''Roots of Sustainability'' - Celebrating Diversity in Kastamonu
The fourth day of our Erasmus+ project, hosted by Kastamonu Kalkınma Sağlık Çevre Eğitim ve Turizm Vakfı, was filled with engaging activities focused on recycling, sustainability, personal development, and intercultural exchange. Bringing together young participants from Türkiye, Georgia, Germany, Austria the day began with an energizing icebreaker activity that encouraged interaction, teamwork, and communication among participants. This dynamic start created a positive atmosphere and prepared the group for a productive day of learning and collaboration.
During the morning sessions, participants explored successful recycling practices from around the world through presentations and discussions. Countries recognized for their outstanding waste management systems, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, South Korea, and Wales, were introduced by participants. Through these presentations, the group gained valuable insights into innovative recycling policies and sustainable environmental practices while also strengthening their presentation and public speaking skills.
The practical part of the day focused on hands-on recycling activities. Participants transformed the seed paper they had previously created into eco-friendly invitation cards containing environmental messages and planting instructions. They also designed reusable cloth bags from old and unused clothing materials, demonstrating how everyday items can be repurposed instead of discarded. These creative workshops highlighted the importance of reducing waste and encouraged participants to adopt more sustainable habits in their daily lives. The entire process was documented to create awareness-raising content for future dissemination activities.
Another important component of the day was the Youthpass certificate completion session and the daily evaluation activities. Participants reflected on their learning experiences, skills development, and personal achievements throughout the project while completing their Youthpass certificates online. The day concluded with a vibrant cultural exchange activity, where participants shared aspects of their national cultures, including traditions, language, cuisine, history, and art. As GrüneInitiative Verein, we are proud to be part of a project that combines environmental awareness, non-formal education, and intercultural learning, helping young people develop valuable skills while building meaningful international connections.
