RESPONSIBLE Takes Off: European Partners Unite in France for a More Sustainable Future
Updated: 4 days ago
17 – 19 November 2025 | Nantes and the Loire Valley, France
How can schools inspire the next generation to reduce waste, rethink consumption and take responsibility for a more sustainable future?
This question brought together educators and representatives from six European countries in France for the official launch of RESPONSIBLE, an Erasmus+ project dedicated to promoting Zero Waste principles through education, creativity and international cooperation.
From 17 to 19 November 2025, project partners from France, Türkiye, Romania, Iceland, Norway and Croatia gathered for their first Transnational Partner Meeting (TPM1), hosted by the project coordinator, OGEC Familial du Val d’Erdre.
The three-day meeting marked the beginning of an international collaboration aimed at transforming how young people understand waste, encouraging creative approaches to recycling and developing practical educational resources that help schools promote more sustainable lifestyles.
A European Partnership for Zero Waste Education
At the heart of RESPONSIBLE is a simple but powerful message: Zero Waste = Sustainable World.
The project seeks to encourage young Europeans to become more environmentally responsible by understanding the importance of reducing waste, reusing materials and recycling resources.
Through a combination of environmental education, creative workshops, scientific experimentation and international learning activities, RESPONSIBLE aims to make sustainability a practical and engaging part of everyday school life.
The partnership brings together six organisations with complementary educational backgrounds and expertise:
France: OGEC Familial du Val d’Erdre – Project Coordinator
Türkiye: TULPAR Eğitim Gençlik Sanat Destekleme ve Araştırma Derneği
Romania: Școala Gimnazială „Ion Roșca”, Cochirleanca
Iceland: GeoCamp Iceland
Norway: Rakkestad ungdomsskole
Croatia: Osnovna škola Braća Radić, Koprivnica
Together, these organisations will develop and test educational approaches that connect sustainability with creativity, science, practical learning and responsible citizenship.
The kick-off meeting provided the first opportunity for representatives from all six organisations to meet face-to-face, exchange experiences and establish a shared vision for the project.
Turning Environmental Challenges into Educational Opportunities
The opening sessions focused on the project’s objectives and the environmental challenges that RESPONSIBLE aims to address.
Across Europe, schools have an important role in helping young people understand the consequences of consumption, waste generation and environmental pollution.
However, sustainability education becomes particularly meaningful when students are given opportunities to explore these challenges through practical activities. RESPONSIBLE aims to bridge this gap by combining environmental knowledge with creative experimentation and hands-on learning.
The project will focus on developing a Sustainability Curriculum, transforming discarded materials into artistic products and exploring the production of environmentally responsible paints from organic waste.
These activities will help students understand that materials often considered waste may still have value and that responsible choices can contribute to protecting natural resources.
During the meeting, partners agreed that educational, artistic, scientific and environmental activities should complement one another throughout the project.
This interdisciplinary approach will allow schools to connect sustainability with subjects such as Science, Art, Geography, Technology and STEAM education.
Developing a Sustainability Curriculum for European Schools
ne of the central discussions during the meeting concerned the development of the RESPONSIBLE Sustainability Curriculum. The curriculum will provide teachers with educational content and practical approaches for integrating sustainability, waste reduction and environmental responsibility into classroom teaching.
Rather than focusing exclusively on theoretical knowledge, the project aims to encourage active learning through experimentation, creative activities and real-world environmental challenges.
Partners discussed the curriculum’s structure, educational objectives and development process, drawing on their different experiences in school education, environmental learning and curriculum design.
The curriculum will provide a foundation for the project’s practical activities, including workshops on transforming solid waste into artistic products and experimenting with organic paints produced from biowaste.
The partnership also emphasised the importance of ensuring that educational materials are adaptable to different national school systems and suitable for practical classroom use.
By developing resources collaboratively, RESPONSIBLE aims to create teaching materials that can benefit schools beyond the six participating countries.
From Waste to Art and Innovation
Creativity and innovation are central to the RESPONSIBLE approach.
