The main objective of the project is the exchange of good practices and the implementation of joint initiatives promoting cooperation, peer learning and exchanges of experience at European level between the organizations Zespol Szkol Urszulanskich located in Rybnik (Poland), Erich Kästner Schule located in Bochum (Germany), and IES Barañáin located in Barañáin (Spain) . The title of the project is ' We are the seeds of the EU plant of tomorrow : taking environmental action to reshape the future of the EU and to preserve its cultural heritage'. The project will last two years (2020-2022). The main priorities of the project will be the promotion of social and educational value of European cultural heritage through the civic engagement and participation of young Europeans in actions against climate change and in defense of the environment and the implementation of innovative practices. The following objectives have been designed to address the priorities of the project; First, to raise awareness among young Europeans to contribute to a climate-neutral Europe through climate actions and a commitment to maintain those actions in the future; Second, to promote sustainable tourism as a means of conserving our cultural heritage, which contributes to the economic development of the regions without putting their natural environments at risk; Third, to contribute to the development of the key competences of the participants so that they can adquire the tools that will enable them to become responsible, committed and prepared European citizens in their adult life. Regarding participants, the project is aimed at the educational communities of the partner organizations in a broad sense, favoring the participation of people who are in an unfavorable socioeconomic situation. The project is also expected to have a direct impact on other educational communities and become an example of good practices that inspires and encourages them to participate in collaborative projects at European level. Finally, through the project, collaborations with local institutions and other organizations such as universities, NGOs, companies in the renewable energy sector ... etc will be encouraged. A series of activities have been designed to respond to the needs and interests of the three schools. In Bochum, Germany, whose society is very sensitive to environmental issues, a series of activities related to ecological awareness in cities and the fight against climate change have been designed. In Rybnik, a city located in southern Poland, one of the most important industrial areas in Silesia, and, for that reason suffers the consequences of the impact of air pollution in their society, awareness-raising activities and activities to combat smog in the area have been designed. Finally, IES Barañáin school, located in the region of Navarre, where biological diversity is the main feature of its natural richness and where there has been a harmonious development that has combined economic and social growth with respect for Nature offers activities linked to historically important sectors in the country such as the tourism sector, but adapting it to the high environmental sensitivity of its inhabitants, putting the focus on sustainable tourism. The project also includes learning, teaching and training activities with mobilities to other countries to promote intercultural exchange and the multilingual competence of the participants in these international meetings. Eight students from each country along with their families per project year will participate in a more direct way. Indirectly these activities will be open to all the students and teachers of the schools. Throughout the project, methodological innovation will be implemented in the form of interdisciplinary projects, intercultural projects and the use of ICTs in the learning processes and acquisition of the key competences of all the participants. The results that are expected to be achieved with this collaboration can be tangible results such as the design of pop-up parklets, urban gardens and vertical gardens to transform not only people's minds but also their urban environments, environmental research studies and reports, evaluation of sustainable tourism alternatives, and intangible results such as the knowledge or experience acquired by the participants, the improvement of competences, a greater cultural awareness or better language skills. Finally, the project is intended to have a transforming impact on the educational communities and teaching practices of the three schools and to report lasting and sustainable benefits in the societies in which those comunities live by designing a network of activities whose results will go far beyond the two-year project.
One of the main objectives of the project was to continue the exchange of good practices between the organizations Zespol Szkol Urszulanskich located in Rybnik (Poland), Erich Kästner Schule located in Bochum (Germany), and the IES Barañáin located in Barañáin (Spain) already started in 2017 in a previous Erasmus+ project. The project initially proposed for two years had to be extended for another year (2020-2023) due to the situation created by COVID-19. All established priorities (promoting the social and educational value of European cultural heritage, encouraging participation civic and commitment of young Europeans against climate change and in defense of the environment and implementing innovative actions) have been addressed satisfactorily. The silver objectives to address those priorities have also been satisfactorily achieved. Thus, our young people have been made aware that they will contribute to a climate-neutral Europe through climate actions and a commitment to maintaining these actions in the future; Sustainable tourism has been promoted as a means of preserving our culture, contributing to the economic development of heritage regions; and it has contributed to the development of the key competencies of the participants, providing them with tools that make them responsible, committed and prepared European citizens for their adult lives. From the point of view of the participants, the project, aimed mainly at the educational communities of the organizations in a broad sense, has favored the participation of people who are in an unfavorable socioeconomic situation through the design of specific activities aimed at these people. Furthermore, the project has had a direct impact on other educational communities and has been an example of good practice for other schools, which we hope will inspire and encourage them to participate in collaborative projects at European level in the future. Finally, through the project, collaborations have been favored with local institutions and other organizations such as universities, NGOs, companies in the renewable energy sector, local businesses, older people in the neighborhood, etc. Regarding the activities carried out, most of the designed activities have been carried out. In Bochum, activities related to ecological awareness in cities and the fight against climate change have been carried out. In Rybnik, awareness-raising activities and activities have been designed to combat smog in the area. Finally, at the Barañáin school, activities linked to the sustainable tourism sector and ecological awareness have been implemented. In addition, the learning, teaching and training activities with travel to other countries that had been designed have been carried out satisfactorily. A total of 48 students (16 from each country) along with their families, and indirectly the majority of the students and teachers from the three centers, have participated in these activities in a more direct way. Methodological innovation has also been implemented in the form of interdisciplinary projects, intercultural projects and the use of ICTs in the learning processes and acquisition of key competencies of all participants. The results obtained with this collaboration have far exceeded initial expectations. Urban gardens and vertical gardens have been created, green areas of the 3 centers have been landscaped, environmental research studies and reports have been carried out, sustainable tourism alternatives have been considered, important knowledge has been acquired about our environment and the ways to preserve it, the skills of the participants have been improved, cultural and environmental awareness campaigns have been carried out and the linguistic skills of the participants have been improved. Finally, we can proudly affirm that the project has had a transformative impact on our educational communities and on the teaching practices of the three centers and that it has reported and will continue to report lasting and sustainable benefits in the communities and societies in which it is located. have implemented the activities and initiatives of our Erasmus+ project. For all this, we understand that the effort and dedication invested in our Erasmus+ project by the different entities (European Commission, national agencies, educational centers, participants...) has obtained a reward that goes beyond what can be expressed in words. Unique experiences have been experienced that will not only bring a direct benefit to our societies and communities in the form of sustainable and environmentally friendly attitudes and recognition of a common European cultural heritage, but will also have contributed to the formation of better people.