A festive workshop on the theme “Christmas eco-wreath” was held at the Greek Catholic parish of the Ascension of the Lord (Khust district). Nataliya Stetso, an expert at the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies and a teacher at the Velikorotzitska primary school, arranged it for the children.
The event’s goal was to spread ecological and educational ideas among young people as well as to create a New Year’s mood. Wreaths were mostly made from natural materials that can be found in almost every Ukrainian home.
The base of all ingredients is the same: hay densely woven into the shape of a wreath. The children then decorated their decorationswreaths on their own. Christmas tree branches, cones, wooden figures and buttons, corks, cotton flowers, ribbons, and beads were all used. Nataliya Stetso said of the event; “We almost worked in “field conditions” (without light)”.
The children learned how to transform unwanted items into festive decorations, increasing the value of natural materials. They will give the wreaths to family members or hang them in their homes as a reminder of their responsibility for Creation.
The event took place within the framework of cooperation between the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies- IERS (headed by Alexander Bokotey) and the Nature Conservation Union of Germany (NABU Bundesverband, NABU International), project coordinators – Ivan Tymofeiev (NABU), Nataliya Kulya (IERS).
Informational Service of IERS