After a year of active involvement in project activities, all participants gained valuable insights, took part in engaging workshops and discussions with specialists, discovered new regions and cultures, and built friendships we hope will last for many years. These experiences have encouraged us to observe our environment with greater awareness and to better understand the transformations taking place around us. Motivated to continue learning about the effects of climate change in mountain regions, we are now embarking on the next stage of our journey — Italy.
From 18–22 September 2025, teachers from partner schools in Slovakia and Germany met with their colleagues at Istituto Comprensivo di Valmorea, near Varese, Italy, for a preparatory meeting to discuss the details of our future cooperation. During the meeting, the teachers confirmed the dates for the group mobilites of students, shared ideas for the content of the mobility weeks, and discussed possible cooperation with Italian educational and scientific institutions dealing with climate change, biodiversity, and mountain environments. The teams also planned activities to be carried out between exchange visits and prepared student forms for homestay arrangements.
A special part of the visit was a meeting with the major of Binago and the headmaster of the IC Valmorea. Together with the Italian colleagues involved in the project, we discussed the content and goals of the project, exchanged ideas about what we would like our students to do, learn, and experience, and agreed on the tasks and “homework” to be completed before the first student exchange. This meeting strengthened our cooperation and gave us all a clearer vision of the next steps in our shared work.
Our Italian colleagues organized a wonderfully rich and productive program. We had a guided school tour, where enthusiastic Italian students presented their school to the visiting teachers from the partner countries. We also had the opportunity to visit classrooms, greet the students, and briefly introduce our joint project. The aim was to spark curiosity and motivation among the Italian students to take part in future project activities. Many students asked thoughtful questions about the partner countries, their school systems, and the content of the project.
One of the highlights of the visit was a trip to Lago di Como, where participants enjoyed the beautiful natural scenery and discussed ideas for outdoor learning activities that could later be part of the student exchanges.
The preparatory visit in Italy combined creative teamwork, cultural exchange, and inspiration, setting the stage for the next phase of our collaboration. We are looking forward to continuing this adventure, knowing it will be another unforgettable and enriching experience for both students and teachers.
