Celebrating World Environmental Education Day 2024: global experiences and activities

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On October 14th, 2024, the 8th World Environmental Education Day was celebrated. This date marks the anniversary of the 1977 UN Conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, where it was unanimously agreed that environmental education plays a vital role in safeguarding and enhancing the global environment. 47 years later, the World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) remains dedicated to promoting environmental education as a key pathway toward building sustainable societies.

Since the establishment of World EE Day, WEEC has encouraged organizations worldwide to initiate activities and projects focused on environmental education throughout October. From festivals and conferences to workshops and academic research projects, we received numerous submissions through our online platform highlighting various World Environmental Education Day 2024 initiatives.

This final report highlights some outstanding and impactful projects from across the globe for this year’s World EE Day.

The project Food Waste Valorization for Nutritious Livestock Feeds Production aims to transform food waste into safe and nutritious feeds for livestock, promoting food security, sustainable livelihoods, job creation, and environmental conservation. In Uganda, where 16.4 million people face food insecurity, significant amounts of food waste are generated daily in urban areas, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Currently, food waste is fed directly to animals, posing health risks. This project uses insect-based farming to process food waste into high-protein feeds and bio-fertilizers. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) provide a nutritious alternative to costly traditional protein sources like fish and soybean meal, thus lowering livestock feed costs. By demonstrating technical and business models at Mukono Green Valley Innovation Hub, the project will empower youth to engage in insect farming, livestock management, and organic farming, ultimately fostering economic opportunities and improving food security.

The Digital Platform for Environmental Citizen Science is designed to empower individuals worldwide to actively contribute to environmental research and conservation. Through a user-friendly interface, participants can upload observations, measurements, and photos related to environmental factors like air quality, water pollution, biodiversity, and climate change. Guided projects within the platform support users in gathering targeted data to address urgent environmental challenges, while real-time data visualization through interactive maps and charts allows users to observe trends and patterns. Educational resources help participants deepen their understanding of environmental science and the value of citizen-driven research. By engaging people in meaningful data collection and analysis, the platform raises awareness, generates valuable data to complement scientific research, and empowers users to make a positive impact on their local environments. Partnerships with academic institutions, government agencies, and NGOs are envisioned to enhance project development, data analysis, and outreach, creating a collaborative network of environmental advocates.

ModelCOP is an innovative educational platform that immerses middle and high school students in global climate negotiations, helping them develop essential skills and values for environmental leadership. Through realistic simulations of international climate forums, students role-play as diplomats and climate experts, gaining insights into global climate challenges and collaborative solutions. The program combines online and in-person sessions for accessibility and engagement, targeting rapid growth across high-youth regions like the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. With strategic partnerships, ModelCOP aims to reach over 5 million students in three years, creating a global network of educators, experts, and policymakers to support its mission.

The Bogotá Schools Environmental Summit is an initiative launched by students from Los Cerros Gymnasium to unite the educational community in addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainability. The summit aims to educate and empower students to take action against climate change through conferences, project fairs, and workshops. The first edition in 2023 focused on establishing collaborative goals for environmental restoration, attracting over 60 participants from 15 institutions. The second edition in May 2024, held during an environmental crisis, engaged more than 120 students and teachers from 32 schools, featuring discussions on climate change challenges and showcasing student-led environmental initiatives. This summit not only inspires pride in students’ achievements but also fosters a collective commitment to combating climate change. By facilitating idea exchange and collaboration, the summit promotes continuous engagement in environmental projects and aims to establish a regional and global network for environmental education. Future editions will further enhance visibility for climate issues and strengthen partnerships with educational and environmental organizations.

Little Green Hero (LGH) is an innovative mobile and web application aimed at fostering environmental awareness among children aged toddlers to 8 years. Utilizing artificial intelligence, LGH creates an engaging and adaptive learning environment that introduces complex environmental issues in a way that is accessible and non-intimidating for young learners. The preliminary model has shown effectiveness in captivating children’s interest and promoting early environmental consciousness, highlighting AI’s potential to transform educational experiences in essential fields like environmental education.

Exploring the Oceans: Marine Education for Schoolchildren is an educational initiative aimed at enhancing students’ understanding of marine ecosystems through interactive workshops integrated into the school curriculum. The project involves three themed workshops tailored to each grade level, promoting hands-on learning through both outdoor activities and in-class practical sessions. The primary goal is to inspire curiosity about the oceans and foster environmental responsibility among students. Younger students will focus on basic marine life concepts, while middle and upper grades will delve into ecosystems, human impacts, and conservation strategies. Practical experiences include field trips to coastal areas, where students can observe marine ecosystems, engage in water testing, and participate in beach clean-ups. This program encourages active participation, enhancing knowledge retention and cultivating a conservation mindset. By connecting classroom learning with real-world experiences, “Exploring the Oceans” empowers students to become future stewards of the environment, deepening their appreciation for marine life and its challenges.

The Green Student Program is an initiative aimed at promoting environmental awareness and action among high school students. It empowers over 120 participants from 20 schools to become green changemakers by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to tackle environmental issues in their communities. Through workshops and fellowships, the program emphasizes design-thinking strategies for developing solutions, career preparation for environmental pathways, and launching the first cohort of Green Student Fellows. Selected fellows will receive mentorship, sponsorship for a Climate Course, and support for their own student-led campaigns addressing local environmental challenges. The program also fosters ongoing opportunities through partnerships, bridging the gap between inspiration and actionable environmental education.

