- In the seventh edition of these awards, 379 projects have been approved of the 431 that were presented; more than 87,000 students participate in this call, the highest figure since the launch of the Ecoinnovation Awards.
- The selected projects have been announced on the World Environmental Education Day, 26 January. The day seeks to educate and make the world population aware of and concerned about the health of ecosystems, fostering motivation and commitment to solving existing problems and facing new challenges.
- Endesa Foundation's Ecoinnovation Awards promote an ecological culture in the education system that leads to greater awareness of biodiversity based on 3Ps – protect, preserve and prevent – the principles of all projects accepted.
Teachers and students from schools throughout Spain continue to demonstrate their growing interest and commitment to the care for our biodiversity. This is corroborated by the data: nearly 300 schools have submitted a total of 431 projects to Endesa Foundation's Ecoinnovation Awards, of which 379 have been selected for participation. These figures are the highest to date in all editions of these awards. The projects were selected on the basis of their originality, creativity and quality, innovation, their applicability in similar contexts, and their alignment with the 3Ps of Biodiversity -Protect, Preserve and Prevent.
With the Ecoinnovation Awards, which Endesa Foundation has organised in collaboration with the European Foundation Society and Education since 2016, both entities aim to promote an adequate ecological culture in Spain's classrooms, as well as to promote "ecobiosocial" skills[1] among young people, reinforcing the application of new learning methodologies based on direct contact with nature, the protection of our biodiversity and collaboration with environmental agents.
The autonomous communities that have submitted the most projects in this call have been Madrid, Andalusia and Valencia, accounting for 163 registered projects. In total, these awards have benefited more than 286,000 students from all over the country in their seven editions, who have shown their concern and involvement with the care for the environment.
The schools submit their projects in one of the three categories of these awards: "Knowing our Biodiversity", "Identifying solutions to an environmental problem" and "Improving your environment". The prize for the winning initiatives in Categories 1 and 2 consists of 2000 euros for the first prize and 1000 euros for the second; and, in Category 3, 4000 euros for the first prize and 1000 euros for the second. The jury may award a special mention, which consists of a prize of 1000 euros, to projects that do not reach the required technical level but that stand out for their social impact, solidarity, participation of students with special difficulties or at risk of social exclusion, etc.
Students and teachers from the participating schools have until 26 April to complete their projects and opt for one of the prizes, which will be delivered at the end of this school year.
For more information, see the rules of the awards.
[1] *The term "ecobiosocial" refers to the acquisition of skills related to the environment, ecology and civic and social engagement.
About the Endesa Foundation
The main goal of the Endesa Foundation, chaired by Juan Sánchez-Calero, is to contribute to social development and the conservation of urban biodiversity innovatively, with a positive impact on the communities and species of our society.
Learn more at www.fundacionendesa.org
About The European Foundation for Society and Education
The European Foundation Society and Education is a private and independent entity that promotes research and debates on the multiple aspects that shape the strategic role of education as a foundation for the progress and development of democratic societies.
Through its research department, it promotes studies, debates and analysis on educational news that they approach from an interdisciplinary perspective. This department specialises in promoting environmental education through integral ecology.
More information: https://www.sociedadyeducacion.org/ecocultura/