CIVIL SOCIETY: 301 PRACTICES
EERco is established in 1997 non formally and 1999 formally. EERco main-core was as a Dancetheater group of professional artists. After many years of experimentation, the professional performers became leaders of youth and new talents in arts-related professions. Since 2003, EER has extended its activities and started functioning as a non Governmental Organization with Inclusive Culture and Arts & Innovation Social Activities.
The objective of “Pawsitive Parks” was to transform a complex issue — the welfare and presence of stray and companion animals in urban environments — into a positive agenda for social participation, care, culture and active citizenship.
The initiative aimed to change the way society perceives stray animals: not as a problem to be managed, but as living members of the urban community and part of the shared public space. Through art, education, research and volunteering, the project created opportunities for citizens to engage with the issue in a constructive and empathetic way.
A further objective was to empower young European volunteers to become active citizens and contributors to social change, while using their international experiences to generate knowledge, good practices and recommendations that could be relevant to local authorities, organisations and policymakers.
The initiative therefore went beyond awareness-raising. It aimed to create a bridge between citizens, young people, civil society, local authorities and policymakers, opening a discussion about what the next day of a more compassionate and companion-animal-inclusive city could look like.
“Pawsitive Parks” addressed a broad and diverse audience, including children and young people, families, citizens, companion-animal owners, educators, volunteers, professionals, NGOs, academics, local authorities and policymakers.
Particular emphasis was placed on young people through experiential activities in schools, artistic performances, music, dance, theatre and creative workshops. These activities introduced children to empathy, responsibility, care and coexistence through playful and participatory methods.
At the same time, the international Youth Symposium addressed educators, academics, NGOs and policymakers, taking the discussion beyond public awareness and towards knowledge exchange, institutional dialogue and policy development.
In this way, the campaign created a participation chain connecting children and citizens with volunteers, civil society organisations, professionals, local authorities and decision-makers.
A 20-day international volunteering project implemented in Thessaloniki in December 2025, combining research, educational interventions, artistic activities, public performances, a Youth Symposium and dissemination. Follow-up work continues through the development of an educational guide based on the Manifesto.
“Pawsitive Parks” was implemented in Thessaloniki as a 20-day international volunteering project within the European Solidarity Corps. Its central philosophy was that the welfare of stray and companion animals cannot be addressed through a single discipline or approach. The initiative therefore combined research, education, art, culture, volunteering, communication and community engagement.
Its innovative character lies in this interdisciplinary approach. Young participants from eight countries contributed different perspectives and areas of expertise, including veterinary care and animal wellbeing, urban planning, legal and regulatory frameworks, nutrition, public health, ethics, communication, education and cultural expression.
The research team investigated the realities and challenges surrounding stray animals and explored good practices from different European contexts. The artistic team transformed research-based messages into performances, music, dance, theatre and experiential educational activities. Knowledge was therefore not presented only as information, but translated into experiences capable of reaching different ages and audiences.
The project included school activities, public performances, educational workshops, public-space interventions, photographic documentation, the creation of a calendar, an international Youth Symposium, dissemination of research findings and online livestreaming.
A central outcome was the development of a Manifesto for more companion-animal-inclusive public spaces and communities, bringing together the experience, reflections and knowledge generated by the young participants.
Importantly, the Manifesto is not considered the end of the initiative, but the beginning of its next phase. It will serve as the basis for the development and publication of an educational guide, designed to translate the project's findings and values into a practical tool that can be used by educators, young people, organisations, communities and other stakeholders.
In this sense, the initiative creates a legacy beyond its original 20-day implementation period.
One of the most important achievements of “Pawsitive Parks” was the creation of a positive social narrative around animal welfare.
Rather than presenting stray animals exclusively through the lens of crisis, vulnerability or public nuisance, the campaign invited citizens to see the issue through care, creativity, responsibility and shared ownership of public space.
The project delivered three public artistic performances, activities in two schools, experiential educational workshops, music-and-movement activities, public awareness interventions and activities in public spaces.
