From the diary of the European Solidarity Corps volunteers of Seeds of Future project, which took place in Eboli (SA) from 20/04 to 20/05/2026

Our final week of the Seeds of Future project arrived quietly, but it carried some of the most meaningful moments of the entire journey. After weeks filled with workshops, learning, creating, collecting plants, building installations, and discovering the city of Eboli through nature and community, the last days of the project became a combination of finishing touches, new experiences, teamwork, and reflection.
One of the first activities of the week took us to a local sheep farm, where we had the opportunity to witness the traditional sheep shearing process and learn more about everyday life on the farm. For many of, this was the first time seeing how wool is collected and prepared before becoming part of handmade creations. Beyond simply observing, we also spoke with the people working there and learned more about the importance of preserving traditional practices connected to local production and craftsmanship.

 The visit became even more special when we received raw wool that we will continue working with during the next phase of our creative process. In the coming days, we will wash, prepare, and treat the wool by hand before transforming it into handmade objects and decorations for the upcoming Medieval Event. This experience allowed us to better understand the entire journey behind handmade materials from nature and animals to art, creativity, and collective work.

At the same time, the city slowly became filled with the final traces of our project. Throughout the week, we focused on completing all crochet installations and preparing the four gardens across Eboli for their official opening. After many hours of crocheting, assembling, placing decorations, and carefully thinking about every small detail, it was incredibly rewarding to finally see everything come together.

Each garden carried its own atmosphere and identity, connected through plants, handmade elements, natural materials, and the idea of creating spaces that encourage people to slow down, observe, and reconnect with nature and the local environment. Seeing our installations become part of public spaces felt especially meaningful because the project itself was always deeply connected to the community, collaboration, and shared creativity.

During the week, we also visited the beautiful buffalo farm Tenuta Vannulo, a place known for its traditional approach to buffalo mozzarella production. Walking through the farm gave us a closer look at how local products are created with care, patience, and respect for animals and tradition. We learned more about the production process, explored the space surrounding the farm, and, of course, enjoyed tasting some of the products made directly on site. One of the highlights was definitely trying ice cream made from buffalo milk, a small but unforgettable detail of the day.

Another important moment of the week was dedicated to environmental action and community care. Together with Legambiente we participated in a beach cleaning activity in Eboli, spending the day collecting waste and helping protect the local coastline. While simple in its form, the activity reminded us how meaningful collective actions can be when people come together with a shared goal. It also reflected many of the values present throughout the Seeds of Future project sustainability, responsibility, cooperation, and care for the spaces we live in.

As the days passed, the feeling that the project was slowly coming to an end became more and more present. Still, even in its final moments, the week remained full of laughter, shared meals, creative energy, small daily rituals, and conversations that made this experience special far beyond the workshops and activities themselves.

The final day of Seeds of Future marked both a closing and a beginning, a celebration of everything we built together over the past month. In the morning, we officially opened the four gardens across the city, spaces we had been carefully shaping through weeks of work, cleaning, planting, and co-creation. Along the way, we added the final touches, planting herbs and flowers, placing crochet installations, and installing insect houses that will continue to support biodiversity in these spaces.

In the afternoon, the atmosphere shifted into a true Medieval Time celebration. Dressed in themed costumes, we hosted workshops inspired by historical practices creating handmade jewellery, natural creams (including calendula-based ones), necklaces made from dried flowers and clay, and preparing wool using traditional techniques. The entire program was shaped in the spirit of medieval knowledge and craftsmanship, connecting nature, healing, and creativity in a hands-on way. To close the day, music and dance brought everyone together one last time, a simple but powerful moment that turned the end of the project into something alive and shared

Although the project may now officially be over, it truly feels like this is only the beginning of everything we will carry from it. There are still so many photographs, videos, memories, and moments waiting to be gathered and shared.