Active kids for a better future

The themes of this mobility were focused on environmental protection, pollution reduction, refugee problems and how to solve them, with examples of good practice and knowledge of local art and culture. The types of activities were: presentations, workshops, documentary visits, debates and demonstrations.
The opening ceremony was followed by a presentation of the school, the local education system and teachers. A beautiful demonstration of local art Ebru (water painting) made by the students of the school followed. In the following days, documentary visits were made to a school where many refugees study and where they were able to integrate into mixed classes. This was followed by a presentation on how community waste is collected and recycled, followed by a fact-finding visit to a waste recycling center where the degree of recycling is 100%. The third day was dedicated to the way in which the host school managed to develop in children empathy and inclusive attitude towards refugees and an exchange of good practices between partner schools that have migrants among the students. A skit made by students was presented in which they presented a common situation among refugees, the pain of family separation due to the war. Thus, the children understood what problems refugees face and showed empathy for their problems. The next day was dedicated to how children and their families can help reduce waste and use it in the home and school. During the workshop, students were introduced to how they make vermicompost and explained how to use it. Each member participating in the mobility contributed to the development of the vermicompost. This was followed by a documentary visit to the school’s organic garden, which ended with an on-site debate on protecting the environment through organic farming. The last day was dedicated to joint activities to protect the environment and knowledge of local art and culture. In the school garden, each partner planted a tree next to which the flag of the represented country was placed. Representative elements of the local traditional art, the art of decorating the ceramics „Cinicilik”, the art of weaving carpets „Halicilik” and the art of embroidery „Igne oyasi” were presented. The day ended with the final evaluation and the handing over of the participation certificates.
The results of the activity were: a ppt presentation; a skit made by children; 6 trees planted; 5 “Turkish corner” exhibitions; the development of civic social skills, inclusive skills, the ability to pass on elements of sustainable education to children, communication in foreign languages and intercultural skills.
During the activities, the students of the school had a normal program, the participants in the mobility interacted with a small number of students due to health protection measures. The presentation of the play and the artistic activities took place in compliance with the sanitary distancing measures.