Case study: Organization Earth
Photo acknowledgement: Earth organization’s website
- Primary, General public
- Outdoor
- Gardening / school garden / allotment, Hands-on activity, Workshop / training
- Greece
Organization Earth
Organization Earth is a Greek NGO established in 2010 as a citizens’ initiative. Its mission is to drive community-led initiatives towards a fair and resilient society, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through collaboration with local authorities, civil society, philanthropic foundations, the private sector, and academia, Organization Earth promotes nature-based solutions for climate-neutral and inclusive cities. Their flagship project, the Center of the Earth, has served as an education hub for green skills for over a decade. The beneficiaries of their activities include adult learners, schools and students, local municipalities, refugees and the general public.
Objective
The organisation aims to promote sustainable living by reconnecting people with nature and fostering social inclusion. They achieve this through active learning programmes, community-based activities, and the promotion of nature-based solutions for climate-neutral and inclusive cities.
Approach
Organization Earth focuses on greening public spaces in urban areas to enhance residents’ quality of life, microclimate, and local biodiversity, while fostering social cohesion through community engagement. The parks they create are designed as integral parts of residents’ daily lives and serve as venues for educational and collective community activities addressing climate change. In 2022, they established five new pocket parks in the municipalities of Attica and Thessaloniki.
Programmes:
Programme for Adults – Urban Gardening: Workshops on practical and theoretical organic farming techniques address environmental and climate change topics. They promote the Farm to Fork strategy in the agro-food sector and educate participants on the importance of green spaces in urban settings, organic agriculture, and local crops.
Farmers Environmental Education and Awareness for Children: Educational environmental experiential programmes for pre-primary and primary school pupils foster green learning to develop thinking, feels and skills, connecting curriculum with real-world applications. Through interactive workshops, children learn about biodiversity, organic farming, seasonal and local food production, recycling, composting, and minimising food waste, promoting sustainable living. Activities take place mainly in the “Center of the Earth” as well as in schools and various other urban areas.
Center of the Earth: Situated on 25 acres of urban parkland, 6km from the centre of Athens, the Center of the Earth serves as a principal learning centre and community meeting space. With an organic vegetable garden and permaculture garden, it educates visitors on biodiversity, sustainable food, and a healthy circular lifestyle.
Link for further information
https://www.organizationearth.org/eng (In English)