Young Scientists from Four Countries Gathered in Xanthi to Discuss the Environment

Scientific and technological projects developed by children from Turkey, Greece, Ukraine and Bulgaria to address environmental issues were showcased at the International Science and Environment Festival, held in the Greek city of Xanthi on 7–8 October 2026. The two-day festival welcomed around 300 participants and visitors.

The International Science and Environment Festival of the ecosySTEM Project, carried out under the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme co-funded by the European Union, was hosted by the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH) in Greece.

The project, carried out in partnership with IDEA Universal from Turkey, the Democritus University of Thrace from Greece, UABSC from Ukraine and IO-BAS from Bulgaria, aims to empower children through science, technology, engineering and mathematics-based education on environmental sustainability.

The children’s ideas have made it onto the international stage

At the festival, 12 project teams selected from four countries presented the environment-focused solutions they had developed in an international setting. A group of around 50 people, comprising students and accompanying teachers, shared their projects and the innovative approaches they had developed with the participants.

Students from Turkey presented projects on an early warning system for water networks, a digital game teaching water conservation, and sensors designed to detect environmental hazards. The Ukrainian team focused on the conservation of aquatic ecosystems using artificial reefs, smart terrariums and the recycling of waste tyres. Students from Bulgaria developed nesting boxes with rainwater collection systems for bird conservation, as well as sensor-supported smart feeders. The EcoStem Explorers team from Greece, meanwhile, presented a sustainable and environmentally friendly school design.

In the Black Sea Basin, water pollution, the degradation of marine and coastal ecosystems, the decline in biodiversity and pressure on natural resources are among the environmental challenges that require countries to work together to tackle them. The ecosySTEM Project aims to strengthen children’s environmental awareness and their ability to develop scientific solutions to these shared challenges. The festival, organised through the collaboration of four countries, highlighted the importance of shared learning and collective action for a sustainable future in a region where environmental problems know no borders.

Around 300 people were reached in two days

On the first day of the festival, around 80 students from local schools visited the event venue, whilst on the second day a further 80 students from various schools took part in the festival. The event, which was open to the public, attracted the interest of local residents over the two days.

Interactions between students, visitors and educators contributed to the sharing of scientific ideas and the raising of awareness about environmental sustainability. It is estimated that the total number of participants over the two days of the festival reached approximately 300 people.

An experience ranging from education to real-life challenges

As part of the ecosySTEM Project, which began in 2024, children took part in hands-on learning activities in the E-STEM educational environments established in four countries, covering the areas of ecosystems and biodiversity, water, air, soil, renewable energy and waste management.

During this process, the children not only learnt about environmental issues; they also developed skills in observation, research, designing experiments, working together and devising solutions. The international festival held in Xanthi highlighted the tangible outcomes of this learning process. Young participants from different countries experienced the importance of working together to find solutions to shared environmental problems whilst sharing their scientific ideas.

The festival’s key message was that a sustainable future can only be achieved not merely by telling children about it, but by involving them directly in shaping that future.

ecosySTEM (BSB00354) is being implemented under the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme, which is co-funded by the European Union.