28–29 October 2025 — The IMPACT consortium gathered in Valladolid, Spain, for the project’s second Transnational Project Meeting, kindly hosted by Fundación Red Íncola.
The meeting brought together partners from Belgium (Servicius ASBL), Greece (Laboratory Center Katerini), Italy (Istituto Laeng-Meucci) and Ethiopia (HESPI) for two days filled with dialogue, experimentation, and creative exchange — all centred on how schools can better address the growing intersection between climate change and migration in today’s classrooms.
The first day was dedicated to testing a series of innovative learning activities designed for the Teacher Toolkit, the core pedagogical output of the project.
Through role-play, data analysis, journey mapping, visual storytelling, and structured debate, teachers and educators explored how to transform complex global issues into accessible, engaging learning experiences.
The atmosphere was dynamic and collaborative, with participants reflecting not only on the content of the activities but also on their potential to foster critical thinking, empathy, and awareness among students.
The Migration Journey Mapping and PhotoVoice sessions encouraged participants to visualize the relationship between human mobility and climate impacts through both creative and data-driven approaches.
Working in small groups, they combined statistical evidence with personal stories, exploring how droughts, floods, and heatwaves alter people’s lives and reshape migration patterns.
By transforming abstract data into visual and emotional narratives, participants experienced first-hand how storytelling can make complex phenomena tangible and memorable in an educational context.
Mapping Climate Journeys
One of the most engaging activities invited participants to trace real migration routes on world maps, connecting environmental stress, displacement, and adaptation strategies.
Each line drawn across the map became a conversation about survival, resilience, and opportunity.
The exercise sparked deep and meaningful discussions on how educational tools can promote empathy, critical thinking, and civic awareness among students — moving beyond statistics to reveal the human faces behind climate migration.
As several teachers noted, the mapping process helped them see how geography, science, and social studies can merge to form a truly interdisciplinary learning experience.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
The second day took place at PRAE Valladolid, a center devoted to environmental education and sustainability, where learning happens through direct experience and active participation.
In this setting surrounded by nature, participants took part in an escape activity and a climate mural workshop, both designed to translate environmental challenges into collaborative and playful forms of learning.
Through teamwork and problem-solving, they reflected on how experiential education can empower students to perceive climate change and migration as interconnected global realities rather than separate topics.
The PRAE visit was not only an opportunity to learn by doing but also to reconnect with the emotional dimension of education — reminding everyone that empathy and imagination are essential for long-term behavioural change.
The experience reinforced a shared belief: education must move beyond classroom walls to nurture collective reflection, civic responsibility, and climate awareness.
A Shared Commitment
The meeting concluded with a collaborative session focused on the project’s next steps: finalizing the Teacher Toolkit, preparing the upcoming teacher training in Gosselies, Belgium (3–5 February 2026), and reinforcing communication and dissemination efforts to engage schools and educators across Europe.
Partners left Valladolid energized and united by a common purpose — to continue building bridges between education, climate action, and social inclusion.
The two days in Spain offered not only practical progress for the project but also renewed conviction that teaching about climate and migration means teaching about our shared future.
The teacher training in Belgium is now fully booked, but further opportunities to get involved are coming soon.
ECEPAA will organize a local workshop in Brussels (March–April 2026) and an open webinar to share the outcomes of the Toolkit and the lessons learned from the pilot phase.
Those interested in joining these upcoming events are welcome to contact us at info@ecepaa.eu for more details.