From 13 to 17 October, there was a particular buzz in the Estonian capital, as Lasnamäe Gümnaasium became a meeting point for students from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. This was the closing meeting of the Nordplus Junior project "Circular Economy", bringing together more than two years of cooperation and exchange of ideas and experience. It was the final stop in a project whose aim was to build young people's understanding of the circular economy — a way of living in which there is no waste, only opportunity. In Tallinn, young people from all three Baltic countries showed once again that sustainable thinking is not only theory. It can be a way of life, lived out through creating and working together.

Day one: "Tere tulemast!" — a welcome in three languages. On arrival, participants were met by smiling teachers and students holding signs reading "Tere tulemast!", "Laipni lūdzam!" and "Sveiki atvykę!". Within the first few hours it was clear that language barriers did not exist here. What spoke was friendship, curiosity and openness.

Tuesday morning began with a tour of Lasnamäe Gümnaasium, which for that week became an international centre for green ideas. Next came a language workshop, where students learned the basics of Estonian and discovered that "aitäh" is far easier to pronounce than it first appears. Later, walking the cobbled streets of Tallinn's Old Town, participants felt the breath of history and saw a sustainable city at first hand. The afternoon brought a lecture on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the role of 3D printing in the professions of the future, along with a discussion of how each young person can be an ambassador for the planet. The day ended with students presenting their own schools' green initiatives — and there was no shortage of ideas, from waste sorting systems to repair workshops. 

Wednesday morning was given over to environmental science. In a lesson on waste sorting and recycling, students debated what "waste" actually is. As one student concluded, if we sorted our waste as carefully every day as we plan our finances, nature would thank us for it. Later, on a visit to the Ülemiste water treatment plant, participants saw how drinking water is purified and delivered to the city — how complex the process is, and how fragile. In the afternoon they visited the Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour maritime museum, where history and innovation offered a reminder that sustainability also means preserving the past and learning from it. 

The fourth day began with movement. In an Estonian folk dance workshop, students learned rhythms that have connected generations for centuries. Laughter, mistakes and improvisation all became part of the process. Dance involves the same search for balance as nature does: you give, and you receive. A history lesson and a joint infographic-making task helped draw the project's results together. Students compared how the three countries approach the circular economy and concluded that, whatever the borders between us, the goal is the same for all — a greener future. The evening ended with a cheerful game of bowling at Krabi, where the competitive spirit turned into friendship. 

The final day was full of creativity and good humour. The morning began with an Eco Quiz, where students tested their knowledge of ecology. Then came a Cooking Battle, with teams preparing healthy dishes from local produce using zero-waste principles. As certificates and thanks were handed out, there was a gentle sense of emotion in the room. The project taught us to think differently — not only about the environment, but about people. 
The meeting in Tallinn was more than the end of a project. It was a celebration of what can be achieved when people believe in change. The "Circular Economy" project showed that sustainability begins not with rules, but with a way of thinking.