The Art of Climate Change Education project aims to enhance climate education for teachers in England and Kenya through the integration of art and artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative seeks to empower educators to become confident climate allies, capable of influencing their students and communities on climate action. Harwood Education, an English teacher training organisation, will lead the development of an AI-inspired visual art project and a Carbon Footprint Buster Challenge, providing educational materials to Kenyan schools in collaboration with People to People International, Kenya. Kenyan instructors will utilize the book Creating A Masterpiece: The Arts and Climate Change Conflict By Graydon to inspire students and raise awareness about climate change through artistic expression. Additionally, students will receive Life on Planet Earth: My Story, by artist Graydon, an activity book featuring art-based learning on ecology and climate change, which will be published and exhibited. The project promotes inclusivity by offering these resources in both English and Swahili, along with plans for translation into local languages, ensuring that climate education is accessible to all students and teachers involved.

The project initiated by ODDB NGO addressed the environmental challenge of plastic waste management, which poses serious issues like ocean pollution, blocked drainage systems causing flooding, the spread of diseases, respiratory problems from open burning of waste, and harm to wildlife. Recognizing the importance of educating young people, the initiative celebrated World Environmental Education Day 2024 by organizing an awareness session for students at the Public Primary School (EPP) of Tanto, followed by a cleanliness campaign in the surrounding area. The primary goal was to enhance environmental education in urban settings by informing students about the impacts of plastic waste and engaging them in cleanup efforts, successfully involving over 100 students in this important initiative.

Friendly SEED, the first Taiwanese social enterprise focused on environmental education (EE), was established in 2010 by a group of EE professionals dedicated to promoting sustainability. Through effective brand management and curriculum development, they have created systematic learning programs, initiated corporate ESG action plans with over 60 companies, and helped multiple nature education sites obtain certification as environmental education facilities. By fostering public-private partnerships with industry, government, and academia, Friendly SEED aims to drive positive impacts in environmental sustainability education. In celebration of World Environmental Education Day on October 14th, they organized various events, including corporate environmental action days, beach and mountain cleanups, training for environmental educators, hands-on career experiences for ecological workers like fishers, and DIY art-making activities using natural materials.

The 8th World Environmental Education Day saw significant participation, highlighting the community’s commitment to environmental education and sustainability. Additionally, many other projects were submitted, including “Chargé de sensibilisation sur la protection de l’environnement au sein de MKAAJI MPYA asbl”, a local association based in the province of South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo; the “Red de Medio Ambiente” de la Universidad de La Habana; the “LACA” (Looking At Climate Action) project in Zambia; “Exploring the Oceans: Marine Education for Schoolchildren”, a project by the Vellmari Association and “Climate Fresk”, a French educational initiative designed to raise awareness about climate change through an interactive workshop.

These initiatives further demonstrate the collective effort to foster environmental awareness and action across various communities and educational settings.

 

8th World Environmental Education Day: celebrating today, October 14

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October 14 marks the anniversary of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education, held in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 1977. This conference, which concluded on October 26, was a milestone, reflecting the growing awareness and concern within society and institutions at the time. For the first time, environmental issues and education for environmental awareness were officially recognized at an institutional level, following the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm.

The main outcome of the 1977 conference was the Tbilisi Declaration, which set out the principles of environmental education. It emphasized that education should be global and community-based, continuous, and lifelong. It should engage people of all ages, particularly young people, to foster a sense of active responsibility for the environment.

Forty years later, in 2017, the WEEC (World Environmental Education Congress) network launched the first World Environmental Education Day in Vancouver, coinciding with its ninth global congress and the participation of the Georgian government. In 2024, we are celebrating the eighth World Environmental Education Day, and to mark this occasion, the WEEC network is compiling all projects and initiatives aimed at promoting environmental awareness.

Every project plays a crucial role in raising awareness about the need to rethink our relationship with the environment, develop the interdisciplinary skills needed to navigate today’s complex challenges, and cultivate a population that is mindful of environmental issues. We need action from everyone!

Projects for World Environmental Education Day

This year, between September 14 and October 30, organizations involved in environmental education, along with museums, parks, schools, and other institutions, are running awareness-raising projects.

To celebrate the eighth World Environmental Education Day, the WEEC network is gathering all relevant projects to highlight the growing interest in this field. At the end of October, a 2024 Final Report will be published, summarizing all submitted initiatives, which will also be promoted through our media channels.

Many projects have already been submitted, approaching the theme from different angles and using various methods, all of which are effective.

Some projects feature in-person activities following informal education models, giving participants hands-on experiences of environmental stewardship. For example, the Vellmari Association focuses on marine environment protection in the Balearic Islands, organizing communication campaigns about the role of marine ecosystems, research initiatives, and educational programs. They have launched the “Exploring the Oceans” project, designed to raise awareness among children and youth aged 8 to 17.

Other projects focus on creating networks. One initiative, currently in the planning phase, envisions a digital platform for sharing practical and theoretical knowledge among teachers, students, and anyone interested in environmental education.

While some projects are new, others build on the long-standing efforts of institutions and communities with a history of environmental education. One such project is led by Hardwood Education in partnership with People to People Kenya, which fosters knowledge exchange between teachers in the United Kingdom and Kenya.

Around the world, organizations are undertaking diverse initiatives—differing in approach, method, and audience—yet all united by the common goal of raising awareness for World Environmental Education Day.

Share your project with us!

Every action matters in our collective effort to create a more sustainable world, promote environmental education, and raise awareness about the issues that concern us all. The WEEC network, a global alliance of environmental educators, will manage these projects. The next WEEC congress will take place in Perth, Australia, in 2026—an opportunity to expand your knowledge, exchange experiences, and discuss best practices with experts in the field.

