Raising Awareness on Climate Change and UNESCO Heritage: An Educational Workshop and Guided Visit in Monte Sant’Angelo under the CAMPUS Project
16/06/2026
Climate change hazards such as extreme heat, heavy precipitation, flooding, landslides, wildfires and rising sea levels pose serious threats to UNESCO World Heritage sites. Ancient buildings were designed for specific local climates, coastal sites are facing rising sea levels, and archaeological evidence is at risk from increasing soil temperatures, requiring urgent adaptation measures.
With the aim of addressing these needs and developing a shared cross-border framework for monitoring systems, action plans, and climate adaptation measures, the Municipality of Monte Sant'Angelo organized an educational workshop at the Giovanni XXIII Middle School, as part of the CAMPUS project’s school awareness activities on climate change and UNESCO heritage.
The workshop, held on 18 March 2026, aimed to raise students’ awareness of climate change and its local effects, with a particular focus on the impact on UNESCO heritage sites such as the Sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo in Monte Sant’Angelo. It encourages critical thinking and active participation among young people in designing concrete climate adaptation solutions, and brings the school community closer to the themes of the CAMPUS project, fostering a sense of responsibility towards the local territory and cultural heritage.
The activity was structured in two parts: an introductory session with a presentation of the CAMPUS project followed by an interactive quiz to assess prior knowledge and stimulate discussion, and a more practical simulation involving 70 students divided into groups acting as local councils to develop climate adaptation action plans within a limited budget. A guided tour of the Sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo, one of the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Monte Sant’Angelo, was also organised afterwards, allowing students to directly experience the site and strengthen the connection between climate change and the protection of cultural and natural heritage explored during the workshop.
The day created a meaningful bridge between the CAMPUS project and the school community of Monte Sant’Angelo, showing that even complex issues like climate change and the protection of UNESCO heritage can be explored in an engaging and accessible way, by combining interactive activities with a strong connection to the local context and inspiring young people to play an active role in its protection in the future.
