EnvironmenITALY: Youth for Environment
Project Overview
The primary objective of the project was to actively engage young participants in meaningful and educational activities aimed at raising environmental awareness, demonstrating carbon emission calculation methods, promoting sustainable practices, and fostering cultural exchange. By addressing contemporary ecological challenges, the project sought to nurture active citizenship, enhance intercultural understanding, and strengthen a shared sense of European identity. At the same time, it equipped participants with practical skills and knowledge to contribute responsibly to society.
Specific Objectives
1. Environmental Awareness
Participants engaged in hands-on environmental activities, including waste collection, recycling workshops, and clean-up campaigns in the parks and beaches of Syracuse. These initiatives were complemented by awareness campaigns, where participants captured photos and recorded videos to share with NGOs in their home countries, in their native languages, to educate local communities on environmental issues. At the project venue, Hotel Limoneto, participants also practiced waste separation, sorting provided water bottles and cans correctly.
2. Encouraging Creativity Through Nature and Sustainability
The project encouraged creative expression through music and theatre activities that utilized natural or recycled materials. Storytelling exercises inspired by natural elements further deepened participants’ connection to the environment, fostering innovation and creativity with a focus on sustainability.
3. Training and Discussions
Several training sessions were conducted on key environmental topics such as environmental literacy, climate change awareness, carbon footprint calculation, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) methodologies, and the circular economy. Interactive discussions explored issues including natural disasters and the environmental impact of the pandemic, offering participants valuable insights into global ecological challenges.
4. Promoting Civic Engagement
Through initiatives such as the “A City Dream” event, participants were encouraged to envision and share ideas for sustainable urban development. This activity promoted creativity, critical thinking, and civic participation. By calculating their personal carbon footprints, participants analyzed daily emissions from common activities such as eating breakfast, commuting to school or university, and traveling to the project venue. Comparing results across different countries, cities, and Syracuse highlighted the significance of both individual and institutional actions in achieving sustainability.
5. Encouraging Intercultural Exchange
Bringing together 36 young people from Greece, Spain, Turkey, Bulgaria, Malta, and Italy, the project fostered intercultural learning, dialogue, and collaboration. Group projects, interactive sessions, and cultural exchange events strengthened interpersonal bonds and mutual understanding, reinforcing the spirit of unity and a shared European identity.
6. Dissemination of Results
Project outcomes were documented and shared through various digital formats, including Instagram reels and posts published on the social media platforms of participating NGOs (see: Instagram post). This dissemination strategy maximized the project’s visibility and impact, inspiring others to initiate similar actions within their communities.
7. Reconnecting with Nature
The project venue, Agriturismo Limoneto—situated in the heart of nature—provided an ideal environment for participants to reconnect with the natural world. Daily morning sessions, featuring stretching and yoga exercises during the first 10 minutes of the Energizer, promoted both physical and mental well-being, while reinforcing the importance of protecting and preserving natural ecosystems.
