The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, together with the Department of Education and Universities and the Department of Environment, Biosphere Reserve and Cooperation of the Consell de Menorca, today presented the awards and certificates of participation in the Eco-environmental Centres Programme 2022-2023. This year a total of 15 schools and institutes of Menorca have been awarded for their projects on environmental education and sustainable development. Six of these centres have received the award certifying that they have achieved the environmental objectives set by the programme over two academic years. The remaining nine schools were recognised for their commitment to sustainability and their participation.
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15 schools in Menorca receive recognition as Eco-environmental Centres
The event, which was held in the Multifunctional Hall of Mercadal, was attended by the Director General of Natural Environment and Forest Management, Anna Torres; the Second Vice President and Executive Councillor for the Environment, Biosphere Reserve and Cooperation of the Consell de Menorca, José Simón Gornés; the Island Councillor for the Biosphere Reserve, David Vidal; and the Regional Director of Education in Menorca, Alexandra Marquès.
The programme, which this year reaches its 20th edition, has had the participation of 150 schools in the Balearic Islands, 20 more than last year. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment has recognised 54 schools on the Islands with the award, while 76 certificates of participation have been presented. It should be remembered that last week the awards were presented to 29 schools in Mallorca. Today was the second of three events scheduled to take place. On the 16th of November, the awards will be presented to the schools on Ibiza and Formentera.
The director general of Natural Environment and Forestry Management stressed the importance of initiatives like these. In this sense, Torres pointed out that these awards recognise “joint work towards sustainability, promoting environmental conservation and biodiversity, climate change mitigation, respectful use of natural resources and responsible consumption”. From this point of view, the director insisted, “we understand that educational centres are the basis of the future society”.
For his part, Gornés stressed that Menorca is a territory historically committed to the conservation of the natural environment and biodiversity. “This has been possible thanks to the transmission of values to the younger generations. This programme and its consolidation is an example of the importance of education and the joint work between teachers and students to share these values,” he said.
The main objective of the programme is to promote environmental education in the life of schools in the Balearic Islands. The proposal involves supporting schools in designing work plans related to the natural environment and integrating them into their own curricula and syllabuses. The main thematic axes established for the 2022-2023 school year were energy, climate change, waste and water. Schools could also work on other secondary themes such as responsible consumption, vegetable gardens, biodiversity and mobility.