From 15 – 19 March, a group of nine teachers from the Reykjanes Peninsula participated in a professional development mobility to Denmark as part of the Erasmus+ project “Tides of Change: Sustainability and Climate Awareness in Coastal Regions through UNESCO School Collaboration.” 

The project is led by the Federation of Municipalities in Suðurnes Region (SSS), with GeoCamp Iceland, Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, and all primary schools in the region as active partners. It focuses on strengthening climate education, ocean literacy, and field-based learning across UNESCO schools through international collaboration.

The participating group represented eight of the ten primary schools within the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark. All participants are teachers engaged in UNESCO school activities, with a shared focus on sustainability education and outdoor learning.

The mobility programme in Denmark centred on job-shadowing and knowledge exchange with UNESCO schools and geoparks. The first visit took place in Odsherred UNESCO Global Geopark, where participants explored practical approaches to outdoor education and place-based learning. The programme demonstrated how geoparks can actively support schools in developing localised, nature-based education and strengthen connections between communities and their natural environment.

Further visits included Rantzausminde School in Svendborg, located within Geopark Det Sydfynske Øhav. The school emphasises international collaboration, cultural understanding, and strong integration of practical and creative subjects, including maker spaces and hands-on learning environments.
Participants also visited Revsvindinge Friskole, gaining insight into the Danish “free school” model, where schools are independently operated with strong parental involvement. The visit highlighted alternative approaches to education, student engagement, and community-based learning.

A key example of sustainability education was observed at Holluf Pile School in Odense, a long-standing UNESCO school. The visit focused on the “From Garden to Stomach” programme, where students engage in growing, harvesting, and preparing food. This initiative integrates environmental awareness, food literacy, and outdoor learning into the curriculum, supported by well-developed outdoor facilities and learning environments.

The mobility concluded with participation in the Big Bang Science Education Conference in Odense, providing exposure to a wide range of teaching methods, workshops, and educational resources in science and outdoor learning.

This mobility is part of a broader Erasmus+ initiative aiming to enhance teacher competencies in climate resilience, outdoor education, and sustainability, while strengthening collaboration between UNESCO schools and geoparks in coastal regions. The knowledge and practices gained during the visit will be implemented across participating schools in Reykjanes, including through the development of lesson plans, outdoor learning activities, and UNESCO Sustainability Weeks.

Earlier this month, we travelled to Lanzarote to take part in the first transnational meeting of the Erasmus+ project Green Footprint, a collaboration focused on one simple but important idea. Helping young people travel better.

GeoCamp Iceland is proud to be involved in the project as an associated partner, working alongside Visit Reykjanes, who lead the project, along with partners from Italy and Spain. Together, we are exploring how tourism can shift from being part of the problem to becoming part of the solution.

The setting for the meeting could not have been more fitting. Lanzarote and the Chinijo Islands UNESCO Global Geopark is often described as an “open-air museum”—a landscape shaped by volcanic forces, rich in geological heritage, and at the same time increasingly under pressure from tourism. That balance between value and vulnerability framed much of our discussion.

A key challenge discussed was the growing gap between how places are experienced and how they are presented online. Social media and the so-called “influencer effect” are driving visitors to fragile, often unprepared locations, sometimes with very real consequences for nature and local communities. At the same time, travellers are increasingly relying on digital tools and AI to plan their journeys, which raises an important question: who is shaping that information?

The Green Footprint project is our attempt to step into that space

At the heart of the project is the development of short, engaging video content designed to guide behaviour in a practical way. Not lectures, not rules, but simple, clear messages rooted in real places. From the Icelandic side, we introduced the idea of “Travel like a Guest”. It’s not complicated. If you wouldn’t walk across someone’s garden at home, don’t walk across fragile moss. If a place feels dangerous, it probably is. And if you can leave a place a little better than you found it (even by picking up one piece of litter) you’re already part of the solution.

During the project meeting in Lanzarote we visited volcanic craters, coastal cliffs, lava formations, and cultural sites. Places where the challenges we were discussing are already visible. These field visits grounded the project in reality and will directly shape the content we develop moving forward.