If you are running an initiative this October, we invite you to submit your project for inclusion. Want to get involved? Submit your project here and sign the petition to make October 14 the official World Environmental Education Day. Click here for more information and to sign. Every action counts!

Centr’ERE presents: journées de l’éducation relative à l’environnement 2024

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From October 10 to 29, 2024, the Centre de recherche en éducation et formation relatives à l’environnement et à l’écocitoyenneté (Centr’ERE) at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) is hosting the “Journées de l’éducation relative à l’environnement.” This major event is centered around three significant dates: World Teachers’ Day (October 5), the “Discovery” of the Americas (October 12), and World Environmental Education Day (October 14), offering a thoughtful reflection on Indigenous and environmental issues.

The 2024 edition features a diverse program of seminars, conferences, round tables, and workshops that address environmental education through interdisciplinary and cross-cultural lenses. You can find the full program in the attachment (click here). Below is a preview of the key activities:

Program highlights

Study day: Ecosocial intervention education
Training and Engagement for the Socio-Ecological Transition
Thursday, October 10, 2024 | 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
This day will explore ecosocial justice with contributions from experts in social work education, integrating academic insights and community-based practices.

Seminar: perceiving sound in our relationship to the world
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
In collaboration with Canada Sound Week, this seminar examines ecology through sound, highlighting listening as a key tool for understanding the environment.

Workshop-seminar: textile circularity and ecocitizenship
Thursday, October 17, 2024 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
This bilingual seminar delves into the environmental impact of the textile industry, promoting circular economy practices. The University of Havana will also share innovative approaches in textile sustainability.

Round table: trajectories, perspectives, and challenges in contemporary environmental education
Thursday, October 29, 2024 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
A panel discussion on the future of environmental education, featuring leading experts in the field. The event will also mark the launch of a new book showcasing interdisciplinary contributions.

The full program, which offers both in-person sessions at UQAM and online participation via Zoom, is available now. Check the attachment (click here) for details, and join us in this collective reflection on environmental education and civic engagement!

For more information and to access online participation links, visit the official event page.

Developing educational action: the success of World EE Day 2023

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On 14 October 2023 the 7th World environmental education day took place. On this day, in 1977, the UN Conference in Tbilisi, Georgia noted the unanimous accord in the important role of the EE in the preservation and improvement of the world’s environment. 46 years later, WEEC continues to advocate and strive for environmental education to maintain its crucial role in paving a green road towards more sustainable societies.

Since World EE Day was established, WEEC has encouraged organizations around the world to promote initiatives and projects related to environmental education in the month of October. From festivals to conferences, from workshops to academic study projects, we received many communications through our online form of initiatives related to World environmental education eay 2023.

This is our final report for this year’s World EE Day: here are some meaningful and remarkable projects from all over the world.

Every year we at WEEC, together with our local italian networks, fulfill our educational and environmental mission with the organization of many events, in the city of Turin and on italian territory. Events like the Earth Festival in Luino (VA), which has reached its third edition this year and has received a great response in participation from the public. For three days, from October 12 to 15, the picturesque town on Lake Maggiore hosted exhibitions, performances, conferences, workshops, and events for schools, each of them focusing on the role of Environmental Education in preserving “Nature, Climate and Biodiversity”.

In Turin, the local association of WEEC Casa dell’Ambiente organized, on October 17, a screening open to the public of the 2020 Documentary “Citizen Nobel” by Stephane Goel. Following the life and achievements of Nobel Prize Winner and environmentalist Jacques Dubochet, the documentary is an example of great commitment to the environment and sparked discussion among the audience, hosted in our headquarter in the Capital city of Piedmont region.

Can sea lettuce (ulva lactuca), whose population is increasing uncontrollably in Izmir Bay and seems to be an environmental problem, turn into a sustainable benefit? Project Ulva Pac, led by a group of researchers from Turkey, tried to answer this question. Findings from the study showed that Ulva Lactuca has a lot of cellulose among its biological components, which is very important for packaging. Its cultivation offers advantages over land-based sources of lignin-containing cellulose such as cotton, requiring smaller quantities of fresh water and pesticides, therefore having a lower water and carbon footprint and unprecedented potential for a green and blue economy.

Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) has partnered with Fortress REIT to combine the Fortress Running Series with environmental education and social development, a partnership aiming to upskill the community and make a positive impact. The first race was held in Rustenburg, South Africa in July 2022 and was coupled with a tree planting day at nearby schools, and the project continues today, with events organized for World EE Day 2023. On the Friday before each of the races, the FTFA team hosts activities at schools in the area, including a climate change workshop, the “Climate Hero” training for a group of learners at each school, and the planting of trees at the schools through FTFA’s Trees for All programme. The running series is part of a broader strategy to future-proof Fortress REIT communities and to promote environmental education in South African territory.

Plastic Free Odv Onlus is a volunteering association founded on July 29, 2019, aiming at raising awareness and educating italian communities about the dangers of plastic pollution; with more than 1000 representatives all over Italy, Plastic Free has become one of the most important association in the field, organizing clean-ups, concrete actions for turtles protection and conservation and events in italian schools and cities. To promote its activities and on the occasion of World EE Day 2023, the local section of Plastic Free Pavia has organized a video-photographic exhibition on Sunday October 22 at Cupola Arnaboldi in Pavia (IT).  Since 2021, Plastic Free in Pavia and in the Ticino Park has contributed with concrete actions in the area (clean-ups), in schools and at events to raise awareness among pupils and citizens about protecting the environment.

