That was summer 2025 in the SOS Holiday Village Caldonazzo

The summer camp was open from July 1 to August 24, 2025. These weeks were an impressive demonstration of how lively and diverse vacations can be when community and good company are the focus.

A summer full of guests, languages and stories

A total of 76 groups arrived and brought life to the vacation village: 952 children and young people and 405 adults were welcomed to Caldonazzo. This means that 1,357 guests spent their vacation at the lake. The international mix was particularly pleasing: the groups came from Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Estonia, Spain and Ukraine.

Creativity without borders

Where there is room for imagination, the most surprising things are often created. This was evident in the creative team every day: from Lego artworks to dream catchers, an impressive variety of works were created. Body painting, batik T-shirts, working with clay and free painting transformed the camp into a colorful studio.

Movement in all weathers

The summer in the Valsugana Valley was changeable, but the sports team did not let this slow them down. Thanks to good preparation, there were always suitable activities on offer: On warm days, water games, beach volleyball and basketball provided refreshment and energy. When it rained, the plans were simply changed: In the hall, table tennis, table football and indoor climbing offered ideal alternatives.

Outdoor adventure

For many, the outdoor program was the heart of the summer: the outdoor team once again brought nature, courage and curiosity together in 2025. On the water, canoeing and dragon boating were on the program, while on land, bike tours along the lakeshore and excursions to lakes and mountains in Trentino led into unforgettable landscapes.

Challenges and highlights also awaited at the camp itself: Archery, tree climbing and slacklining offered just the right mix of concentration, physical awareness and thrills to be remembered for a long time.

Learning, growing, trying things out

Over the six weeks, workshops supplemented the leisure program and opened up new perspectives - always under expert guidance. The football skills workshop, music therapy, the creative workshop "Budding architects" and the workshop on dealing with emotions "Strong like us" were particularly popular. These offers gave children and young people the opportunity to discover skills, build self-confidence and also tackle more difficult topics in a safe environment.

Grateful voices

Aleksandra Ivanovski, village manager and caregiver for foster families at the SOS Children's Village Skopje (North Macedonia), attended the summer camp in 2025 together with some of the children. She sums up the experience as follows: "I am deeply grateful for the warm welcome and the wonderful time at the SOS Holiday Camp Caldonazzo. Every visit is not only a wonderful experience, but makes us feel how big and meaningful the vision and mission of SOS Children's Villages are. We really appreciate the dedication, professionalism and friendliness at the camp. These moments mean so much to the children and to us. We hope to experience many more summers here at the lake."

Such words make visible what numbers alone cannot tell: That vacations are sometimes more than just recreation. Namely, a space in which children and young people who have often experienced traumatic events can experience lightness, feel safe and recharge their batteries.