Transforming Our World: The Role of Collections in Education for Sustainable Development

The TOWCHED project explores how arts and heritage-based educational methodologies can support sustainable development by enhancing key transversal competencies in learners, particularly children and youth. In response to the global challenges outlined in the sustainable development goals (SDGs), th...

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Main Authors: Mar Gaitán, Alejandra Nieto-Villena, Arabella León, Indra Ramírez, Ester Alba
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Heritage
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/7/279
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author Mar Gaitán
Alejandra Nieto-Villena
Arabella León
Indra Ramírez
Ester Alba
author_facet Mar Gaitán
Alejandra Nieto-Villena
Arabella León
Indra Ramírez
Ester Alba
author_sort Mar Gaitán
collection DOAJ
description The TOWCHED project explores how arts and heritage-based educational methodologies can support sustainable development by enhancing key transversal competencies in learners, particularly children and youth. In response to the global challenges outlined in the sustainable development goals (SDGs), this project promotes inclusive and participatory approaches to education that foster social cohesion, intercultural understanding, and civic engagement. Partnering with museums, TOWCHED develops cross-curricular pedagogical interventions, such as experiential, blended, and collection-mediated learning, that link cultural heritage with contemporary social and environmental concerns. These approaches aim to strengthen creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and self-awareness. TOWCHED demonstrates that heritage collection-based education can play a vital role in transforming schools and other learning environments into hubs for sustainable, lifelong learning. By embedding cultural expression and heritage into educational practices, the project offers a compelling model for empowering individuals to navigate and shape a more equitable and interconnected world. This paper has two aims. First, we introduce TOWCHED, an interdisciplinary project recently funded by the Horizon Europe program of the European Union to preserve and promote education for sustainability in the heritage context. Second, we introduce a set of tools related to the project.
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spelling doaj-art-b10bcfd1c17f478caff4c30a7add5d4f2025-08-20T02:45:49ZengMDPI AGHeritage2571-94082025-07-018727910.3390/heritage8070279Transforming Our World: The Role of Collections in Education for Sustainable DevelopmentMar Gaitán0Alejandra Nieto-Villena1Arabella León2Indra Ramírez3Ester Alba4Department of Art History, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Art History, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Art History, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Art History, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Art History, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, SpainThe TOWCHED project explores how arts and heritage-based educational methodologies can support sustainable development by enhancing key transversal competencies in learners, particularly children and youth. In response to the global challenges outlined in the sustainable development goals (SDGs), this project promotes inclusive and participatory approaches to education that foster social cohesion, intercultural understanding, and civic engagement. Partnering with museums, TOWCHED develops cross-curricular pedagogical interventions, such as experiential, blended, and collection-mediated learning, that link cultural heritage with contemporary social and environmental concerns. These approaches aim to strengthen creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and self-awareness. TOWCHED demonstrates that heritage collection-based education can play a vital role in transforming schools and other learning environments into hubs for sustainable, lifelong learning. By embedding cultural expression and heritage into educational practices, the project offers a compelling model for empowering individuals to navigate and shape a more equitable and interconnected world. This paper has two aims. First, we introduce TOWCHED, an interdisciplinary project recently funded by the Horizon Europe program of the European Union to preserve and promote education for sustainability in the heritage context. Second, we introduce a set of tools related to the project.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/7/279sustainabilityeducationcollection-based organizations
spellingShingle Mar Gaitán
Alejandra Nieto-Villena
Arabella León
Indra Ramírez
Ester Alba
Transforming Our World: The Role of Collections in Education for Sustainable Development
Heritage
sustainability
education
collection-based organizations
title Transforming Our World: The Role of Collections in Education for Sustainable Development
title_full Transforming Our World: The Role of Collections in Education for Sustainable Development
title_fullStr Transforming Our World: The Role of Collections in Education for Sustainable Development
title_full_unstemmed Transforming Our World: The Role of Collections in Education for Sustainable Development
title_short Transforming Our World: The Role of Collections in Education for Sustainable Development
title_sort transforming our world the role of collections in education for sustainable development
topic sustainability
education
collection-based organizations
url https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/7/279
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AT arabellaleon transformingourworldtheroleofcollectionsineducationforsustainabledevelopment
AT indraramirez transformingourworldtheroleofcollectionsineducationforsustainabledevelopment
AT esteralba transformingourworldtheroleofcollectionsineducationforsustainabledevelopment