LTTA Romania

Erasmus+ transnational meeting

20-24.10.2025, Ghimbav, Romania

Day 1 – October 20, 2025

Between October 20–24, 2025, Ghimbav Secondary School hosted the third transnational meeting of the Erasmus+ project “Our Sustainability and Eco-School Adventure with GreenWeb Games” (2024-1-IT02-KA210-SCH-000243956), attended by twelve teachers from partner schools in Italy, Latvia, and Turkey. The central theme of the activities was “Wildlife & E-waste & GreenWeb Games in Romania”, reflecting the shared commitment to environmental education, digital responsibility, and biodiversity protection.

The first day of the meeting began with a traditional welcome ceremony, featuring bread and salt, followed by the introduction of the delegations from the participating countries.

A key moment was the presentation of the education systems in the partner countries, with a focus on primary education. The discussions that followed were particularly constructive, highlighting both the differences and the many similarities: a shared concern for the holistic development of the child, an emphasis on core competencies, and a common desire to create an inclusive and motivating educational environment.

This was followed by a presentation on how artificial intelligence (AI) can be integrated into the educational process, delivered by Florin Lateș, software engineer and father of a student at our school. His involvement highlighted the strong connection between school and family, contributing to the development of an active and collaborative educational community. The presentation sparked the interest of the teachers, opening new perspectives on the future of education.

The afternoon was dedicated to a welcome performance by the school’s students, which included moments of music, dance, and sports, showcasing their talent and enthusiasm.

The activities on the first day were also attended by the mayor and deputy mayor, members of the Local Council, representatives of parents and various NGOs, as well as local media representatives.

The participants received an initial questionnaire (pre-survey).

Day 2, Tuesday, October 21, 2025 – Educational Visit

The activities took place off-site, in the heart of nature. The educational visit, directly connected to the theme “Wildlife and Electronic Waste” and the established objectives, focused on learning about local initiatives to protect wildlife and exploring the impact of waste on the environment. The activity contributes to promoting the educational, ecological, and intercultural values of the Erasmus+ project.

Visit to the Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Zărnești, Brașov County – 70 hectares of oak and hazel forest in the Carpathian Mountains

The visit consisted of a hike through the bears’ natural habitat. Teachers learned the emotional stories of animals rescued from captivity and discussed the importance of protecting wildlife. The guided tour offered a valuable lesson in ethics, conservation, and environmental responsibility.

After the visit to the sanctuary, the group set off on a hike through Cheile Zărneștiului, a natural reserve and a spectacular area within the Piatra Craiului National Park. Participants had the opportunity to combine nature exploration with active learning, in a setting that encouraged curiosity, collaboration, and respect for the environment.

Visit to the Piatra Craiului National Park Museum

The Visitor Center is an exhibition space that blends the park’s trails with educational content, using interactive techniques, three-dimensional models, and displays related to the area’s biodiversity. Through the film we watched, “Crăiasa Carpaților” ([link to video](https://youtu.be/6izcdaMeO0E

)), we admired landscapes from Piatra Craiului and learned valuable information about the local flora, wild animals living in the region, and the geological formations that make up the mountain massif.

We explored modern technologies applied in environmental education, such as virtual reality and interactive digital games that illustrated themes related to biodiversity and environmental protection. Inside the museum, teachers discovered touchscreen displays with digital games and a wealth of information about the animals and birds found along the trails of Piatra Craiului National Park.

Cultural Visit to Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania)

The visit offered teachers not only a vivid lesson in history but also an opportunity to reconnect with nature. The exterior of the castle impressed with its imposing architecture, spectacular position on the cliff, and the surrounding landscape—truly beautiful and captivating.

The experience highlighted the harmony between cultural heritage and the natural environment, inspiring participants to incorporate these connections into their educational activities.

Day 3 – October 22, 2025

Workshop at ProPark Brașov

The third day, October 22, 2025, focused on the theme of e-waste. This topic took shape through a workshop held at ProPark – Foundation for Protected Areas, a professional training provider for protected areas and nature conservation in Romania. The purpose of the meeting was to raise awareness about the impact of electronic waste on nature in general, and on forests in particular.

The activity began with a particularly engaging icebreaker exercise that highlighted the need for infrastructure dedicated to electronic recycling, followed by a brainstorming session on the topic of protected areas. The goal was to compare the forested regions of the countries participating in the project, the tree species found within them, and their biodiversity, while also identifying common solutions to act for the benefit of both nature and people.

The conclusion of the discussion was that, no matter where in the world we live, we all share the same planet, and therefore each of us must protect the nature around us, as it is essential for our medium- and long-term survival.

With these ideas in mind, we set off for the Tâmpa Nature Reserve, a “green island” in the heart of Brașov, located at an altitude of 960 meters and about 400 meters above the city. The flora and fauna of Mount Tâmpa are rich and diverse, including numerous plant species, over a hundred species of birds and insects, around 975 species of butterflies, and several protected animals.

Tâmpa offers a wonderful view of the city, which our guests were able to admire on their way down. Leaving the nature reserve behind, they discovered the old architecture and history of the city, encountering the fortress walls, the White Tower and the Black Tower, but especially the Black Church, one of the most representative Gothic architectural monuments in Romania, with its legends and tumultuous history — true symbols of Brașov, the city at the foot of Tâmpa Mountain.

