Roots of Sustainability: Amplifying Sustainability Messages Through Digital Media

The Erasmus+ KA152 Youth Exchange project “Roots of Sustainability” (Reference No: 2025-1-TR01-KA152-YOU-000299086) took place in Kastamonu, Türkiye, from 1 to 8 February 2026. Coordinated by Kastamonu Kalkınma Sağlık Çevre Eğitim ve Turizm Vakfı, the project was implemented with the partnership of Persephone Environmental Development Association. Bringing together young participants from Türkiye, Georgia, Germany, Austria, and Denmark, the project aimed to raise awareness on sustainability, recycling, and environmental responsibility through international non-formal learning and cooperation.

The “Eco-Impact Media Day” was dedicated to disseminating the project’s outcomes to a wider audience. Participants worked in groups to create various digital outputs such as videos, social media posts, blog articles, and infographics. This activity enabled them to creatively present what they had learned about sustainability and recycling, while also strengthening their digital communication skills. By transforming learning experiences into engaging media content, participants learned how to effectively communicate environmental messages to broader communities.

Through storytelling and digital narratives, participants shared their personal learning journeys within the project. They produced vlogs, short videos, reels, and blog-style reflections that made sustainability topics more relatable and emotionally engaging. This approach encouraged creativity and strengthened digital storytelling skills while helping participants connect environmental awareness with real-life experiences, making their messages more impactful and memorable.

Hands-on content creation activities allowed participants to actively design and edit their own digital materials using tools such as Canva, CapCut, and social media platforms. By producing infographics, short videos, memes, and other creative outputs, participants improved their technical abilities and media literacy skills. This practical approach supported experiential learning, enabling participants to turn theoretical knowledge into visually engaging and informative content.

Peer-to-peer learning and collaboration played a key role in the dissemination process. Participants worked in small international teams, brainstorming, reviewing, and improving each other’s content before publishing it online. They exchanged feedback and supported one another’s creative process, which enhanced critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills. The final outputs were shared on social media using a common hashtag and further promoted through a live online session, allowing participants to interact with the public and answer questions. This not only expanded the project’s visibility but also strengthened participants’ confidence in digital advocacy and sustainability communication.