is nonprofit, non-governmental organization. TEREZA's mission is to encourage and support cooperation and active participation of people in renewal and protection of healthy environment for life, and thus contribute to the overall development of civic society.

HISTORY

TEREZA was founded in the year 1979 with primary aim to save specific precious natural area in Prague. After the 1989 Velvet Revolution, TEREZA devoted its activities to the development of environmental education in the Czech Republic. Ten years later, TEREZA opened the gates of its current headquarters - information, cultural, and educational center "Labyrinth of The World and Paradise of The Heart". The center offers educational programs for schools, open clubs and environmental library for public.

ACTIVITIES

School Environmental Projects
Since 1991 TEREZA has been creating and coordinating school environmental projects, which are used as complex educational method at elementary schools and high schools. The projects have various orientations and different difficulty levels, from measurements of rain acidity, saving up the energy, and detecting the water quality, to building of nationwide net of Eco-schools. TEREZA is coordinator for Czech Republic of the worldwide GLOBE project, within which students daily monitor the environment and send their results into the central office in the United States. The Czech Republic is traditionally among the best GLOBE countries and Czech students have received many awards for their accomplishments. Over 1,200 elementary schools and high schools have already been involved in TEREZA's environmental projects and currently around 500 schools, i.e. about 25,000 students actively participate.

Educational Programs for Schools
TEREZA organizes educational programs for children and students from kindergartens, elementary schools and high schools. The programs take place in TEREZA's headquarters as well as at TEREZA's outdoor base located in unique natural area in Prague. Programs are based on interactive and interdisciplinary principles and surpass usual school education. They focus not only on natural and environmental issues, but also on history, local and world traditions, including the position of human being in the world. Several hundreds of these programs take place every year and thousands of students take part in them.

Events for Public
TEREZA organizes two festivals every year: celebration of The Earth Day in spring, and The Celebration of Falling Leaves in autumn. Hundreds of visitors participate in prepared activities, games, workshops, and discussions about environment.

Training Center and Czech Center for Fundraising
TEREZA is accredited by the Czech Ministry of Education to provide workshops focused on environmental and project education for teachers.
In the year 2002, TEREZA founded Czech Center for Fundraising, which offers training and courses in fundraising, managerial and tutorial skills, teamwork etc. Their aim is to provide know-how and offer quality information and support to schools, nonprofit organizations, as well as to governmental employees - to all potential stakeholders participating in the development of civic society.