Last updated: March 3, 2023

RCE Basque Country-Navarre

Photo Credit:
Rce details
Region:
EUROPE
Country:
Regional
Overview
Date of RCE acknowledgement:
January, 2023
Description of RCE and Geographic Region:

The RCE Basque Country-Navarre is international in nature, covering two regions from different countries (Spain and France) although they share a significant number of characteristics.

The Basque Country (Euskal Herria in Basque; País Vasco in Spanish and Pays Basque in French) is the name given to the home of the Basque people. The Basque country is located in the western Pyrenees, straddling the border between France and Spain on the coast of the Bay of Biscay. Euskal Herria is the oldest documented Basque name for the area they inhabit, dating from the 16th century.

It comprises the Autonomous Communities of the Southern Basque Country (Hegoalde) and Navarre (Nafarroa) in Spain, and the Northern Basque Country (Iparralde) in France. The region is home to the Basque people (Euskaldunak), their language (Euskara), culture and traditions.


Photo credit: RCE Basque Country-Navarre

Goals and Objectives:

The long-term objectives of the RCE Basque Country-Navarre are determined as follows:

  • To achieve complicity among all the entities and individuals active in the field of Education for Sustainability, aiming to work together in the transition of our lifestyles towards a new culture of sustainability.
  • To boost innovative and inclusive methodologies that seek learning for action in the field of Education for Sustainability.

Emanating from these overall targets, the following short-term objectives have been identified:

  • To facilitate collaborative work between the different stakeholders based in the Basque Country within the field of Education for Sustainability.
  • To give visibility to the respective projects and initiatives by enhancing the digital presence (mass media, social networks and channels).
  • To draw up collaborative actions on transformative education and environmental, social and economic awareness with specific objectives and concrete measures to achieve them.
Organisation Hosting RCE Secretariat:

UN Etxea – Basque Country Association for UNESCO

Key Partners:

Name of organisation: UN Etxea – Basque Country Association for UNESCO
Role: Core Institution
Contact name: Samuel Fernández Diekert
Contact email: s.fernandez-diekert@unetxea.org

Name of organisation: Directorate for Natural Heritage and Climate Change – Vice-Ministry Of Environmental Sustainability, Basque Country Government
Role: Core Institution
Contact name: Mikel Ballesteros
Contact email: m-ballesteros@euskadi.eus

Name of organisation: Mancoeduca (Environmental Education Programme of the Pamplona County)
Role: Core Institution
Contact name: Mar García
Contact email: coordactividades@mancoeduca.com

Name of organisation: Basque Youth Council (EGK)
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Maialen Olabe
Contact email: koordinatzaile@egk.eus

Name of organisation: BizkaiKOA – Museum of Archeology and Santimamiñe Cave, UNESCO World Heritage
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Iñaki García Camino
Contact email: inaki.garcia@bizkaia.eus

Name of organisation: UNESCO Chair on Human Resources / University of Deusto (UD)
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Sergio Caballero
Contact email: catedra.unesco@deusto.es

Name of organisation: Mondragon University Enpresagintza (MUE) – Mondragon Team Academy (MTA)
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Maria Jane Gray
Contact email: mjgray@mondragon.edu

Name of organisation: University of Navarre (UNAV)
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Ignacio López-Goñi
Contact email: ilgoni@unav.es

Name of organisation:  ESTIA Institute of Technology
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Jérémie Fahan
Contact email: j.fahan@estia.fr

Name of organisation: BBK Banking Foundation
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Víctor Carramiñana
Contact email: victor.carraminana@bbk.eus

Name of organisation: Ortzadar S.L. – Ekoetxea Urdabai UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Pilar Silva
Contact email: pilar.silva@ortzadar.es

Name of organisation: Zabalketa Association
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Gorka Cubero
Contact email: gorka@zabalketa.org

Name of organisation: Alboan Foundation
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Carol del Rio
Contact email: c.delrio@alboan.org

Name of organisation: Diocesanas-Jesús Obrero Foundation (Egibide School)
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Eduardo Ochoa de Aspuru
Contact email: eochoadeaspuru@egibide.org

Name of organisation: Arizmendiarrieta Foundation
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Txus Arana
Contact email: ti.alabadoseas@gmail.com

Name of organisation: Somorrostro Training Centre (CFS)
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Sofía Juanes
Contact email: sofia.juanes@somorrostro.com

Name of organisation: Asociación Red Navarra de Aprendizaje y Servicio Solidario (RedAySS)
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Eduardo Fernández
Contact email: efer568@gmail.com

Name of organisation: Planetario de Pamplona
Role: Key Institution
Contact name: Nieves Gordón
Contact email: nieves@pamplonetario.org

Name of organisation: Basque Agency for Development Cooperation (eLankidetza)
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Mónica Fernández
Contact email: m-fernandezvidal@elankidetza.eus

Name of organisation: UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Development and Environmental Education UPV/EHU
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Ana Berreteaga
Contact email: iraunkortasun.katedra@ehu.eus

