EFTR PROJECTS
EFTR PROJECTS
• GREEN TALES PROJECT
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION THROUGH ARTS AND DIGITAL TOOLS FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS
The Green Tales project, Co-funded by the Erasmus + Programme of the European Union, is presented as an innovative and forward-looking initiative. It uses tales to raise awareness about environmental education among children who came from underprivileged and migrants backgrounds in Europe. Through the creation of stories, artistic activities, and digital tools, the project aims to engage children in a creative and inclusive educational path, promoting sustainability and respect for the environment…
12/05/2025
Green Tales Project Releases Its Recommendations
The Green Tales project has released a set of Recommendations designed to support teachers, educators, and partners across Europe. These guidelines highlight the project’s key findings, offering practical suggestions on how to integrate creativity, storytelling, and environmental awareness into educational activities.
The Recommendations complement the project’s existing materials and aim to enhance the use of Green Tales tools in diverse learning contexts.
11/30/2025
Green Tales Presented to Teacher Candidates at Çukurova University
The Green Tales project was introduced to teacher candidates at Çukurova University in Adana, Türkiye, during a dedicated session on creativity, storytelling, and environmental education.
Participants explored how the project’s materials and workshops can be used to support classroom activities, foster imagination, and promote intercultural awareness among students.
This presentation marks another important step in bringing Green Tales to future educators across Europe.
11/03/2025
Green Tales Presented at the 4th International Language for All Conference
The Green Tales project was presented at the 4th International Language for All Conference, where educators and experts gathered to discuss multilingual education, creativity, and storytelling.
During the session, Green Tales was showcased as an example of how artistic workshops and narrative-based activities can support language learning and intercultural understanding across Europe.
This participation highlights the project’s ongoing commitment to promoting creativity and inclusive education.
11/03/2025
Green Tales Local Event Held in Türkiye
A Green Tales local event took place at Yüreğir Kazım Karabekir Secondary School in Türkiye, where students participated in creative activities inspired by the four elements. Through storytelling and artistic workshops, the pupils explored themes of nature, imagination, and environmental awareness.This initiative is part of the ongoing Green Tales project, bringing together schools across Europe to foster creativity and intercultural exchange.
11/26/2025
GREEN TALES National Conference in Rome – Italy
On 11 November 2025, the National Conference of the GREEN TALES project, gathering 83 participants, including future teachers, representatives of civil society organisations, experts and educators.
Organised by the European Fairy Tales Route Association (EFTR) and hosted by Roma Tre University, the event focused on showcasing the project’s achievements and exploring its long-term potential. At the heart of the conference was the presentation of the final movie and the creative works developed by primary-school children across partner countries—Spain, Germany, Iceland, and Turkey. The stories created by the children inspired by the four elements of nature embody the project’s innovative integration of art, digital creativity and environmental education.
A Focus on Pedagogy, Sustainability and Inclusion
Speakers such as Professor Anna Aluffi Pentini (Roma Tre University) and Marina D’Amato (EFTR President) opened the event with institutional reflections on the educational value of storytelling. Bianca Rubino (IYMF and Project Coordinator) presented the project’s methodology, goals and results, highlighting how storytelling can foster both environmental awareness and social inclusion among young learners.
Through a blend of presentations and discussions, the conference showcased how GREEN TALES supports teachers by providing ready-to-use tales, videos and classroom resources aimed at promoting environmental awareness and creativity.
A lively roundtable involving civil-society organisations, educators and experts explored the challenges faced during the project, such as:
– Maintaining sustained engagement with young learners across diverse contexts;
– Embedding environmental education deeply into school curricula;
– Ensuring long-term use of project resources beyond the funding period;
– Replicating the approach in other educational settings, including adult learning.
These reflections opened the door to collaborations and highlighted the importance of continuity for long-term impact.
Participants identified several actions for future development:
– Expanding the GREEN TALES project to reach more schools across Europe;
– Employing the approach as a motivational tool for future teachers;
– Strengthening local and international partnerships with schools, NGOs and local authorities;
– Documenting the long-term impact on children’s attitudes and behaviours toward nature.
These perspectives reaffirm the project’s potential to inspire a new generation of environmentally engaged and creative citizens.
Engaged Participants and Positive Feedback
Most attendees were future teachers enrolled at Roma Tre University, joined by representatives of civil-society organisations, educational experts and a journalist. Their feedback highlighted the conference’s effectiveness in demonstrating how environmental themes can be naturally woven into primary education through artistic and narrative approaches. Many participants reported leaving with practical tools and renewed motivation to integrate sustainability topics into their future teaching practice. Participants from civil society organizations, including Paola Toniolo (Rete Scuola Migranti) and Adriana Gulotta (Comunità di Sant’Egidio), expressed strong interest in replicating the GREEN TALES approach who proposed extending the method even to adult education, particularly for migrants.
A Step Forward for Environmental Education in Europe
The GREEN TALES National Conference in Rome not only celebrated the project’s achievements but also strengthened a network of educators and organisations committed to innovative, inclusive and sustainable education. By blending creativity, digital tools and environmental awareness, GREEN TALES continues to inspire pathways for meaningful learning—both inside and beyond the classroom.
