Kick - off meeting in Poland, 18-21.03.2024

On 18-21.03.2024, a preparatory meeting (kick-off meeting) was held, inaugurating the implementation of the project "Reducing Pollution and Empowering Youth through Himmeli Creation: A Collaborative Erasmus+ Project with Environmental and Economic Impact", financed by the Erasmus+ KA210-VET Program. The meeting was attended by 3 representatives of partner organizations from Greece and North Macedonia, the headmaster of ZSOiO in Pruszcz Gdański (acting as the project coordinator) and 2 teachers of ZSOiO in Pruszcz Gdański (who will be responsible for the implementation of the substantive part of the project activities).

On the first day of the meeting, each of the partner organizations presented the profile of their activities and their experience in the area of ​​work for environmental protection and promoting sustainable development of the agri-food industry. Each organization presented good practices related to promoting responsible use of natural resources in the youth environment.

The second day of the meeting was devoted to working sessions related to the logistical and substantive planning of all project activities. On this day, the project action plan was discussed, the final version of the partnership agreements was established, the dissemination action plan was established, we created an outline of the website to promote the project results. We created a Google drive (where we will work on the project results) and gave access to the drive to all meeting participants. We discussed the principles of communication and current reporting during the project. The third day of the kick-off meeting was intended for study visits and meetings with local decision-makers. Meetings were held at the Poviat Gdański in Pruszcz Gdański with the vice-starosta - Ms. Marzena Biernacka and employees of the Department of Culture, Education and Social Affairs and the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection. The meetings were an opportunity to present the project concept at the local government forum, draw the attention of the local government to the problem of post-season grass and reed burning, and present the Himmeli concept as a tool for recycling reeds to create sets supporting artistic education, allowing the development of manual skills and logical thinking (these sets can be used both as part of formal education at school and as part of non-formal education classes implemented by NGOs). In turn, employees of the Poviat Gdański presented the project participants with a detailed analysis of the problem of grass and reed burning in agricultural areas, the attitude of local farmers to this problem and actions taken at the local level to promote recycling methods and environmentally neutral disposal of agricultural waste. At the end of the day, the official signing of cooperation agreements for the implementation of the project took place by legal representatives of all organizations participating in the project. As a result of the meeting, an information brochure was published addressed to teachers, youth workers and local government employees, presenting the issue of burning grass and reeds that are a by-product of agri-food production, containing an analysis of the problem and outlines of classes aimed at drawing the attention of young people to the harmful aspects of grass burning and the need to implement alternative, environmentally neutral methods of utilizing and recycling drying reeds. The brochure is the result of discussions and exchange of experiences between all partner organizations and the local government environment of the Poviat Gdański.