By implementing the project, we aimed to achieve several key objectives. First, we wanted to raise awareness in our schools and communities about the importance of biodiversity in food and agriculture, especially highlighting the crucial role that bees play in maintaining ecosystems. We also wanted to educate students about the essential role of bees in keeping ecosystems healthy and teach them what can be done to protect these important insects. We developed a comprehensive curriculum with the students’ involvement, helping them understand the significance of bees, their impact on agriculture and food, and how they can take action to protect nature.Another goal was to create a Bee village in the schoolyard or surrounding area, where students could gain hands-on experience in beekeeping and related crafts, like building bee hotels. We also aimed to develop students' digital skills through the creation of an e-book featuring honey recipes, using web tools and apps. Finally, we aimed to strengthen the capacity of the participating organizations to work at the EU and international levels, improve management skills, and foster cooperation with partners from other countries.
Our motivation for the "Beekeeping for Planet Keeping" project stemmed from a deep commitment to providing students and teachers with valuable experiences in a multicultural context, fostering openness and embracing European values of diversity, inclusion, and democratic participation. We wanted to share each country's beekeeping traditions and raise awareness about the vital role of bees in the ecosystem. The importance of bees in the food chain is often underestimated, and we seek to change this by educating students and staff about their critical role in preserving biodiversity. The needs addressed by this project are related to the basic fact that we acknowledged in both our schools: lack of personal knowledge as well as community knowledge regarding the importance of bees and pollination to the wellbeing and balance of our very ecosystems. Other than this we addressed the need of having youngsters who can work together collaboratively using their creativity, critical thinking skills and digital tools to carry their message across. Mastering the English language was another objective underlying the project, but also catering for multilingualism and multiculturalism.