In this speech, Professor Arjen Wals argues that sustainability and eco-justice belong across the whole life of a school, not just in a single subject or project. That means teaching and learning, school culture, governance, buildings and grounds, and links with the local community. He shows how schools can become places where students learn to deal with today’s ecological and social challenges, build a sense of care and agency, and imagine more just and hopeful futures together. The speech was delivered in September 2026 at the 10th NEPC annual conference, ‘Primary Colors of Education,’ on the topic ‘Lead for EcoJustice.’
