Final event of the implementation of the "Sunny Schools in the Western Balkans" initiative in Valjevo
The final event within the framework of the "Sunny Schools in the Western Balkans" initiative was held on June 21, 2024, in Valjevo. The event gathered more than 50 principals, teachers, and students from elementary schools in Valjevo, representatives of the city councils of Valjevo and Kragujevac, as well as other relevant stakeholders.
At the event, key results were presented following a year of implementation of this initiative in Valjevo. The regional initiative, implemented by the Open Society Foundation Western Balkans, encompasses several components: the installation of solar power plants in six elementary schools in Valjevo, research within school communities among students, parents, and teachers about their knowledge of various aspects of the green transition, and an educational component involving workshops on environmental protection, renewable energy sources, and sustainable development for fifth, sixth, and seventh-grade students. The implementation of this initiative in Valjevo is carried out from August 2023 to July 2024, involving twelve elementary schools, with solar power plants installed in six schools where workshops were also held with students. The educational component of the initiative in Serbia was implemented by the Belgrade Open School, and more than 130 students from six schools in Valjevo participated in the two-day workshops
Vladimir Mišković, a member of the Valjevo City Council, spoke at the event, presenting the experience of working on the initiative from the perspective of the city of Valjevo, and how this initiative has contributed to raising awareness among citizens, especially within school communities, about environmental improvement in Valjevo. On behalf of the Open Society Foundations Western Balkan, Aleksandra Sanjević presented the key results of this initiative at the regional level and highlighted examples of good practices achieved so far. Additionally, Olivera Vukovic, Executive Director of SeCoNs – Development Initiative Group, presented the results of research conducted in two phases in twelve schools, indicating the readiness of teachers and students to engage in such initiatives and pointed out key areas for development related to improving cooperation among schools and parents in the context of implementing various extracurricular activities.
Furthermore, principals of the elementary schools involved in the initiative's implementation spoke at the event, highlighting how the initiative encouraged them to introduce various green practices, mutual cooperation, and exchange of experiences, as well as future project writing in the field of environmental protection.
Finally, students from "Vladika Nikolaj Velimirovic" elementary school, whose presentation on improving environmental protection was selected at the Bazaar of Green Ideas, presented their idea for protecting the Gradac River and the surrounding areas.
In the upcoming period, the city of Valjevo will continue to support schools and monitor the effects of the initiative's implementation, while the "Sunny Schools in the Western Balkans" initiative will be implemented in Kragujevac from the fall of 2024.