The European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) is the leading multisport event for the European youth (athletes between 14 to 18 years old) from 50 European delegations. In 2025 Skopje became one of the 25 cities hosting this international competition.

Before a first medal was won at EYOF 2025, there were hundreds of warm smiles greeting athletes, helping hands guiding crowds, and quiet heroes running from venue to venue. Over 700 volunteers from Macedonia and beyond became the beating heart of this extraordinary week. Now, as the stadiums and sport halls quiet down and the athletes go home, we turn to those volunteers to ask: What did it feel like to help make history?

Julius (Germany) remembers the intensity of his role during the opening ceremony. Tasked with distributing national flags in the correct order, he and his Latvian teammate had to adapt quickly to last-minute changes. “Finally I could use my flag knowledge for something useful.”, he jokes. But behind the humor was a deep sense of pride: “Beside the stress I felt proud to be part of this event. It’s nice to see so many young people together. It helps with cultural understanding, which is so important these days.”

For Leni (Germany), EYOF 2025 offered a whole new appreciation of a sport she once played. “I played volleyball in a team before”, she explains, “but when I watched a match at EYOF I realised it’s not only the technique that counts. The most important thing is the communication and timing.” This experience changed her perspective and deepened her admiration for the game. “Volunteering gave me a whole new point of view.”

For Fabiana (Aruba), two occasions stood out during the festival. “One gold medalist broke a world record, which is so inspirational and impressive to witness”, she shares. But it wasn’t just about the records. When a fourth-place athlete was later upgraded to bronze after reevaluating the footage, Fabiana saw something even more powerful: “It was amazing to see the team effort and support that’s behind every athlete. Sports are never just about the individual.”

Sara’s (Slovakia) journey through EYOF was more personal. It motivated her to start playing volleyball again and offered life lessons far beyond the court. “It helped me realise that sometimes perfectionism is not the best road to take”, she says. “Sometimes it’s enough to smile and let the universe solve the rest.” Most of all, she was moved by the sense of purpose that came from contributing to something greater. “This event proved to me how nice it is to work with people you know nothing about.”

For Natalia (Poland), one small gesture left a lasting impression. Working at the judo victory ceremonies, she remembers a presenter who shook hands with every volunteer before and after the ceremony. “Usually, volunteers are not visible to other people”, she reflects. “It was really nice to be noticed and appreciated.”

Stefan’s (Macedonia) journey was very spur of the moment kind of thing. He came back from his holiday and the next day found himself on the field. Stepping into the role of Volunteer Supervisor,  with full enthusiasm, and support from his colleagues, he managed to welcome hundreds of volunteers. “Greeting the delegations on opening night, in their own languages, literally gave me goosebumps”, he shares. “It was a moment of pure fulfilment and pride, a powerful reminder of what this whole experience is truly about.”

For Nikola, director of Volunteers Centre Skopje, EYOF 2025 was both a personal and professional milestone. “It was a unique experience and a great challenge.”, he says. “The size and importance of the event required serious attention and preparation of the largest number of volunteers ever, which Volunteers Centre Skopje had the obligation to coordinate. We are talking about 200 volunteers over a period of 10 days and about 50 volunteers who were on a short-term ESC project. We are immensely grateful for their contribution, motivation and desire to be part of this event. Without them, it would not have been possible.”

While the festival may be over, the spirit of EYOF 2025 lives on in the stories, friendships, and shared purpose that united so many young people. For the volunteers, this project wasn’t just about supporting an event, it was also about witnessing history and creating it.

Jolanta Ciopcińska