EUROPEAN SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS AWARDS
THE SUMMIT IN 2025
The ESSA International Summit 2025 – Skopje
The European Sustainable Schools Awards Summit was held in Skopje, North Macedonia, bringing together over 50 students, teachers, and educators from 12 innovative schools across Europe.
The Summit was the culmination of the ESSA project — a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and commitment to sustainability in school education. Participants showcased their green initiatives, exchanged best practices, and took part in interactive workshops focused on climate action, biodiversity, eco-innovation, and intercultural learning.
Beyond presentations, the event fostered deep connections between young changemakers and educators who are shaping the future of Europe’s schools. The atmosphere was vibrant, empowering, and forward-looking.
Sustainable Schools Handbook
A Practical Guide to Greener Classrooms and School Communities
The Sustainable Schools Handbook is a hands-on resource created for teachers, school leaders, and decision-makers who want to bring sustainability to life in their schools. Developed as part of the European Sustainable Schools Awards (ESSA), this guide offers easy-to-use tools, real-life examples, and creative ideas to help schools become greener, more inclusive, and future-ready.
Whether you’re just starting your sustainability journey or looking to take it further, this handbook will inspire action in the classroom, across the school, and within the wider community.
🌱 Let’s build a generation of changemakers—one school at a time!
OUR MISSION
ESSA Specific objectives
Education for students
Recognise creative-based and future-oriented curricula that educate students on the changes needed for a successful green transition
More Sustainable schools
Foster systemic and organisational change of European schools to become more sustainable
Network of schools
Create a European network of schools to facilitate the exchange of good practices
THE SCHOOLS
The project foreseen the creation and delivery of the first European Sustainable Schools Awards. The partners will create evidence-based and scientific criteria to promote green practices among schools to become more sustainable, for example by reducing water and energy usage, better manage waste, and include education for sustainable development in the curriculum, with a focus on creativity and local communities. Finally the winners of the Awards will meet in Skopje, North Macedonia. The project foreseen the creation and delivery of the first European Sustainable Schools Awards. The partners will create evidence-based and scientific criteria to promote green practices among schools to become more sustainable, for example by reducing water and energy usage, better manage waste, and include education for sustainable development in the curriculum, with a focus on creativity and local communities.
Gymnasium Nikola Karev - Skopje
EB Terras do Ave Agrupamento de Escolas Terras do Ave
IES Butarque
IES FERNANDO QUIÑONES
IES Francisca de Pedraza
IES María Rodrigo
Primary School of Chalkiades
SOU "Kole Nehtenin"
29th SU „Kuzman Shapkarev“ – High School
National Professional High School of Printing and Photography
Gölcük Science High School
Agrupamento de Escolas de Palmela
IES Los Molinos
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