Learning Outside in North Macedonia – Our First Transnational Project Meeting in Kičevo
Erasmus+ KA210-SCH – “Learn Outside, Smile and Shine”
Project No. 2025-1-RO01-KA210-SCH-000354299
In November 2025, the partners of the Erasmus+ project “Learn Outside, Smile and Shine” came together in Kičevo, North Macedonia, for the first Transnational Project Meeting hosted by OOU “Kuzman Josifoski-Pitu” Kičevo.
Partner teams from Romania, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, and North Macedonia participated in several days of educational, outdoor, and cultural activities designed to promote experiential learning, intercultural dialogue, cooperation, and the exchange of good practices.
Day 1 – Welcome to Kičevo
The first day began with a warm welcome from the host team at OOU “Kuzman Josifoski-Pitu” Kičevo. The school principal and project coordinator officially welcomed the European partners, highlighting the importance of cooperation, friendship and shared European values.
Students prepared a wonderful artistic program featuring traditional Macedonian music and dances, offering participants an authentic introduction to the local culture and traditions.
During the meeting, partner teams from Romania, Greece, Italy, Lithuania and North Macedonia presented their schools, educational contexts and contributions to the project. These presentations provided an opportunity to learn more about each institution and laid the foundations for a productive week of collaboration and intercultural learning.
The first day was not only about getting to know each other, but also about strengthening the common vision of our project: creating meaningful learning experiences that extend beyond the traditional classroom.
Day 2 – Discovering Skopje: Learning Through Culture and History
The second day was dedicated to experiential and cultural learning in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia.
Participants explored some of the city's most representative historical and cultural landmarks, including Skopje Fortress (Kale), Macedonia Square, the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle for Independence, the Mother Teresa Memorial House, the Old Bazaar, and important religious and cultural sites.
Walking through the city allowed participants to discover different layers of North Macedonia's history, cultural identity and traditions in an authentic learning environment.
The visit demonstrated one of the central ideas of “Learn Outside, Smile and Shine”: education can take place everywhere. Historical sites, museums, streets and public spaces can become meaningful learning environments that encourage curiosity, observation and intercultural understanding.
Day 3 – Project Management and Outdoor Learning
The third day combined project management activities with practical outdoor learning experiences.
During the project management team meeting, coordinators and representatives from all partner institutions discussed the progress of the project, upcoming activities, responsibilities, expected results and dissemination strategy. The meeting provided an important opportunity to coordinate the next stages of the partnership and strengthen cooperation among the participating schools.
The program continued with outdoor activities presented and implemented by the partner teams. Through creative and collaborative tasks, participants explored different approaches to learning outside the classroom and exchanged educational practices that can be adapted and implemented in their own schools.
The activities highlighted key elements of outdoor education: creativity, teamwork, active participation, communication and learning through direct experience.
Participants also visited SCUT, where they learned more about local initiatives related to education and inclusion.
It was a day full of new ideas, practical experiences and collaboration, reflecting the shared motto of our project: Learn Outside, Smile and Shine!
Day 4 – Ohrid: Heritage as an Outdoor Classroom
The fourth day took participants to the beautiful city of Ohrid, where cultural heritage became an authentic outdoor learning environment.
The program included visits to some of the city's most important historical, cultural and religious landmarks: the Ancient Theatre, Plaošnik and St. Clement Church, St. Sophia Church, the Old Town, Lake Ohrid, Samoil's Fortress, the Holy Mother of God – Mary Precista Church, the Statue of Saints Cyril and Methodius, as well as the mosque in the Old Town.
The visit offered participants the opportunity to explore the region's rich cultural and spiritual heritage while learning outside the traditional classroom.
The impressive architecture, historical monuments and views over Lake Ohrid provided an inspiring setting for reflection, dialogue and intercultural exchange. The experience showed how cultural heritage can become a valuable educational resource for developing historical awareness, curiosity and respect for cultural diversity.
Celebrating Partnership – Festive Dinner and Award Ceremony
The Transnational Project Meeting concluded with a festive dinner and award ceremony, bringing together all partner teams in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
The evening offered an opportunity to reflect on the experiences shared during the mobility, celebrate the work accomplished and strengthen the relationships developed among participants.
During the ceremony, participants received certificates of attendance and appreciation, recognizing their involvement, creativity and contribution to the project activities.
More than a formal conclusion to the meeting, the evening reflected the spirit of Erasmus+: building bridges between schools, cultures and people through education, cooperation and friendship.
We sincerely thank our hosts at OOU “Kuzman Josifoski-Pitu” Kičevo for their warm hospitality, excellent organization and dedication, as well as all our project partners for their active participation, enthusiasm and teamwork.
The mobility in North Macedonia offered us much more than a series of project activities. It created opportunities to learn through experience, discover new educational approaches, explore cultural heritage and strengthen our European partnership.
Together, we continue to Learn Outside, Smile and Shine!
📰 Our Project in the Online Media
The Transnational Project Meeting in North Macedonia was also promoted through the online media, contributing to the dissemination of the project activities and increasing its visibility within the educational and local community.
Read more about our mobility in North Macedonia:
Întâlnirea Transnațională de Proiect „Learn Outside, Smile and Shine” - ProAlba
“Innovazione, apprendimento e comunicazione” - Il Gazzettino di Gela
Erasmus: Στο Kicevo της Βόρειας Μακεδονίας το 45ο Δημοτικό Σχολείο Ηρακλείου | Alfavita
🌍 Discover More About Our Project
For more information about Learn Outside, Smile and Shine, our activities, mobilities, resources, and project results, visit our official project website:
Erasmus KA210 L.O.S.S.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Project: Learn Outside, Smile and Shine
Erasmus+ KA210-SCH – Small-scale Partnerships in School Education
Project No.: 2025-1-RO01-KA210-SCH-000354299
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