From September 27 to 30, Valsaín (Segovia) hosted the XI ESenRED Symposium, the state network of educational centers for sustainability. This year, under the theme "Educational centers, engines of local transformation: let's communicate change", the role of educational centers as drivers of change in their environment has been highlighted.
Sant Feliu participated in the inaugural session as an example of a city that fosters the connection between students and their territory. At the round table, an experience from a school in Logroño was presented, and representatives from three ministries participated: Housing and Urban Agenda, Education, and Ecological Transition.
Teachers Natalia Zapatero (Escola Bon Salvador) and Laura Belmonte (Escola Monmany) presented the coordinated work trajectory among the city's educational centers, which has been developing for twenty years.
They highlighted the monthly meetings between teachers and the Environmental Services Office of the City Council, a space for co-creation that allows for the development of joint ecosocial projects, researching issues, proposing actions, and involving students beyond the classroom.
Among the presented experiences are the projects "Dràstics amb els plàstics" (Tough on Plastics), "Alimenta't de Sant Feliu" (Feed Yourself from Sant Feliu), "Refugis Bioclimàtics" (Bioclimatic Shelters), and "Espais que Cuiden" (Spaces that Care), initiatives that have translated student proposals into improvement actions in the city.
The round table emphasized the importance of student participation in all phases of the processes, from research to action development, fostering meaningful learning and active involvement in transforming their environment.
The teachers also participated in workshops and experience exchanges with educators from across Spain, learning about diverse realities and new ways to work on sustainability.
“"Sometimes it is necessary to receive external feedback to be aware of the value of what we do."
“"I have realized that what we do in Sant Feliu happens in few places; it is truly relevant work."
Participation in the Symposium served to disseminate Sant Feliu's work model, learn from other experiences, and highlight the joint efforts of centers, teachers, students, and technicians to move towards a more sustainable city.
Esenred (Sustainable Schools in Network) is the state network of public administrations promoting Education for Sustainability in 14 autonomous communities, of which Sant Feliu has been a member of the Technical Coordination since 2022.
