Innovative practices in Bulgaria
Sharing innovations for improving local self-government
Little citizen of the world
Etropole Municipality
Background
The Municipality of Etropole was convinced that there was a need of enhancing both people s understanding and their role in environmental protection, starting with the youngest ones our children. Education could play a key role for the creation of environmental and ethical norms, values and attitudes, activities and way of life, that ensure sustainable development and conservation of the nature. The municipality developed the project Little citizen of the world a chance for saving the planet Gea as a part of its all-round action policy within the framework of Agenda 21 program and its participation in the international Sustainable Cities Campaign.
The Municipality of Etropole was convinced that there was a need of enhancing both people s understanding and their role in environmental protection, starting with the youngest ones our children. Education could play a key role for the creation of environmental and ethical norms, values and attitudes, activities and way of life, that ensure sustainable development and conservation of the nature. The municipality developed the project Little citizen of the world a chance for saving the planet Gea as a part of its all-round action policy within the framework of Agenda 21 program and its participation in the international Sustainable Cities Campaign.
Practice
The project s main objective was the establishment of behavior and culture that conserve the environment. The municipality started with the youngest ones, introducing environmental education in the kindergartens, consisting of several elements: cognitive; moral; aesthetic, and practical. Another component of the initiative was the introduction of environmental education in the primary and secondary schools of the city. Its main purpose was to satrt from children s emotional and cognitive engagement with environmental problems to reach the level of responsibility to nature and the future of man. An important aspect of the project was the already experimentally accomplished transborder cooperation with children and youths from Etropole s twin towns from Russia, Greece and Serbia.
The project s main objectives included:
- Introducing environmental education and instruction programs in all four kindergartens of the City of Etropole and the schools;
- Creating motivation for small citizen s participation in concrete practical conservation activities;
- Implementing a range of joint activities between children and youths, media, NGO, local authorities, parents, etc.
- Building up environmental consciousness as a stage of the formation of environmental culture;
- Creating moral and environmental values and attitudes in the little citizens.
The following initiatives were realized within the project s framework:
- Environmental campaign Future free of garbage ;
- Environmental campaign Etropole for a cleaner and more attractive city , accompanied by campaigns for cleaning and developing the city, educational and advertising campaigns, contests, etc.
- Creation of a scout movement to teach the children practical ways of associating with nature, ways of its conservation and cultivation.
The scout movement, which adults are also interested in, and which is a member of the four kindergartens, comprising children from 3 to 7 years of age, organized several exhibitions of objects, made of natural materials and waste products. The children looked after their own nature spots with various flowers, herbs and little trees they planted in kindergartens courtyards. They participated in theatrical performances with the Ecoscena 2000 Theater, actively assisted the realization of the First National Eco-festival in Etropole called Songs about the forest, the mountain and clean nature , etc. They create their own zoo spots, terrariums, herbaria and children's nature albums with herbs that are specific of the region.
- Participation of pupils of Hristo Yassenov Comprehensive Secondary School in the National Conference with a scientific lecture called Creating an interest in physics using its relations to the ecology ; participation and an award from the Union of Bulgarian Physicists and Evrika Foundation for scientific lectures read at the 29th National Conference in Smolyan. - Eco-contest Life with radiation organized by secondary school pupils and covered in media and specialized literature; creation of a film.
- Contests called Following the progress footsteps , organized within the local schools, during which children deliver reports on topics, related to physics and environment. Creation of 5 eco-trails in the mountain, reconstruction of 7 historical monuments in the Etropole Balkan Mountain and construction of 8 resting spots in unique forest lands by scouts and volunteer youths within the framework of the First National Eco-festival in Etropole called Songs about the forest, the mountain and the clean nature .
Joint initiatives for environmental protection within the framework of Etropole s transborder cooperation with three twin towns.
The project s main objective was the establishment of behavior and culture that conserve the environment. The municipality started with the youngest ones, introducing environmental education in the kindergartens, consisting of several elements: cognitive; moral; aesthetic, and practical. Another component of the initiative was the introduction of environmental education in the primary and secondary schools of the city. Its main purpose was to satrt from children s emotional and cognitive engagement with environmental problems to reach the level of responsibility to nature and the future of man. An important aspect of the project was the already experimentally accomplished transborder cooperation with children and youths from Etropole s twin towns from Russia, Greece and Serbia.
