ZLSB project "Future Ambassadors" awarded the eku - Future Prize

The project called Zukunftsbotschafter:innen was awarded the eku - Zukunftspreis 2023 in the "eku idea" category and receives prize money of 2,500 euros. The prize package, endowed with a total of 1.1 million euros and awarded by the Saxon State Ministry for Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture (SMEKUL), recognizes outstanding projects in the field of energy, climate and the environment.

Because schools have a key role to play in preparing young people for the challenges of the future, teachers are needed who are capable of doing this. The Future Ambassadors project was launched to integrate education for sustainable development into the teaching of prospective teachers. The initiators, Ines Röhrborn and Volker Kreß, were actively involved in the smaller ESD school working group and developed a concrete offer for prospective teachers. The planning takes into account different types of schools (primary, secondary, grammar and vocational schools) and focuses on action-oriented methods.

The project focuses on testing methods and techniques that future teachers can use to positively "instigate" not only their students, but also their colleagues in schools to make necessary changes to their habits. The so-called everyday challenges are used as a central instrument in the supplementary course. These are self-chosen tasks aimed at correcting one's own habits with regard to sustainable action. Participants deal with topics such as efficient time management, reducing packaging waste and meat consumption.

The eku - Future Prize 2023 recognized a total of 219 entries from companies, scientific institutions, municipalities and civil society stakeholders. Environment and Climate Protection Minister Wolfram Günther was impressed by the growing diversity and creativity of the participants and emphasized the importance of commitment in times of climate crisis. The eku - Future Prize for Energy, Climate, Environment is an initiative from the "Start 2020" immediate action program and honours projects that make an exemplary contribution to ecologically sustainable development in Saxony. The award ceremony for the prize-winning ideas and projects will take place on March 13, 2024 at a public ceremony in Chemnitz.