For the second consecutive year, the Municipality of Esparreguera, Tallers Artístics i Culturals d’Esparreguera (Barcelona), in cooperation with the Department of Agroecology of the University of Humboldt (Germany), X Eleva Group (Mexico) and The Handprint Initiative (Mexico-Barcelona), organized a two days online symposium on 26 and 27 October, for the exchange of experiences between international professionals and focusing on the best educational practices and the Art as a transdisciplinary tool. The II Virtual Symposium “Art and Global Citizenship Education” offers the opportunity for new collaborations among people around the world, given the need to generate spaces for reflection and collaboration in the face of global challenges, allowing the strengthening of educational strategies that integrate the Sustainable Development Goals and promoting the Global Citizenship Education.

“Bracing Biophilia” is an exploratory research programme which verifies the effect of Nature-based ILEs on pupils’ attentional performance and affiliation with Nature, led by researchers from the University of Aosta Valley, Italy. Biophilic design is an architectural model that offers the possibility to create the Nature-based Innovative Learning Environment (ILE), which might support cognitive processes and stimulate affiliation with Nature. The experimental observations spanned three school years; they were carried out within a conventional learning environment in the first year and in a biophilic designed one in the next two. The results, shared during the month of October 2023, show that learning environments with biophilic design, in addition to being preferred and perceived as more restorative, are more effective in supporting pupils’ attentional performance than conventional learning environments and, over time, strengthen the feeling of affiliation with Nature.

St Kizito Schools, in Kampala, Uganda organized project-based Initiatives for Engaging Youths in Climate Action, promoting nature-stewardship and green entrepreneurship among pupils and students by imparting knowledge, skills and values related to sustainability. The environmental teaching and learning activities are conducted at different learning levels, sharing knowledge about nature using stories, scrap-books and media, engaging children in nature-based experiences like outdoor nature-play activities and interaction with animals and promoting interactive/reflective activities like debates, quiz and oral presentations and much more. On October 14, the schools hosted the ambassador of Sweden in Uganda as they celebrated 25 years of climate activism, bringing her on a tour of all the green projects of the two schools in Kampala.

A group of teachers of the ITCG OGGIANO high school in Siniscola, Sardinia, organized an ecological walk at the Mandras Pine Forest in the Santa Lucia Area. The event aimed to involve the school community and the local area in an experience of territorial and sensory regeneration within the Tepilora, Rio Posada, and Montalbo Biosphere Reserve, raising awareness within the community about environmental conservation with a focus on sustainable development and the valorization of the region. Participants acquired specific knowledge about the territory, recognizing and appreciating its value and potential, through inclusive approaches, including those for more vulnerable individuals. The event, held on October 19, also involved the cleaning of the environment from waste and the promotion of environmental sustainability through good practices.

From North to South of Globe: events and activities around the world for the EE Day

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The fourth edition of the WorldEnvironmental Education Day took place from 14 to 26 October 2021.  The Weec Network invited all the stakeholders of the environmental education to join the World Environmental Education Day organising special events to highlight the importance of environmental educational actions all over the world.

Here are some of the Earth Day celebrations . 

In Portugal took place “Emc2”, an educational project that involved  100 students aged between 8-11 years old, with their teachers. They participated at 4 outdoor visits to coastal habitats, in order to know the endemic white crowberry plant. These visits occurred in mainland Portuguese coastal area of Torres Vedras and had the support of ‘Torres Vedras Environmental Educational Centre’ 

In the meanwhile, in Latvia, students from Madliena secondary school worked on project “Change your life-think more broadly”. It is civic participation project where students learn democracy and active partnership creating ideas, developing plans, looking for support. Project activities started in September and the students realized their ideas for better environment and for more beautiful and comfortable school surroundings. Work on project ideas devilment and realization make students more self-confident and responsible about place, where they live and study. It allows them to understand that their local work for better environment is a part of global issues. The improved surroundings of the school are used for school outdoor activities and became a good place for walks for everybody in Madliena. The support of local authorities and students` parents was important and helped the students to carry out their first so great project. 

In Brussels  COREN ran educational programs in environmental management in schools in Wallonia and Brussels. It

 organized activities on different themes: waste prevention and management, eco-consumption, rational use of energy, ecological footprint, food waste, citizen mobility . 

 

 

 

In Morocco,  the Hassan II International Center for Environmental Training is organizing a webinar entitled “Innovative approaches for the environment. ‘environmental education and sustainable development’ in collaboration with the WEEC network through the international expert Mr. David Zandvliet.

As well in Italy, on the EE Day, Istituto per l’ambiente e l’educazione Scholé Futuro – Weec network organized the Earth Festival first edition.

Three days, from 15 to 17 October, in Lombardy on the Lake Maggiore river, full of events, conferences and activities thought to people awareness raising  to climat

e change and environmental education. The Festival is Earth Prize’s heritage, that ‘s took place for three years.  

Joining  “All4Climate-Italy2021’’ initiatives, Weec Network prepared Staffetta per il clima, Race for climate: 26 events disseminated in 14 italian regions  training moments, round tables, conferences, contests, exhibitions, debates and meetings for the presentation of pilot projects / good practices / case studies on climate change education. The last  one took place on the 14th October, in occasion of the EE Day. 

 

The managing body of the CEAS Dorgali Cala Gonone promoted an online dissemination event with the release of presentations relating to the importance of environmental education centres and training activities for territorial, local and regional development and for the protection of biodiversity. 