For us at GeoCamp Iceland, this project connects closely with what we already believe: that education, storytelling, and real-world experience are some of the most powerful tools we have to shape the future of travel.

And if we get it right, the goal is simple—people leave not just with photos, but with a better understanding of the places they visit, and maybe even a slightly lighter footprint.

On 12 August 2026, a total solar eclipse will pass across parts of the North Atlantic and Iceland. For scientists, educators, and students alike, a total eclipse is a rare opportunity to observe how sudden changes in sunlight affect the Earth’s atmosphere and environment.

At GeoCamp Iceland and within Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, we are exploring an exciting collaboration with a student research team from Hanover High School in New Hampshire, USA, who plan to conduct a high-altitude balloon (HAB) research mission during the eclipse.

The project is led by science educator Kevin Lavigne and the Hanover High Altitude Ballooning and Engineering Team (HHS HABET)—a student group that designs, builds, and launches scientific payloads to the edge of space.

This collaboration has already begun to take shape through direct exchange. On 24 February, Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson and Arnbjörn Ólafsson from GeoCamp Iceland visited the Hanover team in New Hampshire, meeting with students and gaining first-hand insight into their work, facilities, and approach to hands-on science and engineering. The visit helped lay the groundwork for what is now developing into a shared international project.

From the Classroom to the Edge of Space
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The Hanover students are not just learning about science—they are doing it.

As Kevin Lavigne explains, “The HABET team is a group of students working together to design, build, and launch scientific experiments to the edge of space using high-altitude balloons. What started as a single project has grown into an ongoing programme where students take ownership of meaningful scientific and engineering work.”

At its core, the idea is simple, but powerful: “We want students to do real science. That means solving problems that don’t have easy answers and working as a team toward something ambitious. We want them to see that they are capable of doing work that matters—not someday, but right now.”

This philosophy aligns closely with the approach of GeoCamp Iceland—where learning is grounded in real environments, real data, and real questions.

Real Science, Real Data, Real Responsibility

The students already have extensive experience with high-altitude research, including NASA-supported eclipse campaigns in the United States.

“Students have launched multiple high-altitude balloon flights, designed their own payloads, and collected real scientific data from near space,” Lavigne says. “They’ve worked on atmospheric conditions, radiation, magnetic fields, and cosmic rays—and even presented their work at professional conferences like the American Astronomical Society.”

The balloon payloads themselves are sophisticated systems. They include instruments that measure radiation, magnetic fields, cosmic rays, and environmental conditions, alongside tracking systems and imaging equipment. 

But beyond the technology, the real learning happens in the process.

“It’s hands-on, it’s real, and it requires teamwork,” he explains. “Students aren’t following a script—they’re building something that has to work in a challenging environment. They test, adapt, and figure things out together.”

The Iceland Eclipse Campaign

The proposed Iceland Eclipse Campaign would bring the Hanover team to Reykjanes for a focused field experience centred around the total solar eclipse. The programme combines outreach, preparation, launch, recovery, and data analysis within a short and intensive timeframe. 
Looking ahead to the mission, Lavigne describes the opportunity clearly: “We’ll be traveling to Iceland to work with students and teachers during the total solar eclipse. Together, we plan to launch high-altitude balloons carrying scientific instruments to study how conditions in the atmosphere change during the eclipse.”

One of the most exciting aspects of the project is its collaborative nature.

“The goal is not just to bring our project to Iceland, but to work alongside Icelandic students,” Lavigne says. “That could include preparing payloads, participating in launch operations, and exploring the data together afterward. We want this to feel like a shared experience.”

Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark offers a powerful setting for this collaboration. A landscape shaped by volcanic activity, geothermal energy, and tectonic forces becomes the backdrop for a project that connects Earth systems with space science.

And the ambition goes beyond a single event. “We hope students in Iceland see that science is something they can actively be part of,” he adds. “You don’t have to wait until university to do meaningful work. If this sparks curiosity or confidence, then we’ve done something right.”

