A “green” school model to be re-proposed on a national scale
After the success of the Green School project, our collaboration with this network of virtuous schools continues. No longer just on the territory of Lombardy, but in five different Italian regions. We keep sharing good practices aimed at sustainable development and to explore topics related to the main environmental challenges of our time. Waste, energy, mobility, food waste, biodiversity and water–these are the topics we are addressing with 40,000 students from 250 schools, through participatory educational methods.
With Green School Italy we want to contribute to consolidating and expanding a work started 13 years ago by Varese Province and the CAST association, first with the city's schools, and then with the entire region of Lombardy. The Green School network involved 619 schools, 146,414 students and 12,195 teachers in environmental and awareness educational paths. The ambitious goal was to give each school the tools to contribute to the adoption of sustainable policies by its own city. The new project will allow this method to be replicated in five Italian regions.
New skills for teachers
The project wants to extend this model nationwide, because we want education for sustainable development and global citizenship to be increasingly integrated into school curricula. This is why we offer teachers training courses on Agenda 2030, webinars dedicated to the "Green School model" - which are then available on LeaF – Learn for the future, the e-learning platform of Istituto Oikos - and local training modules on the key topics of Green Schools: biodiversity, mobility, water, energy, food waste and waste.
Local educational policies dedicated to sustainable development
The 'green schools' model is a bridge between school and community. It supports dialogue between 50 public authorities, 100 third sector organisations and schools on topics such as the preservation of urban and peri-urban biodiversity, energy efficiency, sustainable mobility and responsible tourism. Our aim is for schools to become promoters of good practices on the responsible use of resources, to be implemented first of all in schools, and then also to involve families and the entire citizenship.
Dialogue between local authorities and schools is the objective of the 'Territorial Networks for Education for Sustainable Development', promoted by the partners in the five regions involved (Lombardy, Lazio, Tuscany, Valle d'Aosta, Sardinia). The aim is to activate citizens, civil society, academia and the private sector in the promotion of concrete initiatives that improve the sustainability of their territories.
On World Environment Day, 5 June, and at the same time with the end of the school year, all the actors involved will take part in the 'Sustainability Feast', a final event for divulgation and to share achievements. The party is also the moment dedicated to the presentation of the Green School awards to schools that adopted good sustainable actions in buildings and cities.
The project is supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and promoted by the Varese Province together with a dense network of partners: Istituto Oikos, Uninsubria, CAST - Centre for Appropriate Technological Development, Association for International Solidarity in Asia ASIA Onlus, University of Parma (CIREA-University of Parma), Public Service Environmental Company of Livorno - AAMPS, Social Cooperative Brikke Brakke, Erica Cooperative, Metropolitan City of Cagliari, Metropolitan City of Rome capital, EFYS OSC Association.
