The workshop was attended by students and teachers from eleven schools participating in the Great Volga River Route project, as well as by the project national coordinators and UNESCO representatives. It provided them an opportunity to:

- share the accomplishments and best practices,
- better define the themes of the project,
- discuss twinning arrangements, and
- plan future actions.

The Volga is the longest river in Europe. In the Middle Ages, when waterways were vital for the interaction of civilizations, the Great Volga Route was a major transport artery of Eastern Europe, connecting the basins of the Baltic, Caspian, and Black Seas. In recent times, however, the Volga basin has suffered from the effects of accelerated industrialization and urbanization. Urgent action is required, in particular awareness-raising, mobilization and involvement of young people through improved quality education. As a symbol for connecting people, the river can now become the focus for renewed action.

Launched by UNESCO in 2004, the Great Volga River Route project links schools in 18 countries situated along the Volga river and on the banks of the Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas: Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Iran, Kazakhstan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Sweden, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Ukraine. It aims to link young people through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and engage them in the preservation and promotion of World Heritage and Biosphere sites.

Participating schools are part of the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) and have cultural, natural and mixed World Heritage sites in their vicinities. They will study how the preservation of these sites can promote sustainable economic and social development with the effective use of ICT. Various activities have been developed to help students learn about and contribute to their environment.