On Sunday, September 15 of this year, we organized a trip to the city of Pula for two hundred beneficiaries who were joined by volunteers. The participants attended an educational trip aimed at integration and socializing. It was a great opportunity to spend a day in the beautiful Istrian city, get to know its natural beauty, rich heritage and hear a little more about the culture and customs of its inhabitants. 
 
As a preparation for the trip itself, the volunteers created a quiz on questions from Croatian history as well as the present. The beneficiaries showed enviable knowledge, especially the youngest who won valuable prizes with their activity. Thus, the beneficiaries had the opportunity to show the knowledge they had already acquired in JRS by reading about the history of Pula in Croatian language, and it turned out that they were quite familiar with Croatian culture, important figures from the history of the Croatian nation, the diversity of Croatian regions, etc.  

In the beautiful Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an Eucharistic celebration was held, led by the regional director of the Jesuit Service for Refugees, Father Stanko Perica, SJ. The beautiful Pula Cathedral made a strong impression on JRS beneficiaries. 
 
In its mission of monitoring, serving and advocating for all refugees and forcibly displaced persons, we regularly conduct intercultural and integration trips in its activities. The goal of every meeting, and therefore also of this trip, is to get to know the culture and customs of the place we are visiting. 
 
The beneficiaries of JRS were particularly impressed by the Pula Arena, followed by the Temple of Augustus and the Forum and the Golden Gate. For many beneficiaries, this was the only visit to the Croatian coast this year, so despite the bad weather and the intensive program, they were brave enough to swim. 
 
In Jesuit Refugee Service, we are especially grateful for the help of volunteers, in whom JRS sees its greatest strength. Volunteers see our new fellow citizens as their friends and are ready to devote their time and talents to make their integration process as painless as possible, and so that our Croatian society is enriched with all the good that each individual carry within. Aware of the fact that the process of integration is long-term, Jesuit Refugee Service continues to carry out activities of joint learning, socializing, language courses, help in employment, and will certainly organize intercultural meetings of this kind for its beneficiaries in the future.