Le Mille e Una Notte prepared nature workshops for children and teenagers with a sustainability theme to get to know the reality of the Tiber River up close, from 10 am to sunset. Activities are part of a European project I Rivers in full size (FGN), whose goal is to collaboratively develop a set of teaching materials based on an illustrated representation of the great European rivers and their catchment areas.  

The Park of the Royal Castle of Moncalieri organised a virtual visit for kindergarten pupils to learn about history of this place and the vegetation present in the large park (including many centuries-old trees). The event highlighted the importance of parks and gardens for people, to have a space for relax or free time, to socialize each other and know the area they live.

World Environmental Education Day 2021

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October 14th is close and it’s time for the forth World Environmental Education Day.

Since 2018 the WEEC’s introduced the Day to gather in a single moment events and activities linked to the environmental education and people’s awareness raising.

How you can join the campaign?

From 9 to 17 October schools, parks, environmental education centers, public institutions, associations, museum aim to organise special events. The goals?
– To highlight the importance of developing educational action
– to build transversal skills
– to focus on the complexity of the challenges in a world where everything is ever more interconnected
– to affect perception of the human relationship with the environment
– to affect attitudes and therefore individual and collective behaviors
– to make people awaring protagonists of a change towards more environmental friendly, more livable and more equitable societies.

Fill the form and send us a brief description of your programs, workshops, lectures and initiatives you will do in the days between 9 and 17 October (if possible with photos and links), and we will spread it on our channels and we will make it known to all the environmental educators of our network.
You will then be able to join the campaign and use its logo.

Why October 14th?

Forty-four years ago in the Georgian capital city Tbilsi, on October 14, 1977, took place the United Nations Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education, organized by UNESCO and UNEP.
The summit lasted two weeks and ended with a statement of great relevance, still today.

The Coordination of the World EE Day is taken care by the world-wide network of environmental educators who, each two years, give life to the main congress in that field (the WEEC, World Environmental Education Congress).

The celebrations of the fortieth anniversary of the 1977 Tbilisi Conference took place on 9 September in Vancouver at the ninth WEEC World Congress.

Read the Appeal for a World Environmental Education Day and support the campaign to exhort the UN, the leading institutions worldwide, all our colleagues, all citizens interested in a more sustainable and pleasant future to endorse and to spread our call to recognize and to celebrate every year, on October 14th, the World Environmental Education Day.

Celebrating the World EE Day 2020, experiences and activities all around the world

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The third edition of the World Environmental Education Day took place from 14 to 26 October 2020.  The Weec Network invited all the stakeholders of the environmental education to join the World Environmental Education Day organising special events to highlight the importance of environmental educational actions all over the world.

The aim of EE Day is to focus on the complexity of the challenges in a world where everything is ever more interconnected. Several associations, environmental education centres, schools and institutions sent us information about their events in 2020. We would like to thank all those who wanted to promote environmental education this year, despite the pandemic.

Here we present a selection of interesting case histories.

 

Bénin
Cercle de Recherche pour l’Identification et la Promotion des Alternatives du Développement Durable (CRIPADD)

CRIPADD is convinced that an environmental education program for children is essential to raise environmental awareness. It is with this in mind that they initiated an animation campaign for the benefit of schoolchildren at the public primary school of Hio. It will focus on environmental themes drawn from their environment.

This initiative was set up after the momentous decision to ban mangrove cutting in Avlékété, an area of ​​impressive biodiversity, but overexploited. However, the decision of environmental protection is putting many families in economic difficulty.

 

Bhutan
Royal Education Council

Environmental education is one of the national priorities towards achieving the goals of Gross National Happiness. To this effect, Environmental Science for classes 9 to 12 was introduced as optional subject with the aim of developing youths who are in peace and harmony with the tangible and intangible environment. As a consequence, nature is used sustainably for the wellbeing of people and the nature.


Canada
International Francophonie (Francophonie internationale)
Revue Éducation relative à l’environnement

The Revue Éducation relative à l’environnement, part of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), has set up a Google discussion group (mailing list) concerning the field of Environmental Education. In this group, members can exchange information (announcements of colloquia, seminars or webinars; publications; call for contributions for an event; call for publication; links to a website or webpage, etc.), ask subscribers research questions on the subject of the list, help other subscribers by answering the questions asked, receive information… as long as it is in the field of Environmental Education. The language used by this group is French. This list is moderated and you will have the possibility to unsubscribe at any time.

To be a member of this group, send an email at revue.ere@uqam.ca

 

Chile
Fundación Cosmos

Fundación Cosmos manages the Rio Maipo Wetland Nature Sanctuary located on the central coast of Chile. This is one of the most important coastal wetlands in the area, both because it is home to more than 180 species of birds, and because of the environmental services it provides to local communities and the ecosystem in general. However, it is not free from threats and factors that deteriorate it and affect its biodiversity, such as the presence and accumulation of rubbish that reaches it through high tides or the flooding of the Maipo River. To commemorate World Environmental Education Day, they have organised a community rubbish clean-up, which is more important than ever, given the arrival of migratory birds in the wetland. Through the clean-up, the Fudación generates awareness about the origin of the rubbish and the possible destiny of the waste that we all produce, encouraging a change in behaviour with respect to it.

 

France
Association Centre de découverte du son

The Association Centre de découverte du son will organize a nature outing: “Sons Buissonniers”. Walks will be organised in search of musical instruments that nature can offer. Magical moments where a blade of grass turns into a whistle, fruit into percussion. Then pupils will discover how to manipulate and have fun with these sound objects.

