Our Latvian partner Radi Vidi Pats organised an interactive workshop in Liepāja, led by Elias, their European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteer from Spain. The workshop brought together 11 European Language and Culture students and their teacher from the Riga Technical University Liepāja Academy.

Behind this simple format lies an ambitious goal: turning a single afternoon into a real journey across cultures. The participants practised three languages at once, Spanish, English and Latvian, switching naturally from one to the other. At the same time, they discovered the life-changing opportunities that European youth programmes offer to people at university.

The experience they shared was cooking together. Divided into three groups, the students put their culinary skills to the test with traditional Spanish dishes. The first group made tortilla de patatas, the classic Spanish potato omelette. The second group prepared gazpacho, a refreshing cold tomato soup. The third group made arroz con leche, a sweet rice pudding, and also prepared fresh homemade mayonnaise.

Around the pots and the chopping boards, something more than cooking happened: conversations flowed, barriers fell, and the participants found themselves talking about international mobility, about meeting other cultures, and about how European projects could enrich their own academic and personal paths.

Strengthening equality, rights and active citizenship across Europe is at the heart of our work, in the framework of the CERV programme, which stands for Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values. By supporting non formal learning, peer to peer exchanges and cultural diversity, our network helps young people and students build a more open, connected and inclusive European community.