At the beginning of March, GeoCamp Iceland welcomed a group of 19 teachers from Denmark who visited Iceland as part of an Erasmus+ KA1 job-shadowing mobility organised by UCL University College in Denmark. The visit focused on learning more about outdoor education and natural science teaching in Icelandic primary schools, and how local landscapes can be used as an active learning environment.

During their stay, the teachers visited two primary schools in Reykjanesbær – Heiðarskóli and Háaleitisskóli. There they were introduced to everyday school life and had the opportunity to observe a variety of regular classroom lessons with different teachers. The visits provided insight into teaching practices in Icelandic schools and created space for discussions about pedagogy, student engagement, and ways of connecting classroom learning with the surrounding environment.

Introducing the ACADIMIA Project

The programme also included an introduction to ACADIMIA – the European Teacher Academy for Creative and Inclusive Learning, an Erasmus+ project that brings together partners from across Europe, including GeoCamp Iceland.

ACADIMIA focuses on strengthening teacher education through creative and inclusive teaching approaches, supporting educators in developing new methods that can engage diverse groups of students. The project promotes practices such as creative learning, collaborative teaching approaches, and innovative pedagogies that help teachers create more inclusive and engaging learning environments. Through international cooperation and training activities, the project aims to build a strong European network of educators sharing ideas and experiences.

Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark as a Classroom

GeoCamp Iceland also guided the group on a full-day field excursion across Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark. The excursion focused on how landscapes shaped by volcanic activity, geothermal energy, and coastal ecosystems can serve as an extended classroom for science and environmental education. Throughout the day, discussions centred on how teachers can use natural environments to support observation, inquiry, and hands-on learning.

The programme included a visit to Grindavík, where the group experienced the dynamic conditions of the Reykjanes Peninsula firsthand, along with some authentic Icelandic weather, as the day included a refreshing snowstorm during the outdoor activities.

The visit concluded at the Suðurnes Science and Learning Center (Þekkingarsetur Suðurnesja), where the Danish teachers were introduced to the centre’s work in marine research, environmental monitoring, and science communication.

International Exchange Through Education
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The visit provided an opportunity for professional exchange between Icelandic and Danish educators and highlighted how international collaboration, outdoor learning, and creative teaching approaches can enrich education both inside and outside the classroom.

Field-Based Learning, Scientific Literacy and Teacher Empowerment

On 27 February 2026, GeoCamp Iceland participated in the annual Professional Development Day for Icelandic upper secondary schools. Around 1.700 staff members from 26 schools across the country gathered in Reykjavík for a day dedicated to dialogue, innovation and strengthening educational practice.

At Kvennaskólinn in Reykjavík, more than a hundred science teachers came together for a dedicated programme where GeoCamp Iceland delivered the keynote presentation. Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson and Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir addressed a central question: how do we strengthen scientific literacy and increase student interest in science through field-based and outdoor learning?

Education in Reykjanes Geopark

The message was clear. If we want students to truly engage with science, learning must connect to real environments and lived experience. Nature is not an “extra” component of education, but should be treated as one of our most powerful classrooms.

Through collaboration with Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, schools and industry partners, GeoCamp Iceland has worked systematically to develop curriculum-linked, field-based learning environments where geology, climate science, renewable energy and sustainability are explored in authentic contexts.

Professional Development

The presentation placed strong emphasis on teacher empowerment as a strategic priority. Professional development is not about handing out new materials or isolated methods; it is about building confidence, strengthening professional identity, and creating structured space for educators to lead innovation themselves. When teachers feel secure in outdoor settings, in interdisciplinary thinking, and in facilitating inquiry-based learning, real change happens in classrooms.

In this context, ACADIMIA plays a central role. The project is not merely an exchange of good ideas — it is a European framework for rethinking how outdoor education and active methodologies are embedded in school systems. Through international collaboration, shared field experiences and structured reflection, ACADIMIA equips teachers with practical tools, pedagogical strategies and the confidence to integrate field-based learning into mainstream curricula. It moves outdoor learning from the margins to the core of educational practice.