 

France
Litt’Obs

Litt’Obs will organise an educational discovery of rays and sharks with a school public as part of the Festival Baie des Sciences in St-Brieuc, on 14th of October.

 

Italy
Department of Education Studies at University of Bologna

An informal group of professor and students engaged on environmental education is organizing a web event (in Italian) addressed to students of the Department of Education Studies at University of Bologna, on the 16 October, 11 am-1 pm.
Title: Educazione ambientale, scuola, Indicazioni Nazionali (Environmental education, school and National Guide-lines), relator Prof. Stefano Piastra.

 

Italy
“MAREARTE” Project, travelling exhibition

The “MareArte” project was born from an idea of the artist Diego Racconi as a collective of small paintings by international artists, received through the postal system. The theme of the works develops on the relationship between Man and the Sea, transforming art into a valid tool of awareness, through which to send a message to the community, stimulating virtuous behaviour and raising awareness of respect for the environment. The large participation of the artists with their personal postcards led to the development of the initiative by organizing a traveling collective exhibition, in which some specific works created by the artist Diego Racconi are also presented for a charity action in support of reality. that deal with the recovery of marine animals. The exhibition is structured and proposed thanks to the collaboration of various institutional bodies involving them for the promotion of the initiative in their own territory and is sent through the postal system from location to location in the various destinations, through a tour and a travel route using the postal system. The initiative focuses on environmental sustainability issues and for this reason the invitation to participate in the initiative is also extended to children, precisely to involve the new generations on ecological environmental issues and sustainability objectives. All the works received will be collected at the end of the exhibition in an artist’s book and will therefore not be returned. The Exibition is now hosted at the Museo Barca Lariana (MBL) – Pianello del Lario, Como, Italy

 

Madagascar
Institute of People and Nature (IPN)

The Institute of People and Nature (IPN) will take part at the celebration of the World Environmental Education Day with a webinar on “Environmental Education in Madagascar from 1985 to 2020: background and trends”. The main objective is to inform the audience about the EE actions taken in Madagascar Island since the start in 1985, their impacts and current trends. The target groups are: Members of IPN group (217 members from Malagasy public and private Universities); and Environmental Education, Conservation and Sustainable Development professionals, University students worldwide interested in EE and environment-related issues in Madagascar. It will take place on 14th October at 12:00 GMT. The webinar will be conducted in French. The speaker is Andrianambinintsoa RAKOTOMALALA (Environmental Educator – Sociolinguist, Faculty of Science, University of Toliara, MADAGASCAR)

 

 

North-Macedonia
School of OOU Vlado Tasevski, Skopje

The school of OOU Vlado Tasevski will organise a Climate Action Project and Climate Change and Environment Activities on: Climate Change and biodiversity loss; the effects of climate change; the solutions; pedagogy and education; sustainable education; and SSGoals.

 

Turkey
SUGEP

The Sustainable Development Youth Leaders Education program will develop knowledge, skills and attitudes about sustainability. This program not only increases knowledge and awareness, but also improves skills and enables individuals to make more informed decisions about the environment.

There are a few methodologies that will create a solution-oriented project approach to many issues such as global climate change, gender equality, disruption of ecological balance, separation of biodiversity, ending hunger and poverty, sustainability cities, clean and sustainability energy, life in water. They will find knowledge to improve have academic and personal skills through organizational skills, speaking in front of the community, speaking a speech, preparing a project report.

 

Uruguay
National Network of Environmental Education for Sustainable Human Development of Uruguay (RENEA), Montevideo

From 5 to 7 November, a virtual meeting will set up. Experts from all over the region are invited to present their experiences and reflections on Latin American environmental education. Environmental education for sustainable human development implies an ethical, political and social commitment in a given time and space with the formation of a citizenship committed to participating democratically in decision-making and the execution of actions aimed at a socially equitable development, supportive and balanced between human needs and environmental care. In this very special year, environmental educators have faced new challenges and generated new learnings. It is more than ever a good time to meet, this time virtually, to continue the tradition of reflecting and building environmental education together.

 

USA
California Institute of Environmental Design and Management (CIEDM)

CIEDM will support WEED2020 by participating in the global campaign with following actions:

1. Raise public awareness of WEED2020 by spreading its campaign messages through its social medias, along with those of other environmental awareness events in and around October 14-25, such as Earth Science Week, International Day for Disaster Reduction, and Image a Day without Water;

2. Maintain and enhance through physical works the ecological and environmental services of the homestead pocket forest at Arcadia EcoHome as a registered pollinator site, a certified wildlife habitat, a certified pollinator habitat, and a verified ocean friendly garden.

We invite you to sign our campaign on Change to ask the United Nations, institutions, private and public organizations of five continents, to recognize and celebrate every year, on October 14th, the World Environmental Education Day.

World EE Day, Report 2019

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The second edition of the World Environmental Education Day took place from 14 to 26 October 2019,
The Weec Network invited all the stakeholders of the environmental education to join the World Environmental Education Day organising special events to highlight the importance of environmental educational actions all over the world.

The aim of EE Day is to focus on the complexity of the challenges in a world where everything is ever more interconnected. Several associations, environmental education centres, schools and institutions sent us information about their events in 2019. Here we present a selection of interesting case histories.

