The activity ‘Rivers that unite us’, carried out in the middle of the Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurés Natural Park, combined educational games and a drawing competition to raise awareness about the value of water and the impact of climate change.
On Friday 16 May, the Xurés Plurilingual CEIP took part in the educational day ‘Rivers that unite us’, a recreational and educational activity as part of the European Cross-Border Cooperation Project POCTEP RISC_PLUS. The initiative was organised by the project’s partners – the Miño-Sil Hydrographic Confederation (CHMS), the University of Vigo (UVigo), the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the University of Porto (Ou.porto) – with the aim of promoting environmental awareness among students from an early age.
The day, aimed at nursery and primary school pupils, included participatory and educational activities centred on knowledge and respect for water, as well as the protection of the natural environment shared between Spain and Portugal. Through dynamics adapted to their ages, the students reflected on the importance of the rivers in their environment, such as the Miño or the Limia, and on the need to preserve these fluvial ecosystems in the face of threats such as contamination or climate change.
As part of the activity, there was a drawing competition entitled ‘Caring for my river, helped by the European Union’, in which the boys and girls modelled their ideas on how to protect the riverbeds that are part of the cross-border natural heritage. The winning works were announced during the event and exhibited in the school centre, with outstanding involvement and creativity on the part of the pupils.
This educational activity reinforces the RISC_PLUS project’s commitment to environmental awareness and citizen involvement as key tools for preventing risks associated with phenomena such as flooding, the project’s central objective. It also emphasises the added value of being part of a strategic project within the framework of POCTEP cooperation, which promotes joint solutions to common challenges in the Galicia-Northern Portugal Euroregion.
The environmental education day ‘Rivers that unite us’ shows how science, education and international collaboration can go hand in hand to sow the seeds of a citizenry that is more aware of and committed to its natural environment. ‘This morning we held several workshops that were very successful in terms of participation and willingness to learn about topics such as the water cycle; the benefits of working together between border countries that share river basins; the help provided by the European Union through POCTEP co-funded projects; the importance of saving water, etc.’ explained Carlos Ruiz, head of OPH and director of the RISC_PLUS project.
‘On behalf of all the partners in the project, I’d like to thank the students for their participation and creativity in the ‘Rivers that unite us’ competition; and the teachers for their good humour and help since the project was presented at the educational centre. Last but not least, I would like to thank the mayor of Lobios for her magnificent welcome, willingness and collaboration in the event,’ concluded Ruiz RISC_PLUS Project The actions carried out under the POCTEP RISC_PLUS project are co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg VIM A Spain – Portugal (POCTEP) 2021-2027 programme, which promotes cross-border cooperation projects with the support of the European Union.
Resolution of the ‘RIVERS THAT UNITE US’ competition
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
1º MIGUEL DOMíNGUEZ SAIS
2ND BRAIS FERNÁNDEZ NÚÑEZ
PRIMARY EDUCATION
1º ELEA BASTOS FORT
2ND HUGO IGLESIAS DELGADO
