Large Conference for Schools on the topic of Education for Sustainability

KIEL. Today (February 28th), 500 students and teachers from all types of schools in all regions of the country gathered at Kiel University (CAU). The kick-off event took place under the header "School shapes the future! - Impulses for a sustainable life". In addition, more than 700 students throughout the country took part in various participatory activities in the spirit of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Around 30 ESD participants had developed exciting workshops on site. Invitations were issued by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Environment with the CAU and the IPN Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education.

 

Karin Prien, Minister for Education, Science and Culture

Minister of Education Karin Prien was pleased about the great interest in the event. At the opening of the conference she said: "Climate change and environmental protection are more important than ever, especially for the younger generation. Education for sustainability is an integral part of the subject requirements at schools in Schleswig-Holstein and is firmly anchored in numerous subjects". In addition, however, there are many actions, initiatives and projects that the schools have set up independently or with external partners. "This conference offers the opportunity to find out about what already exists and what can be initiated in the future. This conference wants to give new impulses and show that we can work together to make life more sustainable."

"To be sustainable is not just about thinking about tomorrow today. It also means living today in a way that makes tomorrow possible. I am very pleased and grateful that so many young people are actively and persistently committed to sustainable change processes," said Environment Minister Jan Philipp Albrecht. According to Albrecht, an intense debate between young people and political decision-makers as well as representatives of society is urgently needed: "It enables bundling the diverse existing competences, to weigh up points of view against each other and thus create the basis for future-oriented approaches to solutions".

Prof. Dr. Ilka Parchmann, CAU Vice-President and IPN Head of Department, welcomed the conference participants to the filled Max Planck lecture hall. "This event gives young people, teachers and young scientists the opportunity to work on ideas for a sustainable future together," said Parchmann. "We are delighted that so many participants from the ranks of the CAU, the IPN, the Kieler Forschungswerkstatt and the entire state of Schleswig-Holstein have come together for this event!

Prof. Dr. Mojib Latif, Head of the Research Unit: Maritime Meteorology at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel

In line with the didactic concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), the conference focused on the three pillars of sustainability - ecological, economic and social sustainability. The 17 goals for sustainable development formulated by the United Nations were discussed at the conference in a total of 33 workshops. Students were involved in the preparation and planning of the event. Parallel to the conference events in Kiel, activities were offered for participants all over the country. ESD activists from the various networks offered exciting workshops on site. In addition, the schools were able to accompany the conference in the livestream at https://schleswig-holstein.de/konferenz_bne and in the social media under the hashtag #bnesh2020.