International volunteers from 10 European countries prove once again that time flies, especially when working diligently and in good company. The work of the hardworking hands of volunteers, who have been solidarily assisting the community in Idrija for the last two weeks at two locations, is coming to an end. You are welcome to view their achievements!
Through the renovated doors, come visit the Giser house!
Seven volunteers from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Lithuania, and Poland focused on working on the Idrija miners’ house Giser during a three-week action. As in previous years, this year’s volunteers diligently tackled the tasks, and in the first week, under the mentorship of restorer Matija Hiršenfelder, they restored the entrance door of the Giser house on Ulica zmage.
In order for the work to be truly done well, we spent 3 days in Škofja Loka in a restoration workshop. Matija introduced volunteers to various tools and techniques necessary for handling heritage elements. With great precision, volunteers sanded, painted wood and metal, puttied, patinated, and restored all the smallest details on a door over a hundred years old. They approached the restoration of wooden, metal, and glass parts in several steps. They restored and added missing wooden parts, removed rust from metal elements, and cleaned and polished the door opening mechanism.
While the paint was drying, we also found some time to explore medieval Škofja Loka. Volunteers were particularly excited about visiting the Craft Center DUO Škofja Loka, where they learned about the works of local artisans and explored similarities and differences in heritage between Škofja Loka and Idrija. Despite tired legs from work, they also took a stroll into the green hinterland of the town for some relaxing swimming in Poljanska Sora river.
I feel like this experience, even though it lasted only three weeks, has given me a deeper understanding of who I am as a person, while also teaching me skills that I wouldn’t have acquired on my own at this point in my life if it weren’t for this wonderful opportunity.
Esti – Lithuania
The interior has a new look as well
In the second week, we moved our activities indoors. Initially, volunteers cleaned the entrance hall and kitchen, protected the floors, and repainted them. In the renovated spaces, they continued with the assembly and installation of the new kitchen. Quite a bit of effort was invested, and it was once again evident that following pre-prepared plans is not as easy as it initially seemed. With the basic infrastructure in order, the Giser house is now truly prepared for the upcoming activities! You can see the new features of the Giser house for the first time this Saturday, September 2nd, at the concluding event of the volunteer campaign.
Hardik, Portugal
This project has given me the opportunity to work on a completely different set of skills. It allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, accomplish important work that will positively impact the community, and ultimately, through the project, I’ve met many incredible people.
Restored heritage and international solidarity.
Events didn’t only take place at the Giser House but also in the center of Idrija. The remaining participants from the group of 20 volunteers, under the auspices of the Youth Center Idrija, sanded and repainted the fence on the bridge near the primary school and refreshed the entire appearance of the bridge. The work of the volunteer team was supported by the Idrija City Council and numerous passersby who, during the hot days, assisted the volunteers with ice cream or encouraging words.
Food, people, places we’ve been… THIS EXPERIENCE HAS SURPASSED ALL MY EXPECTATIONS. Three weeks weren’t enough to truly enjoy this green, wonderful place.
Nerea – Spain
The concluding event of the volunteer action
At the end of the volunteer campaign, on Saturday, September 2nd, all of us who contributed to the creation of the “Respect the past – build bridges of the future” project over the past 3 weeks gathered at the concluding event in Idrija. The event took place in a relaxed atmosphere, starting at the Giser House, where we unveiled the renovated entrance door and kitchen spaces. Then, we took a stroll to the bridge near the OŠ Idrija to see the work of the remaining volunteers.
We are carrying out activities with the support of the European Solidarity Corps, the European Capital of Culture Nova Gorica – Gorizia 2025, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia.
