EMME Students Explore the Memory of the Earth in the Azores

Pico, Terceira & Faial Islands | May 19–23, 2025

Between May 19–23, 2025, students and teachers from Romania, Slovakia, and Croatia joined their Portuguese peers in the Azores for an unforgettable week of exploration, learning, and cultural exchange as part of the EMME – Exchanging Memories, Memory of the Earth project.

The mobility, hosted by Escola Secundária Jerónimo Emiliano de Andrade (ESJEA) in cooperation with GeoAçores – Azores UNESCO Global Geopark, marked the first major student exchange under WP4 – #EMME Around the World. It gave participants the opportunity to dive into the stunning volcanic landscapes of Terceira, Pico, and Faial Islands, while connecting the curriculum’s key themes — geology, sustainability, and cultural heritage — to real-world environments.

From hiking the Serra do Cume and visiting lava tubes in Pico, to exploring the dramatic Capelinhos Volcano and interacting with local geoguides, the students were immersed in hands-on learning experiences that brought science, nature, and culture together.

Throughout the week, the students also began developing their video documentaries, capturing their experiences through storytelling, photography, and digital tools — a creative process that will continue in the coming months as part of the project’s dissemination goals.

The activity strengthened intercultural friendships, fostered climate awareness, and offered a truly unique classroom beyond walls — in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, where the memory of the Earth is written in every rock and wave.