Ecotopia!

7 June 2024

Program: Erasmus+, KA153
Project Leader: Italy – Mobility Opportunities Happening APS (MOH)
Duration: May 30 – June 6, 2024

Partners:
Azerbaijan – Common Sense Youth Organization
Greece – The southern lights
Spain – Fundación Plan B Educación
Portugal – Rio Neiva – Environmental Defense Association
Morocco – LaraCultura
Georgia – International Center for Peace and Integration
Turkiye – SINOP Education Programs and Universal Cultural Activities Association Belgium – JOETZ
Poland – Reflections on Europe Association

Project progress:

Day 1
On the first day, participants took part in various icebreaker games designed to help them get to know each other better, share their experiences and backgrounds, and create an atmosphere of cooperation, which was crucial for the rest of the project. The trainers presented the rules of the project, including punctuality, full participation in sessions, asking questions and providing assistance when needed, accommodation, and other organizational details. Participants openly shared their concerns, aspirations, and plans for how they intended to contribute to the success of the group, thus creating mutual understanding and a supportive environment by writing down their thoughts on a flip chart. During the intercultural exchange session, participants were divided into groups of 5-6 people, each of which received a letter from the organizing team with various tasks to complete in Giovinazzo. This helped participants get to know each other better and become more familiar with the city.

Day 2
On the second day, participants, working in national groups, began creating presentations on flipcharts, in which they presented environmental problems occurring in their countries, actions taken by governments to solve them, and best practices from their organizations and at the local level. As part of a unique activity called “Love in Balls,” participants were divided into groups of 5-6 and given water, soil, and seeds of various plants. After mixing all the ingredients, they created their “love bombs,” which were thrown into the garden in the hope of making our planet greener with this small contribution.

Day 3

Cleanup and waste sorting – After a short information session on the importance of cleanup activities and how to sort different types of waste, participants went to the shore of Giovinazzo to begin cleaning up in pairs. The teams were tasked with collecting plastic, glass, and mixed waste into specific bags. Campaigning and advocacy – During this session, the trainers presented a seminar on campaign advocacy to lay the groundwork for participants to launch their own environmental campaigns. The trainers explained what tools and methods are necessary to start their own campaigns and how to ensure their effectiveness and dissemination. Art from trash – During this practical session, participants created their own works of art from various items they had collected during the cleanup in pairs.

Day 4

Artwork presentations – Participants began the day by sharing their artwork presentations and answering questions from their peers about their creativity and what their art represents. Most of the works demonstrated a connection to environmental protection and the theme of the project. Life in 2050: Sustainability – An imagination session was held on what our lives might be like in 2050, during which participants were asked to close their eyes while the trainers read aloud what would happen if the world continued to function as it does today, without caring for the environment and sustainability. The impact of the environment on well-being – Participants were divided into groups to create an artistic performance about a character living in the future. These performances, some positive and some negative, prompted participants to question their current actions that will affect their future lifestyle.

Day 5

Web of Life – participants were presented with a unique “Menu” in which they were asked to present small tasks related to the environment, personal development, meditation, and self-reflection. This task was intended to summarize the workshops and exercises of the ECOTOPIA project. Campaign development and presentations – During these sessions, participants were divided into groups of 4-6 people and used their knowledge to create a campaign on environmental protection and had the opportunity to present their ideas to the whole group. Environmental activism in Italy – Mida Lararra, an Italian activist from the Last Generation movement, was invited to a Q&A with participants to present how environmental activism works in Italy. Mida shared her experience and personal stories related to environmental protests.

Day 6

Erasmus+, ESC, Networking – During this session, participants were given an overview of the Erasmus+ program, its objectives and priorities, various key actions, and funding opportunities for EU countries and some non-EU countries. Participants were also informed about the European Solidarity Corps initiative and the benefits of being an ESC volunteer. Evaluation and conclusion – During the evaluation, participants shared feedback on the ECOTOPIA project, including the program and training activities, trainers, group performances, accommodation, meals, and their personal involvement, using the “slice of pizza” method. Participants also shared their personal experiences of the project, what they brought to the project, and what actions they will take after returning home.