Together with other international partnerships, ACADIMIA demonstrates that cross-border cooperation is not an added bonus; it is a catalyst. By connecting educators across countries, disciplines and landscapes, we accelerate innovation and support teachers in leading transformative, research-informed learning experiences that prepare students for the environmental and societal challenges of the future.

To change the world, we must first understand the Earth

The strong engagement and discussions throughout the day confirmed what we already know: the commitment to strengthening science education in Iceland is profound. The next step is to continue building bridges — between schools and communities, between science and society, and between classrooms and landscapes.

To change the world, we must first understand the Earth. And that begins outdoors.

Vísindalæsi, útinám og framtíð raunvísindakennslu

Þann 27. febrúar 2026 fór fram árlegur Starfsþróunardagur framhaldsskólanna víðs vegar um höfuðborgarsvæðið. Alls tóku um 1.700 starfsmenn frá 26 framhaldsskólum þátt, bæði af höfuðborgarsvæðinu og landsbyggðinni. Dagurinn var helgaður faglegri umræðu, miðlun reynslu og þróun skólastarfs til framtíðar.

Í Kvennaskólanum í Reykjavík komu yfir 100 raungreinakennarar saman og þar fékk GeoCamp Iceland það hlutverk að flytja aðalerindi dagsins. Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson og Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir fjölluðu um leiðir til að efla vísindalæsi og auka áhuga nemenda á raunvísindum með vettvangsnámi og útikennslu.

Meginskilaboðin voru skýr. Ef við viljum efla skilning og kveikja áhuga þurfum við að tengja kennsluna við raunveruleikann. Náttúran er ekki viðbót við kennslustofuna, heldur sjálf kennslustofan. Með markvissri uppbyggingu í Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark hefur verið unnið að því að nýta svæðið sem lifandi námsumhverfi þar sem jarðfræði, loftslagsmál, endurnýjanleg orka og sjálfbærni eru ekki abstrakt hugtök heldur áþreifanleg viðfangsefni.

Í erindinu var einnig fjallað um hvernig GeoCamp Iceland hefur byggt upp samstarf við skóla á öllum skólastigum á svæðinu, jarðvanginn, háskólasamfélagið og atvinnulíf. Sérstök áhersla var lögð á faglega þróun kennara og mikilvægi þess að styðja þá í að þróa nýjar kennsluaðferðir sem byggja á virkni nemenda og reynslunámi. Þar var meðal annars sagt frá Acadima verkefninu og öðrum alþjóðlegum samstarfsverkefnum sem styðja við nýsköpun í kennslu og útinámi.

Umræður í kjölfar erindisins sýndu skýrt þann metnað og áhuga sem býr í íslenskum raungreinakennurum. Þörfin fyrir að styrkja tengsl milli skóla og samfélags, milli fræða og atvinnulífs, og milli kennslustofu og landslags er augljós ... og viljinn til staðar.

Framtíð raunvísindakennslu byggir á því að gera námið merkingarbært og tengt umhverfi nemenda. Til að breyta heiminum þurfum við fyrst að skilja hann ... og til þess þurfum við að fara út úr hefðbundnu kennslustofunum.

News that Reynisfjara has “dramatically shifted” has travelled fast. Basalt columns now stand in the sea where sand once buffered the cliffs. Sections of beach have been eaten away. Access points look different. Visitors are surprised. Locals are unsettled.

But this is not new. This is Iceland.

We live on an island that is constantly being reshaped. Volcanoes build it. Glaciers carve it. Rivers rearrange it. Wind strips it bare. The North Atlantic tests it daily. The land gives and the land takes.

As with the rest of the Icelandic coastline, Reynisfjara has always been dynamic. The black sand is not permanent ground. It is volcanic sediment in motion. Strong easterly winds and persistent winter surf have simply accelerated what the ocean has always done along the South Coast. Moving material, redistributing sand, exposing rock, reclaiming space.

