The Young Reporters for the Environment annual National Operators Meeting (NOM) took place in Guimarães from 17th to the 18th of February, counting with the presence of 29 different nationalities focusing on “sharing our ideas, challenges and opportunities” as stated by Lesley Jones, President of FEE.
Young Reporters for the Environment Project
The YRE project developed by Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE) operates in 34 countries and since it was officially established in 1994. This project challenges youngsters to investigate, connect, finding solutions, report and getting through to people in general what is happening locally, spreading the message using the media. Working on the same framework the young reporters write and make videos regarding themes as climate change, litter production, resource consumption and scarcity, agriculture and biodiversity or any other related to the environment.
NOM: the agenda
Fig. 1 – Discussions at the Sessions during the NOM
The National Operators Meeting promotes the communication between National Operators of the YRE project, being a “wonderful opportunity to work on the same goal and to share thoughts and opportunities”, according to Lesley Jones. This year NOM targeted discussing on how to strengthen YRE as a program and to create possible partnerships. What is more it was also debated how to reach more countries, whether to increase the age window up to 25 years old, if it was positive to fit the project in educational systems and the importance of professional development of National Operators and teachers. Moreover one of the main points in discussion was whether or not to extend YRE program field of work to all sustainable related topics.
Besides the discussion sessions, the program included the presentation of several Portuguese school projects and also counted with diverse participations from organizations such as UNESCO (Portugal) to political related speakers for instance Domingos Bragança, Mayor of Guimarães and Augusto Serrano, representative of the Portuguese Agency for the Environment (APA). The participants also had the opportunity to discover the city, its culture and the Portuguese gastronomy.
Why in Guimarães?
Being held in different countries every year, 2017 was the year for Guimarães a city linked to the foundation of the Portuguese national identity, recognized by its beauty and historical value by UNESCO in 2001.
“Sharing the history, science and good practices are key aspects to protect the environment.”, affirmed the Mayor of Guimarães. Bearing this in mind the municipality applied for the award of European Green Capital 2020. In order to achieve this several projects have been promoted in the city. One of these included teaching children on how to ride a bike so they could familiarize themselves with this eco-friendly mean of transport (EducaBiclas). Although, not focusing in only one theme, approaches to reduce urbane solid residues (Eco-pontas and Papa-Chicletes) and to increase forest area in the region (Guimarães mais floresta).
Fig. 2 – National Operators at the NOM 2017 in Guimarães
“At the NOM people travel, meet, debate, experiment, share and at the same time have fun”, stated José Archer, President of ABAE, during the Opening Session. All in all that is the whole point of a National Operator Meeting where National Operators of several different countries argue about how to increase the success of the Young Reporters for the Environment Project.
All the national operators are committed to make the YRE a more appealing and successful program. Will that involve changing the range of topics of investigation by YRE? Will he have 25 year old YRE’s? Will teachers more prepared to instruct their students about YRE? How will the number of YRE’s increase?
Portuguese YRE at the NOM 2017
Joana Pedro, Luís Dias, Ruben Pereira, Sara Cascais
