CLIMATE ACTION STARTS FROM LOCAL LEVEL

Recently (March 25-29, 2024), the team of students and teachers of the President's Valdas Adamkaus Gymnasium participated in the mobility of the Erasmus+ project "Climate Action starts from local level" (CALL) in Preveza, Greece. The aim of the project is to promote intercultural cooperation, learning between students from different European countries, to encourage students and teachers to change their behavior in order to reduce their negative impact on the environment.

Six countries participated in project mobility: Italy, Romania, Latvia, Turkiye, Greece and Lithuania.

During the trip, the students had the opportunity to get acquainted with the culture and history of Greece, visit ancient cities such as Kassiope, Nekromanteio, Parga, admire the shores of the Archeron River, and the wonderful landscape of the Ionian Sea. In Amvrakika Bay, the participants got acquainted with a particularly important local ecosystem, admired dolphins, sea turtles and birds in their natural habitat, learned about rare and protected animal relationships that live in this region.

The Erasmus+ program provided a unique opportunity for students and teachers not only to deepen their knowledge, but also to develop values related to sustainability and environmental protection. By participating in various activities offered in the program, project participants could improve their knowledge and skills in a practical way. In the workshop on making environmentally friendly cleaners, participants learn about the impact of traditional cleaning products on the environment, learn to make ecological cleaners from natural ingredients such as vinegar, citric acid and soda, and understand the principles of sustainable use and their importance for environmental protection. In the natural soap and cream making classes, students and teachers learned about the process of making natural soap and cream using natural oils and butters.

As Mobility Week in Greece drew to a close, activities were still in full swing. Since early Thursday morning, teachers and students participating in the project planted olive trees in the city park, thereby contributing to the creation of an ecological environment. Organized activities helped to strengthen the sense of community and responsibility for the environment. Later, everyone visited the Nicopolis Museum together, where they learned about the history of the city and visited the ancient amphitheater. In addition to these project activities, the participants of the Erasmus+ program cleaned the Preveza beach, participated in orienteering competitions in the town of Preveza, and sowed the seeds of plants brought from their countries.

By participating in various activities offered by the program, Erasmus+ participants not only gained valuable knowledge and skills, but also became active environmental advocates.

Students also had the opportunity to improve their English language skills by communicating with their peers from other European countries. The project gave them not only unforgettable impressions, but also valuable knowledge and experience.

Teachers were also happy to participate in the project and improve their professional skills. They had the opportunity to get acquainted with the educational systems and methods of other countries, as well as to establish contacts with colleagues from Europe.

The ERASMUS+ program provided an excellent opportunity to improve your knowledge and skills in the field of sustainability, to gain practical experience, to get acquainted with the experience and good practices of other countries, and also to contribute to the creation of a cleaner and more sustainable future.

The mobility that took place in the city of Preveza in Greece is already the second mobility of this project (the first one took place in Romania). Very soon, i.e. next week, the third mobility of this project will take place, this time in Lithuania.

We express our sincere thanks to the project coordinators in Greece and look forward to new meetings in Lithuania.