SCONE - Students' Sustainability Camp in Lithuania

On April 23-25, 2025, an international Students' Sustainability Camp was held in Rietavas, Lithuania, with the aim of promoting education for sustainable development and building international youth cooperation in the field of environmental protection.

The event was attended by students and teachers from Poland, Germany and Denmark. The camp was organized by Rietavas Laurynas Ivinskis Gymnasium, with the support of volunteers and project partners.

The first day of the camp began with breakfast and the official opening at the Rietavas school auditorium. After a speech by the school director, the project team, the plan of activities for the next days and the six international teams with their mentors were introduced. The participants were also introduced to digital storytelling as one of the methods of work during the camp.

After the official part, the young people went to the Žemaitija National Park in Plateliai. An educational session was held at the Cultural Center, during which the values and attractions of the park were presented, as well as the results of research conducted by Klaipeda University on Lake Plateliai and other aquatic ecosystems.

After the theoretical part, participants divided into groups took part in field activities: visited an exhibition on the tradition of Lithuanian Zapustas in the stables, learned about natural resources in a National Park exhibition organized in a historic granary, participated in an educational walk along the Giliukas and Kaštoniukas path in the manor park.
Another highlight of the program was a visit to Lake Plateliai, where participants conducted water quality research and took samples at three different locations: at the “Prie Obelėlės” beach, at the sailing club, and in the forested area near the Gaudupis and Kumelkaktė tributaries.

In the evening, the Plateliai Cultural Center hosted a summary of the day, dinner and an inclusive party with elements of local Samogitian folklore.

On the second day, participants traveled to the Curonian Spit, a unique area listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After crossing the Curonian Lagoon by ferry, the youngsters visited the Visitor Center of the Curonian Spit National Park in Neringa.

Groups of students carried out two parallel blocks of activities:

part of the participants visited a modern, interactive educational exhibition depicting the nature, geology and culture of the Curonian Spit,
the other part conducted water quality research in the Curonian Lagoon.
At the same time, the other groups hiked to Witches' Hill, a trail with numerous sculptures inspired by Lithuanian legends and fairy tales, learning about the region's cultural heritage.

After having lunch together at the Visitors' Center, the groups swapped tasks so that each participant could both take part in the exhibition and field research. The day ended with a return to Rietavas.

The third day of the camp began with a workshop on creative writing inspired by nature. Participants, observing their surroundings, listening to the sounds of nature and using their own emotions, created short texts describing their feelings about nature. It was an opportunity to reflect on man's place in the environment and the importance of protecting it.

This was followed by a hike to the Lopaičiai stronghold, where the participants learned about the history of the site and its importance in local tradition.

After returning to school, the young people participated in research and evaluation activities conducted by Rostock University. The students recorded short videos in which they summarized their experiences at the camp, sharing their thoughts on sustainability, nature and international cooperation. The videos were presented during a joint session of reflection and discussion of the project results.

In the evening, a festive International Cafeteria was held, during which each national group prepared a table of traditional dishes, sharing the culinary heritage of their countries. The final touch of the event was a joint disco, a symbolic end to an intense, inspiring day.