RCE Fryslân - 2022

European Regional RCE Meetings 2022
CSV
Basic Information
Title of project : 
European Regional RCE Meetings 2022
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Fryslân
Contributing organization(s) : 
SPARK the Movement; Vereniging Circulair Friesland; Aeres Leeuwarden; University of Groningen/Campus Fryslân; NHL/Stenden UAS; Claim your Future; Biosintrum; ROC Friese Poort; ROC Friesland College; Province ofFryslân; RCE Scotland; RCE Oldenburg Munsterland; GLobal RCE Service Centre;
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Heleentje Swart
Organizational Affiliation: 
SPARK the Movement
E-mail: 
heleentje.swart@circulairfriesland.frl
Format of project: 
Online conference; On-site conference; Magazine; Postcard
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Thursday, December 22, 2022
Web link: 
https://sparkthemovement.nl/rce-fryslan/
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
No
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Europe
Country: 
Netherlands
Location(s): 
Leeuwarden, Fryslân - Online
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Vereniging Circulair Friesland/ SPARK the Movement
Turfmarkt 11, 8911 KS
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
Ecosystem(s):

Target Audience:
Community, Higher, Primary, Secondary, Teacher Ed., TVET, Youth (Informal)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
In the Dutch context one of the more rural and agricultural regions. With an own language and a strongly regional cultural heritage, the region features a strong regional focus and community. While one of the poorer regions in the Netherlands, also one of the highest scoring in terms of Broad Well-being. Located close to the sea and large parts of reclaimed land. Furthermore the region is featuring forests and (drained-)peatlands.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
The region has the ambition to be one of the leading regions in Europe in terms of Circular Economy, for which they've recognized the need for a strong circular education programme. Furthermore, the region is facing a brain drain, which they aim to combat by gearing education towards a more future oriented way of working in order to stimulate local knowledge creation, provide local business with circular talent and attract more knowledge from abroad.
Contents
Status: 
Completed
Period: 
January, 2022
Rationale: 
Hosting the European RCE Meeting, allowed RCE Fryslân to both showcase and link the work already done on circular education and ESD to and with the European network, while also mobilizing energy in the region to further ESD and circular education. After the first meeting in February 2022 had to be held virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RCE Fryslân decided to host another physical meeting in October 2022 prepared in collaboration with RCE Scotland, RCE Oldenburger-Müsterland as well as with support of the Global RCE Service centre. We felt there was a need for a physical meeting in order to bring back the network together and explore concrete collaborative action lines.
Objectives: 
The meeting in February was aimed mainly at bringing together the European RCE Network in times of a pandemic. The goal was to inspire and activate the network within their own region, which resulted in the theme "The imaginative power of the region" and a big role for youth, art and culture in the programme.
The meeting in October was aimed at fostering concrete collaborations within the European Network, which resulted in a lot of space for working sessions in the programme, as well as multiple informal moments for members of the network to meet each other.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
In February an online conference was held consisting of 1 full day, with a publicly accessible programme, and 1 half day, for just the European RCEs to meet and discuss. The outcomes of the conference were bundled in a magazine, which was shared with the European RCE Network and is publicly accessible on the website of SPARK the Movement.
In October a 3 day conference was organized in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands with a programme containing presentations, excursions and working session. The conference ended with a informal trip to the UNESCO-Heritage Wadden Sea area. Afterwards all presentations, posters and outcomes of the conference were published on the website of SPARK the Movement and in form of a illustrated postcard sent to the European RCE Network
Size of academic audience: 
100-500
Results: 
The online conference in February had nearly 100 participants from all over Europe, with even more people reading the Magazine afterwards. Reactions from participants and the general feedback received was overwhelmingly positive, with even participants of the October Meeting referring back to the program.
The conference in October had with around 20 participants a lot smaller reach, however 6 concrete action lines were formulated. Details can be found in the attachments.
Lessons learned: 
The inclusion of forms of Art and Culture as well as the involvement of youth, are key in keeping engagement in RCE conferences. Furthermore both online and physical conference settings have their advantages and drawbacks, up to a point where one could argue they serve two different purposes. While a fully online conference is great to reach the whole network and connect RCEs from all over Europe. At the same time a physical conference works a lot better to get to concrete collaborations and plans.
Key messages: 
Holding 2 European RCE Meetings in 2022, one online and one on-site, gave us both the opportunity to reconnect after a time of disconnect, while at the same time showed us how to effectively work as a network in the future.
Funding: 
Funding for both meetings was provided by Province of Fryslân, with in kind support by RCE Scotland, RCE Oldenburg Munsterland;, and the GLobal RCE Service Centre.
References and reference materials: 
PDF icon Magazine-RCE-European-Meeting-22.pdf
PDF icon POSTCARD!_RCE_European Meeting_2022_4 Christmas Greetings.pdf
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Indirect
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Indirect
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Indirect
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 
Indirect
SDG 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 
Indirect
SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 
Indirect
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Indirect
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Indirect
SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries 
Indirect
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Indirect
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Indirect
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Indirect
SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 
Indirect
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Indirect
SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Indirect
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Direct
Theme
Disaster Risk Reduction 
Indirect
Traditional Knowledge  
Indirect
Agriculture 
Indirect
Arts 
Direct
Curriculum Development 
Direct
Ecotourism 
Indirect
Forests/Trees 
Indirect
Plants & Animals 
Indirect
Waste 
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes