On Tuesday, January 14th, a delegation of Slovak students accompanied us to the school Gymnazium Cyrila Daxnera, where the project coordinator welcomed us and presented the Activity program. After the introductions of students and teachers, the coordinator of the 2nd Evening EPAL of Acharnes presented the progress of the project. The students were divided into transnational groups and participated in “ice-breaking” activities in the school restaurant, where they described themselves with words starting with the first letter of their name and shared their interests, encouraging acquaintance and cooperation for the upcoming group activities. At the same time, the teachers discussed the progress of the work in the project Twinspace, the schedules and the next actions, such as the joint celebration of the awareness days. In addition, they submitted an abstract for an article based on the statistical results of the Annual Survey on Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (Med Diet Score) that they conducted in their Organizations in December 2024 at the 11th International Scientific Conference on “Education, Society and Culture”, organized by the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (IACS), which, as we learned during our stay, was accepted. This was followed by a tour of the school’s premises and facilities, as well as a presentation of the Slovak Education System, which concluded with a meal in the school’s restaurant. In the Informatics Laboratory, the students, working in international mixed teams, created an electronic map (e-map) that highlighted the dietary traditions and cultural practices associated with important life events in the partner countries. In addition, they collaborated on the creation of an e-cookbook, which includes festive recipes that highlight the richness of our shared culinary heritage. Both products were posted on the project’s Twinspace, leaving a substantial imprint on our collaboration. The day concluded with experiments and STEM activities in the Chemistry laboratory on measuring the acidity of olive oil, as well as a simulation of the digestion of various nutrients. The day ended with a guided tour of the city center.
The second day of the Activity (15/01/2025) was dedicated to intercultural exchange through gastronomy. At Spojená škola A. Dubčeka, a Vocational High School in secondary education with an emphasis on cooking and catering in Vranov nad Topľou, students and teachers were given a tour of the facilities and participated in a cooking workshop. There, they created four menus that combined elements of the Mediterranean diet with national cuisines, highlighting the beauty of the synthesis of different culinary traditions. Due to the limited space in the kitchen, the students and teachers were divided into two groups. While the first two groups participated in the cooking workshop, the other two were guided through apprenticeship workshops (aesthetics, hairdressing, food and beverage technology, recyclable art, mass catering, graphic design, etc.) at the Vocational High School “Stredná odborná škola Alexandra Dubčeka”. Then the groups changed. When all the menus were ready, a sensory evaluation using worksheets followed. The participants tasted the dishes, experiencing the experience and reflecting on how food unites people. At the same time, they created a video that captured this experiential experience.

The highlight of the day was the workshop with nutritionist Lenka Orlovská, Nutrition Consultant at the Academy of Nutrition, who interacted with the participants and guided the group through an enlightening session on the Mediterranean Diet. This day of exchanges was concluded in the best possible way by celebrating the 20th anniversary of eTwinning, marking two decades of amazing achievements in connecting schools across Europe!
On 16 January 2025, the programme started with a study visit to the Eva chocolate factory in Sečovce, known for producing protein bars and chocolate products based on traditional recipes. The participants then also visited the Medical Faculty of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, where a professor gave an interesting tour of the laboratories and facilities of the Centrum Simulátorovej a Virtuálnej Medicíny UPJŠ LF. The day ended with an exploration of the historic city of Košice, which is rich in cultural heritage.
The last day of activities (17 January 2025) began with a moving closing ceremony, which included an evaluation of the program by students and teachers and the awarding of certificates and Europass, which the teachers had time to design. The coordinators of the partner organizations expressed positively for the results of the activity and the cooperation of the children. In the farewell, the Director of the Gymnazium Cyrila Daxnera thanked the participants in the program, satisfied that the mobility was crowned with success. The experience was completed with an unforgettable excursion to the magnificent “High Tatras”, which although geographically and culturally different from the Mediterranean region, can be connected to the Mediterranean diet and well-being in various ways, especially if we see it through the lens of a healthy lifestyle and holistic well-being.