And sometimes, it reverses.

Arnbjörn Ólafsson
​Managing Director of GeoCamp Iceland

On 10 February, Grundaskóli in Akranes hosted a vibrant afternoon of professional development, welcoming over 50 teachers to participate in a series of ACADIMIA workshops focused on creative and inclusive teaching methods.

The workshops, organised in collaboration between the School of Education at the University of Iceland and GeoCamp Iceland, form part of the international Erasmus+ project ACADIMIA. The event demonstrated strong interest among educators in approaches that actively engage students, foster critical thinking and respond to the diverse needs of today’s classrooms.

Two Parallel Workshops – One Shared Vision

The programme offered two parallel 80-minute workshops, each presenting a distinct but complementary pedagogical approach.

Gamified Learning was led by Tryggvi Thayer and Skúlína Kjartansdóttir from the University of Iceland’s School of Education. The session explored how game design principles and playful challenges can increase student engagement, motivation and problem-solving skills. Participants discussed practical strategies for integrating game mechanics into everyday teaching, particularly when working with diverse and mixed-ability student groups.

TalentMaker – Talent-Based Learning, facilitated by Ragnheiður Alma Snæbjörnsdóttir from Akurskóli, focused on activating students’ strengths through creative and flexible project work. Developed in blended learning environments following the Covid pandemic, the method allows students to work independently, in pairs or in groups, while building on Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. The emphasis is on recognising and nurturing different talents within the classroom.

Part of a Broader European Collaboration

The workshops in Akranes are part of the wider ACADIMIA Erasmus+ project, in which GeoCamp Iceland and the University of Iceland are partners. The project brings together 11 creative teaching methodologies developed across Europe into one coherent framework. These methods draw inspiration from Montessori pedagogy, theatre and dialogue practices, gamification, and creative coding.

ACADIMIA aims to develop a shared curriculum on creative and inclusive teaching approaches and to deliver a series of teacher training workshops across all eight partner countries. In the long term, the ambition is to build a professional platform where educators can exchange ideas, inspire one another and integrate innovative methods directly into increasingly demanding school environments.

A Valuable Opportunity for Local Schools
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For Grundaskóli and the wider educational community in Akranes, hosting the ACADIMIA workshops was a significant opportunity. The strong turnout reflects a growing interest among Icelandic teachers in practical, research-informed and internationally connected professional development.

The success of the event confirms that creative, inclusive and student-centred approaches are not trends — they are essential tools for modern education.

GeoCamp Iceland is proud to support this ongoing collaboration and to contribute to strengthening teacher capacity both locally and across Europe.

I was contacted by a couple of students from Moorestown Friends School ahead of their study visit to Iceland in March. They were preparing a blog post about their second day on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Their questions were simple and thoughtful.

• Do people live near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
• How do locals feel about tourism?
• How can we be respectful and thoughtful visitors?
• And how did you end up doing this work?

Good questions. The kind that make you pause before answering. Their curiosity made me reflect on something I think about often, but perhaps do not articulate enough.

What does it actually mean to be a conscious and curious traveller today?

I travel a lot. Mostly for work. Projects in Europe. University visits in the United States. Meetings about regenerative tourism in the Arctic. Teacher training workshops in global geoparks. The irony is not lost on me: I once promised, upon graduating, that I would never set foot inside a school building again. Since then, I have built a career around education, field learning and international collaboration.

And yet, no matter where I go, I always come home to Iceland. There is something deeply Nordic about that rhythm. Travel out. Come back wiser. Or as a recent Icelandic lyric says: "Hver vegur að heiman, er vegurinn heim". Every road away from home, is also the road leading back home.

Að fara í víking

The early settlers of Iceland did not actually call themselves Vikings. The word “Viking” was a verb. To go viking meant to travel, to explore, to trade, occasionally to behave badly (we have improved since then). But crucially, it also meant to return home with stories, skills and perspective.

That part of the tradition is worth keeping.

