The Europe Challenge

Challenge team: School Library of the 3rd Primary School of Chios and Parent Association of the 3rd Primary School of Chios

Population of Chios: 56,500

Summary: This initiative on the Greek island of Chios bringing the primary school’s library and parents’ association together to develop resources on diversity and climate change.

The Greek island of Chios in the northeast Aegean Sea is one of the main entry points for refugees seeking a better life in Europe. The 3rd Primary School of Chios teaches pupils from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. Located close to the island’s coastline, the school community bears witness not only to the plight of refugees but also to the damage that climate change is bringing to the island’s shores – including increasing temperatures and rising sea levels.

The Chios challenge team is bringing the school library and Parents’ Association together to develop new knowledge resources focusing on diversity and climate change so that the library can play a role in the island’s future.

Through class discussions and drawings, the challenge team started by gathering pupils’ views about what the library should look like. Listening to opinions from students and teachers alike, the goal is to improve the library’s infrastructure and resources, embedding respect for the environment at every stage of the process. 

Members of the Board of Directors of the Parents’ Association have been involved and a network of volunteers has been mobilised to bring the work to life, helping to strengthen dialogue by bringing the community together. Promoting unconditional inclusion and upholding cultural diversity in one of Europe’s main entry and refugee reception points is an important objective for the challenge team.

The ambition is to transform the library into a dynamic culture and knowledge hub, initially for the student community and later for the wider local community too. 

Local solutions to change Europe