Land of Fires, schools take action: protocol signed for environmental education and legality

NAPLES – The battle for the reclamation of the Land of Fires also involves classrooms. A memorandum of understanding aimed at promoting environmental education and a culture of legality among students in the areas between the provinces of Naples and Caserta was signed this morning at the Naples Prefecture.

The agreement involves Prefectures, the Campania Region, the Regional Education Office, the Sole Commissioner for Remediation, and representatives of the Ministry of the Interior, with the goal of launching training courses dedicated to environmental protection, land safety, and the prevention of environmental crime starting next school year.

The project includes a calendar of activities in schools, with initiatives designed to raise awareness among younger generations and empower them to lead a cultural shift. Students will be challenged to become active witnesses and guardians of environmental protection, helping to raise awareness within their communities.

"This protocol aims to bring together all these skills so that this action can be embraced by the population," said the Prefect of Naples, Michele di Bari. "Every tool and every initiative we implement has the cleanup of the land as its top priority, but above all, the health and protection of citizens."

For the Sole Commissioner for Remediation, General Giuseppe Vadalà, training is one of the key tools in the strategy to combat the phenomenon. "Schools are a priority and a virtuous point. This protocol allows us to better organize the system, identify objectives, and define intervention methods. We are adding another brick to everything the Government has been doing since 2025," he stated.

During the meeting, the symbolic value of the initiative was also emphasized in light of the European Court of Human Rights ruling that condemned Italy for its handling of the Terra dei Fuochi (Land of Fires) case. Regional Councilor for the Environment Claudia Pecoraro emphasized how investing in the education of younger generations represents a concrete response to the critical issues that have plagued these areas for years.

Satisfaction was also expressed by the director of the Regional School Office, Monica Marano, who called the agreement an important opportunity to offer schools qualified programs, implemented with the support of the competent authorities.

The protocol represents a new step in the recovery and revitalization strategy for the Land of Fires, aiming to combine land reclamation and monitoring with in-depth cultural work, entrusted to the younger generations and the collaboration of all involved institutions.