During the morning, the participants returned to the 2nd Kindergarten of Lavrio and completed the second coat of paint required for the exterior walls.
The Deputy Mayor of Lavrio visited the group, congratulated the participants for their contribution and joined everyone for a group photograph.
Evening in Athens
In the afternoon, the group travelled to Athens to attend the cultural event “Thalatta, Thalatta!” at the Athens Concert Hall.
The initiative brought together twelve visual artists and twelve poets and approached the protection of the sea through art, poetry, lived experience and emotional connection rather than only through figures, slogans or instruction.
After the event, the group explored Athens and shared a meal before returning to Sounio.
Key moments
- Second coat of paint
- Completion of the school activity
- Visit from the Deputy Mayor
- Group photograph
- Journey to Athens
- “Thalatta, Thalatta!” cultural event
- Art, poetry and marine protection
- Shared meal in Athens
The same day held a paint roller and a poem.
Photo archive · 15
What we took from it
- Civic participation
- Cooperation with municipalities
- Appreciation of contemporary art
- Environmental communication
- Understanding emotional approaches to activism
Day 05Sounio
Movement, teamwork and flavours without borders
Physical wellbeing and food became tools for connection.
In the water
During the morning, the participants took part in three hours of playful physical activity in the hotel swimming pool.
Through games and trainer-led tasks, the group exercised without the session feeling like a conventional workout. The activities combined movement, cooperation, fun and confidence in the water.
In the kitchen
In the afternoon, the group organised an intercultural cooking experience.
Each national team selected dishes from its country, and participants worked together to prepare different foods. The dishes were cooked and shared during a collective meal, allowing the group to exchange flavours, traditions and personal experiences.
Key moments
- Pool games
- Trainer-led physical tasks
- Teamwork in the water
- Intercultural cooking
- National dishes
- Collaborative food preparation
- Shared international meal
Photo archive · 15
What we took from it
- Physical confidence
- Wellbeing through play
- Cooperation
- Cultural exchange
- Food traditions
- Shared responsibility
A morning in the water, an afternoon in the kitchen.
Day 06Lavrio and Athens
A day to explore
Free time gave participants space to process, connect and discover the surrounding area independently.
The sixth day was a free day, allowing participants to explore Lavrio and the centre of Athens, spend time together and experience the local environment at their own pace.
The day also created space for rest, informal intercultural exchange and reflection before the final sequence of intensive activities.
Photo archive · 15
Key moments
- Exploring Lavrio
- Visiting central Athens
- Rest and recovery
- Informal intercultural exchange
- Independent group experiences
What we took from it
- Independence
- Informal cultural learning
- Group responsibility
- Personal reflection
- Local exploration
Rest is part of the work.
Day 07Sounio beach and the Temple of Poseidon
A beach challenge and a new view of ancient heritage
The group connected physical activity, local participation, ancient heritage and personal artistic expression.
On the beach
During the morning, the participants took part in a survivor-style beach triathlon in Sounio.
The activities combined physical challenges, cooperation and team strategy. Local people who became interested in the activities joined the experience, strengthening the connection between the international group and the local community.
At the temple
In the afternoon, the participants visited the Temple of Poseidon.
After a one-hour guided tour, each participant used wax crayons and an individual canvas to create a personal artistic interpretation of the monument.
The activity encouraged participants to observe the same cultural landmark from different perspectives and demonstrated how art can create a personal and respectful relationship with heritage.
Photo archive · 15
Key moments
- Survivor-style beach challenges
- Physical teamwork
- Participation of local residents
- Visit to the Temple of Poseidon
- Guided heritage tour
- Individual canvas painting
- Artistic interpretation of the monument
- Presentation of the artworks
What we took from it
- Physical teamwork
- Strategic cooperation
- Local community interaction
- Heritage appreciation
- Observation
- Personal artistic expression
One monument, as many interpretations as there were hands.
Day 08Coastal area near Sounio and Lavrio
Learning to dive, learning to respond
Before taking environmental action underwater, the participants developed the skills and awareness required to act safely.
In the water
One day before the underwater clean-up, the participants attended an introductory scuba-diving lesson led by four specialised instructors.
With close guidance, participants entered deeper water and spent approximately one hour learning the fundamentals of diving.
They were introduced to underwater communication, essential safety principles and the function of the diving equipment.
On the shore
At the same time, the members of the group who remained on shore attended first-aid training delivered by certified lifeguards.
During the afternoon, the whole group planned the following day's underwater clean-up. Participants discussed responsibilities, safety, communication and how the collected waste would be moved, separated and disposed of.
Key moments
- 01Four specialised scuba instructors
- 02Introductory diving lesson
- 03Underwater communication
- 04Diving equipment explanation
- 05Basic safety principles
- 06First-aid training
- 07Certified lifeguards
- 08Clean-up planning
- 09Waste-handling preparation
What we took from it
- Water safety
- Scuba-diving awareness
- Underwater communication
- First-aid knowledge
- Risk awareness
- Environmental action planning
- Role allocation
Photo archive · 15
Preparation is what turns intention into action.
