In 2022, a new category, the ASPnet Top Honours, was created to involve ASPnet communities through a partnership between the UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) and the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
For this competition, young people aged 11-25 investigate environmental issues, propose solutions, and report on them through various media to a local network, and with the global community through the YRE platform. The 2023-24 competition focused on Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, and Pollution, and counted with the participation of 12 ASPnet schools engaging in impactful environmental projects in 10 countries – Bahrain, Finland, Gambia, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Oman and South Korea.
Throughout the competition, students collaborated with their peers and teachers on projects aiming to address pollution, reduce litter and waste, and promote sustainable practices. These projects highlight how ASPnet schools act as laboratories of ideas, influencing not only local communities but also shaping policy.
2023-24 ASPnet Top Honours
Photo category
The Oriveden Lukio School (Finland), “”&Բ;
This school collaborated with the Baltic Sea Project (BSP), an international network among UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet), and participated in the Litter Less Campaign to creatively raise awareness on litter and waste issues and solutions to protect the Baltic Sea. The striking photo was created by 17 years old Aili Savolainen. It was shared with the message “People and fish are part of the same water cycle. We all, people and fish, want to eat healthy. We humans can help fish. Help!”
“It was an international project where we collaborated with fellow Estonian students to create the winning photo entry” explained Aili Savolainen. “Through this, we learned about their culture and how their culture sees the same things as we do. We gained new opinions, made new friends, and learned social skills.''
Video category
Jidhafs Secondary Girls School (Bahrain), “”&Բ;
This school launched a food waste campaign, partnered with other schools, and successfully advocated for integrating this issue into the national curriculum. The video “insidious Poison focuses on unseen impacts of cooking oil on the environment, and particularly the marine environment, when it is thrown out without being treated properly. It was created by Yara Hani, Khadija Jaffar Ahmed and Baneen Ali Salman, who are 15 years old.
Article category
Istituto Compresivo1 Siniscola School (Italy), “”&Բ;
The detailed article “Opisophia: A multifunctional crop” explains the multiple benefits for environment, people and livestock that cultivating the prickly pears could bring in Sardinia, to offer “food products in harmony with the environmental sustainability but with high nutritional value and beneficial properties” in the context of environmental challenges.
Honorable Mention - Video
An honorable mention was given unanimously to Oriveden Lukio School for the video of their “” project.
2024/2025 Young Reporters for the Environment Competition
The 2024/2025 competition focuses on Ecosystem Restoration. It aims to inspire innovative solutions and creative ideas to support ecosystem health, such as restoring natural habitats, preserving biodiversity, and promoting sustainable practices. Students are invited to produce media products (photo, video, article, podcast) to contribute to a global conversation and raise awareness.
There has already been a remarkable increase in the participation of ASPnet members, with more than 60 ASPnet schools from 18 countries joining this year. A notable new feature of this year’s competition is the Twinning Programme. ASPnet schools are encouraged to team up with other national or international schools, either within or outside of the ASPnet network, to collaborate on their YRE projects. This initiative offers students a unique opportunity to learn about the environment and sustainability, practice cross-cultural communication, make new friends, and amplify the impact of their projects.
