Warm-Up Activities for Youth Food Waste Ambassadors Programme Launch at the Ecoschool Winter Forum 2026

At the Ecoschool Winter Forum 2026 on February 20-22, the first warm-up activities for the new season of the Youth Food Waste Ambassadors Programme were launched. Part of the “Food for the Future” project, the programme empowers pupils from regions across Latvia to take action against food waste in their schools and communities. Through learning, collaboration and practical initiatives, young people develop the skills and confidence needed to inspire change around them.

The Ecoschool Winter forum brought together several hundred young people and teachers from across Latvia to explore key topics related to environmental protection and sustainable development.

Participants had the opportunity to learn from inspiring experts:

• Content creator Kristīne Beitika shared insights on how young people can stand out and create meaningful content on social media.

• Chef and co-owner of “BITE ME” Kristaps Reimanis discussed how our food choices affect both our health and the planet.

• Head of the Zero Waste Community and Activity Coordinator at Cēsis Municipality Lāsma Ozola highlighted how communities can collaborate to prevent food waste.

• Environmental engineering expert Dr. Vita Brakovska introduced practical tools that help turn sustainable ideas into real-world action.

  
  

Following the warm-up activities at the forum, the new Youth Food Waste Ambassadors gathered for their first online meeting on March 11. During this session, participants learned more about the challenge of food waste and explored how they can become active contributors to positive change. In the coming months, the ambassadors will investigate the situation in their own schools, identify where and why food waste occurs, and begin developing ideas for practical solutions. A key focus of the programme is encouraging young people to reach out to their peers, raise awareness and inspire others to take part in reducing food waste. From hands-on workshops and mentoring to a summer reunion, the Youth Food Waste Ambassadors are embarking on a journey of learning, collaboration and action.

The project “Food for the Future: A Cross-Baltic School-to-Community Approach to Zero Waste” is implemented by Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in cooperation with Foundation for Environmental Education, Embassy of Denmark in Latvia and Embassy of Sweden in Latvia and supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Photo credit: Līva Stade / FEE Latvia