Background

The project was developed by the Bulgarian Women s Union, with the assistance of the municipal administration and other NGOs, and was implemented within the Municipality of Silistra. The purpose of the project was to create prerequisites for training and educating young people in the principles of sustainable development.

Practice

The idea of the Bulgarian Women s Union idea was to have an environmental education program developed by teachers, in consistency with local conditions. The need for such a program was especially strong in Silistra, due to the educational potential of the Sreburna natural reserve and the Danube river. For this reason, the development and implementation of this project was discussed with other partners: NGOs, the Education Inspectorate of the Ministry of Education and Science, Silistra, and the Education and Science Department, Municipality of Silistra. One of the project s goals was to develop and disseminate a manual of environmental education programs for different school levels.

Unlike mathematics or history, environmental education is not a key subject in Bulgarian schools. Incorporating citizen education and ecology, it is taught as an interdisciplinary subject, without a specified curriculum. As environmental education is considered education for the environment, in the environment and about the environment it combines economic, social, biological, historic and other approaches aimed at solving a specific problem. This defines it as a complete philosophy that could unite the content of different subjects and teach young people to think globally and act locally, taking into account the needs of following generations.

As Bulgarian schools do not have extensive experience in environmental education, the British experience was studied and utilized. In the United Kingdom there are different approaches to environmental education and different opinions on the teaching methodology. This process has been going on for thirty years already and has led not only to improved quality of education but also to improved school environment.

The project involved a series of two seminars based on British environmental education methodology and its application, as well as periodical workshops for teachers, at which they could develop their own programs consistent with local conditions. Project implementation funds in the amount of 3,000 pounds were provided by the British Know How Fund. The project s duration was one year.

The two training seminars were held in April and June 1999, in cooperation with British consultant and facilitator Susan Leckie. The Environmental Information Center (EIC) organized a visit to the Sreburna reserve in the form of an outdoor lesson. The Student, Technical and Scientific Innovations Center and EIC organized a Find the Ghost forest march. This event was held at the Orehova Gora park and included many educational games and activities. This stage resulted in the publication of a brochure, Forest March, written by Tsanka Tomova, Vanya Yankova, Borislav Ganev and Damon Whites. The brochure tells the participants how energy is transformed along the food chain and illustrates the interrelation between all living things in nature.

The participants in the different stages of the project were volunteers who wanted to learn something new about the local environment and its problems, as well as to do something to improve its condition. All activities related to the implementation of the project were widely covered by the media.

Results

Environmental education programs for the three school levels were developed in the form of teaching manuals and materials and a teaching strategy. 25 teachers involved in the project improved their skills in the implementation of environmental education programs. The partnership between the Municipality and local NGOs was strengthened and the training and practical activities created in young people sustainable habits of taking care for the environment.

The environmental educational program was officially initiated on November 3, 1999. British Ambassador to Bulgaria, Mr. Richard Stagg, personally attended the grand opening ceremony.