While world delegates negotiate inside the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, a different kind of education is unfolding just steps away. In the summit's Green Zone, the Türkiye Climate School — set up by the Ministry of National Education — is giving children, teenagers and teachers a playful, practical introduction to climate change and sustainable living.
The school is split into three areas: a conference hall, a Living School, and a Climate Experience and Technology Area. Instead of lectures, the focus is on doing. Kids make terrariums in glass containers, plant flowers and even grow lettuce, while workshops cover zero waste, renewable energy, climate-resilient schools and eco-friendly technology. Additional children's activities are running throughout the school break in the Green Zone.
The response from visiting families has been warm. Teacher Fatma Yüce brought her class along and said the hands-on sessions — terrarium building, planting, and demonstrations of how nature gets polluted and cleaned up — made the lessons stick. Parents echoed that sentiment, with visitor Çiğdem Koçak praising the chance for her child to build climate awareness early.
The students themselves seem to be the best ambassadors. Ümmü Gizem Tosun described designing her own miniature plant arrangement in the terrarium workshop and experimenting with different materials. Ozan Soysal was delighted with pot-making and planting. And some of the takeaways show real depth: student Uygar Kabacı talked about protecting even the smallest creatures to keep ecosystems balanced, while Gülşen Koçak urged people to sort plastic and glass into the right recycling bins.
Why should this matter to travellers? If you're in Antalya during COP31, the Green Zone offers a rare chance to see a major UN climate summit from the inside — not as a negotiator, but as a family-friendly space where kids can get stuck into nature workshops. More broadly, the Türkiye Climate School signals a growing trend of destinations using big events to leave an educational legacy, and it's a reminder that Antalya, best known for beaches and resorts, is also building a reputation as a conference and culture hub. For parents travelling with children, eco-workshops like these can turn a holiday into something a bit more meaningful.
