The project was designed with the aim of raising greater awareness of environmental issues and encouraging students to adopt a critical and responsible attitude toward the planet. It sought to foster a more balanced relationship between humans and nature, emphasizing both the duty to protect natural resources and the right to live in a healthy ecosystem. The connection between the environment, local territory, and cultural heritage was highlighted, with the belief that building an “eco-future” begins with rediscovering and respecting one’s roots. The project also aimed to promote education for the common good through activities that encouraged cooperation, collective responsibility, and active civic engagement. Lastly, it focused on improving the teaching of scientific subjects by strengthening teachers' methodological skills and increasing student engagement and achievement in STEM disciplines.
The motivation behind this project stemmed from a shared need to address the growing disconnect between humans and the natural world, an issue that has become increasingly urgent due to the environmental impact of human activity. The partner schools recognized the importance of fostering active and environmentally conscious citizenship, shifting away from a purely top-down regulatory approach in favor of grassroots education that promotes awareness and responsibility among young people. The project idea was based on the belief that schools are the ideal setting for initiating lasting change: today’s students are tomorrow’s citizens, and their ecological education is an investment in the future. At the same time, it was deemed essential to involve teachers, enabling them to strengthen their environmental competencies through exchanges with colleagues from other countries. The sharing of experiences, educational practices, and diverse cultural perspectives provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on each partner’s local context and to develop concrete, sustainability-focused initiatives that contribute to shaping the identity of the European eco-citizen.