On Thursday, 10 September 2026, the HEEFTA project, co-funded by the European Union under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, hosted the workshop “Holistic Environmental Education: Perspectives from the HEEFTA project” at the Hellenic Pasteur Institute in Athens, Greece.
The workshop was organised by HEEFTA partner University of Patras (UPAT) through its Lab of Public Health, Epidemiology & Quality of Life, as part of the 9th International Conference of the International Society for Food and Environmental Virology (ISFEV 2026).
Held in Athens from 6 to 10 September 2026, ISFEV 2026 brought together researchers, experts and professionals from different countries to share knowledge on viruses that can affect human health through food, water and the environment. The conference aimed to improve understanding of these risks, present new scientific approaches and technologies, and encourage cooperation between researchers, public authorities and industry to better protect public and environmental health.
Within this international setting, the HEEFTA workshop provided an opportunity to present the project’s approach to environmental education and discuss how education and training can help Mediterranean communities respond to interconnected environmental and public health challenges.
Participants explored the One Health approach, which recognises that human, animal and environmental health are closely connected. The workshop also addressed the development of green and blue skills – the knowledge and practical abilities needed to support more sustainable activities on land and in marine and coastal environments – and discussed how cooperation between researchers, public authorities, educators and other organisations can help turn scientific knowledge into practical action.
Through interactive exchanges with professors, researchers, ministry representatives and other participants, the session highlighted the importance of connecting research, education and public policy. This collaborative approach is central to HEEFTA’s goal of developing environmental education and training that responds to the needs of Mediterranean territories and contributes to stronger and more resilient communities.
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