Growing the UNESCO Schools Network in Reykjanes: Educational Development through ASPnet

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.