Completion of the Project PeakED

Promoting Environmental Awareness, Cultural Heritage, and Sustainable Community Engagement

Climate change, environmental degradation, and the gradual loss of cultural heritage are becoming increasingly urgent challenges for communities across Europe and neighboring regions. Mountain areas and remote communities are particularly vulnerable, facing growing pressure on their ecosystems, biodiversity, and traditional ways of life. At the same time, many young people are searching for meaningful ways to engage with environmental issues and contribute to more sustainable and resilient communities.

The European project Environmental Involvement and Education for Young Entrepreneurs and Volunteers (PeakED) was created as a response to these challenges. The project has now been successfully completed, delivering important educational tools, research outcomes, and community-based activities that promoted environmental awareness, cultural heritage preservation, and active participation among young people and local communities.

PeakED focused on empowering young people, volunteers, and local stakeholders through experiential learning, outdoor educational activities, intercultural exchange, and sustainable development practices. The project aimed to encourage communities to become more active in protecting their natural environment and preserving their cultural identity while adapting to modern environmental and social realities.

One of the project’s most impactful activities was the implementation of the PeakED Living Lab in Jordan, hosted by Desert Bloom. The Living Lab brought together participants from different countries in a unique hands-on learning experience dedicated to environmental education, sustainability, and cultural exchange.

The programme began in Petra, the UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most iconic historical locations in the world. Participants explored the sophisticated water management systems developed by the Nabataean civilization and discussed how climate change and environmental pressures are threatening the preservation of this important cultural site.

The Living Lab then continued with an expedition to Jebel Umm ad Dami, the highest mountain peak in Jordan. Participants experienced the unique desert ecosystem while learning directly from local Bedouin communities about traditional knowledge, sustainable living practices, and the relationship between people and nature in fragile environments.

PeakED

Environmental Involvement and Education for Young Entrepreneurs and Volunteers.

Empowering young people, volunteers and local communities…

COUNTRIES

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FIELD ACTIVITIES

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KEY OUTPUTS

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The final day focused on the work of the Disi Women Cooperative Association, an inspiring initiative promoting environmental restoration and local empowerment through traditional agricultural practices and the plantation of indigenous species. This activity highlighted the important role local communities and women-led initiatives can play in environmental sustainability and social development.

The PeakED Living Lab demonstrated how local knowledge and cultural heritage can become powerful tools for environmental protection, community resilience, and sustainable development. It also encouraged participants to develop stronger environmental awareness, collaboration skills, and active citizenship. Another important achievement of the project was the successful implementation of Outdoor Activities in Greece, Bulgaria, and Poland. These activities helped disseminate the project’s results while engaging local communities and young people in discussions and actions related to sustainability, biodiversity, and cultural heritage protection. Through these outdoor experiences, participants explored local natural environments, reflected on environmental challenges, and actively participated in awareness-raising and experiential learning activities designed to strengthen their connection with their local territories. Iaddition to its field activities, PeakED delivered several valuable educational and research outputs. Among the most important were the Roadmaps per Reference Regions, which present innovative pedagogical approaches designed to support local communities in becoming active ambassadors of their own territories.

These roadmaps provide practical guidance on how communities can better protect and promote their biodiversity, history, and cultural heritage while encouraging sustainable activities adapted to contemporary needs, such as responsible tourism initiatives with positive environmental and social impact. The project also produced important research studies examining existing green policies and strategies for mountain regions, current preservation approaches, and recommendations for the long-term protection and sustainable management of mountain ecosystems and cultural landscapes.

PeakED was coordinated by Innovation Hive in cooperation with: Development Agency of Local Administration of Larissa S.A., Balkan Bridge EOOD, WELL GROW – Synergies for Social Welfare, DANMAR COMPUTERS SP ZOO, Desert Bloom. Through this strong international partnership, PeakED succeeded in creating a collaborative network committed to environmental education, sustainability, cultural preservation, and community engagement.

More information about the project and its results is available at:
https://peaked.erasmus.site/
https://peaked.erasmus.site/platform/home