The FILOXENIA Association – Intercultural Environmental Organization – was founded in 1995. It combines many years of intercultural experience with educational work in the fields of ecology, history, and politics.
FILOXENIA has participated in numerous European and national programs and youth training courses and has provided know-how transfer and support for youth structures in Greece.
The association is based in the rural mountain community of Kryoneri Korinthias, southwest of Corinth. This is also where the “Elisson” hostel and conference center is located, which hosts international work camps and seminars.
Kryoneri became internationally known when the residents of the village were honored as “Righteous Among the Nations” by the Israeli Embassy in 2018. During the German occupation, the villagers hid a Jewish family from Athens in their homes and in a nearby cave. FILOXENIA has made it its mission to commemorate this story and has reopened access to the cave via hiking trails.
The well-connected, lively village community is also worth mentioning. There is a cultural association, a youth club, an olive oil factory, and a variety of activities, such as mountain biking for children and young people in the surrounding area.
Activities for volunteers:
Development of the “Memory Alive” website
Documentation of the role of the Greek resistance in rescuing Jews during the German occupation 1941–1944
Maintenance of hiking trails in the area leading to the cave where a Jewish family was hidden in 1943–1944
Digitization of the village archive
Support for FILOXENIA and the “Elisson” hostel (in terms of content and housekeeping)
Work in the youth club
Community work – participation in events
Requirements:
The villagers are very friendly and open-minded, so volunteers should be communicative and not shy about meeting new people. The work at FILOXENIA can be varied. The association is small and does not have many members, which is why many activities are carried out on a voluntary basis.
Volunteers should be practical, enjoy gardening and housework, and at the same time be interested in educational programs and content development.
Report by ASF volunteer Renée Ziegler working in Kryoneri (01.09.24-31.08.25)
Kryoneri and the surrounding area have a lot to offer in terms of scenery and nature, which after 19 years in Berlin was a very pleasant and calming change from the mostly stressful and hectic everyday life in a big city. The village is beautiful, with around 900 inhabitants, not exactly large, but it has everything you need: a mini market, two taverns, a pharmacy, a bakery, a café, and many events and cultural activities to participate in.
In Kryoneri, I supported FILOXENIA, a historically, politically, and ecologically active organization. FILOXENIA also organizes national and international youth exchanges, which I helped plan and structure as needed.
When there were no seminars or groups to supervise, I worked in the office for helped out at the hostel where the groups were staying. In the office, we mainly focused on video editing, which was surprisingly fun. We also took care of FILOXENIA’s websites, keeping them up to date or making aesthetic changes, which was our main focus in the winter. At the hostel, we usually helped with cleaning and tidying up after the groups had left. We also had our own project throughout the year, namely a cookbook that I created together with Anais.
In the evenings, I had tandem sessions with various people from the village, most of whom are children between the ages of 9 and 14. I would meet up with one of them for an hour a week and we would play games, talk, or do little exercises with the aim of exchanging languages. It was a great way to get to know more people from Kryoneri.
I had many unforgettable experiences throughout the year. One of them was definitely the olive harvest at the end of 2024, when we helped the local farmers during the harvest season. If you don’t come from the countryside, this is something you don’t get to experience very often, so I was very grateful that the farmers let us come along to help with the harvest. It was also very fulfilling to do physical work because at the end of the day you could see and feel what you had achieved. Another wonderful experience was the “Act Green” youth exchange with young people from all over Europe, where I made some really good friends.
In general, every exchange where I had the opportunity to meet new people was very special because I was able to share experiences and political views and learn a lot about other cultures and realities of life. In addition, each exchange offered a new perspective on issues such as feminism or anti-discrimination, which made me more open and curious towards others.
I also had the opportunity to participate in Kryoneri’s Culture Week, where every year various activities that the village has to offer are presented. I was part of the dance group that performed traditional Greek dances, which we had rehearsed for several months. This allowed me to experience a part of Greek culture up close, which was definitely one of my highlights. Of course, I also saw many different places in Greece by traveling with FILOXENIA or going on day trips.
Living and working with other volunteers, I learned a lot about how to organize a household and a workspace in a practical and cooperative way, how to resolve conflicts, and how to motivate myself and others.
I am more than grateful that I had the opportunity to experience this year full of culture, new people, and a life that was very different from what I had known before. I felt welcome from start to finish and hope that I was also able to give something back to the community of Kryoneri.
Enjoy Anais’ report :))
Here it is!
