Green Schools programme from the TRNC joins UNESCO’s Greening Education network

The Green Schools programme, run in Northern Cyprus by the Turkish Cypriot Women Entrepreneurs Association (GİKAD) and Final International University together with the TRNC Ministry of National Education, has joined the global UNESCO Greening Education Partnership network.

Over five years, the programme has grown from a TRNC project into an international initiative: it now covers more than 100 schools in Northern Cyprus, Turkey and London. Students, teachers, school administrations, families, local authorities, civil society organisations and business representatives are involved.

The UNESCO Partnership aims to ensure that by 2030, at least 50% of schools in every country are classified as “green” and climate-ready. Green Schools contributes to this goal through sustainable development, climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation and water resource management.

Programme coordinator Professor Şerife Gündüz noted that over the past five years, the initiative had expanded beyond Northern Cyprus to Turkey and London, and that the programme was changing not only school grounds but also the way children think and the everyday habits they develop.

The theme for the 2026/2027 academic year is “Biodiversity and Water”. Students will study Cyprus’s endemic species, introduce water-saving measures, collect rainwater and reduce water consumption. According to the organisers, participation in the UNESCO network will make it possible to bring local experience to international platforms and learn from the practices of other countries.