Global Learning for Change in EYD2015 and Beyond: European Youth Engagement from School Gardens to Sustainable Food Systems

A challenge for European educational systems is to prepare European students and youth to critically understand new global challenges and updated international priorities in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), facing their responsibilities as citizens of a globalized society.

The EAThink2015 project aims to increasing EU youth awareness of, and engagement in, post-2015 public debate and the contribution of EU development cooperation policies to global sustainable development. The project activities is expected to foster European students and youth’s active engagement for fairer relations between Global South and North, with a specific focus on global public goods, food security and sustainable agriculture as sustainable ways of living. Some of the project activities are development and publishing of global learning modules, implement training workshops for students, implement national and international seminars for teachers, school visits to the Food Cloud Exhibition at Expo 2015, etc.

The EAThink2015 consortium is comprised by a wide partnership of NGOs, Associations, Foundations and network organizations with extensive experience in Global Education, Education for Sustainable Development, awareness raising and citizens mobilization. Co-applicants, are based in 12 countries but linked to stakeholders and partners in all EU27 countries.

The EAThink2015 actions will target the formal education sector, whose main players (students, teachers, and school supervisors/directors) will be gradually led to critically understand, and to change attitudes and behaviors in relation to global issues such as sustainable agriculture, food and environment, smallholder farming, inclusive growth, connecting global phenomena and local dynamics. Teachers will actually use the Global Learning tools and competencies gained, while students will actively mobilize through local actions, web 2.0 tools, social communication products, school gardens.

The EAThink2015 project idea originated from the pilot action “Eathink 2015: Feeding the planet, energy for life. A journey through Italy, Senegal and Uganda” carried out in 2013 and aimed at promoting food security and education towards EXPO2015.

Key elements in the project are youth active participation and enhancement of teachers educational planning, integrated with learner-centered and experiential methods, the use of ICT4D-web 2.0 tools, and a solid dissemination strategy to ensure institutional and financial sustainability after project end.

For further information about the project please click here

The European Union is made up of 28 Member States who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, during a period of enlargement of 50 years, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders. [Project Number: DCI-NSAED/2014/349-033]