More than 100 photographs of stray animals from different areas of Thessaloniki were taken by the volunteers and subsequently used as the basis for the creation of an awareness calendar. This transformed documentation of the city's reality into an accessible communication and awareness-raising tool.
The project also organised an international three-hour Youth Symposium, featuring presentations by young European participants on veterinary care, urban planning, legal frameworks, nutrition, public health, ethics, education, communication, arts and community inclusion.
The symposium was livestreamed online, extending the reach of the initiative beyond its physical audience.
The project produced a Manifesto, informational leaflets, educational materials, photographic and audiovisual content, research outputs and practical recommendations concerning responsible ownership, adoption, neutering, vaccination, infrastructure, veterinary support and community participation.
The impact was particularly strong in the educational activities. Children were actively involved in music, movement, theatre, creative workshops and animal-inspired activities, allowing them to explore empathy, responsibility and care through experiential learning.
The campaign therefore generated not only awareness but also participation, dialogue, knowledge exchange and a positive emotional connection with the issue.
The initiative was implemented in Thessaloniki, Greece, across schools, municipal and cultural facilities, public spaces, city streets and squares, the seafront and locations connected with animal care.
It also included online activities and livestreamed dissemination, allowing the project's research findings and messages to reach audiences beyond the physical locations of the activities.
The initiative was developed through significant cooperation with local and international stakeholders, with particular emphasis on collaboration with the 2nd and 5th Municipal Communities of the Municipality of Thessaloniki.
This cooperation became particularly visible through the international Youth Symposium, which created a bridge between young European volunteers, civil society and local governance. The event provided a platform where research findings, European experiences and proposals could be presented in a format relevant to educators, professionals, organisations and policymakers.
The project also engaged with school communities, cultural structures, volunteer networks and local stakeholders connected to education, culture and animal welfare.
An additional major dimension of cooperation was the international team itself. Fourteen young participants from eight countries brought together different European experiences, professional interests and cultural perspectives, creating a genuinely intercultural and collaborative environment.
These partnerships strengthened the initiative's ability to connect grassroots participation with institutional dialogue.
Volunteers were at the heart of the initiative. Fourteen young people from eight countries — Serbia, Czech Republic, Estonia, China, Spain, France, Italy and Germany — participated with different skills, backgrounds and areas of expertise.
They took active roles in research, impact assessment, communication, dissemination, artistic creation, music, dance, theatre, social support and Manifesto development.
The participants worked through specialised but interconnected teams. Some researched and documented the situation; others translated the findings into artistic and educational content, while others supported communication, dissemination and team cohesion.
Their participation was therefore not passive. The volunteers were co-creators of the initiative. They observed the city, documented real conditions, visited relevant facilities, explored European practices, developed recommendations, created artistic outputs and contributed to the Manifesto.
The experience also strengthened their skills in teamwork, communication, research, creativity, intercultural cooperation and active citizenship.
For the organisation, “Pawsitive Parks” represented a significant investment in a model of social innovation that combines volunteering with research, culture, education and community engagement.
It strengthened the organisation's international profile through the participation of young people from eight countries and created meaningful connections with local government, schools, cultural structures, volunteer networks and civil society stakeholders.
The organisation also developed a substantial body of reusable knowledge and content, including research findings, the Manifesto, educational activities, photographic documentation, audiovisual material, public presentations and practical recommendations.
A particularly important benefit is the project's long-term legacy. The Manifesto will serve as the foundation for an educational guide currently under development and planned for publication. This will allow the organisation to transform the results of a 20-day international volunteering project into a longer-term educational and dissemination resource.
The guide can potentially be used by schools, educators, youth organisations, NGOs, volunteer groups and local communities, extending the project's impact beyond its original participants.
The initiative therefore creates a pathway from project → knowledge → educational resource → community action → institutional dialogue.
It also provides the organisation with a stronger basis for future partnerships and for continued dialogue with stakeholders and policymakers working on urban planning, animal welfare, education and community development.
