Recent Events in Italy

   
Marche - National Meeting of Regional Managers: The meeting brought together 9 Eco-Schools Managers: the Italian National Manager and 8 Regional Managers and took place in Senigallia, Ancona (Marche, Adriatic coast of Italy) in "Sena Nova" Center from 24^th to 26^th of January. The National Sponsor "Eco-Wall" supported financially the event. During the first evening the managers discussed the following issues: the national organization, the strategy implemented in some regions, visibility of the programme, but the most important target was to build a connection between the new and the old managers. The atmosphere was very friendly and everyone was very curious about the modus operandi of the other colleagues.

   
On Saturday, Manuela Bracciali, Toscana manager, presented the guidelines of the Eco-Schools auditing process and its link with EMAS II, in order to give general information on the programme to the newcomers and to activate Regional Committees for a pre-auditing process. From this year forth, the regional managers can send the best projects to the National Audit Committee (the National Manager, a representative of the Ministry of Education, a pedagogical supervisor, and three supervisors of an Environmental Education Centre of Grosseto, Toscana). The following day the managers discussed the possibility of organising a technical and scientific committee to debate key issues associated with environmental education in order to give them technical and pedagogical support and clear visibility to the programme. The National Manager gave a presentation about: an agreement with the Ministry of University, Research and Education; "The Ecological Regatta" (a project which should link Blue Flag and Eco-Schools programmes: the students collect tin cans in order to make a boat for a summer competition; at the end of the competition a recycling enterprise takes off the tin cans); new resources for the regional managers (new website, community in the European Schoolnet website, linking project); the European guidelines; and the national organisation. Representatives of the local authorities (the mayor, the Regional Schools Headmaster of Marche and Regional Environmental Councillor) came during the meeting together with the Fee representative for the region Marche in order to greet the group and emphasise the work of the managers in environmental education. The meeting was an excellent way of communicating with each other, discussing problems, bringing new ideas and establishing an Eco-Schools group.
   
Rome: The Eco-Schools programme was presented in a prestigious room of the Parliament on December 18, 2002. Tthe Programme received an acknowledgement from the Health Ministry, the Parent's Italian Association and the Schools Heads' Italian Association.
   

Calabria - Awarding Ceremony: On December 10, 2002, 6 Eco-Schools were awarded in Calabria (South of Italy). The responsible of the Administrative Service Center of the Scholastic Direction for the region of Calabria, the Environmental Councillor of the District of Cosenza and the responsible of Print Office of the University, who assured the spread of the Eco-Schools news on the Calabria papers, were present during the Ceremony. After the presentations of the administrators, the children of different Schools presented their environmental activities; at the and of the ceremony ES Flags and certificates were delivered.
   
Toscana - 29 Eco-Schools awarded in Grosseto: On October 25, 2002, in the beautiful down town of Grosseto, many students involved in Eco-Schools Programme have spent the morning showing to the people walking in the street their eco-activities developed during the implementation of the Programme. The students made posters, toys, interviews and exhibitions leaded from teachers. This was a good opportunity for the schools to show the people how they care for the environment, to show their environmental policy and to promote Eco-Schools to the community and the Socrates delegation (teachers from Spain and Germany). Students from primary to secondary schools were involved in that beautiful exhibition thanks to the good relationship with the Municipality. At the end of the morning the Mayor delivered the Green flags to the children of different schools. There were many journalists from television and newspapers.

   
National Manager: Raffaella Riccobene, Eco-Schools Manager in Italy and Olga Madison in Russia, are applying for an individual Mobility Grant in order to meet and write a proposal for the trans-European TEMPUS programme. The idea is to implement Eco-Schools programme in University Institutes. Hans Smit, Eco-Schools Manager in the Netherlands supplied very useful information about an attempt to integrate sustainable development in Higher Education.

(January 2003)

   
The Eco-Schools National Coordinators Meeting took place in Grado, northern Italy, on the 4^th–6^th October 2001. Representatives from 21 countries participated in this event around three productive working days. There were presentations: Environmental Performance Indicators project by Mr Yann Guérin (Bureau Veritas), and environmental education projects in eastern Africa, by Dr Dorcas Otieno (KOEE - Kenya Organization for Environmental Education). The meeting also comprised workshops and open discussions on themes such as strengthening the Eco-Schools programme as a whole, the production of new support materials, the development of the Environmental Performance Indicators and the inking/Itinerary project. Also discussed was the organisation of an international seminar in 2002 on FEE in general, its approach and programmes, and the Eco-Schools programme in particular, as a model for Education for Sustainability and Local Agenda 21.

   
The event, co-organised by the Eco-Schools Coordination and the Italian Eco-Schools Programme (FEE Italy), counted on sponsorship from the Municipality of Grado, Ecowall Italia and Promhotel. In addition to the working sessions, there were excursions to the roman ruins of the Aquilea Basilica and to a natural oasis - Isola della Cona, as well as a piano recital in the theatre. The social gatherings are always an important part of the meetings, since they allow the exchange of ideas and experiences between the national coordinators within an informal setting.

(November 2001)

   
An Eco-Schools board game was developed by Arch Piero Blanchini, Programme Manager for Italy, as a tool for teaching about environmental issues and the Eco-Schools process in a fun and interesting way to children. This resource is an ideal way to engage young people, together with teachers and/or parents, to discuss specific environmental issues and learn about participatory environmental management. The game can potentially also be an excellent language resource, and the Coordination is interested in seeking Sponsors to work with the Italian team in developing an International version of this game.

(July 2001)