Day 4 – October 23, 2025

Wildlife educational workshop

On the fourth day of the meeting, the guests took part in the outdoor workshop “Wildlife”, together with the 4th grade A students. The activity aimed to discover the wildlife in our immediate surroundings. The “Wildlife” workshop is an interactive educational experience designed for children, through which they discover Romania’s ecosystems and learn through play about wild animals and their habitats. The activities are designed to encourage curiosity, observation, and respect for nature.

Through various games conducted individually, in pairs, and in groups, the children learned about the diversity of wildlife, how to listen to the sounds of nature and observe its colors, how to collaborate to complete a task, and how to protect wildlife. The activity allowed the children to connect with nature and become aware of the role they play both now and in the future.

Back at school, the guests participated in a workshop where, using recycled materials (cardboard and cotton threads), they learned and created braids using the traditional craft technique of găitanele, developed in Șcheii Brașovului in the 17th and 18th centuries. Găitanele are decorative cords made from cotton, wool, linen, or silk, usually black and white, but also colored, used to adorn traditional thick folk costumes and military uniforms. The term comes from the Turkish language (the main clients of the Șchei craftsmen being merchants from the Ottoman Empire) and corresponds to the Brandenburg.

The day continued with a visit to the center of Ghimbav, including the Fortified Evangelical Church, dating back to the 13th century with defensive walls added in the 15th century, followed by the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, built in 1780 from rough stone and brick in a simple Byzantine style, and the Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, a new parish in Ghimbav.

Day 5, October 24, 2025

1.“Electronic Waste Comes to Life, Teaching Us About the Forest”

A group of students from Preparatory Class A and Fifth Grade A concluded the Erasmus project with an activity full of creativity, color, and respect for nature. They presented the story of the model they created using recyclable materials and electronic waste.

Using CDs, cables, bottle caps, cardboard, and even vinyl records, the children built a new world — the “Ecoworld” model, where technology and nature coexist in harmony. They created a deciduous forest on a vinyl record, a symbol of recycling and new life, where trees made from painted paper rolls took root alongside animals and birds crafted from shimmering CDs. They continued with a coniferous forest, where they used sharpened pencil shavings as soil, placed on a vinyl record, to support little fir trees and bears made from recycled materials. They added a magical lake, crafted from a cut blue plastic bottle and a colorful fish made from a CD, shimmering in the sunlight. Then they built the robot’s little house, using recycled cardboard, bottle caps, and a roof made of CDs, allowing it to “collect” sunlight as energy. While arranging recycled wires to form pathways, the children discovered an old book, which they transformed into the “heart” of the model—a symbol of knowledge and the connection between education and nature. Each page, gently folded, resembled a fir branch, and the little robot climbed a staircase made of cables to “read” the stories from the book—demonstrating that life gains meaning when imagination, recycling, and love for nature come together. Thus, from old, seemingly useless things, a new world came to life—a true lesson in responsibility, creativity, and hope for a cleaner future.

2. When Recycling Becomes Art – A Creative Lesson at Ghimbav Secondary School

Recycling can become a form of art, and waste materials can be transformed into true creative treasures, offering teachers and students unique opportunities for experiential learning. The teachers of Ghimbav Secondary School, together with several students, demonstrated this through an original activity where music and environmental protection came together in harmony.

Teachers and children performed a short symphony, accompanying the melody with recycled paper sheets turned into musical instruments. The activity was presented to guests from Latvia, Italy, and Türkiye, providing an inspiring example of how creativity and environmental education can go hand in hand.

Recycled Costume Parade

Our students demonstrated that imagination and care for the environment go hand in hand. They learned the importance of reusing materials and protecting nature by transforming simple objects into true works of art! During the parade of costumes made from recycled materials, the children impressed everyone with their creativity, color, and active participation.

3. VR Headset Presentation – Workshop - Environmental Education in Virtual Reality

Teachers had the opportunity to experience virtual reality as an innovative educational tool. Using VR headsets, they explored the technology’s potential to transform the way students learn and interact with information through an engaging and interactive approach.

The immersive experience offered by virtual reality supports active learning, stimulates curiosity and a deeper understanding of concepts, and enhances students’ emotional engagement with the topics explored. Teachers discussed ways in which VR can be integrated into teaching activities to promote interdisciplinary learning and to develop skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and environmental awareness. The participants were able to explore 'The Plastic Ocean' and 'Deforestation,' topics of interest for our project.

Teachers also received and completed the final questionnaire:

https://forms.gle/P5hheKPjNhp8h6cY9

4. The Final Day – October 24, 2025

The last day of the program, October 24, 2025, was a memorable conclusion to the mobility. The day began with the awarding of certificates to all participants, recognizing their active involvement, dedication, and contributions throughout the activities. The ceremony was a moment of celebration and appreciation, highlighting the skills and experiences gained during the project.

The day ended on a sweet and joyful note with a well-deserved cake, shared among teachers and international guests, creating a warm atmosphere of friendship, collaboration, and shared achievements.

Tracking Change: What the Surveys Revealed

Pre – survey and Postsurvey

Initial Questionnaire (October 20, 2025) provided a clear overview of participants’ starting knowledge, perceptions, and motivations. It helped tailor the activities to their actual needs.

Final Questionnaire showed significant progress in understanding sustainability topics, active involvement, and attitude shifts toward nature and education. The responses confirmed the project’s positive impact and offered guidance for future initiatives.

Prof. Cristina Nicolaescu, Romanian coordinator of the Erasmus+ program