Connecting and Learning at the 2025 EEASA Conference

Last week from the 15th-19th September, members of the Sustainable Schools team had the privilege of attending the 43rd Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA) conference held at the Taj Hotel in Cape Town.  

Programme Implementation Coordinator Megan Treacy and Resource & Platform Curator Tamsyn Henshall were joined by School Coordinator Lanah Murray and Partner & Social Media Coordinator Mikaela Tuck as well as Nature Connect colleagues including Louise Matschke, Tammy-lee Solomons and Bevan Vollenhoven at the immersive event.  

 The conference programme was jam packed with three full days of panel discussions, talks, workshops and presentations. A proud moment for the Nature Connect team was getting to hear Conservation Leader graduate (now employed part-time Educator) Jumah Alih Abubakr share his inspiring environmental journey. Jumah spoke as one of the guests of honour opening the conference and it was heartwarming to witness, especially as his story speaks of the support and influence of numerous organisations that were present.  

Sharing our work  

EEASA gathers together members from across Southern Africa to discuss Education for Sustainable Development and our collective roles in advancing this important cause. The theme of this year’s EEASA conference was “Celebrating and reflecting the success in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): Building on success and shaping the future of ESD”.  

As Sustainable Schools, we contributed our voices and insights through presentations by Tamsyn and Megan. Sharing lessons learnt with new audiences was a highlight and a great learning experience for both.  

On Tuesday, Tamsyn presented on “Reimagining Education for Sustainable Development Access through technology” sharing lessons learnt during the process of redeveloping the Sustainable Schools Hub – the Sustainable Schools online platform now in its second iteration (keep an ear out for big updates coming soon!). The presentation covered the importance of incorporating feedback, especially from our dedicated teacher network.  

 On Wednesday Megan then presented on the Sustainable Schools Programme’s ecosystem approach, highlighting the need for collaboration with detailed school case studies – sharing success and lessons from partnering and connecting local schools and organisations. While a continuous work in progress, the case studies she shared illustrated how a thriving ecosystem is made up of a diverse range of role players all working together for a common goal and cannot be reliant on a single person, event or organisation to succeed.  

 In addition to Tamsyn and Megan, Louise Matschke and Tammy-lee Solomons also shared their expertise through presentations that added valuable perspectives and learnings from the Conservation Leaders Programme and Nature Connect’s partnerships and forum involvement.   

Connections new and renewed 

Apart from learning from the multiple presentations, networking made up a large portion of the week. It was great to connect and reconnect with many of our organisational partners as well as meet new potential partners. The welcome mixer event and concluding gala dinner also allowed for catch ups in a more relaxed setting.  

Key themes 

Throughout the conference, several important themes stood out to us: 

• Collaboration is key: The importance of diverse partnerships and collective action in building sustainable and resilient programmes. 

• Start small but dig deep: Many presentations showed the power of quality over quantity. By focusing on local areas and smaller groups of learners, they are able to foster deeper and longer lasting connections.  

• Work holistically: In order to bring sustainable change, we need to consider the whole picture and rely on partners for support to work holistically.  

These lessons reinforced that while each school or organisation may have its own unique journey, the greatest impact happens when we share knowledge and skills and support one another. Collaboration not competition!  

Looking ahead 

The EEASA conference has left us inspired and motivated. The insights we gained left much food for thought and will definitely inform our ongoing work, from the redevelopment of the Sustainable Schools Hub to expanding our network of partnerships. We are excited to take these learnings forward and to continue shaping education in Southern Africa where sustainability is not an add-on but a central, embedded practice.  

We are grateful to the EEASA organisers, fellow participants, and partners for an enriching and inspiring week. Being part of this regional community is a great reminder that advancing ESD is not something we do alone, it is the product of collective energy, collaboration, and shared passion. Together, we are shaping the future of education for sustainable development in Southern Africa and beyond.