Tag Archive for: World Environmental Education Day

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!

Centre International Hassan II de Formation à l’Environnement joins the #8thWEED

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World environmental education day is celebrated on October 14, 2024. This international initiative, established by the WEEC Network, aims to raise awareness about environmental issues through education. The day emphasizes the vital role of education in preparing new generations to tackle the challenges of climate change and sustainability, engaging teachers, students, policymakers, and citizens. This year marks the eighth edition of this important day.

The importance of educators

While World environmental education day targets everyone, teachers play a central role. As role models and guides, they are essential in passing on knowledge and values related to environmental protection. They are not just conveyors of information; they also inspire responsible behavior, shaping citizens who are aware of ecological challenges.

To enhance this role, a conference will be held on October 14 at the Centre International Hassan II
de Formation à l’Environnement, available in a hybrid format. The main goal is to equip teachers with tools and teaching methods to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their curricula, regardless of the subjects they teach. Experts in environmental education and sustainability will lead the event, offering practical and interactive activities designed to boost educators’ skills and encourage their students’ active participation in eco-friendly practices.

Objectives of the day

The conference has three key objectives:

  1. Enhance educators’ skills in environmental education: Provide practical tools to incorporate environmental issues into every subject, even for those without specific training in ecology.
  2. Facilitate the integration of SDGs into school curricula: Assist teachers in developing educational projects related to the SDGs that are relevant to their classes, fostering an eco-responsible culture among students.
  3. Build a community of practice among educators: Encourage the sharing of experiences and best practices among teachers from diverse backgrounds, enabling them to collaborate on sustainable initiatives in their schools.

Expected outcomes

The training day aims for tangible results:

  • Improved teacher capacity to address environmental issues: Participants will learn how to effectively integrate the SDGs into their curricula and engage students actively.
  • Concrete educational projects: Each teacher will be able to develop a project for implementation in the classroom, such as creating a school garden, establishing a recycling program, or organizing environmental awareness days.
  • Increased student involvement in environmental actions: Through interactive teaching methods, students will be motivated to participate in eco-sustainable initiatives within their schools.

The role of teachers

Teachers are crucial in raising awareness among new generations about environmental issues. This day aims to strengthen their role by providing the necessary tools to educate young people about sustainability and contribute to a future where environmental protection is a shared priority. Therefore, World environmental education day 2024 is not only a time for reflection but also a practical opportunity to train educators and engage students and communities in building a more sustainable world.

Join World environmental education day

In October, World environmental education day will feature numerous events and projects worldwide. Organizations, schools, and interested groups are encouraged to share their initiatives, promoting a global exchange of experiences and best practices. For more details on events or to get involved, visit the official website. At the end of October, the WEEC Network will publish the Final report 2024, compiling projects shared by educational institutions and organizations globally. This document will serve as a valuable source of inspiration and a concrete example of how education can promote sustainable and conscious behaviors.

Join this important initiative! Contribute by sharing your project, participating in events, and making your voice heard for a greener and more sustainable future. Together, we can make a difference!

To support World environmental education day, sign the campaign on change.org.

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.

8th World Environmental Education Day 2024

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The 8th World Environmental Education Day, is approaching! It will be celebrated on 14 October,

The World Environmental Education Day was established on October 14th in order to celebrate the first intergovernmental conference on environmental education held in Tbilisi (Georgia) from October 14th to 26th 1977.

On October 14th, 1977, the United Nations Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education, organized by UNESCO and UNEP, opened in Tbilisi (Georgia’s capital), and ended on October 26th with a statement of great relevance still today.

Now, for the whole month of October, during the World Environmental Education Day educational institutions, environmental organizations, parks, museums and many other entities dedicate special events to raise public awareness of the importance of environmental education.

Learn more about the World Environmental Education Day: click here!

Are you ready to participate?

Everyone is invited to organise special events to highlight the importance of developing educational actions to build transversal skills; to focus on the complexity of the challenges in a world where everything is interconnected; to affect perception of the human relationship with the environment, to affect attitudes and therefore individual and collective behaviours; to make people protagonists of a change towards more environmentally friendly and equitable societies.

The event is coordinated by the global network of environmental educators, who meet every two years in the sector conferences known as WEEC, World Environmental Education Congress. These congresses offer a unique opportunity for experts to share best practices, discuss emerging challenges and strengthen global collaboration in environmental education. The next WEEC Congress will be held in Perth (Australia) in 2026.

If you want to take an active part in this important event, we invite you to join us in celebrating World Environmental Education Day.

How? You can:

  • Share your initiatives and projects filling the form here
  • Freely download the logo of the initiative
  1. Official logo of World Environmental Education Day 2024
  2. Logo officiel de la Journée mondiale de l’éducation à l’environnement 2024
  3. Logotipo oficial del Día Mundial de la Educación Ambiental 2024
  • Sign the campaign here

Every contribution, big or small, is essential to building a more sustainable world. All initiatives that take place in October can be included in this event. We will promote every event on our media channels
Together, we can make a difference and shape a future where harmony between humanity and nature is guaranteed for generations to come.

Join us in doing your part for a better world!

 

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.

A step towards a greener future: the 7th World Environmental Education Day

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The seventh World Environmental Education Day, which will be celebrated on 14 October, reflects the crucial importance of education for a sustainable future.

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The World EE Day 2022 at the University of Quebec

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For the World EE Day 2022 the Centre for Research in Environmental Education and Training (Centr’ERE) of the University of Quebec in Montreal, organised a lecture programme, discussing topics of high relevance.

These days mark three symbolic dates whose meanings significantly influence the relationship with education, indigenous peoples and the environment.

