Green Cohesion: Young People on a Green Future

Green Cohesion is a project that aims to introduce good practices of European Cohesion Policy for environmental protection and green growth to the general public through informative content presented in an accessible and engaging way. The project is co-created by the Cultural and Educational Association PiNA, the Regional RTV Center Koper (TV Koper), and ZIP.

Following the successful first implementation of the project, which focused on bringing cohesion policy closer to the general public, we are now carrying it out for the second time. In the context of the European Year of Youth, this year the project places awareness-raising and education of young people (primary and secondary school students) at its core, focusing on the importance of cohesion policy and the necessity of their involvement in shaping priority areas of future programming periods.

An example of a debate workshop within the project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd70hcVs3LM&list=PLdAIuo9DdtiPytCZ013GuU7UCyZwgB1WY
In 2022, ZIP conducted two seminars for teachers on debate techniques and green cohesion, as well as several workshops for students. As part of the project, we published a handbook authored by Rok Hafner, Lucija Ivanuša, Gorazd Jurman, Ivan Koruza, Ana Mencin, Matija Pušnik, Nuša Stamejčič, and Barbara Švagan.

Within the one-year project, we produced numerous TV shows and features in which we hosted young and inspiring individuals and groups who improved environmental quality and contributed to positive change with the help of cohesion funds. We also developed the Green Trail campaign, through which we presented the contribution and role of cohesion policy. Through short television and online advertisements, we informed the public about key aspects of cohesion policy and how it affects our everyday lives.

We also organized a competition for young journalists, a debate club competition, public discussions, and a series of engaging online quizzes. Through these activities, we introduced cohesion policy to young people in an accessible way, raised their awareness of the importance of participating in shaping goals and priorities for the future development of an environmentally friendly, low-carbon Europe, and empowered them to actively take part in this process.