An important part of the project will involve exploring how discarded materials can be transformed into new products through artistic and practical activities.
Students will be encouraged to experiment with waste materials, investigate their properties and discover opportunities for reuse.
Another key element involves the development of organic paints from biowaste, connecting environmental education with scientific investigation and artistic expression.
These activities will demonstrate how sustainability can be explored across traditional subject boundaries, encouraging students to combine scientific curiosity with creativity and practical problem-solving.
The project will also include international learning activities, allowing students and teachers to exchange experiences, explore different educational approaches and develop a stronger understanding of shared environmental responsibilities.
Through these activities, RESPONSIBLE aims to empower young people to become active participants in creating a more sustainable future.
Building the Foundations for European Cooperation
Alongside discussions about educational content, the kick-off meeting established the practical foundations for implementing the project.
Partners reviewed the five project Work Packages, confirmed their responsibilities and discussed the timetable for forthcoming activities.
Particular attention was given to project coordination, communication, quality assurance, evaluation and the sharing of educational resources.
The consortium also established common approaches to project visibility and dissemination, ensuring that the project’s activities and results can reach teachers, students and wider educational communities.
An important outcome was the agreement on an initial action plan, identifying the next steps in curriculum development and preparations for future international activities.
These discussions helped establish a common understanding of how the six organisations will work together throughout the project.
Discovering French Culture and European Heritage
The meeting also provided opportunities for cultural exchange and informal cooperation.
During the programme, participants explored Nantes, discovering the city’s cultural heritage and strengthening relationships among the international project team.
The final day included an excursion to the Loire Valley, one of France’s most celebrated cultural regions.
Participants visited Château d’Amboise and Château du Clos Lucé, the historic residence associated with Leonardo da Vinci. The visit to Clos Lucé offered an interesting connection between European cultural heritage, scientific curiosity, artistic creativity and innovation. Leonardo da Vinci’s interdisciplinary approach to art and science provided a fitting context for a project that encourages students to explore environmental challenges through creativity and experimentation.
Beyond the formal meetings, these cultural experiences helped strengthen personal connections between partners and highlighted the value of international cooperation within Erasmus+.
Looking Ahead: From Planning to Practical Action
The kick-off meeting concluded with a shared commitment to translating the project’s objectives into practical educational activities. The next stages of RESPONSIBLE will focus on developing the Sustainability Curriculum, preparing educational resources and organising international learning experiences for students and teachers.
These activities will provide opportunities to explore Zero Waste principles in different educational and cultural environments, while allowing participating schools to exchange ideas and learn from one another.
The project will also promote its educational outcomes through dissemination activities and international events, encouraging wider adoption of innovative sustainability education practices.
By connecting schools and educational organisations across Europe, RESPONSIBLE aims to create a lasting impact that extends beyond the project partnership.
Together for a More Sustainable Future
The meeting in France marked an important first step in the RESPONSIBLE journey.
Over three days, partners established a common vision, strengthened their cooperation and laid the foundations for an educational project that combines environmental responsibility with creativity, innovation and European collaboration.
The discussions demonstrated a shared belief that schools can play a vital role in encouraging more sustainable behaviour and helping young people understand the value of the resources around them.
Creating a sustainable world begins with education. By inspiring young people to reduce, reuse and recycle, we can help turn environmental awareness into meaningful action.
A special thank you to OGEC Familial du Val d’Erdre for hosting the kick-off meeting and welcoming the international partnership to France. We also thank all participating organisations for their enthusiasm, expertise and commitment to building a more sustainable future through education.
The RESPONSIBLE journey has officially begun!
About RESPONSIBLE
RESPONSIBLE is an Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership in School Education (KA220-SCH), bringing together six organisations from France, Türkiye, Romania, Iceland, Norway and Croatia.
The project promotes Zero Waste principles through sustainability education, creative reuse of materials, the development of organic paints from biowaste and international cooperation between schools and educational organisations.
Project duration: November 2025 – October 2027
Project number: 2025-1-FR01-KA220-SCH-000349739
Programme: Erasmus+ KA220-SCH
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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