SDGs in Practice – Immersive Learning Program for the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS)
| Day | Morning | Afternoon |
| Monday, January 9 | Arrive in Costa Rica | |
| Tuesday, January 10 | University for Peace established by the UN General Assembly Welcome to and background on UPEACEOverview of program introduction to Costa Rica Teambuilding and cultural adaptation activitiesSabino intro Lunch included | Peace Studies Overview SDG 16With a UPEACE prof Ambassador White SDG 17 Welcome dinner! |
| Wednesday, January 11 | Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation SDG 4 CRHF is non-profit organization committed to developing creative and economical solutions to a wide range of social problems in Costa Rica. They work provide a Montessori-based daycare system for local children, and work with nearby schools and afterschool programs. The days spent at the CRHF will include a service learning component. Lunch included. | |
| Thursday, January 12 | Florex – SDG 6 We’ll visit a certified ‘B Coprs’ company in Costa Rica that has sought to ‘green up’ the cleaning industry. They focus on creating and distributing biodegradable cleaning products that do not pollute the oceans and reduce waste in corporations and large institutions.  | Coffee farm El Toledo SDG 12 El Toledo is a small coffee farm, led by a family that has been growing organic coffee for the last two decades. We will have tour of the coffee plantation and learn about sustainable coffee production and processing. |
| Friday, January 13 | Drive to Limón on the Caribbean coast Approximately 4 hour drive | AMP Terminals SDG 9 AMP is a large international shipping company with one of the world’s most comprehensive port and integrated inland service networks. They man the Moín Port in Costa Rica. The company has a strong sustainability policy focused on reducing CO2 emissions and pollution, increasing efficiency to minimize environmental impact, and the application of innovative technologies. We’ll visit the port and hear from the company on how they work toward a more sustainable future. |
| Saturday, January 14 | Cahuita National Park SDG 14 & 15 Cahuita National Park is an example of shared management between the community and government for sustainable development at the community level. Known for the best-preserved coral reef in the Costa Rican Caribbean area. White sand beaches, turquoise sea, and diverse marine life are some of the attractions that draw visitors to Cahuita National Park in the province of Limon. | Sloth Sanctuary Costa Rica SDG 15 The Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica was officially authorized as a rescue center in 1997. They rescue, rehabilitate, research, and when possible release sloths. They are also dedicated to educating people about conserving the rainforest, the sloth’s natural habitat.  (Javier Mazzeo) |
| Sunday, January 15 | Pura Vida day in Puerto Viejo Free day to explore Puerto Viejo. Go to the beach, try Caribbean cuisine, etc. | |
| Monday, January 16 | BriBri Chocolate Tour SDG 8 & 10 The BriBri are an indigenous group native to the Caribbean coast and the entire Talamanca region of Costa Rica. We’ll visit a BriBri family and learn about their traditions, including the use of medicinal plants, making traditional items such as bags and baskets from natural resources, and, of course, growing cacao and processing it into chocolate. This day will go far beyond a simple ‘chocolate tour’ to explore the culture and history of the BriBri people of this region. Lunch and dinner included | |
| Tuesday, January 17 | Free Morning | Drive back to San Jose Approximately 4-hour drive |
| Wednesday, January 18 | Changemaker Lectures @ UPEACEMission 2 Degrees (Ximena Loria) Ximena is a TEDX speaker, climate activist, and founder of Mission 2 Degrees, an NGO focused on four main topics: sensitizing people to climate change, supporting the B corp movement, advancing public policy, and bolstering the development of young leaders. She is a leader of Climate Reality and received an award from Al Gore in 2020 for her outstanding work. Bean Voyage SDG 12 Bean Voyage is a social enterprise that seeks to help women coffee farmers receive fair wages by cutting the middlemen out of the coffee industry. They have established a direct trade model that concentrates not only on the growing but also the processing and roasting in the hands of local Costa Rican communities. We’ll hear from the founder about how he started his social business. Lunch included | The Truth about Plastics SDG 12 Alonso Muñoz, founder of the ‘Truth about Plastic’ movement brought his interest in pollution and the role of plastic in the degradation of the oceans to launch a nationwide campaign to change consumer behavior. |
| Thursday, January 19 | Transforma SDGs 1 & 5 Transforma is a non-profit organization created in 2012. They are passionate about holistic, sustainable, transformational development for women and children affected by poverty and social vulnerability. Working with immigrants, single mothers and children at high risk, elderly women, and those that have suffered physical or emotional abuse. Transforma offers skill development programs and entrepreneurial training. They combine teaching values with teaching life skills such as sewing, massage, or soap making to help give women new opportunities. Lunch included | Boy with a Ball SDG 1 BWAB is a global non-profit organization. In Costa Rica, their programs focus on empowering vulnerable communities from within. They use entrepreneurial thinking and ventures to help supplement their grant funding. With a very small paid staff and a wide network of volunteers, BWAB runs boys and girls groups, tutoring, college scholarship programs, English language training, and many other programs to help the community rise up. |
| Friday, January 20 | Education visit SDG In conjunction with the MIIS professors, we’ll identify a theme for an innovative school we would like to visit (could have a strong international perspective like United World College, or be known for sustainability practices, etc.). | Downtown San Jose – Chepe Cletas SDG 11 Most of your time in Costa Rica will be spent outside of urban areas. The capital city of San Jose is the economic, cultural and political heart of the country. We will do a tour with the social business Chepe Cletas, and also learn of their mission. ChepeCletas was developed to revitalize the run-down center of San Jose, drawing both national and international tourists to an area previously known for crime to change the image of the capital city. |
| Saturday, January 21 | Tarcoles Sustainable Fishing Village SDG 14 We will spend the day at Tarcoles, a community renowned for its sustainable fishing practices. They have worked with Conservation International to work on artisanal fishing and will talk to us about their journey as leaders in the fight for sustainable fishing regulations. After the talk, we’ll get to try our own hands at artisanal fishing as we go out in small boats with the local fishers! Lunch included; Closing dinner | |
| Sunday, January 22 | Depart Costa Rica |