Name of organisation: UNESCO Chair on Cultural Landscapes and Heritage UPV/EHU
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Aida López
Contact email: aida.lopez@ehu.eus

Name of organisation: UNESCO Chair on World Language Heritage UPV/EHU
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Inés García
Contact email: ines.garciaazkoaga@ehu.eus

Name of organisation: El Transbordador de Bizkaia S.L. - Bizkaia Bridge, UNESCO World Heritage
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Marta Uriarte
Contact email: m.uriarte@puente-colgante.com

Name of organisation: Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Enara Novillo
Contact email: enovillo@albaola.org

Name of organisation: ACLIMA – Basque Environment Cluster
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Rakel Reyes
Contact email: rakel@aclima.eus

Name of organisation: Economistas Sin Fronteras (EsF) Euskadi
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Laura Ruiz
Contact email: laura.ruiz@ecosfron.org

Name of organisation: EDE Foundation
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Marta Pastor
Contact email: mpastor@edefundazioa.org

Name of organisation: Ayuda en Acción Euskadi
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Mónica Quintela
Contact email: mquintela@ayudaenaccion.org

Name of organisation: Mundukide Foundation – Kooperazio Kooperatiboa
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Amaia Aseginolaza
Contact email: aaseginolaza@mundukide.org

Name of organisation: Lauro Ikastola
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Jon Andoni Gómez
Contact email: 2030agenda@lauroikastola.eus

Name of organisation: Zumaiena Ikastetxea
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Isaak Aranberri
Contact email: isaak.aranberri@zumaiena.eus

Name of organisation: Lauaxeta Ikastola
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Aitor Pagaldai
Contact email: aitorpagaldai@lauaxeta.eus

Name of organisation: Carmelitas Sagrado Corazón School
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Nieves Maya
Contact email: direccion@carmelitasvitoria.com

Name of organisation: Jesuitinas Bilbao Ikastetxea
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Josune Extremiana
Contact email: direccion@jesuitinasbilbao.es

Name of organisation: Solidarity, Education and Development (SED)
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Sara Aldaba
Contact email: sara@sed-ongd.org

Name of organisation: Organización Navarra para Ayuda entre pueblos (ONAY)
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Amaia Leránoz
Contact email: aleranoz@onay.org

Name of organisation: Coordinadora de ONGDs de Navarra
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Marian Pascual
Contact email: educacion@congdnavarra.org

Name of organisation: Misiones Salesianas
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Oskar Pérez
Contact email: jyd.paisvasco@jovenesydesarrollo.org

Name of organisation: Basque Coast UNESCO Global Geopark
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Leire Barriuso
Contact email: geogarapen@geogarapen.com

Name of organisation: Arazi Ideiak Borobiltzen – Ekain Cave, UNESCO World Heritage
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Juanjo Aranburu
Contact email: arazi@arazi.eus

Name of organisation: UNRWA Euskadi
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Bárbara Ruiz
Contact email: euskadi@unrwa.es

Name of organisation: eCivis, Asociación para la Promoción de la Ciudadanía Activa
Role: Promoting Institution
Contact name: Sonia Prieto
Contact email: asociacionecivis@gmail.com

Activities
Current Activities:
  • Factoría 4.7 – Latin American Platform for Education for Sustainable Development (UN Etxea – Basque Country Association for UNESCO, Basque Agency for Development Cooperation)
  • UNESCO’s Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) UN Etxea, Zumaiena Ikastetxea, Lauaxeta Ikastola, Lauro Ikastola, Carmelitas-Sagrado Corazón)
  • Facilitate collaborative work of the different agents working in Basque Country in Education for Sustainability (All Basque entities led by the Directorate for Natural Heritage and Climate Change – Vice-Ministry of Environmental Sustainability, Basque Country Government)
  • Achieve complicity among all the people who works in the field of Education for Sustainability, to work together in the transition of our ways of life towards a new culture of sustainability (All Basque entities led by the Directorate for Natural Heritage and Climate Change – Vice-Ministry of Environmental Sustainability, Basque Country Government)
  • Give visibility through digital presence (mass media, networks and channels) (All Basque entities led by the Directorate for Natural Heritage and Climate Change – Vice-Ministry of Environmental Sustainability, Basque Country Government)
  • BBK Kuna 2030 Kideak (BBK Foundation, Lauro Ikastola, Somorrostro Training Centre, ACLIMA, Mondragon University Enpresagintza (MUE), Lauaxeta Ikastola, Ortzadar S.L., UNESCO Chair at the University of Deusto, UNESCO Chair on World Language Heritage of the UPV-EHU)
  • Participation as guest professors at the Master’s Degree in Environment, Sustainability and SDGs hosted by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) (UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Development and Environmental Education (UPV/EHU)
  • UNESCO Chair on Cultural Landscapes and Heritage (UPV/EHU), Zabalketa Association)
  • Education for the eco-social transformation in Vocational Training Centres and Basque Country University (Zabalketa Association, Somorrostro Training Centre, Egibide, Mundukide, UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Development and Environmental Education (UPV/EHU), UNESCO Chair at the University of Deusto)
  • Internship of International Relations Degree’s students’ internship at UN Etxea (UNESCO Chair at the University of Deusto and UN Etxea)
  • Euskal Herriko Unesco Sarea (EHUS) – Network of UNESCO entities in the Basque Country (UNESCO Chair at the University of Deusto, UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Development and Environmental Education (UPV/EHU), UNESCO Chair on World Language Heritage of the UPV-EHU, UNESCO Chair on Cultural Landscapes and Heritage UPV/EHU, UNESCO Etxea, Zumaiena Ikastetxea, Lauaxeta Ikastola, Lauro Ikastola, Carmelitas-Sagrado Corazón, Jesuitinas Bilbao, Berrio Otxoa Ikastetxea, Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria, Suspension Bridge – Bizkaia Bridge, Arazi, BizkaiKOA and Basque Coast Geopark)
  • Inspira Steam: project to encourage girls to be part of science and technology (Zumaiena Ikastetxea, Lauaxeta Ikastola and University of Deusto)
  • Biziberritu: project to give a sustainable vision of companies' waste and upcycle them using students' creativity (Zumaiena Ikastetxea and Mondragon University Enpresagintza (MUE))
  • Cooperation for sustainable development in Bolivia (Somorrostro Training Centre and Zabalketa Association)
  • Determining responses to specific environmental challenges in the Philippines in partnership with Higher Vocational Training Environmental Education through programmes and control guidelines (Egibide and Zabalketa Association)