On 5 October, for International Teachers’ Day, the Education – Environment – Eco-citizenship Coalition invited its members and the general public to participate in a meeting to update the proposed Quebec Strategy for Environmental Education and Eco-citizenship. The meeting was an invitation to explore the trajectory of this public policy proposal, from its origins, through a series of steps taken by the Coalition to date. We have also presented recent updates to the proposal, opening up a new collective assessment

The 12th of October, known as the Day of the Discovery of the Americas, is symbolically identified as Indigenous Resistance Day, commemorating the 530-year struggles of the First Peoples against colonisers. This event joined the movement for an engaged eco-citizenship, aimed at confronting the current wave of colonisation of territories by the extractive industry. 

The seminar took place within the framework of Environmental Education Days 2022 and, more specifically, within the activities of the project Resistaction – Critical and political dimensions of environmental education in the context of socio-ecological conflict and their contribution to the emergence of alternatives, which examines these realities in Quebec and Chile. 

Meanwhile, on 13th October, as part of the Environmental Education Days celebrations, Centr’ERE invited participants to a conversation about the place and role of critical pedagogies in this fundamental dimension of education.

 In particular, critical pedagogies, associated with the thought of Paulo Freire, have been criticised for not making ecological issues explicit, whereas their potential and proven transformative and emancipatory power leads us to reflect on updating their role in environmental education and eco-citizenship. On the occasion of the Environmental Education Days, Centr’ERE invited participants to a conversation about the place and role of critical pedagogies in this fundamental dimension of education.

A Conference debates on political education in environmental and development issues, concluded the celebrations on 14 October.

This conference proposed to open the debate from a reading of the history of environmental and development education. It discussed the successive currents of environmental education, sustainable development and the Anthropocene era, with a view to highlighting the presence or absence of political education. The paper also pointed to a recent paradigm shift, following two decades of strongly behavioural education for sustainable development, towards education for the Anthropocene that offers more potential for political socialisation. This paper accompanied the publication of number 63 of the journal Éducation et socialisation on the subject, edited by Angela Barthes, Lucie Sauvé and Frédéric Torterat.

45 years after the Conference in Tbilisi: World EE Day 2022 celebrations 

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The fifth edition of the World Environmental Education Day took place from 14 october to 26 October 2022. 

The Weec Network invited all the stakeholders of 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 we present a selection of interesting celebration taken place around the world: 

In Cameroon, People Earthwise (PEW), organise a mobilisation of schools and teachers, youths and natural resource-user groups, through various out-reach media, to engage in environmental protection actions. In particular, this year’ events included press interviews; information letters on WEE Day; EE and Environmental Protection calls through social media avenues.

Meanwhile, in Macau, the University of St. Joseph organised a two days session workshop “Measuring microplastics in the coastal environment: a citizen science workshop” on microplastic pollution. 

The workshop will train citizen scientists the steps that they can take to help understand and address microplastic pollution in our coastal environment. Participants will learn some background information about microplastics, proper sampling techniques, sample extraction and analysis through hands-on training sessions.

In South Africa, the University of the Witwatersrand and the Water Community Action Network  (WaterCAN), this year for World Environment Day, they have been teaching students how to test water quality testing, then conducting water tests in the Greater Johannesburg area as well as across the country involving other volunteer citizen scientists. The students are all in their final year of a Bachelor of Education degree and will confidently go into schools equipped with knowledge and skills to foreground the importance of water quality in environmental education. 

The Water Citizens Action Network (WaterCAN) established a ‘citizen science’ methodology that allows for an increase in citizen understanding of, and participation in, addressing South Africa’s water quality issues. The program is aimed at democratising water by involving citizens in basic monitoring of the quality of their water resources and to raise the alarm around poor quality and inadequate quantities of water. It involves a process to empower people to be able to test water resources, monitor and hold government accountable for the state of the quality and quantity of the water resources that they are receiving. 

Although this is an ongoing project to monitor water resources, it being submitted as a World Environmental Education Day 2022 campaign project to support the initiative.

As well, in Latvia, as the EE Day 2022 initiative has been organised an international conference on biodiversity from 20 to 22 October 2022 at Daugavpils University.

In Moscow, Russia, this autumn will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the free environmental education program Open Ecological University, founded in 1987 at M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. The project of this year has been devoted to the discussion of “Planet Earth and the need to Ecocatarise” and, besides the introductory lecture of Professor Valery S. Petrosy, there were 8 lectures of eight professors with the discussions of particular aspects of the concept. 

 In Italy, on the EE Day, Istituto per l’Ambiente e l’Educazione Scholé Futuro – Weec network organized the Earth Festival second edition.

Three days, from 14 to 16 October, in Lombardy on the Lake Maggiore river, full of events, conferences and activities thought to people awareness raising  to climate change and environmental education. The topic of the second edition of the Festival was sustainable tourism and Biodiversity. The festival is Earth Prize’s heritage, that ‘s took place for three years.  

In Canada, from 17 to 23 October, the Municipality of Dysart et al organised the Waste Reduction Week. The municipality will be educating residents about the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling with daily social media hints and tips.

Thanks to Professor André Francisco Pilon of the University of São Paulo and his studies on environment and sustainability, Brazil has formally joined the World Environmental Education Day 2022.

Centr’ERE celebrates the World EE Day

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From October 5 to 14, 2022, Centr’ERE the Center for Research in Education and Training relating to the Environment and Eco-citizenship at UQAM invites you to the Environmental Education Days!

These Days offer a program rich in spaces for sharing, reflection and discussion. Highly topical subjects will be addressed such as the development of public policies supporting EE, the current relevance of critical pedagogy, the challenges of political education with regard to environmental issues and learning at the heart of social mobilizations. concerned about extractive expansion, particularly in indigenous territories.