11/06/2025
Final Conference of the Green Tales project
The European Fairy Tale Route Association is pleased to announce that the GREEN TALES Project National Conference will be held in Rome on 11 November, from 11:00 to 13:00. The event will be hosted by Roma Tre University, Department of Education, and it will be possible to participate both in person and online.
Those wishing to follow the conference online can access it via the following link: Green Tales Final Conference.
Discover the results and future prospects of GREEN TALES — a project dedicated to promoting sustainability and environmental awareness through storytelling and education in primary schools.
09/30/2025
Green Tales final movie premiered at ANIMASYROS Festival
The final movie of the Green Tales project premiered on 28 September 2025 at the ANIMASYROS International Animation Festival, receiving an enthusiastic response from the audience.
Reflecting the project’s intercultural spirit, the film is available in English, Spanish, German, Turkish, and Icelandic, with subtitles provided in all languages.
The movie can now be watched on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lj3dpX8GkFk
09/29/2o25
Marianne Poncelet to Speak at the 3rd New Eleusis Symposium
On 27 September 2025, Marianne Poncelet, Vice-President of the International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and ideator of the Green Tales project, will participate virtually in the 3rd New Eleusis Symposium: Re-Enchanting the World.
The annual Symposium, organised by the World Human Forum, gathers international speakers to explore connections between ancient wisdom, modern consciousness, science, humanities, spirituality, archaeology, and art.
Marianne Poncelet will join the panel “Children: Humanity’s Dream Tank” to present the Green Tales project, alongside experts in education, storytelling, and the arts.
09/29/2025
Green Tales: School resources now available
As part of the Green Tales project, teaching resources are now available on the Green Tales website. The materials include eight tales about the four elements—Earth, Water, Air, and Fire—in PDF format, as well as four accompanying videos.
These outputs are designed to support teachers, educators, and learners in addressing environmental themes through creativity and storytelling. All resources are provided free of charge to encourage wider use in schools and educational activities across Europe.
A final project film will also be released by the end of September.
09/26/2025
Green Tales: Children Across Europe Join Creativity to Celebrate the Four Elements
As part of the Green Tales project, more than 150 children from Germany, Iceland, Spain, and Turkey worked together during the 2024/2025 school year to create stories inspired by the four elements—earth, air, water, and fire. Through workshops with artists and teachers, they explored environmental themes and produced four short films, each based on scripts exchanged among participating schools. The project highlights both creativity and environmental awareness across Europe.
Schools Across Europe Bring Nature to Life Through Art and Storytelling
As part of the Green Tales Project, children in Iceland, Germany, Spain, and Türkiye explored environmental themes through storytelling, visual arts, sound, and digital media. Their creative work resulted in eight original stories, later developed into four animated stories and four animated chapters, which will be combined into a collective animated film to be released in September. The project also fostered international collaboration through online meetings, connecting students and educators across Europe.
A dedicated meeting for parents provided further insights into animation techniques and story development, while the day concluded with a private gathering to acknowledge the project’s impact and its European partnerships.
Green Tales Project: Events in Iceland to Celebrate Creativity and Cooperation
On May 28, 2025, the University of Akureyri and Valsárskóli hosted two events to present the outcomes of the Green Tales project. During the official screening of the animated short film, students and teachers showcased their creativity through Icelandic stories, character development, and artistic collaboration.
The event received strong appreciation for the quality of the animation and sparked discussions on the educational value of artistic learning. Sketches and storyboards from the creative process were also exhibited.
A dedicated meeting for parents provided further insights into animation techniques and story development, while the day concluded with a private gathering to acknowledge the project’s impact and its European partnerships.
EFTR News: European Fairy Tale Route Showcases Green Tales Project at International Conference in Slovenia
Gorizia-Nova Gorica-Tolmin, April 16, 2025 – The European Fairy Tale Route (EFTR) took centre stage at the recent International Conference on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, held from April 14 to 16 across the border cities of Gorizia, Nova Gorica, and Tolmin. The conference was part of the Interreg project Ljubka’s Trail, led by the Forum of Slavic Cultures (FSK) in collaboration with the Lojze Bratuž Cultural Centre.
Marina D’Amato, President of the European Fairy Tale Route, presented and promoted the Green Tales project to an audience of 66 participants. The project, which blends storytelling with sustainability, was well-received as an example of how cultural heritage can intersect with environmental values.
The event gathered representatives from Cultural Routes spanning nine countries, along with experts, local community leaders, and cultural professionals. Discussions focused on cross-border cooperation, the evolving role of cultural routes, and the development of inclusive cultural initiatives that connect communities through shared heritage, literature, education, and the arts. During the three-day event, participants could explore the new Ljubka Route, a cross-border literary path dedicated to women’s poetry and gender equality. The conference provided an ideal platform to present the project and foster collaboration and cultural exchanges.
ANNUAL ADVISORY FORUM ON CULTURAL ROUTES 2024 IN VISEGRÁD: THE EUROPEAN FAIRY TALE ROUTE PROMOTES THE GREEN TALES PROJECT
September, 2024 – Read more…
