Today is the launch of the documentary “Learning by Nature”, directed by Erika Reinkendorf, which highlights the experience of six Costa Rican schools implementing Education for Sustainable Development. The documentary seeks to communicate good practices and experiences in Education for Sustainable Development and inspire other schools to embark on this journey of reorienting their work with a vision of sustainability. The question that drove Erika during this project was: what can we learn from these schools? How are they doing it, and what elements do they have that can inspire others?
In 2020, UNESCO launched a roadmap for Education for Sustainable development, which establishes a global framework that invites education systems to work towards the formation of responsible and conscious citizens capable of addressing complex contemporary challenges. “Learning by Nature” is framed within these guidelines, seeking to highlight successful examples of educational institutions that implement these principles of sustainability and use the Earth Charter as an instrument. The schools that were part of the documentary, both public and private, located in rural and urban areas of Costa Rica, are committed to educating children and youth on facing the challenges of today’s world, taking advantage of the specific opportunities and resources of their contexts, without neglecting the goal of providing quality education for all.
The Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica, through its Education for Sustainable Development Policy and Action Plan, promotes systems thinking as a fundamental tool to develop and strengthen skills in sustainability: environmental, social and economic. This holistic approach is essential to prepare students to face global challenges effectively. The documentary “Learning by Nature” shows the joint efforts of schools and various institutions to implement a holistic approach to education, involving all stakeholders in educational communities, which considers factors such as curriculum and pedagogy to administrative management, infrastructure and organizational culture of each school.
During the development of this documentary, the relevance of learning and collaboration networks has become evident. Programs such as the Ecological Blue Flag Programme, promoted by the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), and the UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet), play a crucial role in promoting and supporting educational transformation processes. These initiatives encourage the adoption of sustainable practices and the creation of collaborative spaces between educational institutions. This audiovisual project aims to inspire more schools to overcome barriers and begin their transformation towards a more sustainable education for all.
Earth Charter International and the Humboldt School jointly organized this launch in the auditorium of the Humboldt School. The event provided a space not only to publicize the valuable example of schools working with this approach in Costa Rica, but also to reflect on Education for Sustainable Development, in line with the efforts established by UNESCO and to promote the guidelines of the Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica in this regard.
We thank the following schools for their participation:
- Centro Educativo Universitario Para Niños y Adolescentes (CEUNA)
- La Joya School
- Humboldt School
- José Cubero Muñoz School
- Alajuela Institute
- San Francisco de Peñas Blancas School
Find the documentary here.
Sobre la Carta de la Tierra
La Carta de la Tierra es un documento con dieciséis principios que impulsan un movimiento global hacia un mundo más justo, sostenible y pacífico. La UNESCO adoptó dos Resoluciones las cuales reconocen a la Carta de la Tierra como un marco ético importante para el desarrollo sostenible, y motivan a Estados Miembro a usar la Carta de la Tierra en procesos de Educación para el Desarrollo Sostenible, especialmente en la implementación del marco EDS 2030.
Para apoyar el movimiento, su Centro de Educación ofrece cursos, materiales y oportunidades de intercambio para convertir la conciencia en acción. Para más información visita: https://cartadelatierra.org