Schools of resilience – Schools for health, climate, and security

The Schools for Health, Climate and Security conference is a Polish-Danish high-level event dedicated to exploring the strategic role of schools in building social resilience to interlinked crises — climate, health, social and systemic. Organized within the framework of the Polish-Danish Presidencies of the Council of the EU, the event will contribute to shaping shared European priorities for just, sustainable and communitycentred transitions. It is hosted under the umbrella of Climate Congress in Łódź and takes place on the eve of the Urban Future 2025 conference. The event aligns strongly with the mission of the European Climate Pact by promoting local, communitybased action for climate and health. It directly supports citizen engagement, fosters cross-border cooperation, and translates EU values into concrete action at the local level. By showcasing how schools can lead the green and just transformation, this initiative contributes meaningfully to the Pact’s goals and inspires replication across Europe.

Topics and Objectives:

The conference initiates a cross-sectoral, international dialogue on how educational infrastructure can be reimagined as critical urban and social spaces fostering resilience, climate action and well-being. The event brings together public authorities, urban planners, educators, health experts and civil society to address the urgent need for school transformation in three complementary dimensions: 

• Schools as Healthy and Resilient Buildings
  • Ensuring clean air, energy efficiency, thermal comfort, acoustic quality, and adaptability to climate change.
  • Promoting schools as potential community shelters in times of crisis.
• Schools as Community Anchors in the Urban Fabric
  • Rethinking school grounds and surrounding public spaces as green, inclusive, and safe buffers against pollution, heat and traffic.
  • Encouraging active mobility and safe access to school for children.
• Schools as Hubs of Democratic Culture and Civic Engagement
  • Empowering students to co-design school environments.
  • Reinforcing environmental, civic and spatial literacy through participatory processes.

Key Objectives: 

• Highlight the role of schools in public health promotion and climate adaptation strategies.
• Promote integrated and participatory approaches to urban and education policy.
• Identify barriers and opportunities for implementing resilient school concepts in Europe.
• Inspire local and national authorities to implement pilot projects.
• Deliver a policy-oriented summary of recommendations to EU institutions as part of the legacy of the dual Polish-Danish Presidencies.

Target Audience:

Public administration representatives (national, local and EU), parliamentarians, school leaders, architects, planners, climate and health experts, youth organizations, NGOs and the media.

Organizers:

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in Poland, the City of Łódź, and the Foundation "Parents for Climate" (Rodzice dla Klimatu), in collaboration with multiple educational and environmental partners.