Education
- Our work
EDUCATION
BirdLife Cyprus implements various activities to inform and raise awareness on the birds of Cyprus, the threats they face and the need to protect them and their habitats. Through outreach actions we also aim to bring young and old closer to nature and to inspire respect for the birds and biodiversity of Cyprus. We believe that the foundations for the development and practice of environmental citizenship are laid in the early stages of a person’s life and therefore education of children and youth lies at the core of our awareness-raising actions.
Schools outreach
Some of our actions at schools are:
Education programme ‘The journey of Ulysses and his feathered friends’
The programme is addressed to primary school students and aims to raise awareness on bird migration and the persistent problem of illegal bird trapping in Cyprus, but also to cultivate a sense of appreciation about the natural world. The programme has been approved by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Birdwatching and outdoor activities
We organize engaging and experiential activities in natural areas, such as parks and wetlands, to allow children to experience and appreciate the wondrous world of birds and nature.
Hands-on workshops
We empower children to help nature and develop empathy about the needs of birds and other wildlife by engaging them in hands-on workshops at schools. Making nest boxes, bird baths and feeders is a great and fun way for children to actively help nature.
Barn Swallow observation
A citizen science programme that allows students to become citizen scientists and study the Barn Swallows that nest in their school or their neighborhood.
Summer schools activities
We organize fun, creative and engaging activities for summer schools or camps, such as birdwatching, environmental education games and workshops. In 2019, we joined forces with Claire Thompson and organized a series of mindfulness in nature sessions with children that attended the ‘Family House’ summer school. Together with children we experienced the natural world, using our eyes, ears, noses and hands, in an effort to feel a deeper connection to nature.
Here’s two participants in the mindfulness in nature sessions we organized with Claire Thompson and the Family House’ sharing their thoughts about how our relationship with nature should be.
Awareness-raising events
From birdwatching and ringing demonstrations to hands-on workshops, one thing is for certain: anyone joining our events will find interesting activities to do and learn about birds and the natural world.
Our events include:
Field trips in important bird areas, such as Oroklini Lake, Akamas Peninsula, Akrotiri Salt Lake.
Nest box and birdbath making workshops.
Bird migration events: these events take place every spring and autumn to celebrate bird migration. Through engaging activities, such as birdwatching, bird ringing and scavenger hunts, people can learn more about birds and the wonder of bird migration.
Presentations and birdwatching trips with various interest groups, such as youth clubs, university students, scouts and summer schools.
Informative and educational resources
An animation movie starring Ulysses the blackcap and his son Telemachos, our ‘Feathered Journeys’ mobile app, our kids bird guide ‘What’s that bird?’, various leaflets and activity books, are only a few of the examples of the educational resources that our scientific and educational team has been developing to enrich and strengthen our education work.
Within the framework of our educational school visits, a board game on bird migration has also been developed, with funding from NABU (our BirdLife partner in Germany) and the Heinz Sielmann Foundation, to help children understand the challenges of bird migration through an experiential and fun approach.
Want to find out more?
For Teachers
Find out more about our school programmes and explore resources and activities for your pupils.
For Families
Activities to do with your children at home to learn about and explore the natural world.
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