First thematic workshop on “Climate changes” within the “Green buildings for common green future – GREEN” project CB006.1.11.038, financed by Interreg – IPA cross-border program Bulgaria – Macedonia

On March 29^th 2018 in the "22 Septemvri" Hall in the municipality of Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, Regional Administration and the Center for development of East planning region organized a one-day "Climate changes" thematic workshop.

At the workshop participated high school students from "Slavcho Stojmenski" – Stip, "Naum Naumovski Borche" Probistip and the Language gymnasium from Blagoevgrad. A total of 60 high school students participated in the first "Climate change"thematic workshop. The workshop was opened by the Regional chairman Mr. Biser Mihailov and the Manager of the Center for development of the East planning region-Shtip, Mrs. Dragica Zdraveva. The lecturer at the first thematic workshop was Dr. Stefan Kirilov.

The following topics were covered at the workshop:

• Climate changes and consequences, dangers for the population and the environment;
• How does the climate change?
• Sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources;
• "My place in nature";
• "What can we do to reduce the effects of climate change";
• "Protection of natural resources".

The objective of the thematic workshop is for young people to get acquainted with global climate changes and their consequences on the environment. To think about solutions that can be applied in their environment. In implementation of activities to consider sustainable use of natural resources. High school students had the opportunity through interesting video clips and presentations to get acquainted with real cases that emerge as a result of climate change and to learn about the opportunities, measures and activities that they can take to contribute to the reduce climate changes and protect the environment. Through interactive games, they were introduced to the global efforts, activities and measures undertaken to tackle climate change. At the same time, special emphasis on presentations was put on the link between climate changes and natural disasters and catastrophes.

The youth showed great interest in the proposed topics and they were involved in group work as much as possible. The second part of the workshop was devoted to delineation of the factors that cause climate change, the existence of two types of factors natural and human and their enumeration. The one-day thematic workshop was successfully realized, materials in addition to the documentation.

This is the first mutual project of the Center for Development of the East Planning Region, Stip and Regional Administration, Blagoevgrad