Report by the ASF volunteer Anais Sakka-Camelin working in Kryoneri (01.09.24-31.08.25)
In Kryoneri, our work mainly revolves around the FILOXENIA organization. We support and accompany their youth exchange programs, which mostly deal with political and social issues. The beauty of working here is also our environment, because we get to work with young and open-minded people. When there are no exchange programs taking place, we either work in the office creating videos, editing websites, and translating short articles, or we help with the olive harvest and support the village community. Personally, I really enjoy the harvest! It’s so interesting to be able to participate in something like this, especially when you come from a big city. You learn a lot about physical work, which I had very little contact with before.
Our accommodation is not far from our workplace, which has some advantages, especially in winter when it’s cold and you want to spend as little time outside as possible. Our house is very large, so it can easily accommodate two or three people. Kryoneri itself is beautiful. With sweeping panoramic views and great hiking trails, it’s a pleasant change from Berlin. The village is quite small but very cozy. There is a café, a mini market, a pharmacy, and three taverns with delicious food.
Over the past five months, the small village has once again been filled with new people from all over Europe. Just like in late fall, Renée and I started working with them. Through various projects, we learned many new things, from how the Greek school system works to the importance of moral courage. I really enjoyed all these new experiences, especially after the long and sluggish winter. These programs gave me the opportunity to explore topics I would never have heard of otherwise and to meet many people with whom I am still in contact today. Since we had accumulated several vacation days, we also had a lot of free time, which I used to go on trips with Renée and my family and enjoy the beautiful weather, the sea, and the food that Greece has to offer.
One highlight was a youth exchange on the topic of film that we accompanied. The idea was for young people from the Bavarian youth film scene and young people from Greece who are interested in film to come together, share their cultures, and get to know each other while working on a short film together. It was so exciting to accompany the film crew, watch them, and help them with their work. We were able to participate in all phases of the film and learn something from each category: music, acting, filming, and editing. I also learned something about how to work under extreme time pressure and remain flexible, as well as how to communicate with people from different backgrounds.
Another youth exchange focused on the so-called “Memory Trails.” These were historically linked to the rescue of a Jewish family who had found refuge in Kryoneri during World War II. For a month, we worked with ten other volunteers to clear the path to the cave where this family had hidden, so that anyone interested could walk this trail. The project was also launched to bring people from different cultures together. We had two people each from Spain, Italy, Turkey, Austria, and Finland, which meant that Renée and I came into contact with many different people. Halfway through the project, we had already accomplished a great deal. After completing the path to the cave, another path was created to the old mill, which also played an important role during World War II by supplying the villagers when all other food sources were scarce. It was truly wonderful to see how we made progress every day and how the work became less strenuous with each passing day. We (Renée and I) were also tasked with filming the process and creating a short video at the end of the month. I really enjoyed filming and taking photos, and it gave me a better understanding of how to film and edit properly. It was something completely new to me, but I really enjoyed it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQkbJWZo47A
One of the most significant experiences for me was the culture week. Since I was involved in both the theater and dance groups in Kryoneri, I worked hard for several months for this week, but in the end it was worth it because it couldn’t have gone better. The performances we did were all fantastic, and I had an incredible amount of fun on stage. I felt connected not only to Greek culture, but also to this village in particular. I am really happy that I had the opportunity to meet and work with all these wonderful people in Kryoneri.
This year of volunteering has broadened my horizons and made me a person with completely new goals and hopes for the future. I am truly grateful for everything I have learned through this experience.
Anais Sakka- Camelin
Report by the ASF volunteer Anne Dahlhoff and Leon Kesper working in Kryoneri (1.09.22-31.08.23):
ένα θερμό χαιρετισμό
A warm welcome – that’s how Leon and I felt when we arrived in Kryoneri for the first time. Not only because of the summer temperatures, but also because of the people and the surroundings. Leon (18) comes from Dortmund. My name is Anne (18) and I come from Essen. Together, we are in Greece with the German organization Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste (ASF). ASF also refers to its volunteer services as “peace services.” Its work is based on solidarity with its partners in Europe, the USA, Israel, and Great Britain. They are committed to peace and respect for human rights.
Here in Kryoneri, we are working with the organization “FILOXENIA,” which has many years of intercultural experience in educational work in the fields of ecology, history, and politics.
Leon and I are working on a project about remembrance. During the Nazi era, a Jewish family was hidden by the community in Kryoneri. Every time German soldiers came to the village, the family hid in a nearby cave. Today, tourists can visit the cave. Leon and I guide them through the mountains and along beautiful hiking trails to the cave. Clara, a short-term volunteer, and I were able to join a hiking group from Corinth for a day hike in the bush. The people were open-minded and it was fun to be with them.