Day 09Port of Lavrio
More than 1.5 tonnes removed from Lavrio harbour
The final day turned preparation, teamwork and community participation into measurable environmental impact.
- 01
Permissions and preparation
Port Authority and Municipality of Lavrio, roles agreed the day before.
- 02
Six hours in the water
Eleven volunteer divers, participants in pairs, local community on shore.
- 03
More than 1.5 tonnes on the shore
Received, moved and separated for disposal.
On the ninth and final activity day, the project organised a large underwater clean-up at the Port of Lavrio.
Following the required permissions from the Port Authority and the Municipality of Lavrio, the participants worked with eleven volunteer divers and members of the local community.
The clean-up lasted approximately six hours.
Participants worked in organised teams. Some participants supported the divers in pairs, while others received, moved and separated the waste collected on shore.
By the end of the activity, more than 1.5 tonnes of waste had been removed from the seabed of Lavrio harbour.
The activity demonstrated the central message of the project: activism can be visible, demanding and powerful while also being practical, cooperative and respectful.
Key moments
- 01Official permissions
- 02Eleven volunteer divers
- 03Participation of the local community
- 04Six-hour underwater clean-up
- 05More than 1.5 tonnes of collected waste
- 06Shore-based waste separation
- 07Secret Friend reveal
- 08Youthpass reflection
- 09Final group sharing
- 10Farewell
The farewell
During the afternoon, the group revealed the Secret Friends, completed the Youthpass reflection process and shared final experiences.
The farewell was emotionally powerful because of the close relationships that had developed during the youth exchange.
Photo archive · 15
What we took from it
- Environmental responsibility
- Community cooperation
- Team coordination
- Waste management awareness
- Practical activism
- Reflection and self-assessment
- Emotional and intercultural connection
Activism you can weigh.
Impact
Impact that outlived the nine days
Learning became action. Action became something the town of Lavrio can still see. And the whole sequence became a set of digital results that keep travelling.
Community impact
What changed in Lavrio while the exchange was happening.
- Exterior walls of the 2nd Kindergarten of Lavrio painted
- Local young volunteers involved
- Cooperation with the Municipality of Lavrio
- Participation of local residents
- More than 1.5 tonnes of waste removed from Lavrio harbour
- Cooperation with eleven volunteer divers
Learning impact
What the group carried home in skills and confidence.
- Cultural heritage research
- Website design and digital dissemination
- Volunteering experience
- Physical wellbeing activities
- First-aid awareness
- Introductory scuba-diving knowledge
- Teamwork and intercultural communication
- Youthpass reflection
Dissemination impact
What keeps working after the mobility ended.
- Three cultural heritage websites created
- Results available online after the mobility
- Participants equipped to share the project in their communities
- Digital documentation of the nine activity days
- Stronger visibility for constructive activism
Digital outputs
Three websites, built in a library
The national teams researched heritage from their own communities, sketched their ideas on paper and turned them into websites that are still online. These are the project results that keep travelling after everyone went home.
Spain
De la Pobla del Duc
A digital heritage project presenting a local place, the challenges it faces and ideas for its protection.
Slovakia
Spišský hrad
A participant-designed website exploring Spiš Castle, its cultural significance and the need to protect it.
Poland
Salt Kinga
A creative digital campaign addressing cultural heritage, overtourism, visitor behaviour and possible solutions.
Final reflections
Positive change does not have to leave damage behind.
Positive Activism showed that young people can defend important causes through creativity, volunteering, movement, cooperation and respect.
Across nine days, participants did more than discuss activism. They researched cultural heritage, created digital tools, improved a local school, experienced art and poetry, cooked together, explored cultural landmarks, developed safety skills and removed more than 1.5 tonnes of waste from Lavrio harbour.
The project ended, but its results continue through the websites, skills, relationships and community experiences created by the participants.
Editorial summaries
Editorial summary, written by the project team. Not a participant quotation.
- 01
From international group to shared community.
- 02
From heritage research to digital action.
- 03
From learning underwater signals to cleaning a real harbour.
- 04
From nine project days to long-term local impact.
Youthpass
Youthpass supported participants in recognising the competences they developed through non-formal learning. The final reflection helped each person connect the activities of the youth exchange with their personal, social and professional development.
Photo archive
The full archive
Every photograph from the nine activity days, in one place. Filter by the kind of activism it belongs to.
135 photographs
Acknowledgements
Thank you
Positive Activism only worked because a lot of people said yes: to opening a library, to lending a wall, to giving up a Saturday, to getting into the water. No individual names are published here, and that is deliberate. The contribution belongs to everyone who took part.
The group
- Participants
- Team leaders
- Partner organisations
- CP WHY NOT
Institutions
- Municipality of Lavrio
- Lavrio Municipal Library
- 2nd Kindergarten of Lavrio
The community
- Local young volunteers
- Volunteer divers
- Scuba-diving instructors
- Certified lifeguards
- Members of the local community
- Organisations and professionals who supported the activities
