On April 8, 2025, as part of the ongoing Food4Thought campaign, we conducted an educational session titled “Create Your Garden!” at the National Vocational High School of Forestry “Hristo Botev” in Velingrad, Bulgaria. The session aimed to provide 11th and 12th grade students with a comprehensive understanding of urban agriculture and the basic principles of creating urban gardens.
The workshop began with an energizing activity that created a more informal and fun atmosphere in the room. Students then engaged in group discussions that focused on key aspects of urban gardening, including identifying suitable locations in urban areas, effective maintenance practices, and the various purposes these gardens could serve to improve urban environments and create greener cities. Using the educational resources from the Food4Thought platform, students worked together to conceptualize and design their own urban garden projects by drawing the garden or creating a plan for its initiation. Each group then presented their designs and explained the rationale behind their choices.
We saw that this initiative not only enriched the students’ theoretical knowledge, but also demonstrated their growing passion for more sustainable urban living. The students thoughtfully connected the outcomes of this workshop to their studies and showed an understanding of the importance of urban gardens.
We remain committed to promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices among youth through educational efforts such as this. Stay tuned for upcoming activities within the Food4Thought campaign!