Haiti
Les Cayes, Botanical Garden
The event is organized from 27th October to 2nd November 2019 by Les Cayes Botanical Garden. The goal is to promote environmental education across different sector in the country. The theme chosen is “facing to climate change, environmental education is necessary. Which strategies to adopt”. Different activities are preview:
a. October 27: Talk-show on the history of Environmental Education around the world and in Haiti. Opening of the activities of the week.
b. October 28th: presentation of two training sessions on Environmental Education in 2 schools in the area.
c. October 29th, 2.00-5.00pm and October 30th to 31st: Training on Botanic systematic, identification native and endemic plants that could be used in reforestation, agroforestry, revegetation and restoration of ecosystems. After this training participants will have the ability to identify native and endemic plants to be conserved, exotic plants to avoid and invasive plants to eliminate. A certificate will be issued after this training.
d. November 1st: EDU-Tours to allow participants to discover the strategies developed by a community in environmental education.
e. November 2nd: Exposition and others activities based on Environmental Education.

Italy
Metropolitan City of Florence, environmental educational laboratory
Trainging meetings for professors and educators. The 2019 training proposal was divided into three meetings scheduled for 27 May, 12 September and 26 October 2019. The meetings are organized by the Environmental Educational Laboratory of the Medici Park of Pratolino with the collaboration of the ‘Italian Sustainable Development Association, the University of Florence and the Unesco Club of Florence. The May meeting was included in the 2019 Sustainable Development Festival and the October meeting is included in the World Environmental Education Week (October 14-26)

Saturday 26 October, program:
– Irene L’Abate and Michela Mayer (LDA and IASS) summary of activities May / September and aims of EAS
– Prof. Giovanna del Gobbo (UNIFI) Educational methods consistent with EAS
– M. Pettenati and I. De Maurissens (researchers) The job for EAS of INDIRE how, why, for whom to document?
– Rossano Ercolini (elementary school teacher, president of the Zero Waste Research Center and the Zero Waste Europe Association) Presentation of the book Zero waste the ten steps to the ecological revolution of the Nobel Award for environment.
– Shared lunch (everyone brings something to share and plate, glass and cutlery strictly Plastic free)
– Michela Mayer and Francesca Farioli (IASS) group work on action research and educational skills
– Irene L’Abate, teachers and operators, document the activities: Sustainable school communities
– Good educational practices illustrated by managers, teachers, educators
– confrontation on the topic Let’s get on the net? hypothesis for the creation of the ECOS network

Italy
ITET Fontana, school
On the occasion of the Fair Do the right thing in Trento (Italy), as an EMAS certified school we participate by presenting the path of environmental sustainability that we have been pursuing for more than ten years and which plans to create a network of students and environmental teachers who promote good daily practices. We also investigate all school consumptions, calculate their environmental impact, design solutions to reduce them effectively. We have also developed an environmental calculator for educational visits and the related compensation with the adoption of a forest in Ecuador. We are also EMAS certified and our environmental declaration has won the first national award organized by ISPRA in 2017.
Too bad that, of all this, nobody notices!

Mali
AGIR, Ngo
The environment house of Bamako
Projection of small scenarios by the NGO AGIR from a notebook with messages. The themes treated for raising the awareness of school children and the public are:  the water,  water-related diseases,  waste, animals, hygiene, trees, pollution, big family, role of the town hall, road traffic, the sport, each sequence will be debated.

Nigeria
Smile-Face Global Peace Initiative
To organize Environmental week program in schools with expert/ environmentalist to talk on protection of our land and the need to engage in activities that promote healthy life and sustainable development.
As parts of the program line up, tree planting in schools to replace the ones uprooted for use as a source of fire for cooking. This will also involve sensitization/ awareness campaign on the need to avoid unhealthy behaviour that is contributing negatively to our environment.
We plan to recruit volunteers to help government, Ethiopian embassy, UN agencies in the implementation of tree planting program in schools, public buildings, Roads, parks etc.

Portugal
MARE Centre and INIAV, IP
In Portugal the MARE Centre and Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P. (INIAV), in cooperation with Centro de Educação Ambiental – Torres Vedras organized outdoor visits to the sand dune habitats, located at Torres Vedras coastal zone (Portugal).
These visits are part of the EMC2 Project, focused on white crowberry plant – Corema album (L.) D. Don.
In October 2019, 20 pupils of the 3rd grade, and 18 pupils of 5th grade, 5 teachers and 1 researcher participated in outdoor environmental activities that highlighted some aspects of this plant bio-geography and its value as an Iberian endemic plant with white edible small fruits.
(in the picture: activities with children)

 

 

 

Final Report of the World EE Day 2018, see you in 2019

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Last days of 2018, this is the time to look back at what has been done, as the first edition of the World Environmental Education Day, held from 14 to 26 October. But it is also the moment to look ahead, and start thinking about the next edition, in October 2019. It is already available the logo of the World EE Day 2019. Schools, parks, environmental education centers, public institutions, associations, museums are invited to join the World Environmental Education Day organising special events to highlight the importance of environemtal educational actions all over the world.

The World EE Day wants to focus on the complexity of the challenges in a world where everything is ever more interconnected.

Ask us the logo and share with us your contents from the World EE Day 2018. Send us reports, photos, videos… and we will share it on the Weec Network.

Several associations, universities, parks and institutions sent us information about their events in 2018. We already presented a selection of interesting case histories in this article.

Now we propose a new group of exemples.
In Izmir, Turkey, the Permaculture Park for young children presents its activities: «Our first aim is to create ‘Permaculture Park’ for young children who are kindergarden students, elementary school students, high school students and disabled students in Izmir, will learn system of agricultural and social design principals and they will practice by gardening, by growing plants in our Permaculture Park. The other aim is to create our own organic compost which includes recycled material including decayed vegetables, fruit, grass clippings and organic waste in Izmir (in Kültürpark, Izmir Fair area). Therefore, we will reduce the rate of trash which goes into landfill area. Next step is to make mulch composting. Finally, we will get on our own organic soil. Then we will organize some workshop activities and invite some people who are interested in permaculture activities. To sum up, we want to give them an opportunity to emphasize the goal of sustainable agriculture and to be environmentally conscious. And every young child or teenager will ‘touch the soil’».

