Erasmus+ Heroes Project- Day 3

5 november 2025

Day 3 was our earliest start yet, and the pupils were still waking up as the groups  travelled together to Cartagena to continue building on the connections and perspectives developed over the first two days. Today’s focus was on our shared Roman cultural heritage and long-term environmental care, with history and sustainability combined all day.

Our first stop was the Bosque Romano reforestation area, where pupils learned about the efforts to reintroduce native Mediterranean trees and plants to the hills. The guide explained that tree planting is an act for the future — you plant trees not for yourself, but for your children and grandchildren. This project directly supports SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 15: Life on Land, showing how urban planning, ecology, and culture can be mixed.

We then went into the historic city center for a guided walking tour of Cartagena. Pupils saw archaeologists working at the Parque Arqueológico del Molinete. As we walked through the streets, we saw how parts of the Roman, medieval, and modern city are still visible today. Cartagena’s location on the Mediterranean Sea has made it important for trade, cultural exchange, the navy, and military defense for many centuries. We also talked about the environmental cost of this history, such as the large amount of trees cut down by the Romans for shipbuilding and mining. This helped pupils understand that environmental problems are not only modern. Taking care of our world means thinking far into the future, not just a few years ahead.

After the tour, pupils could choose between different cultural activities. Some explored the street murals, some took the Ascensor Panorámico to see the city from above, and others visited the Civil War Shelter Museum to learn about life during the war. The pupils were also given a packed lunch and encouraged to picnic together. This was another simple and relaxed moment where they could talk, share experiences, and get to know each other better — though a few pupils also had an unexpected close encounter with the local wildlife that likes to wander the streets of Cartagena!

We returned to school in the late afternoon for a reflection session. We connected the day’s activities to the SDGs and to Cartagena’s idea of having “three thousand years of history.” Pupils talked about what it means to take care of nature and culture for many generations, not just during one lifetime.

At the end of this long day, pupils recorded the next short parts of the international podcast. Some pupils had to re-record their earlier recordings. At first this felt difficult, but pupils soon saw it as a chance to improve their words and speaking. This helped them speak with more confidence and clarity.