Energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the environment filled the municipality of Soller on Thursday thanks to the collaboration of the council with the celebration of a new edition of the Energy Ariya Challenge, an educational and recreational activity that has already visited several towns in Mallorca, raising environmental awareness among young people.
On this occasion, more than 160 pupils from 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th year of primary school turned the municipal football pitch into a real open-air classroom. The students came from five schools in the municipality: Sant Vicenç de Paül, CEIP Ses Marjades, CEIP Pere Cerdà, Sagrats Cors and CEIP Es Fossaret. Together, they enjoyed an intense day focused on sustainability, energy efficiency and teamwork.
The activities began first thing in the morning with cooperative games, group dynamics and active learning activities. As in every edition of the Energy Ariya Challenge, one of the most eagerly awaited events was the energy cycling challenge: stationary bikes connected to generators that transform physical effort into real electricity. Screens showed in real time how many watts the participants were generating, as well as the devices that could be powered by that energy, from tablets to laptops. Pedal by pedal, the students not only worked up a sweat, but also learned first-hand how clean energy works.
Another highlight was the team relay activity, where students had to correctly sort different types of waste, such as packaging, organic waste, paper and plastics, into their respective recycling bins. It was a fun race that promoted conscious recycling and teamwork. Creativity also had its place with the sustainable poster and slogan workshop, whose best entries will compete to become the official image of the municipality’s Energy Challenge 2026. At the end of the event, the participants themselves will vote for the winning design in an exercise in participatory democracy.
However, if there was one activity that particularly caught the attention of the students, it was the educational video on sustainable mobility. The presentation was not only educational, clear and accessible, but also accompanied by a symbolic and coherent gesture: the fruit and plants given to the students arrived in Soller in a 100% electric vehicle, demonstrating by example that another way of travelling is possible. The video addressed issues such as emission reduction, energy saving and the benefits of committing to environmentally friendly mobility, sparking the interest and questions of many children.
The involvement of the local authorities was also noteworthy. The mayor of Soller, Miquel Nadal, did not hesitate to join in the activity by getting on one of the stationary bikes, accompanied by a teacher and the Port delegate and Councillor for Citizen Participation and Transparency, Biel Barceló. The gesture was warmly applauded by the schoolchildren, who saw how their representatives are also directly involved in this type of initiative. Later, Nadal officially presented the “Challenge completed” poster to all the participants and took the opportunity to announce that a pilot scheme for selective door-to-door waste collection will soon be launched in the municipality. ‘We have to leave a better world for our descendants,’ he said with conviction, adding that ‘it is very important to raise awareness among children, because they are often the ones who pass on sustainable proposals to adults’.
The heat was relentless throughout the morning, but the organisers had provided a healthy snack to refresh and recharge. Seasonal watermelon and melon were a delight for the children, who were grateful for the chance to hydrate and enjoy a rest in the shade. To round off the day, each pupil received a plant —leeks, celery or tomato plants— as a symbol of their commitment. In the case of CEIP Ses Marjades, these plants have a very special destination: they will be planted in the school’s vegetable garden, a space that encourages contact with the earth and natural cycles through hands-on experience.
The day was made possible thanks to the collaboration between the Soller Town Council, the Regional Ministry of Business, Employment and Energy, and companies involved such as Nissan, Cash & Carry Rotger, Saica, Agromart, Can Juanito, Motorisa and TBC. The Energy Ariya Challenge thus continues its tour of more than 20 Mallorcan municipalities to reach more than 2,000 students. This week, the last towns of this course have been visited. This initiative demonstrates that, through play, active participation and example, it is possible to sow the seeds of ecological awareness in the younger generations. And in Soller, those seeds have begun to grow strongly.