Ira Vihreälehto - Finland

Ira Vihreälehto is nominated for the project 70 Adventures Before Seven, which offers an innovative approach to environmental education for primary school children.

The initiative invites children to explore their local environment and culture through 70 hands-on adventures designed to make sustainability concrete and engaging. Instead of only learning from books, children learn by doing - through exploring nature, moving around, observing, recycling, and taking part in activities together with others.

The challenges can be completed with classmates, friends, parents, or grandparents, encouraging intergenerational learning and a deeper understanding of local nature and traditions. Through these shared experiences, children discover what is valuable in their surroundings and worth preserving.

By encouraging children to leave screens behind and engage directly with the natural world, the initiative strengthens their connection to place and supports long-term pro-environmental behavior. Research shows that such early, experience-based connections are essential for developing respect for nature, climate awareness, and social responsibility.

Developed in collaboration with leading Finnish cultural and heritage organizations, the concept is widely accessible, free of charge, and available in multiple languages. It is scalable across the Nordics and demonstrates how environmental awareness can begin at the doorstep - one adventure at a time.

Ira Vihreälehto is the executive director at the Association of Cultural Heritage Education in Finland.