The Partnership for Education and Research about Responsible Living (PERL) Project has chosen St Angela’s College, Sligo, Ireland as the venue of its next international gathering to be held on the 2-5th of April 2014. The Conference will be opened by Minister Ciaran Cannon on Thursday 3rd April. >

PERL is an international partnership of over 150 institutions of research and higher education from over 50 countries which develops methods and materials to encourage people to contribute to constructive change through the way they choose to live.  By stimulating education for sustainable living, PERL participates actively in the U.N. Decade on Education for Sustainable Development and the 10-Year Framework of Programs on Sustainable Consumption and Production, as well as in numerous other global processes for a more sustainable future. PERL is an Erasmus Academic Network supported by the European Commission as well as by UNEP, UNESCO, the Norwegian Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion; the Swedish Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Environment of the Netherlands, and the Italian Ministry of Land, Sea and Environment.  Sustainable lifestyles require efficient infrastructure as well as responsible choices on the part of the individual. Such change requires reorganizing of our daily lives, how we socialize, share and educate. Through education for sustainable living PERL seeks to strengthen individual awareness and to cultivate multi-stakeholder alliances which promote active involvement towards a more sustainable future.

In Sligo, at St. Angela’s College, the PERL partners from throughout Europe as well as from Asia, Africa and Latin America will come together both to research, consult, create, test and evaluate new ideas and activities, new learning materials and methodologies. There will also be presentations at the meeting from experts in the field of education and research about responsible, sustainable living, and from representatives of UNEP and UNESCO.

The Home Economics Department, including the Head of Home Economics, Ms Amanda McCloat and lecturer Ms Helen Maguire, represent Ireland as members of the PERL partnership.

This special international event is for PERL partners and invited guests. For more information on the PERL Projects and the special meeting visit the Web site

For more information on programme in the Home Economics Department, which integrate components of responsible living and education for sustainable development visit the Department Web site

Media Contacts: Dr Maria Gallo or Lisa Milmoe 071 91 43580 or mgallo@stangelas.nuigalway.ie / lmilmoe@stangelas.nuigalway.ie