The Greek members of our volunteering team, Alexandros and Maria, organized a cultural workshop dedicated to one of the most famous traditional Greek desserts, the so-called “melomakarona”. The aim of this workshop was not only to teach the participants how to make these delicious honey cookies, but also to create an opportunity for cultural exchange.

The preparations started several days in advance. The team worked together to plan every detail; some chose the recipe, purchased and organized the ingredients, while others organized the venue and made handmade posters of the recipe, which were later printed so the participants could keep them after the workshop. Also, not only the coordinators of the recipe did take part the cooking process, but other team members formed a “welcoming team”, a “cleaning team” and also some participated in the cooking process, took photos of the whole event and translated the process to those who did not speak English. Thanks to everyone’s cooperation and good communication, the event ran smoothly from beginning to
end.

During the workshop, everyone followed the instructions of the coordinators, forming small groups and completing tasks, such as measuring, mixing and forming the cookies by hand. Throughout the activity, we were able to share the story behind this recipe and interesting facts about Greek tradition in general. This encouraged everyone to ask questions and exchange ideas and traditions from their own countries, making it much more than just a simple cooking class.

For us, as volunteers, the experience was both enjoyable and rewarding. Organizing the workshop required teamwork, planning, flexibility and our team had every bit of these. Seeing everyone engage and enthusiastic about this project made all the effort worth it. It was especially satisfying to introduce a part of Greek culture to people who had never tasted Greek desserts before. At the same time, we were able to develop valuable communication skills altogether and grow individually as well.

Lastly, the workshop welcomed 8 participants from different age groups and backgrounds too, who showed great interest and actively took part in every stage of the activity. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many participants commenting on the unique flavor of the cookies and expressing their excitement about trying the recipe again at home. Finally, the event achieved its goal of bringing different people together by sharing cultures, traditions, ideas and experiences. This taught us that through simple things, such as this recipe, there can be an opportunity to meet new people, build connections, open our horizons and learn not only about others but also about ourselves as well.

Article by Maria Driva

European Solidarity Corps volunteer

Workshops from European Solidarity Corps of 16/07/2026