European Days on Environmental Education

On the 25th and the 26th September 2014 the European Days of Environmental Education has held in Bergamo (Italy ) which become the “capital of Europe “ for a few days.

The announcement was made at a press conference held in Bergamo March 3^rd 2014, in the presence of the commissioners for the environment of the Lombardy Region, Province and Municipality of Bergamo Claudia Terzi, Enrico Piccinelli and Massimo Bandera and the General Secretary of the WEEC network Mario Salomone.

Bergamo and the Lombardia region have a wealth of parks, botanical gardens, museums and eco-museums, educational farms etc. and a wide variety of experiences in the field of environmental education. The local “system” has been mobilized to ensure the success of the “Days” and to offer participants workshops, visits and other opportunities to meet life and experiences in the region. The first edition of the European meeting was held in Lyon on March 4, 2013. Knowledge sharing and networking – both between the EU member countries and the other countries of the continent – are among the goals of the event. It also has had the support to the development of environmental education policies both at national and European level. The format of the meeting went from plenary sessions to small parallel groups and activities “on the ground”.

For the Italian world of environmental education this event has been a valuable opportunity to reinforce the process begun in 2013, which aims to replenish the ranks of a system put in suffering from the cuts in public spending.