The world that we live in has become smaller yet more complex due to the process of globalization. Goods, people and information, travel at unprecedented speed and magnitude, thus, the people live in a world of increasing interdependency. This has to be taken into account by the schools themselves. Global education aims at directing our attention at the global impact of our everyday actions. One of the most exciting methods to strengthen global education in the school is to establish school partnerships. This method is not wide-spread in Hungary, but there are some initiatives. We introduce the method of school partnerships, the main steps of its implementation through the cooperation between European and African schools, which was coordinated by Artemisszió Foundation.
One of the most important conclusions of the Hungarian-Sierra Leonean case study was that student actions were of outmost importance. Other educational processes paved the way to making a change in their immediate environment. Creativity manifested itself in the multifaceted nature of actions.
For example, Hungarian schools realized the following actions related to environmental sustainability:
– Selective waste collection was introduced with the help of the volunteer group of university students (ELTE EKSZ).
– Recycled materials (old newspapers, sheets) were used to create fashionable clothes, which were promoted during the school day and through a video of the fashion shooting. Waste was also used to create art pieces, toys and practical objects.
The actions of the schools in Sierra Leone were also varied:
– There is no potable running water in Freetown, thus, the students also looked for ways to reuse plastic water bags. Upcycling in this case, took the form of establishing a school garden.
– One of the most successful elements of the actions was the involvement of the local community. One school prepared a play, and visited schools in their neighbourhood to direct their attention to proper waste management.
Dowload the full report about the Hungary-Sierra Leone School partnerships here
