On 18–19 September, 2025, representatives of Lviv Polytechnic National University participated in working meetings of the international project Complex Awareness Raising and Behaviour Change for the Mercury-Free City Environment (LIFE MERCURY-FREE) which were held at the University of Evora, Portugal.
The project is implemented with the support of the European Union within the framework of the LIFE program and brings together partners from several European countries, including:
- Lodz University of Technology (Poland, project coordinator);
- Lviv Polytechnic National University (Ukraine);
- Ivan Zolotoustyi Ivano-Frankivsk Academy (Ukraine);
- Innovation HIVE – Kypseli Kainotomias (Greece);
- University of Evora (Portugal);
- University of Camerino (Italy);
- AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow (Poland).
The event program featured a series of presentations and discussions. In particular, the Final Report of the Mutual Learning Exercises (MLE) was presented, along with the results of the work conducted by the University of Évora team. Participants also discussed the experience of the European Recycling Platform and the Eco-Parish initiative in waste management and fostering active engagement of local communities. Special attention was given to the issue of mercury pollution and its impact on human health and ecosystems.
As part of the event, a roundtable was held with the participation of stakeholders, scientists, representatives of educational institutions, and public organizations. The discussions became an important step toward finding innovative solutions and strengthening international cooperation.
The LIFE MERCURY-FREE project seeks to raise awareness, promote best practices, and develop effective mechanisms to reduce the negative impact of mercury. Its overarching goal is to make a meaningful contribution to building a sustainable and environmentally safe future.
Lviv Polytechnic’s participation in such international initiatives is an important evidence of the integration of Ukrainian science into the European research space. Joint work on the LIFE MERCURY-FREE project not only contributes to strengthening ecological safety and environmental protection, but also strengthens partnerships between universities in Europe. This is a step towards the formation of a new culture of sustainable development, where responsibility for the future of the planet unites scientists, communities and educational institutions.
