Education for sustainable development
Education for sustainable development
In the fall of 2015, the United Nations adopted a global sustainability agenda. The aim of the 2030 Agenda is to create a peaceful and sustainable society. At the heart of the agreement are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which list the areas in which sustainable development must be strengthened and anchored. These include, for example, "No poverty", "Decent work and economic growth", "Sustainable consumption and production" and "Climate action". Of particular importance is the goal of "quality education", which is the basis for achieving all other goals.
The aim of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is to provide information about economic, ecological and social interrelationships. This should enable people to make responsible decisions and act responsibly. ESD is an integral part of the museum's mission statement and the basis of our educational work. In our educational programs and exhibitions, our museum guests are informed about the working and living conditions of cocoa farmers. We explain the ecological consequences of cocoa cultivation and the still unresolved problem of exploitative child labor.
Guided tour for school classes
No chocolate without cocoa! But who actually grows cocoa? What is everyday life like for cocoa farmers in the cocoa-growing countries? In this tour, we present the working and living conditions in the most important cocoa-growing regions. We explain how the lives of cocoa farmers have improved and what more needs to be done. We also explain labels, programs and initiatives that are committed to sustainable and fair cocoa farming. Pupils learn interesting facts about the activities and campaigns of chocolate manufacturers and retailers. They learn what each individual can do to ensure that everyone can enjoy sustainably produced chocolate products. In between, chocolate from sustainable cocoa production that has been traded fairly is sampled. This tour is part of our "Education for Sustainable Development" program.
For secondary levels I and II
- Duration 60 min. / max. 30 pers.
- Teacher as accompanying person has free admission
- Group price € 75.00 plus admission
Educational partnerships
ESD is the basis of all our educational programs. The Chocolate Museum strives to establish long-term educational partnerships with schools in order to facilitate in-depth and long-term engagement with the topic of sustainability. The museum visit is prepared and followed up in the classroom. Within the scope of our possibilities, we support teachers in organizing lessons and even visit the school if necessary. In this way, the Chocolate Museum tries to meet the high standards of ESD. After all, it is not about imparting purely factual knowledge, but about recognizing connections and thus enabling independent sustainable action. This requires a longer-term and more intensive engagement with the topic.
If you are interested, please contact our museum education team:
museumspadagogik@schokoladenmuseum.de
Our theme week
Since 2018, the Chocolate Museum has organized an annual Sustainability and Fair Trade Week. This is organized together with "Plant for the Planet" and "Engagement Global".
The campaign week for school classes will also take place in 2025. On these days, there will be a 90-minute sustainability tour "Sustainable & Fair - Chocolate and Cocoa".
Numerous guided tours and workshops will be offered during the event. In addition, various organizations and initiatives will report on sustainable cocoa and chocolate projects. If you are interested, please contact our museum education department: museumspaedagogik@schokoladenmuseum.de
Educational institution
In order to strengthen the quality of our own educational work and become even more attractive as an extracurricular place of learning and experience, we were certified in 2018 by the Nature and Environmental Protection Academy NRW on the subject of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The Chocolate Museum is the first and so far only museum to receive this award. Since 2019, an annual sustainability report has been produced, which reports in detail on our activities and other goals in this area. In 2021, the Chocolate Museum was the first German museum to be recertified.
A place of learning with distinction
The Chocolate Museum was recognized by the UNESCO World Action Programme: Education for Sustainable Development on 20 November 2019.
What the jury says: "The Chocolate Museum Cologne is committed to making the social, economic and ecological aspects of the chocolate supply chain tangible for its visitors. In 3,500 guided tours, seminars and courses every year, visitors are encouraged to think about sustainability aspects in a target group-oriented way. The transformation of the Chocolate Museum into a place of learning for sustainable development has a strong role model character!" (Source: bne-portal.de)