An exciting opportunity for young people from across Europe who are interested in joining a unique festival where communities come together to share culinary traditions, promote intercultural dialogue, and celebrate diversity through food. The ESC Volunteering project "Support the International Soup Festival 2026" will take place in Rome, Italy, from 8-23 April 2026. This volunteering project is organised by "SCI Italia" and funded by the "European Solidarity Corps" of the European Union.
About the Volunteering
The Soup Festival volunteer camp is an ESC Volunteering Team project funded by the European Union through the European Solidarity Corps program. Its goal is to support the venue in organising the festival, which will take place in Rome from April 8th to 23rd, 2026. As a volunteer, you will participate in the organisation of this unique festival, where communities come together to share culinary traditions, promote intercultural dialogue, and celebrate diversity through food.
The project is an ongoing workshop on active citizenship and local development. There are different events, initiatives, courses, and workshops organised around different main themes: interculturality, sustainable lifestyles, antifascism, and active citizenship. At “La Città dell’Utopia we care a lot about our food consumption habits, focusing on reuse and preservation to avoid waste.
The project will be divided into two parts: a study part and a more practical one related to the organisation of the Zuppa Festival.
Main activities
During the volunteer camp, the volunteers will have a workload of around 6-7 hours per
day. The main activities will be:
● Supporting the organisation of the indoor and outdoor spaces of the festival;
● Supporting the preparation and running of the event Soup Festival 2026
(presence at the bar, cash desks, cooking…);
● Supporting the promotion of the festival;
● Tidying up the venue at the end of the Soup Festival 2026;
● A possibility to create creative outputs from the festival: videos, pictures,
interviews, podcasts, etc…
● Contributing to some practical activities related to La Città dell’Utopia
(gardening, cleaning, etc.)
Eligibility | Who can apply?
- Young people aged between 18 and 30 from one of the following countries (Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo * UN resolution, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine)
- Interested in food culture, and having a motivation for cooking and gardening.
- Artistic and manual skills and Basic Manual Skills.
- Interested in organising and creating events.
Expenses and Benefits
- This project is funded by the European Solidarity Corps program. Therefore, we, the organisers, cover all essential costs of the program (including food, travel costs up to a maximum amount per country, visa costs, accommodation, and pocket money).
- Volunteers will be hosted in the hostel of "La Città dell' Utopia". You will share a room with other volunteers.
- All volunteers will also share the two bathrooms of the hostel. Organisers provide sheets and blankets, but don’t forget to bring your own towels.
- The food will be vegan/vegetarian. This is not just a practical decision, but also an ideological one: SCI believes in the values of sustainability and climate justice.
- The travel is reimbursed after tickets and boarding passes.
- from 10 – 99 km - 23 EUR (Green Travel)/ 23 EUR (Non-Green Travel)
- from 100 – 499 km - 285 EUR (Green Travel)/ 211 EUR (Non-Green Travel)
- from 500 – 1999 km - 417 EUR (Green Travel)/ 309 EUR (Non-Green Travel)
- from 2000 – 2999 km - 395 EUR (Green Travel)/ 535 EUR (Non-Green Travel)
- Calculate your budget from HERE
- Participants are entitled to receive a YouthPass certificate after the project, where you are expected to self-assess your own learning, and you can add it to your CV.
Timeline
Application deadline: 15th of February 2026
Arrival day: 8th of April 2026
Departure day: 23rd of April 2026
Note: You have a total of 2 extra days that you can use before or after the project to travel around Italy. If you wish to do so, bear in mind that you need to cover the costs for your accommodation & food. Late arrivals or early departures are not allowed.
How to apply?
Step 1: Sign in to your account on the European Youth Portal. If you don't have an account, create an account as a YOUNG PERSON from HERE
Step 2: Visit the opportunity page on the portal and click "Apply" from this page. You must write your motivation letter in English (Don't be afraid to write the motivation letter yourself).
Step 3: To completely apply for this volunteering project, you can send your CV and Motivation Letter to "esc@sci-italia.it", outlining why you want to volunteer for this project and what you could bring.
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