As part of the project "Water as a Vital Element and Our Shared Future: Discourses on Sustainable Development in the Context of the Climate Crisis" at the Institute for Science Education, the second panel discussion took place on March 12, 2026, at the Leibnizhaus in Hanover.
Moderated by Prof. Dr. Christiane Meyer, a panel comprising Prof. Dr. Michael Komorek (Chair of Physics Education, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg), Dr. Susanne Benzler (Head of Education/Youth Education, Evangelische Akademie Loccum), Kathrin Limberg (Executive Director, Ökostadt e. V.), and Udo Büsing (Education for Sustainable Development for Schools and Daycare Centers, Sustainability Office of the State Capital Hannover) discussed current educational contexts regarding water as a vital element. The audience was also involved in the discussion.
The focus of the discussion was transformative learning and education for sustainable development (ESD) in relation to the topic of water, which was examined from the perspectives of (extra-)school education and adult education using specific projects. The core aspects highlighted were the autonomy of learners, the consideration of emotions, learning with the head, heart and hand, enabling primary experience, promoting design skills and the exchange with local political decision-makers for sustainable spatial development. The needs and ideas of children, young people and adults must be taken into account specifically. Water-related contexts must also be viewed from different perspectives. Interdisciplinary learning, as is possible in FREI DAY, was therefore highlighted as useful. For adult education, it was highlighted that a major difficulty lies in reaching people who do not take advantage of regional educational opportunities due to a lack of interest or knowledge. This target group could be reached, for example, as part of festivals or city festivals or through company outings with points of reference related to everyday life. As in the technical panel discussion in January, it was emphasized again that solutions are primarily at the structural level and that responsibility should not be individualized.
A short questionnaire was also used to determine the participants' ideas, ideas and wishes for the planned “Wasserwegweiser” (water guide) for the Hanover region, which will be developed over the course of the project.
The celebratory closing event with impulses from the panel discussions and presentation of the water signpost will also take place on August 20, 2026 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Leibnizhaus in Hanover.
