If you’re wondering what the future of the planet will be like, you’ll be surprised to hear that the answer comes from children aged 10 to 14.

Over the past four years, the mind REset Environmental Educational Programme has given voice and opportunity to more than 12,500 students from over 250 primary and secondary schools in Cyprus. These kids dream not only of a better world, but they’ve also begun making it happen.

Rolled out by Lidl Cyprus, in partnership with non-profit organisation Junior Achievement Cyprus, the mind REset programme is supported by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth. This year, the initiative came under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment.

Far more than just another educational scheme, mind REset is an ideas and innovation workshop bringing younger generations into touch with key issues – reducing the use of plastics, recycling and sustainability. Attendees work on five educational modules, based on the pillars of the REset Plastic policy of the Schwarz Group, of which Lidl Cyprus is a part. Participants are taught to transform their awareness of these issues into practical, creative solutions, while developing business skills, teamwork and creative thinking.

This year’s programme was particularly successful, with the participation of 3,545 children from 71 schools (43 primary schools and 28 secondary schools) under the guidance of 181 teachers. Over 100 teams presented their ideas to the Trade Fair, impressing everyone with their imagination and dedication.

Thanks to their novel ideas for a more sustainable world, the little ‘green businesspeople’ earned the admiration of the public and the experts.

The ‘mind Resetters’ for the 2024-2025 series were: the ‘Rocking Paints’ team from the Ayia Varvara primary school, who created natural colorants from rocks, without using plastics, in a re-used glass container and an eco-friendly cloth bag, as well as the ‘NatureSkin Bags’ team from the Apostolos Andreas gymnasium at Emba, who manufactured handmade, durable, eco-friendly bags made of agar (red seaweeds) and organic waste.

The teams proved real innovation and environmental awareness have no age boundaries. Their reward was a unique educational trip to Vienna, to further enrich their knowledge and stimulate their inspiration.

With initiatives like these, Lidl Cyprus continues tangibly to demonstrate its commitment to a sustainable future. By investing in young people, it fosters the development of responsible citizens who will bring about substantive change. The mind REset Educational Programme proves that when the future speaks ‘green’, we need to pay attention.

You can view the video clip from this year’s mind REset programme here.