Beyond the Plate: Learning the True Value of Sustainable Food

The Erasmus+ Mobility of Youth Workers project "Legacy of the Soil: Sustainable Agriculture and Safe Food" (Project No. 2024-3-ES02-KA153-YOU-000260774) was held in Gijón, Spain, from 28 April to 5 May 2025, under the coordination of Generaciones Saludables España. Bringing together youth workers from Turkey, Spain, Hungary, Poland, and Iceland, the project promoted sustainable agriculture, safe food systems, and environmental responsibility through non-formal education. As the Hungarian partner organization, For Renewal Environmental Association played an active role in delivering educational activities that encouraged international cooperation, environmental awareness, and the exchange of innovative youth work practices.

Participants explored the impact of human actions on nature through creative and thought-provoking activities that transformed environmental concepts into visual experiences. Working in teams, they recreated colourful natural landscapes using only black crayons, symbolising the environmental degradation caused by unsustainable human behaviour. This powerful metaphor encouraged reflection on biodiversity loss, ecosystem destruction, and the importance of protecting natural resources while strengthening creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking.

The programme also promoted healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyles through cycling workshops that highlighted sustainable mobility as a practical response to climate change. Alongside these outdoor activities, participants examined the principles of sustainable food production, food security, and responsible consumption through interactive presentations and discussions. They explored the growing challenges of climate change, population growth, and resource management while exchanging ideas on how sustainable food systems can contribute to healthier communities and a more resilient future.

Further learning focused on reducing food waste and understanding the environmental impact of everyday food choices. Through workshops on recycling, sustainable consumption, and educational card games, participants investigated where food comes from, how transportation and packaging affect the environment, and how individual consumer choices influence climate change. These interactive methods transformed complex sustainability concepts into engaging learning experiences, improving participants' analytical thinking, environmental literacy, and problem-solving skills.

The mobility concluded with opportunities for reflection, intercultural exchange, and collaborative evaluation. Participants assessed their learning through structured feedback methods while sharing their countries' agricultural traditions, local organic products, cultural heritage, and responses to environmental challenges. Traditional dances, local cuisine, and cultural presentations strengthened intercultural understanding and reinforced the idea that sustainable development depends not only on environmental action but also on international cooperation, dialogue, and shared responsibility.