The central aim was trough all of the before mentioned activities educate people about the impact they are having on nature in their everyday life and how to turn this impact to more positive. Participants were reminded how close they are to nature and that it is their duty to preserve it and to protect from complete exploitation.
By implementing this international project, it was intended to educate youngsters on the topics of nature pollution, global warming, human impact on the environment, positive practices with an aim to reduce pollution, sustainable lifestyle, re-usage of materials, democratic values, acceptance, equality, and healthy lifestyle. Trough the project participants were provided with tools and pieces of advice that guided them in the direction of living more sustainably and reminding them of their importance in the future of Europe and this Planet.
During the Youth Exchange, each partner Country was responsible for leading a workshop. In that way, all youngsters had an opportunity to gain new knowledge and experience. Such activities were carried out as follows:
1. Land management, and urban sprawl – by the German team (Germany is famous for the green areas in big cities). Participants were divided into mixed-nationality groups and asked to create maps of urban areas, keeping in mind making them as environmentally friendly as possible. After creating the maps, results were discussed. The activity was followed with examples of already existing green living areas in big cities.
2.Deforestation – by the Polish team (Polish participants taught about forest protection). It was discussed what causes deforestation and how it can be prevented. As a practical aspect of this workshop- participants learnt how to create paper from already used one. This activity also taught participants about recycling at home.
3. Ecosystems and endangered species- by the Italian team (Italy has a huge range of species, both in water and land). Participants, while working in mixed groups had to do research and find animals that are endangered in the World. As a conclusion to the activity, participants created origami animals in which they hid messages of commitments on what they themselves can do in terms of taking care of the biosphere around their region. Also, partcipants created figures of the endangered species from fast-drying clay.
4. Creating and promoting local initiatives in terms of the environment- by the Irish team (youngsters from the Irish team have created materials or their NGO). Participants were divided into mixed nationality groups and were asked to create ideas of local initiatives on environmental issues.
5. Re-use instead of recycling by Finish team (According to Eurostat statistics one of the best-performing countries in Europe when it comes to waste avoidance/recycling is Finland). Each
national team was given a task to prepare an object/ item or decoration/accessory from used materials.
6. Climate change by the Spanish team (We experience strong heat waves due to climate change). During the workshop, participants worked in groups and found out the main reasons that trigger climate change and also the ways that climate is changing and what are the side-effects of global warming. There were shown presentation of catastrophes caused by climate change in all partner countries.
7. Creating fabric shopping bags. By Latvian team (Latvian group leader has education in arts and will bring more creativity to the workshop). During the workshop, participants created shopping bags from second-hand fabric and gave them out during the flash-mob in the center, together with leaflets.
8. Waste pollution. By Turkish team (waste pollution is a huge problem in Turkey). Participants were asked to divide trash accordingly to accordingly matching containers.
By carrying out the project's activities, it was created a more aware and educated society in the terms of human impact in nature and give the next generations the important message of how crucial it is to take care of nature, not to destroy it.