We were delighted to participate in the 33rd Bolyai Summer Academy, whose central theme was the development of well-being in public education. The event, held from 20 June to 1 August, takes place at 11 locations across Transylvania, with 430 educators participating.

Having focused on environmental education for students throughout the year, it was time to shift our attention to the teachers, as the Milvus Group’s environmental education activities are also aimed at them. Since this year’s academy theme was educator well-being—because only a balanced and recharged teacher can truly provide quality education—we invited participants to take part in a forest bathing experience.

The educators received a theoretical introduction to forest bathing and its positive effects on health, followed by numerous sensory and group experiential learning activities. These included group formation based on scents, a tactile drawing game, creating a colour scale using plant materials, and an ‘invisible walk’ where participants moved through the forest with their eyes closed, fostering trust and group cohesion. At the end of the programme, participants reflected on the essence of forest bathing with the help of a Quieting Journal, gaining insights to deepen their understanding of well-being.

A special feature of the training was the use of Éva Györffy’s card collection, The Forest Bathing Toolkit, which supports a deeper connection with nature.

Based on the feedback received, we can say that we organised a rich and meaningful experiential activity. We are grateful to the Hungarian Teachers’ Association of Romania for inviting us to this high-quality event.

To the success of our activity contributed the chosen venue—the trail around Bear Lake, ideal for forest bathing—which provided a perfect setting for conducting this training.

The Bolyai Summer Academy provides a framework for professional collaborations and contributes to the renewal and comparison of professional perspectives.