There is an invisible but very strong thread that unites Messina to the rest of Europe, and it is a thread woven entirely by young people. The students of the third class B of the lower secondary school of the IC “Elio Vittorini” in Messina were in fact among the absolute protagonists of “Sustain Well: Wellbeing, Empathy & Lifelong Learning for a Sustainable Future”, a prestigious European eTwinning project for the 2025/2026 school year.
The initiative unites schools from different countries – including Cyprus, Greece, Romania and Poland – in a path aimed at integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN Agenda with the themes of well-being, empathy and digital citizenship.
An international synergy that does not arise by chance: the “Vittorini” Institute, in fact, is reconfirmed for the second consecutive two-year period as “eTwinning School”, a European recognition of the highest level which rewards the school for the excellence of the planning implemented, as well as for the constant dissemination and implementation of the good practices envisaged by the eTwinning community.
This prestigious title places the Messina school among the reference models for educational innovation and active European citizenship.
The project, which develops throughout the school year from September to May, saw a moment of absolute pride for the Messina school community in the month of April. The students of the “Vittorini” IC have in fact taken on the prestigious role of European coordinators for the activities focused on the delicate topic “I’m the water, the water is me” (I am water, water is me), focusing on the global “One Health” approach.
This scientific and cultural vision, today more crucial than ever, promotes the idea that human health, animal health and ecosystem protection are inextricably linked and form a single, great collective health.
During their month of coordination, the students from Messina guided the European partners in both a theoretical and practical path, the results of which were presented in a well-attended bilingual online meeting. The children were able to illustrate with extraordinary maturity the “Giant Map – Everything is connected”, a giant conceptual map that graphically highlights the two possible destinies of our planet.
On the one hand, the positive chain linked to the cleanliness of the seas, biodiversity and common well-being emerges; on the other, the dramatic spiral of plastic pollution, which poisons waters, makes animals suffer and ends up severely affecting the health of human beings.
From words we then immediately moved on to concrete action. The students in fact shared with their foreign peers the results of a creative recycling and upcycling laboratory which led to the birth of the “Ecobag”.
By transforming old t-shirts and scraps of fabric into ecological and reusable bags, the young people of “Vittorini” have demonstrated how it is possible to drastically reduce the use of disposable plastic starting from daily habits. A small gesture to prevent further waste from ending up in our seas, protecting the food chain and, consequently, ourselves.
Masterfully guiding this complex international didactic architecture is the coordinator of the project, Professor Rosaria Marotta, already winner in the past of the prestigious international recognition “eTwinning Prize” awarded in Brussels with the “Ocean” project and of a national prize with the “Exploring Heart’s Treasures” project.
Professor Marotta made use of the invaluable help of Professor Alessandra Ciraolo, a specialized teacher for pupils with special educational needs (BES). This professional combination of excellence reflects one of the key values of the institute and of the entire eTwinning philosophy: inclusion.
Through an inclusive educational design, every single activity was structured so that all pupils, without exception, could express their potential and feel like active European citizens. eTwinning twinnings thus confirm themselves as a very powerful tool for scholastic and social inclusion, where diversity does not represent barriers but is transformed into authentic points of strength and mutual enrichment for the entire class group.
«Being European coordinators in this eTwinning project was an extraordinary experience for our children», explain the teachers. «It wasn’t just about testing English language and digital skills, but about developing real transnational empathy and a strong sense of collective responsibility. Our students have demonstrated that the sustainable future is not an abstract concept inserted in textbooks, but something that is built day after day, together.”
With this initiative, the IC “Elio Vittorini” confirms itself as a school open to the world, capable of enhancing student protagonism and bringing the name of Messina within an international network based on solidarity, cooperation and respect for our planet.