Inside the project "Monitoring network Romania - Serbia for the assessment and dissemination of the impact of copper mining activities on water quality in the cross-border area" (RoS-NET2), in May 2021, several events aimed at raising awareness among pupils and students of environmental issues were implemented.
Thus, 40 of the students from the specializations of the Biology-Chemistry Department, volunteers within the project, participated in a two-day thematic trip to the New Moldova area to carry out activities , regarding the monitoring of water, sediment and soil quality in this region where mining activities have been carried out. The students previously participated in a four-hour course in which they were presented with the theoretical bases of the physico-chemical, enzymatic, microbiological and ecotoxicological methods that are used in the case of monitoring the state of water, sediment and soil, they were presented with the devices used and explained to them the steps of the working method in each case considered. During the trip, in compliance with all the rules imposed by the COVID 19 situation, the students were involved in taking water samples from wells in the communities around the mining operation, water and sediment from the rivers in the vicinity of the mining operation and soil samples from tailings dump, in measurement , of some physico-chemical parameters, respectively in completing the necessary documents in such situations. The students were happy that, after a long period of time, they had the opportunity to participate in a joint event (those from the first year were able to actually get to know each other), and they immediately became aware of both the nature of water monitoring activities, soil and sediment, as well as the importance of these activities.
As for the students, they participated in online events where the following concepts were discussed: adaptation to climate change, Natura 2000 sites and sustainable development. The concept of adaptation to climate change involved the participation of 73 students from the "Vuk Karadzic" General School in Vîrset in an event where the concept was presented, illustrated by watching short films and then debated, the students actively participating in the debates. Another 25 students from the same school were involved in a similar event, but in which the debates focused on the need for the existence of Natura 2000 sites, both in Serbia and Romania, and on the entire continent. The concept of sustainable development was debated with the participation of 28 students from the Grigore Moisil Theoretical High School Timișoara. In addition to presenting, illustrating and debating this concept, students formulated creative solutions that could be applied for a sustainable development of our city.
The awareness of young people (pupils and students) regarding environmental issues and especially their direct involvement in actions aimed at assessing the state of the environment can contribute to educating new generations in the spirit of sustainable development, preserving biodiversity and reducing the overexploitation of natural resources.
