Ecological Citizen of Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Ecological Citizen of Europe

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Environment and climate change; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

ECO-EU was a multilateral Erasmus Plus(KA2) Schools-only strategic partnership composed of five schools and their contributors from Turkey, Italy, Spain, Poland and Slovenia which aimed to develop new learning materials, improve the curriculum and transfer innovative practices and methodologies in ecology education, and make students to gain new skills and to be ready for their future jobs while improving their awareness about European citizenship and ecological problems. As partner schools we also aimed to be a greener, smarter and sustainable.

ECO-EU believes that the problems we face today are caused because of the people’s desire to control the nature. The project wanted to change our understanding of the nature and society. People should learn to live together in peace with the environment. It also needs a transformation in the beliefs, attitudes and behavior of individuals. Those who respect the diversity in nature will respect the diversity in the society as well. So if we teach the students not to fight against but live in peace with the nature, we will also be able to teach them to respect the diversity of cultures. We can live in peace with all the cultures. ECO-EU also believes that ecological citizenship is an essential prerequisite of a sustainable society and a sustainable environment. Thus, each of us is a part of a larger system, and our future depends on each one of us acting responsibly towards the environment.

Recycling, planting, visiting partner schools, municipalities, factories and NGOs, and web page designing, writing and signing an ecological contract, preparing project posters, a leaflet, a magazine, and a photo album, creating a blog, a fan page,and a twin space page and making videos, surveys were the main activities students did through the Project. They also joined four teaching, training and learning activities which were ”Forest Management” (in Slovenia), ”Ecology Rules Here” (in Poland), ”Best practices” (in Spain), and ”Bio-products and Eco Farming” (in Italy). 81 students and 60 teachers joined these activities and received certificates. We shared the best practices with the partner schools and wrote offers to improve the curriculum. ECO-EU contributed to young people’s social inclusion and well being. They worked together with others,and improved their social skills.Young people joined the democratic life by working together with the municipalities.

The project had its impact mostly on students. Students learnt to respect the diversity of cultures.They made new friendships, increased mutual understanding and broke prejudices about nations.They learnt about ecology, ecosystems, renewable energy, eco-farming, solar energy, recycling etc and as a result they feel responsible to save the earth. They improved their creativity and literacy, and learning, social, ICT, and language skills. They learnt to work together and share their own ideas with the others freely. They are now more self confident and have a sense of initiative and entrepreneurship. They are more positive towards the EU values.The partner schools improved their policy, and transformed into a European school which is smart, sustainable, eco-friendly, greener and more economic.The project transformed the schools into more lively places,

Every partner joined the project fairly and made unique contributions. The cooperation and communication between partners were fast and effective.

The main target group of the project were students and teachers. Families and local citizens were the next group. By sharing the outcomes through internet we wanted to reach anyone interested in ecological matters. The local authorities helped us in disseminating the project.

ECO-EU has longer term benefits as well. It gave us new project ideas,and transformed our schools into greener and sustainable ones. we will use the materials developed by the project to keep the ecological awareness alive.

Having actualized all the objectives, we believe in the success of the Project by hearth.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 133250 Eur

Project Coordinator

Ahmet Kabakli Anadolu Lisesi & Country: TR

Project Partners

• Liceo Scientifico Statale Ernesto Basile
• IES BEASAIN BHI
• XLIX Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace z Oddzialami Dwujezycznymi im. Johanna Wolfganga Goethego
• Solski center Slovenske Konjice-Zrece