Today, travel is easier than ever. Flights are frequent. Destinations are curated. Landscapes are photographed before they are understood. But being a traveller in today’s world requires something more than movement. It requires awareness.

Over the past twenty years working in education, sustainability and international cooperation — from vocational training networks to renewable energy programmes to outdoor STEAM education across Europe  — I have come to believe that the most important skill a traveller can develop is not efficiency, but attentiveness.

Glöggt er gests augað

The Icelandic proverb Glöggt er gests augað translates roughly to “the eye of the visitor is keen.” A visitor sees what the local no longer notices. The blackness of a mountain. The cracks in the pavement. The quality of the light. The contradictions in society. The opportunities in your own trait you may have quietly ignored.

But the proverb also carries responsibility. If your eye is keen, you must look carefully — and respectfully. And here is the paradox of being “global” in today’s world. We often think it means looking outward: travelling widely, understanding other cultures, expanding horizons. And it does. But true global awareness also requires the courage to look inward.

When you see another culture clearly, you inevitably begin to see your own more critically. Your habits. Your assumptions. Your blind spots.

A conscious and curious traveller does both. They observe the world — and they examine themselves within it. That is where travel becomes more than movement. That is where it becomes growth.

So what does it mean to be a conscious and curious traveller today?

1. Landscapes are not just backdrops (and definitely not just for Instagram)

First, it means understanding that landscapes are not stage sets designed for our arrival. They are living systems, shaped by forces far older and far more powerful than us.

When you stand on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in Iceland, you are not just posing between tectonic plates. You are standing in a region where communities have felt earthquakes beneath their homes and where volcanic systems are part of everyday reality. When you visit a glacier, you are not simply ticking off a landmark. You are witnessing climate change in real time.

The truth is that most travellers have already “seen” these places long before they arrive. Through social media, drone footage, curated reels and filtered sunsets. But there is a difference between consuming an image and experiencing a place.

Curiosity should lead to better questions. Not just “How do I get the best photo?” but “What shaped this landscape?” “How is it changing?” and “Who lives with these forces every day?”

A conscious traveller understands that the view is not there for you. You are there to understand the view.

2. Contribute more than you consume

In our work with regenerative tourism, we often ask a simple question: How can travel leave a place stronger than it found it?

It's not only about minimising your carbon footprint, it's about how you can leave a positive impact. That might mean supporting local producers. It might mean travelling outside peak seasons. Talking to a local person and learning about their lives. It might mean listening to a guide tell a long story rather than rushing to the next viewpoint.

Sometimes contribution is small and practical. Picking up litter that is not yours. Staying on marked paths. Respecting closures even when no one is watching.

I promise you — no one has ever regretted leaving a place slightly better than they found it.

3. Adaptability is a skillset (and in Iceland, often a survival strategy)

Third, it means staying adaptable. I have lived in Denmark for over a decade and spent a couple of years in the United States. Working across cultures has taught me that adaptability is the ability to feel at home while fully aware that you are not at home.

In Iceland, adaptability is more than a soft skill. It is embedded in our culture. When you live with shifting tectonic plates, unpredictable weather and frequent volcanic eruptions, flexibility is not optional. Plans change. Roads close. Nature sets the agenda. You adjust accordingly.

That mindset has shaped how Icelanders think and act. We improvise. We pivot. We rarely assume tomorrow will look exactly like today.

For a traveller, adaptability is humility in action. It means recognising that your way is not the only way. That weather may rewrite your schedule. That people you come across may point you in a direction you did not anticipate. That sometimes the best experiences happen because the itinerary failed.

Or as we say Þetta reddast. It will work out — not because nothing goes wrong, but because we adapt when it does.

4. Let the journey influence you

When we host students at GeoCamp Iceland, we often tell them that travel is not about collecting places. It is about collecting perspectives, memories and stories. If you return home exactly as you left - with the same assumptions, same certainty, same worldview - then you may have moved geographically, but you have not really travelled.

Through the eyes of visitors, I constantly rediscover my own country. Their questions make me pause. Why do we do things this way? Why have I stopped noticing that? Their observations reveal details I had quietly filed away as ordinary.

Travel should do that to you. It should unsettle you slightly. Stretch you. Challenge your habits and your confidence. Not in a dramatic way, but in a reflective one. That is the real exchange. Not just economic. Not just cultural performance. Mutual learning.

Perhaps this is where global citizenship truly begins — not with how many countries you have visited, but with your willingness to examine yourself in light of what you encounter.

The journey should influence you. Otherwise, it was just transportation.

5. Slow down, you’re not a drone

And finally, being a good traveller means slowing down. Not everything needs to be documented. Not every moment needs to be uploaded instantly. Some landscapes deserve to be experienced without a lens between you and the wind.

Stand still. Feel the ground beneath you. Listen to the birds — or in Iceland’s case, listen to the wind. We have a saying: Lognið fer hratt yfir or the calm passes quickly. On the surface, it is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Iceland’s notoriously windy conditions. Even calm weather rarely lasts long. But it is also a reminder that moments are temporary. Stillness is fleeting. If you are always adjusting your camera angle, you may miss the calm entirely.

Travel, at its best, is education. It is philosophy in motion. It is project management without a Gantt chart. It is STEAM learning without classroom walls.

Vits er þörf þeim er víða ratar (Wisdom is needed by those who travel widely)

These words of wisdom written by the early settlers a millennium ago are as timely today as they were then. Movement alone is not enough. The more ground you cover, the more judgement you must carry with you. Travel without reflection is just logistics. Travel with awareness becomes growth.

So yes, go full viking. Travel widely. Be curious. Ask difficult questions. Explore new cultures. Taste unfamiliar food. Get slightly lost. And when you take a wrong turn — pay attention. That is often where the learning begins.

But leave the plundering behind.

Return home with stories, skills and a better understanding of the world ... and of yourself. Because in the end, the most important destination is not the place you visit. It is the person you become on the journey.

As John Lennon wrote, life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans. The same is true for travel. The most valuable lessons rarely arrive on schedule. They appear in delays, in wrong turns, in conversations you did not plan to have, in landscapes that you stop to notice, not through the lens, but truly observe.

I once vowed, quite confidently, that I would never set foot inside a classroom again. Today, I realise that every day has become one. Cities. Airports. Conference halls. Fishing villages. Lava fields. Geothermal pools. Sitting at kitchen tables. Listening to stories that shift your assumptions.

The world has a way of educating you.

If you let it.

Arnbjörn Ólafsson
Managing Director, GeoCamp Iceland and a modern-day Viking (minus the plundering)

​From 27–29 January 2026, Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir represented GeoCamp Iceland and Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark at the ISEEN Winter Institute in Baltimore, USA. The annual ISEEN (Independent School Experiential Education Network) Winter Institute is a well-established international conference that brings together educators, school leaders, and education innovators from across the United States and Canada, with a strong emphasis on experiential learning, outdoor education, and values-driven pedagogy.

This year’s overarching theme, “Justice for People and the Planet through Community Action,” was deeply woven into the programme. Across keynotes, workshops, and collaborative sessions, participants explored how education can actively support social justice, sustainability, and responsible engagement with the natural world. The theme strongly aligns with the values underpinning GeoCamp Iceland’s work: outdoor learning, scientific literacy, sustainability, and education as a driver for positive societal change.

During the conference, Sigrún participated in a wide range of workshops, including a full-day session on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, led by facilitators from Insight Global Education. This intensive workshop focused on practical ways educators can embed the Global Goals into teaching practice, empowering students to understand complex global challenges and see themselves as active contributors to solutions.

Another particularly impactful session focused on outdoor education, where experienced educators shared concrete methods, challenges, and success stories from their own practice. The workshop fostered open dialogue and peer support, highlighting outdoor learning as a powerful tool for strengthening student agency, well-being, and connection to place. These discussions directly resonate with GeoCamp Iceland’s long-standing experience in field-based learning and place-based education.

A key highlight of Sigrún’s participation was her involvement in the conference’s “education camps,” where selected educators were invited to present innovative ideas and projects. As one of only 15 presenters, Sigrún introduced “Ripples of Learning” (Gárur á Reykjanesi), an initiative developed within Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark. The project focuses on mapping outdoor learning opportunities around schools across the Reykjanes Peninsula, making it easier for teachers to integrate meaningful outdoor and place-based learning into everyday education.

The presentation was met with strong interest, and the stand was well attended throughout the session. Many educators expressed enthusiasm for the concept, recognising its potential to be adapted to their own local contexts. This response underlined the broader relevance of the work being carried out in Reykjanes and demonstrated how local initiatives can inspire international educational practice.

The conference concluded with a keynote address by Dawn Moore, First Lady of Maryland, who shared insights into the values and priorities guiding her and her husband’s public work. Her message emphasised collaboration, care, and respect for both people and the natural world, echoing the core values that had shaped the conference as a whole. It was a fitting and inspiring close to an event grounded in empathy, responsibility, and hope.

Beyond the formal programme, ISEEN Winter Institute offered valuable opportunities for networking and relationship-building. Sigrún connected with educators and schools actively working at the intersection of education, sustainability, and outdoor learning. These connections strengthen GeoCamp Iceland’s international network and open doors for future collaboration, knowledge exchange, and joint initiatives.

Sigrún returned from Baltimore with renewed inspiration, a strong sense of community, and a reinforced belief in the power of education to foster understanding, responsibility, and positive change. Her participation at ISEEN highlights the importance of Icelandic voices in international education forums and reinforces GeoCamp Iceland’s role as an active contributor to global conversations on outdoor learning, sustainability, and educational innovation.

On 2 February, Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark hosted a UNESCO Schools–themed Education Camp (Menntabúðir) at Gerðaskóli in Garður. The event proved highly successful, bringing together over 100 participants from 15 schools for an afternoon of inspiration, exchange, and collaboration focused on education for sustainability and global citizenship.

The Education Camp was designed as an open and welcoming space for educators across all school levels. The programme centred on interactive presentation booths, followed by a keynote lecture, allowing participants to move freely, explore ideas at their own pace, and engage in conversations with colleagues from different schools, disciplines, and municipalities.

More than a dozen booths showcased a wide range of projects and ideas connected to UNESCO school values, including outdoor learning, local studies, science, sustainability, human rights, and community engagement. Presentations came from preschools, primary schools, and upper secondary schools across the region, alongside contributions from key partner organisations such as the United Nations Association of Iceland, Landvernd (the Icelandic Environment Association), Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, and Sudurnes Science & Learning Centre.

“The participation was fantastic, and the atmosphere was extremely positive,” says Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir, Project Manager at GeoCamp Iceland & Manager of Education at Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark. Through her work at GeoCamp Iceland, Sigrún Svafa focuses on educational development and outreach, reflecting GeoCamp’s long-term commitment to strengthening outdoor learning, sustainability education, and school–community collaboration within the Geopark. “Education Camps like this create a shared platform where educators can meet, exchange experiences, and learn from one another across school levels and municipalities. This first event exceeded my brightest expectations. It is clear how many exciting and diverse things our schools are doing. Together we are stronger – and we are only just getting started.”

The event concluded with an engaging keynote by Sævar Helgi Bragason, who explored how astronomy can be meaningfully integrated into school education. His talk focused on the total solar eclipse of 12 August 2026, what can be expected from the phenomenon, and the unique educational and public engagement opportunities it presents for the Reykjanes Peninsula. The lecture sparked lively discussion and strong interest among participants.

The Education Camp highlighted the strong momentum within the school community of Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark and demonstrated the value of long-term collaboration between schools, the Geopark, and GeoCamp Iceland. Through this shared commitment, the Geopark continues to function as a living classroom, supporting place-based learning, educational innovation, and sustainable development across the region.