Photo credit: RCE Basque Country-Navarre

Upcoming Activities:
  • Boost innovative and inclusive methodologies that seek learning for action in the field of education for sustainability (All Basque entities led by the Directorate for Natural Heritage and Climate Change – Vice-Ministry of Environmental Sustainability, Basque Country Government)
  • Draw up collaborative actions on environmental education and awareness with specific objectives and concrete measures to achieve them (All Basque entities led by the Directorate for Natural Heritage and Climate Change – Vice-Ministry of Environmental Sustainability, Basque Country Government)
  • Learning the methodology “Basque Country ecosystems services evaluation” and adaptation of rural reality in the Global South countries (UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Development and Environmental Education (UPV/EHU) and Zabalketa Association)
  • Heziketa Topaketa (Basque Agency for Development and Cooperation (AVCD), UN Etxea and Basque Department of Education)
  • Solidarity Schools, a project in coordination with the Government of Navarre in pre-university educational centres (Coordinadora ONGD Navarra, Alboan, Madre Coraje, Proclade Yanapay, SED, Paz y Solidaridad, Medicos del Mundo, Fabre, FFEE-SETEM, UNRWA, ACPP, ONAY, Oxfam, Education Department, Department of Social Rights)
Achievements:

The RCE Basque Country-Navarre is presenting itself publicly to the Basquex and Navarra society as a network that seeks to transform ESD in the Basque Country and Navarre through innovation and shared learning, enabling education stakeholders to take ESD as the inspiration for their educational policies, plans and practices.

Furthermore, a number of participating RCE entities will provide several physical resources, such as meeting and activity spaces.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is crucial to measure the success of our RCE activities prior to replication, escalation and dissemination. RCE Basque Country-Navarre will be proactively engaged in learning and reflection on how its programmes can be done better and improved. M&E instruments to be applied in specific activities and general outcomes will include performance indicators, formal surveys, focus groups, and other standard procedures, but emphasis will be put on participatory methods, so that stakeholders (including participants) also have ownership over the M&E process, results, and recommendations, becoming actively engaged in the improvement of the RCE initiative.

As it was the case in the process leading to this constitution as RCE, external actors, not directly involved with RCE Basque Country-Navarre, will continue to be engaged in improving programme design. A number of indicators are available for impact evaluation throughout the socio‐ecological framework, from the individual to changes in the environment. The usage of Internet‐based technologies will also be instrumental in generating quantitative and qualitative data for M&E, including such items as downloaded apps, page visits, site users, social network shares and comments, etc.

In terms of M&E, RCE Basque Country-Navarre will follow the example provided by the experience of RCE Galicia, which has accompanied the internal process of elaboration of the RCE Basque Country-Navarre application document. At an internal level i.e., participation of 40% of all organizations represented in the RCE in the ordinary meetings will be used as a basis for reference.

Contact Details
Main RCE Contact:
Samuel Fernández Diekert
s.fernandez-diekert@unetxea.org
Secondary RCE Contact:
Mr. Victor Carramiñana Castro, BBK Kuna
victor.carraminana@bbk.eus
RCE Youth Coordinator(s):
Ms. Maialen Olabe, Basque Youth Council (EGK)
RCE mailing address for correspondence:

Isozaki Atea - Plaza de la Convivencia
Paseo de Uribitarte 12, Local 2
48001 Bilbao
Spain
Tlf: +34 94 427 64 32