In Iran the UNESCO Chair on Environmental Education presented the ‎“Coordination meeting of specialized workgroups of UNESCO Chair on ‎Environmental Education in Islamic Republic of Iran for establishment of national online environmental education network”‎. UNESCO Chair on Environmental Education in Islamic Republic of Iran seeks to pursue the ‎following objectives through research, educational and cultural approach:‎
– Enhancement of national and international status of environmental education through ‎Communicating between academics, local and civil communities, decision-makers and ‎researchers to create innovative ways of education and sharing information and ‎knowledge regarding Environmental Education, ‎
– Development and promotion of environmental culture
– Enhancement of the public participation in environment protection ‎
– Promotion of environmental literacy in form awareness raising, change of attitude and ‎environmental behaviors of citizens.
– Promotion of Islamic-Iranian approach in the field of environmental education ‎

In October 2018, UNESCO Chair on Environmental Education in Islamic Republic of Iran held ‎several meetings regarding running national online environmental education network with ‎participation of different educational workgroups of the chair such as waste management, ‎climate change, HSEE, carbon management, green business, participatory environmental ‎protection, green management, religions and environmental education, women and ‎environmental education, environmental education through toys and games, energy and ‎environmental education, environmental pollutions, water management, citizenship and ‎environmental education, Startup and innovative ideas regarding environmental education and ‎ecotourism. In these meetings determined all mentioned workgroups should:‎

‎-‎ Identify various audiences, needs and expectations of learners, developing learning ‎goals and objectives, identifying instructional strategies, creating educational contents, ‎implementing and evaluating the impact of their training and educational activities.‎
‎-‎Collaboration with national and international institutions, specialized research and ‎development organizations, NGOs and environmental researchers.‎
‎-‎Publication of scientific articles, books, newsletters and providing electronic content. ‎‎-‎Presentation of educational and research projects based on demand and supply in ‎various environmental topics. ‎
‎-‎Holding lectures, seminars and conferences on environmental education.‎
‎-‎Providing encyclopedia in environmental education
‎-‎Establishment of exhibitions, festivals and environmental events related to the activities ‎of national environmental education network. ‎

The UNESCO Chair on Environmental Education in Iran also held a Specialized Meeting on the role of social networking to improve environmental education ‎regarding green small business, ‎a meeting with ‎the participation and collaboration of members of Amirabad neighborhood sub-council entitled ‎‎“the role of social networking to improve environmental education regarding green small ‎business” in October 2018.‎

At first, the benefits of eco-friendly local businesses were mentioned‏.‏‎ A green small business is ‎one which takes measures to provide family-supporting profits and benefits, also reduce its ‎impact on the environment and preserves or enhances environmental quality. Green businesses ‎may be committed to environmental and social initiatives, such as the use of renewable energy ‎sources and energy-efficiency measures; the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions and other ‎environmental pollutants; the conservation of natural resources and energy; reduction of ‎material usage in order to enhance recyclability and reusability through green marketing such ‎as implementing a green supply chain, green products design, packaging, pricing and ‎promotion are benefits to society and the environment.‎
Local homogeneous groups in different areas of green small business were formed in the next ‎step. Their educational needs recognized as follows:‎
‎-‎ Family typology: Psychology topics, needs, etc.‎
‎-‎ Individual resilience: flexibility, compatibility, collaboration, understanding risk, ‎problem solving, etc. ‎
‎-‎ Community resilience: social connectedness for resource exchange, cohesion, response, ‎and recovery, social and economic well-being of the community, effective risk ‎communication, integration and involvement with different entities, etc. ‎
‎-‎ Green marketing: such as green product, green price, eco-labels that has economic ‎impact on local economy with emphasis on low-energy solutions, sustainable products, ‎non-toxic ingredients, low waste (or emissions), chemical free, recycled materials.‎
‎-‎ Specialized training in various fields: organic food, eco-friendly toy seller, ‎organic gift shop, eco-friendly beauty and health productions, financially and ‎ecologically sustainable alternative for waste sorting and reusing, green store, etc. ‎

Finally, UNESCO Chair on Environmental Education in Islamic Republic of Iran ‎announced its readiness to hold a series of training sessions on the above subjects.‎

In Portugal the Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I. P. (INIAV), in cooperation with an Oeiras School organized a visit to the Pecan tree collection – Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh) K. Koch, located at INIAV Campus in Oeiras (Portugal). During the visit 18 pupils of 8th level, 2 teachers and 1 researcher participated in outdoor environmental activities that highlighted some aspects of this plant bio-geography and its value for agriculture as a nut tree.

In Spain the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the University of A Coruña (Galicia, Spain) was carrying out during this week and on the occasion of the World Day of Environmental Education activities of cleaning and categorization of waste, both inside the Faculty and in the exterior, with the participation of students and teachers.

The Manifesto World Day of Environmental Education was also posted on the Faculty’s website and on the Instagram of the environment, insisting on the need to continue throughout the course developing activities that allow action to make the Faculty and the campus more sustainable.

World Environmental Education Day 2022. Fill the form

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From 10 to 25 October schools, parks, environmental education centers, public institutions, associations, museums are invited to join the World Environmental Education Day. How? Organising special events to highlight the importance of environmental educational actions all over the world.

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