“I keep hold of everything I have learned: Respect for others and the environment. The Earth belongs to everyone and there is only one Earth. This project brought me joy, knowledge and experience. And what I carry with me is that there is still a lot to do to improve the environment” explains one of the participants in “nARTure”. One of the more than 100 young people who participated in the activities of this European project, a key organisation being Misiones Salesianas, the Salesian Mission Office based in Madrid.
In fact, the Salesian organisation took care of the part of the project relating to young people in Spain, along with “The High Mountains” and “Arte M.” who carried out the same service with young people in Greece and Portugal.
In a joint effort to foster the bond between young people and their cultural and natural environment, the “nARTure” project has successfully concluded innovative workshops in all three countries, focusing on sustainable cultural practices and the close relationship between body expression and nature.
During these interdisciplinary sessions, the young participants from Madrid's "ICEAS" association, the "Valora" social platform and the "Tomillo" foundation immersed themselves in the exploration of intercultural documents and archives and discovered the history and culture that form the identity of their communities. The initiative thus sought not only to convey knowledge, but also to inspire a sense of responsibility and appreciation for the cultural heritage and the environment in which young people grow up.
In Spain, Misiones Salesianas has also collaborated with “Herbario Comestible”, a local cultural association that promotes sustainable practices and a deeper bond with nature. It organised a day trip to Canencia Park, not far from Madrid, with this association, in which participants had the opportunity to have fun and learn to identify plants and responsible harvesting practices.
“‘nARTure’ is a project in which we tried to focus on cultural and artistic practices that we share and that are sustainable. Because we want to give them visibility and claim the need to transform society and culture to take care of our ‘Common Home’", explained Ángela Denore, project manager on behalf of Misiones Salesianas.
“And we are also satisfied with the response of young people and their involvement”, said Denore.
Through the pedagogical resources of “nARTure” it is possible to further promote development education, sustainability and the link with culture. In addition, the project lays the foundation for a future where local communities are rooted in their past, aware of their present and committed to a sustainable future.
