The project focused on the interconnectedness of our lifestyles and habits, climate change and migration, and explored our own responsibility and commitment to achieving global intergenerational justice, focusing on young people and their educators. The Island X project contributed to the objectives of raising awareness and disseminating validated scientific information on climate change, its causes and consequences, such as climate migration and how environmental change will affect the future of young people and the need for their mobilization. Through the implementation of gamification as a theatre performance and workshops in schools and youth centers and a creative approach to public outreach, we wished to contribute to: - understanding and promoting common European values such as solidarity, diversity, tolerance and respect basic human rights by young people, educators and the general public to counterbalance the growing populism and intolerance towards migrants in Slovenia and Eastern Europe; - strengthened participation and active citizenship of young people and the dissemination of their messages and their demands, by strengthening their social skills, media literacy and social activation. We have reached our objectives.
The alarming state of climate crisis and its consequences is steadily intensifying. In recent years, climate change has displaced an average of 26 million people per year worldwide. In 2020, migration numbers due to environmental disasters were the highest in a decade. We have seen extreme events in the summers of 2022 as well as 2023 in Slovenia too. The Climate for Change survey of young Europeans provided worrying data on the state of awareness of climate change and migration among youth in Slovenia. On average, they were less concerned about climate than their European peers. They considered climate change to be only the "3rd most serious problem" the world is facing. 75% of them have heard little or nothing about the term 'climate migrants'. Their educators lack quality pedagogical tools and innovative approaches addressing climate migration in the classrooms and need to be aware and competent to address it. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the targets set by the Paris the goals of the Paris Agreement, we need new forms of (self-)empowerment, new visions of the world, accountability of each and everyone. Young people have a very important role to play in this as well - but they need to be heard first.