Focusing on the modern challenges of environmental education, the presentation of the transnational project “Tales of the Islands through Digital Storytelling for Environmental Awareness” (TIDES), part of the European Erasmus+ KA220 program, took place during the 9th Panhellenic Conference of P.E.EK.P.E. (Hellenic Association of Educators for Environmental Education). The project’s Lead Coordinator, Angela Christaki Philippou, presented the transnational initiative at the University of Crete conference on May 9, 2026.
Ms. Christaki Philippou, an educator at the St’ Primary School of Ayios Nikolaos(KB) in Limassol, analyzed the philosophy of this strategic partnership implemented under the Erasmus+ programme. With the slogan “Where dreams and stories awaken”, the TIDES project seeks to cultivate ecological awareness through digital storytelling, providing a powerful platform for expression to students living in island and coastal areas.
Beyond the presentation, the TIDES project is developing a rich array of deliverables and actions:
- Innovative Digital Tools: The program includes the creation of the Digital Storytelling Toolkit, a comprehensive digital manual with methodology and technical instructions for educators. Simultaneously, an Interactive Map is being developed to host the children’s stories, along with rich digital educational material (e-learning resources).
- Qualitative and Quantitative Results: The project actively involves 200 students as co-creators of 25 digital stories, while 100 educators undergo training in modern ICT and STEAM methods.
- International Cooperation Network: The partnership brings together six organizations from Greece, Cyprus, the Netherlands (Sint Maarten), Estonia, and Turkey, creating a global communication bridge regarding the climate crisis.
- Social Inclusion: Particular emphasis is placed on empowering children with fewer opportunities or a migrant background, allowing them to transform their personal experiences into a global message.
- Sustainability and Dissemination: Activities culminate in the Digital Storytelling Festival, while all results will remain accessible to the educational community for at least three years following the project’s completion.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Christaki Philippou emphasized:
“TIDES is not just a program. It is the microphone we gave to our children to connect the local with the global and to shout that they are here.”
The presentation was fully aligned with the goal of the Panhellenic Association of Educators for Environmental Education conference for a school system that meets the needs of sustainability and digital transition in the 21st century.
Source: tides.cs.ucy.ac.cy/