attended the 2025 International Association for Intercultural Education (IAIE) held in Budapest, Hungary, between 10 June-13 June 2025.
The conference was hosted by the Department of English Language Pedagogy, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in collaboration with IAIE. This year’s overarching theme “Currents in Education: Navigating Change in Languages, Cultures and Communities” centred on multilingualism and intercultural competence, teacher education, media literacy, global issues in sustainability and environmental protection and intercultural education at war.
Dr Deguara presented her study, “They go in the house because it is raining”: Young children’s understanding of their community through their drawings – Nature, urbanisation and sustainability”. Her research highlights children’s understanding and appreciation of nature and ecological processes, of the urban community and their perspectives on sustainability living in harmony with the world and others.
This research amplifies children’s voices in advocating for sustainability and provides professionals and policymakers valuable insights into young children’s environmental perspectives, supporting the importance of culturally inclusive outdoor experiences. Additionally, it highlights drawing as an essential communicative tool that supports language, communication and meaning making for all children.
The study is funded by the University of Malta Seed Funds EPER06-23 and EPER06-24.
