Project Stone and wood

Despite the challenging times we are still living in, especially in terms of travel and student mobility, the Erasmus + “Stone & wood” project was held in the French province of Brittany from 14 to 22 November, which our school is extremely proud to be a part of from the very beginning. 

Our partners from France and Poland were our dear guests in “Klesarska” school just before the pandemic outbreak, and this time our students could finally experience “the beauty” of mobility in the French town of Quintin and its surroundings. The focus was put on various restoration activities, where, of course, the School of Masonry demonstrated to other participants skills in the stone related field. Eight students (1st, 3rd and 4th graders) were accompanied on their exciting journey by a practical teacher Siniša Martinić Cezar and school psychologist Maja Milković. For some students, this was their first time flying on a plane experience, and upon arrival at Paris Airport, they met their peers from Poland, also participants in the project.

The school hosting this trip was situated in Quintin, a small town in the northwest of France. The school is equipped with a dormitory, a restaurant and large halls for processing wood, stone and concrete which is also the place for its installation. After visiting the town where the headmistress of the school, Mrs. Cola, told an interesting story, our students made a beautiful pattern of Croatian braid and cross decoration on French granite that will remain as a lasting memory of this project, experience and people involved. Above mentioned stone piece was presented to the public at the closing ceremony among other works. In addition to this, the students also made a large flower vase in wood in which flowers will be planted as well as an Erasmus concrete logo, which all students made together. Smaller wooden souvenirs, puzzles and birdhouses were signed by all participants which they proudly brought home. After that they were also engaged on other projects such as helping in building a public kitchen and a wall in the nearby town of St. Thelo.

But not everything was only work and commitments, the participants had the opportunity to visit the unreal beauties of the coast of La Clarte, one of only three sites of pink granite in the world, formed in a volcanic eruption. They then visited the partner companies of the school to which French students go for external practical classes. They shared their impressions and returned to school for lunch after which the project was presented to the press. On a tour of beautiful Brittany, they also visited La ValléE des Saints (translated as the Valley of the Saints), a large hill on which a project is underway paying tribute to the past, Celtic culture, ancient saints, and today’s stonemasons. 

Our team spent the last day of this trip in the Croatian capital city of Zagreb, where they combined work with pleasure by visiting several faculties they are interested in enrolling to. This rich experience of new friendships, improvements in previously acquired skills and learning new ones, has enriched not only students but also their teachers, so we are looking forward to the future adventures of this colorful French-Polish-Croatian generation that gives us hope for vocational professions and interest in restoration of European cultural heritage in stone and wood.

Photos and activity diary: Maja Milković