UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools celebrated UN World Water Day and Week and did deeds of a global citizen

UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools celebrated UN World Water Day and Week and did the deeds of a global citizen

This week, the Finnish UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools celebrated the UN World Water Day and Week (21-25 March 2022). The aim of this international day and week is to draw attention to the UN's Sustainable Development Agenda2030 target 6, which aims to ensure water and sanitation for all people in the world by 2030. The theme of this year's World Water Day was to make the invisible groundwater visible. In the UN World Water Week workshops for the UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools, groundwater and its adequacy were also addressed during World Water Week from the perspectives of corporate and consumer responsibility.

In addition to groundwater, the Water Week workshops addressed the microplastics problem in the Baltic Sea and biosphere life below and above the surface. The workshops involved teachers and students from UNESCO ASPnet schools and UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools from across Finland. The workshops were held in both Finnish and Swedish, but also bilingually Finnish - Swedish. The UN World Water Week and Water Day programme for UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools was developed in the context of Our Baltic Sea project, and involved schools from across Finland.

The Baltic Sea microplastics problem

UN World Water Week started on Monday 21 March 2022 with a workshop on Microplastics in the Baltic Sea. Anna-Riina Mustonen, a microplastics researcher from the Finnish Environment Institute, spoke about the microplastics problem in the Baltic Sea, and microplastics research.

Anna-Riina Mustonen explained in her presentation that there are two types of microplastics. Primary microplastics are present, for example, in cosmetic products. Secondary microplastics are plastic debris that has been released into the environment and broken down, such as plastic bottles or microplastics that come off car tyres. Microplastics can enter the environment and water bodies in wastewater or as litter thrown into the environment.

After the expert presentation, the students asked the researcher questions. The questions sought answers about the educational background of the microplastics researcher and his work as a researcher. Anna-Riina Mustonen explained that she studied biology and specialised in microplastics as a researcher. Students were also interested in the amount of microplastics in the Baltic Sea region. According to Anna-Riina Mustonen, the amount of microplastics in water bodies varies, and is directly linked to the number of people living along the shores of the water bodies. For example, Helsinki has more microplastics in its coastal waters than Oulu or Vaasa.

Finally, the workshop came up with some global citizen's actions to prevent the problem of microplastics. The workshop was developed in the context of the national Our Baltic Sea project, and involved schools from all over Finland. Microplastics researcher Anna-Riina Mustonen believes that microplastics can be reduced by using sustainable products, avoiding unnecessary consumption and favouring biodegradable products. She also thinks it is important to put rubbish in the right places and recycle plastic, for example.

Greetings from the Finnish National Agency for Education and UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools’ international meeting in Copenhagen

On the actual UN World Water Day on Tuesday 22 March 2022, the Water Week programme continued with a joint opening of the UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools' programme, where Anu Halvari, Counsellor of Education at the Finnish National Agency for Education, presented the UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools' greetings. In her greeting, she described the history of the UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools network. The network was established on the initiative of Finland at a time when the Soviet Union was collapsing and environmental problems in the Baltic Sea were escalating. Today, the UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools emphasise not only environmental education, but also global education and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Afterwards, Hanna-Riitta Rissanen, a biology and geography teacher at Tuusula General Upper Secondary School, and Aino Rekikoski, an upper secondary school student from Tuusula, brought news and greetings from the international UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools meeting in Copenhagen. There they had met teachers and students from the network's schools in other Baltic Sea countries. The Copenhagen visit also included a visit to a local school in Roskilde.

At the end of the introductory session, Mika Jokiaho, coordinator of Our Baltic Sea project, presented the events and activities that have been organised and planned for the Finnish UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools during the project. This spring, in addition to the UN World Water Week workshops, Our Baltic Sea project has planned and implemented a study period, during which project work has been done on the Baltic Sea and its catchment area from the perspective of different subjects. The texts of the resulting projects will be included in the textbook Our Baltic Sea, which is being prepared in cooperation with Opintoverkko Oy. Our Baltic Sea course will also include an excursion to the Harakka Nature Centre in Helsinki, in April. In addition, a trip to Seili, an island in the Finnish Archipelago Sea, is planned for May, where a nature camp is being set up in cooperation with students from the University of Turku. The nature camp in Seili will end with the Plato Academy's Freedom and Responsibility event.

Water Day culminated in a workshop on Life in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of the Archipelago Sea, and a workshop on Groundwater

After a great start to the Water Day, Erika Silventoinen, Coordinator of the UNESCO Archipelago Biosphere Reserve, held a workshop on Living in the UNESCO Archipelago Biosphere Reserve, both in Finnish and Swedish.

The workshop explored the concept of biosphere reserve and life from both a natural and cultural perspective. In the workshop, students considered how to move around in a sustainable way in the UNESCO biosphere reserve of the Archipelago Sea, and what to do for the well-being of the seas. This same Living in the Archipelago Sea UNESCO Biosphere Reserve workshop was held on Thursday in a full Swedish version for primary school students, and on Friday in a Finnish version for primary school students.

In the afternoon, Krister Dalhem, Senior Inspector at the South Ostrobothnian Regional Development Centre, gave a presentation on groundwater and the groundwater situation in Finland, the Baltic Sea catchment area and the wider world. Krister Dalhem also looked at the issues affecting groundwater levels and how groundwater can be protected.

The presentation was followed by a screening of the documentary film "When we run out of water", which showed how humanity is currently overusing the Earth's precious freshwater resources so rapidly that the natural water cycle is being blocked -  and there simply won't be enough water for everyone. The day also featured a series of global citizen's actions to ensure that there is enough groundwater for future generations. 

Groundwater and global corporate responsibility and responsible consumption came together in the Eetti workshop

On Wednesday 23 March 2022, groundwater was approached from the perspective of global corporate responsibility and responsible consumption. Minna Laakso, a global education expert from the Association for Ethical Trade, explained how the global clothing industry's value and supply chains affect the world's groundwater situation in Africa, South and South-East Asia and East Asia, and how we in Finland also contribute to groundwater depletion when we buy these products.

The presentation highlighted the particular importance of corporate responsibility and responsible consumption in protecting groundwater resources. During the workshop, the students came up with global citizen actions to safeguard groundwater for future generations while contributing to the UN's Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

 During the UN World Water Day and Week, global citizen's actions were taken to 

The UN World Water Day and Week workshops for UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project schools made it easy to bring global and environmental education objectives into the heart of schools' everyday lives. The workshops could be integrated into the school's own interdisciplinary study unit (MOK) week or theme day.

During this past Water Week, schools came up with ideas and committed to working together to become global citizens to contribute to the UN's Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Through these acts of global citizenship, we will safeguard groundwater resources and enable biodiversity and life to survive in the biosphere below and above the surface.

For ideas on how to implement the Agenda2030 goals generated during the workshops, read the UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project's Global Citizens' Actions Padlet (in Finnish) at: https://bit.ly/3t2oex2

Our Baltic Sea Project blog: https://yhteinenitameri.wordpress.com/

Mika Jokiaho, Our Baltic Sea Coordinator