In the mornings, we usually work on various topics in the office. Together, we improved the Matsani website, which represents the village itself. We translated the Greek information into English. This makes the website more understandable to a wider audience. Leon also works with an IT expert and updates the website regularly.
We also use the morning to prepare activities and games for the young people in the village. I have developed games that are played in our weekly tandem lessons. Every Tuesday and Thursday, young people between the ages of 12 and 14 come to the youth center to learn English and German. At the same time, we can improve our Greek language skills.
We also painted the stairs in the office and some old cupboards. Although there were a few challenging moments, we enjoyed the change of pace and distraction. In the end, we were proud of the result and can now use the stairs we painted ourselves every day. As a group, we renovated and painted the walls of the school. Leon sprayed graffiti and Clara and I painted over old drawings.
At the beginning of November, we helped a friend from the village with the olive harvest. It was interesting to learn about the harvesting process and the hard work involved, as well as the problems caused by climate change. After two days of work, we were exhausted. Depending on how many olives can be harvested, the workers need several weeks. At the end, we tasted the fresh olive oil ourselves, with bread and a good pinch of salt.
Max, another long-term volunteer in Kryoneri, and I give ballroom dancing lessons once a week. Max is the experienced one, and I always learn the dances shortly before the next lesson. I’ve always wanted to learn ballroom dancing, and now I can learn and teach at the same time. I also offer table tennis once a week. I enjoy this because I can be active myself and get to know more people from the village.
Leon has soccer training twice a week with the local team, Aetos Kryoneri. There he gets to know many young people from the village and can improve his language skills. He always has a game on the weekend. So far, they have all been friendly matches, but the real season starts in mid-November. Leon and I go to Pilates and aerobics twice a week with the other volunteers. Our trainer Anna is excellent at her job and knows how to push us to our physical limits. We usually have sore muscles the next day, but we still enjoy it.
In our free time, we usually try to go on trips around the country, relax on the veranda, sing and dance together, play chess, watch a movie together, or spend an evening at the local tavern.
At the beginning of our time here, we had Greek lessons once a week with the president of FILOXENIA, Katerina, and now we continue to practice every Wednesday during office hours with a local. Panos, the manager and overall supervisor, and Sia, our mentor, help us with our program and always try to get the best out of us.
We are very grateful for the experiences we have had so far and look forward to upcoming projects, interesting encounters, and unforgettable experiences.
Report by the first ASF volunteer Marlene working in Kryoneri (1.09.21-31.08.22):
One of FILOXENIA’s main concerns is to ensure that this history is not forgotten and receives more attention outside the region where my activities are largely concentrated. The main task of my voluntary service is to develop the websites “Matsani” and “Memory Alive,” where I document the history of the village and the civil courage of its inhabitants.
In order to obtain the necessary information, I have access to various text sources and also have the great opportunity to talk to contemporary witnesses or their descendants. I mostly work independently, but can always contact the person in charge if I have any questions.
In the first two months, I mainly worked on small translations for the “Matsani” website, which presents Kryoneri as a whole village with all its leisure activities, clubs, and restaurants.
I am currently focusing on recording the moving history of Kryoneri and its background on this website. Over the course of the year, I will also report on various projects in which volunteers are dealing with the occupation period in Greece.
Another part of my work is digitizing the village archive, which contains documents that are more than 100 years old. I am also responsible for developing and maintaining the hiking trails that lead to the cave where the Kamhi family temporarily hid.
Almost every day, I meet with young people from the region—in pairs, we exchange ideas about cultural differences and everyday situations in English, German, or Greek and learn languages together in a playful way. A “language tandem meeting” lasts about an hour and is prepared by me.
I also plan various leisure activities and events for young and old residents of Kryoneri together with other volunteers.
Kryoneri regularly hosts international exchange projects, which greatly enliven the village and enrich its cultural life. The Elisson Hostel is an important meeting place for volunteers and offers space for all kinds of encounters. My colleagues and I also live here.
In the summer, my daily routine changes a little. In addition to working in the office, I spend a lot of time with the groups and youth exchange programs that come to Kryoneri. Most of the time, this involves showing them the Karamanos Cave or talking to them about historical and cultural topics. I look forward to every new group that arrives because it allows me to meet a wide variety of people and keeps things interesting. In addition, the other volunteers and I offer various leisure activities for the young people from the village, such as mural painting, batik, and various sports.
In my free time, I enjoy swimming in the Gulf of Corinth or exploring Greece.
In cooperation with:
