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.

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.”

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.

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.

From 8–12 September 2025, representatives from GeoCamp Iceland and Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark participated in the 11th International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks (GGN 2025), held in Temuco, Chile. Hosted by Kütralkura UNESCO Global Geopark, the conference brought together geopark professionals, researchers, educators, and policy representatives from across the global network under the theme “From Ancestral Knowledge towards Future Geoparks: Technologies and Digital Innovation for Sustainable Development.”

For GeoCamp Iceland and its partners, GGN 2025 provided an important international platform to present and disseminate REGENERATE – Regenerative Tourism for Resilient Communities and Natural Heritage, an Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) cooperation project led by Visit Reykjanes.

The REGENERATE Project

REGENERATE addresses a shared challenge across the Northern Periphery and Arctic region: how to balance the economic importance of tourism with increasing pressure on sensitive natural environments, local communities, and cultural heritage. Rather than focusing solely on impact reduction, the project promotes a regenerative tourism approach, aiming to ensure that tourism actively contributes to ecological restoration, community resilience, and cultural continuity.

The project is led by Visit Reykjanes (Iceland) and brings together partners from Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Ireland, including GeoCamp Iceland, Karelia University of Applied Sciences, Olemisen Balanssia ry, Gold of Lapland, and Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark. Over its three-year duration (2025–2028), REGENERATE will develop a shared regenerative tourism model, establish four pilot regenerative travel hubs, and deliver capacity-building tools for public authorities, SMEs, and destination management organisations.

Presenting REGENERATE at GGN 2025

At GGN 2025, REGENERATE was presented through a dedicated poster and direct engagement with conference participants. The presentation outlined the project’s objectives, partnership structure, and key outputs, with particular emphasis on the pilot hubs and the role of public–private cooperation in implementing regenerative practices at destination level.

The response from the international geopark community was strongly positive. Many geoparks face similar challenges related to visitor pressure, climate vulnerability, depopulation, and the need to align tourism more closely with education, conservation, and community development. The REGENERATE framework was widely recognised as a practical and transferable approach that could be adapted to different territorial, cultural, and governance contexts.

GGN as a Dissemination and Learning Platform

The UNESCO Global Geoparks Network plays a critical role as a dissemination channel for initiatives such as REGENERATE. Unlike conventional tourism forums, GGN conferences bring together territories that already operate at the intersection of geoconservation, education, and sustainable development. This makes the network particularly well suited for testing, refining, and scaling regenerative tourism approaches.

Discussions at GGN 2025 demonstrated strong interest from geoparks beyond the NPA region, including representatives from Latin America, Southern Europe, and Asia. These exchanges reinforced the project’s ambition to contribute not only to regional development in the North, but also to wider international dialogue on the future role of geoparks in shaping responsible and regenerative tourism.

The Role of GeoCamp Iceland

GeoCamp Iceland contributes to REGENERATE by linking regenerative tourism with education, outdoor learning, and science communication. Through field-based learning, teacher training, and international study programmes, GeoCamp supports the integration of regenerative principles into both visitor experiences and local capacity-building efforts.

At GGN 2025, this educational perspective was highlighted as a key strength of the project. Many geoparks expressed interest in strengthening the educational dimension of tourism development, particularly as a way to influence long-term behavioural change among visitors and to engage young people and future professionals.

Conclusions and Next Steps

Participation in GGN 2025 confirmed the relevance of the REGENERATE project within the global geopark context. The conference provided a valuable opportunity to disseminate project objectives, exchange experiences with other geoparks, and explore pathways for future collaboration and replication.

As REGENERATE moves into its implementation phase, continued engagement with the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network will remain an important element of its dissemination strategy. By sharing models, tools, and lessons learned, the project aims to support geoparks worldwide in strengthening tourism as a positive force for environmental regeneration, cultural heritage, and community resilience.

REGENERATE: A Northern Periphery and Arctic programme initiative led from Reykjanes, showcasing regenerative tourism practices developed with partners from Finland, Sweden, and Ireland [Poster]

Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark continues to strengthen its educational network as Fjölbrautaskóli Suðurnesja has now officially received recognition as a UNESCO School. With this milestone, there are now four UNESCO Schools within the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, marking important progress in regional collaboration around sustainability, global citizenship, and place-based learning.

Stóru-Vogaskóli in Vogar was the first school in the region to receive UNESCO School status in spring 2025. It was followed by Háaleitisskóli on Ásbrú later that summer, and Leikskólinn Gimli in Reykjanesbær in October 2025. Fjölbrautaskóli Suðurnesja now joins this growing network, spanning preschool, primary, and upper secondary education.

To mark the occasion, Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir, Project Manager at GeoCamp Iceland and coordinator of the UNESCO ASPnet project in Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, visited the newly recognised UNESCO Schools within the Geopark to present them with the publications Reykjanes I and Reykjanes II, along with other educational materials published by the Geopark. These resources are designed to support project work connected to local nature, culture, and heritage.

Sigrún Svafa’s role within the Geopark is part of a formal cooperation agreement between Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark and GeoCamp Iceland, which is responsible for managing and coordinating the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) within the Geopark. Through GeoCamp Iceland, she leads the educational development work, supports schools throughout the application process, and serves as the main liaison with the United Nations Association of Iceland.

Since the first introductory meeting in September 2024, around 18 preschools, primary schools, and upper secondary schools within the Reykjanes area have begun working towards UNESCO School status. The initiative was launched in cooperation with Suðurnesjavettvangur and has since developed into a structured support framework for schools interested in integrating UNESCO values into their daily teaching and learning.

The UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) has been active internationally since 1953 and today includes nearly 10.000 schools in 180 countries. Participating schools commit to embedding United Nations themes and working actively with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals across their curricula and school culture.

While the original aim was to support schools in working more effectively with the Sustainable Development Goals and to improve access to meaningful educational projects, the benefits have gone further. The ASPnet initiative has strengthened schools’ connections to the Geopark, encouraged collaboration across school levels and municipalities, and helped establish a dynamic professional learning community for educators throughout the region.

The next key milestone in this work is the UNESCO Schools Education Camp (Menntabúðir), taking place on 2 February at Gerðaskóli in Garður. The event is open to educators from all school levels and will focus on sharing ideas, showcasing projects, and building connections across the network. On this occasion, astronomer Sævar Helgi Bragason will also visit Reykjanes to introduce educators to the educational opportunities linked to the total solar eclipse on 12 August, which will be visible from the peninsula.

GeoCamp Iceland and Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark warmly congratulate all newly recognised UNESCO Schools on this important achievement and look forward to continuing this shared journey of educational development, collaboration, and sustainability-focused learning in Reykjanes.

GeoCamp Iceland has - as coordinator for educational development in Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark - completed a needs assessment on outdoor education within the geopark. The survey was carried out as part of the Nordplus project Empowering Educators, which aims to map opportunities for outdoor learning in Nordic geoparks. It was conducted in close cooperation with teachers across Reykjanes and highlights both the strengths and the challenges related to outdoor learning in local schools. The results confirm that teachers at all school levels are keen to use outdoor environments in their teaching and make extensive use of the surrounding nature, but require more support to fully realise the potential that outdoor learning offers.

According to the assessment, teachers in the Reykjanes Geopark actively draw on the rich natural diversity of the area—including lava fields, geothermal sites, rocky coastlines and moss-covered landscapes—to strengthen students’ scientific literacy, creativity, reading skills and social development. Outdoor learning has become a regular part of school activities in many schools, with strong emphasis on connecting learning to students’ lived experience and encouraging curiosity and exploration in nature.

The results also reveal several obstacles that limit the scope of outdoor teaching. Lack of time and tightly structured timetables are among the most common challenges, along with weather conditions and the fact that many students are not dressed appropriately for outdoor activities. Teachers also expressed a need for greater confidence in outdoor pedagogy, including methods, planning, and using natural environments as learning spaces. In addition, many noted a lack of accessible teaching materials such as ready-made tasks and curriculum-aligned resources for outdoor learning.

Nordic Geoparks Emphasise Outdoor Learning

Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark leads the two-year Nordplus project, launched in autumn 2025, which aims to connect the region’s natural environment, geology, history and sustainability with education and teaching. Through the project, the geopark will develop new teaching materials, strengthen field-based learning and outdoor education, offer workshops for teachers and support schools wishing to make more active use of the geopark.  

The geopark will also host a shared Nordic database compiling outdoor learning resources for geoparks, including simple activities, exemplary practice and safety guidelines. The goal is to enable teachers to take students outdoors more frequently, supported by better tools and stronger alignment with the national curriculum. The project will furthermore prepare and deliver a series of professional development courses for teachers, focusing on outdoor education, teaching methods and field-based learning across Nordic geoparks.

Teachers Call for Stronger Collaboration with International Colleagues

One of the clearest findings from the survey is that teachers in Reykjanes are highly interested in expanding international cooperation and strengthening their professional networks with teachers facing similar challenges in other countries.

They see opportunities for inspiration from colleagues abroad—particularly through the exchange of good practice, lesson ideas and teaching methods related to sustainability, climate education, nature and environmental awareness. Participation in the Nordplus project, along with other international development initiatives, will create new opportunities for collaboration, joint planning of professional development courses, and teacher exchanges between Nordic geoparks.

Schools Already Implementing Outdoor Learning in Meaningful Ways

The assessment reveals numerous examples of successful outdoor learning among schools in the Reykjanes Geopark. Many teachers already use the geopark as a living classroom, guiding students through field-based investigations and creative activities connected to the surrounding environment and cultural history. Some teachers use outdoor settings deliberately to strengthen scientific understanding and creativity, for example through story walks or creative writing linked to natural features. There are also many cases of shorter outings, where students complete focused tasks on school grounds or in the immediate neighbourhood.

The findings emphasise the importance of better supporting teachers in using the geopark’s unique environment for science communication and outdoor learning. Over the course of the project, Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark will work closely with schools, municipalities and Nordic partners to develop user-friendly teaching materials and strengthen teachers’ professional skills in outdoor education within geoparks.

Empowering Educators is part of Nordplus Horizontal and runs until 2027. The results of the needs assessment will be used to guide teacher training, resource development and collaborative projects among Nordic geoparks in the coming years.

Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark has received a 2,7 million ISK grant from the Development Fund of Suðurnes for an ambitious new initiative: Great Eclipse Glasses. The project, run by Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir on behalf of GeoCamp Iceland through our education service contract, marks a major step in preparing the region for the total solar eclipse on 12 August 2026.

The eclipse will be a rare and unforgettable experience for most of us — the kind of celestial event that sparks lifelong curiosity. Around the world, eclipses are used as powerful teaching moments to inspire interest in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Reykjanes is now taking this opportunity seriously and creatively.

Nine Large-Scale Artworks Across the Geopark

The project centres on installing nine large outdoor artworks shaped like oversized eclipse glasses in every urban area of the Geopark. These installations serve a dual purpose: they function as safe eclipse-viewing stations, and they become striking gathering points on the day of the event. Long after the eclipse has passed, they will remain as public artworks — adaptable spaces that schools, municipalities, cultural institutions and community groups can use in a variety of ways.

A Community-Driven, Creative and Educational Approach

Behind the playful design lies a strong educational aim. The project aligns with the Geopark’s mission to build scientific literacy, strengthen community participation, and offer accessible outdoor learning experiences for young people.

Work is already underway to secure funding for eclipse glasses and a dedicated educational booklet for every primary school student on the Reykjanes Peninsula. In addition, the Geopark is preparing spring visits to all local schools with Sævar Helgi Bragason, who will lead astronomy workshops for children and teachers.

All of this fits within GeoCamp Iceland’s ongoing commitment to STEAM education, science communication and creating meaningful connections between learners, nature and society.

A Partnership Built on Local Strengths

The Great Eclipse Glasses project is being developed in close collaboration with the Municipalities of Suðurnes, Visit Reykjanes, local companies and schools. This cooperation reflects the region’s growing identity as a dynamic hub for science, creativity and sustainability. The grant allows partners to prepare safely and thoughtfully for an event that will draw attention to Reykjanes from around the world.

As we move closer to August 2026, excitement will only grow. GeoCamp Iceland is proud to support this work, contributing our expertise in outdoor learning, youth engagement and science outreach. For the young people living on the Reykjanes Peninsula, the eclipse will be more than a spectacular moment in the sky — it will be a chance to explore big questions, connect with their environment and see themselves within a wider universe.

We look forward to sharing updates as the project develops and as the Great Eclipse Glasses begin to take shape across the landscape.

This week we were honoured to speak at the Global Summit on Climate Education, hosted by the Institute for Global Learning at Appleby College, Toronto. Our session “From Lava Fields to Learning Labs: Outdoor Climate Education Case Studies from Iceland” was delivered by Arnbjörn Ólafsson, Managing Director of GeoCamp Iceland, and Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir, Project Manager for Education at Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark. We shared how Iceland’s active volcanic landscapes are shaping hands-on climate learning for students and teachers alike. 

At the heart of our approach is a simple belief: to change the world we live in, we must first understand the Earth we live on. That ethos runs through all of our work with schools and universities, where field-based learning turns complex climate systems into lived experience.