The Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Mr Prodromos Prodromou, participated yesterday, Wednesday, 1 November 2022, in the 5th European Conference on Education entitled: "BrightYoungMinds" on the multiple levels of activation and participation of young people, as well as other issues concerning youth, with reference to the European Year of Youth.
The conference was attended by, among others, the President of the European Commission, Mrs Ursula von der Leyen, the Vice-President of the Commission responsible for promoting the European way of life, Mr. Margaritis Schinas and the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Ms Mariya Gabriel, took place in Brussels in a hybrid format and was open to the public.
Among those who attended the conference were: education policy makers, teachers, academics, researchers, youth organisations and many young people.
Ministers of EU Member States responsible for education, as well as representatives of educational organisations and European institutions participated in parallel working groups. The issues discussed in the Working Groups included:
- building the European Education Area,
- digital skills and investment in education and training,
- education for climate and sustainable development,
- the implementation of the European University Strategy,
- pathways to school success,
- trends and challenges of future education and
- the integration of Ukrainian displaced pupils and students into the education system of the Member States.
Mr Prodromou participated in the panel discussion on Education for Sustainable Development and Climate Change: "Education for Climate: Making a Change towards Environmental Sustainability". The Ministers of Education of Ireland, Slovenia and Romania also participated in the same panel.
In response to questions, the Minister referred to the ways in which the Government plans to implement the "Council Recommendation on Learning for Environmental Sustainability", stressing that education for the environment and sustainable development is a key priority of the Cypriot education system. He underlined that the Recommendation coincides with the update of the National Policy of Cyprus on Education for Sustainable Development (2030) and presented the key priorities of the Government in this field, stressing the important role of education in shaping a sustainable future. He also made a special reference to the conclusions and findings of the 9th UN Ministerial Conference on the Environment in Europe and the UNECE's Education for Sustainable Development 2030 strategy goals.
When asked to present his vision of the future sustainable school, Mr Prodromou said that it will not only be an educational institution, but will be a learning community, where teaching and skills development will be directly intertwined with real life. He stressed that it goes without saying that this school of the next decade will be fully powered by renewable energy, will incorporate green technologies and green spaces, and will be in full harmony with nature and every living organism. He added that it will not teach sustainability, but will itself be fully sustainable. It will be based on the principles of humanism, sustainability, inclusiveness and respect for the environment, fostering and releasing the skills of creativity, critical thinking and cooperation and contributing to the well-being of all. To get to that school of the 2030s, he said, it is imperative to increase the participation and engagement of young people - harnessing those brilliant minds we are here for today. Mr Prodromou concluded by stating that the planetary crisis is the greatest challenge of humanity and stressed the importance of international cooperation and mobilization, since the effort to preserve our planet can only be done together.
IP
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