The project s main objectives included:
- Introducing environmental education and instruction programs in all four kindergartens of the City of Etropole and the schools;
- Creating motivation for small citizen s participation in concrete practical conservation activities;
- Implementing a range of joint activities between children and youths, media, NGO, local authorities, parents, etc.
- Building up environmental consciousness as a stage of the formation of environmental culture;
- Creating moral and environmental values and attitudes in the little citizens.
The following initiatives were realized within the project s framework:
- Environmental campaign Future free of garbage ;
- Environmental campaign Etropole for a cleaner and more attractive city , accompanied by campaigns for cleaning and developing the city, educational and advertising campaigns, contests, etc.
- Creation of a scout movement to teach the children practical ways of associating with nature, ways of its conservation and cultivation.
The scout movement, which adults are also interested in, and which is a member of the four kindergartens, comprising children from 3 to 7 years of age, organized several exhibitions of objects, made of natural materials and waste products. The children looked after their own nature spots with various flowers, herbs and little trees they planted in kindergartens courtyards. They participated in theatrical performances with the Ecoscena 2000 Theater, actively assisted the realization of the First National Eco-festival in Etropole called Songs about the forest, the mountain and clean nature , etc. They create their own zoo spots, terrariums, herbaria and children's nature albums with herbs that are specific of the region.
- Participation of pupils of Hristo Yassenov Comprehensive Secondary School in the National Conference with a scientific lecture called Creating an interest in physics using its relations to the ecology ; participation and an award from the Union of Bulgarian Physicists and Evrika Foundation for scientific lectures read at the 29th National Conference in Smolyan. - Eco-contest Life with radiation organized by secondary school pupils and covered in media and specialized literature; creation of a film.
- Contests called Following the progress footsteps , organized within the local schools, during which children deliver reports on topics, related to physics and environment. Creation of 5 eco-trails in the mountain, reconstruction of 7 historical monuments in the Etropole Balkan Mountain and construction of 8 resting spots in unique forest lands by scouts and volunteer youths within the framework of the First National Eco-festival in Etropole called Songs about the forest, the mountain and the clean nature .
Joint initiatives for environmental protection within the framework of Etropole s transborder cooperation with three twin towns.
Results
The education program, aimed at Etropole s children, integrates all aspects of the environment with the disciplines studied at school, and includes a variety of practical activities as well. An example of that was the association of physics and the physics phenomena with the environmental problems. Another strength was the methodological approach for work with small children at the age of 3 to 7 years, developed by the kindergartners and primary school teachers. The children teach children initiatives during which the older pupils taught the first-graders about environmental matters: Let me tell you about the world and From Bulgaria for you are innovative. The established partnership between the Environment Education and Sustainable Development Center, the schools, the local government, the NPO and the media is a pilot initiative for the small municipality. The project provides a possibility for replicating in other municipalities Vidin, Dryanovo and Yambol implemented the practice with minor alterations. The project s web-page www.la21.etropole-cjb.com gives detailed information about the activities and the Agenda 21 program.
The education program, aimed at Etropole s children, integrates all aspects of the environment with the disciplines studied at school, and includes a variety of practical activities as well. An example of that was the association of physics and the physics phenomena with the environmental problems. Another strength was the methodological approach for work with small children at the age of 3 to 7 years, developed by the kindergartners and primary school teachers. The children teach children initiatives during which the older pupils taught the first-graders about environmental matters: Let me tell you about the world and From Bulgaria for you are innovative. The established partnership between the Environment Education and Sustainable Development Center, the schools, the local government, the NPO and the media is a pilot initiative for the small municipality. The project provides a possibility for replicating in other municipalities Vidin, Dryanovo and Yambol implemented the practice with minor alterations. The project s web-page www.la21.etropole-cjb.com gives detailed information about the activities and the Agenda 21 program.
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