A jury composed of three experts selected the best projects, where a group of students from Sohag Experimental School won first place with their “Smart Roads” project, which aims to make Egypt's roads more environmentally friendly with solar energy lighting that also detects vehicles passing on the road, lighting up for five seconds before shutting down again.

The ceremony was held to announce the best student plans to help preserve the environment, as the project reached its final stage, a press statement said. 

The project lasted for more than two months and involved about 90 students from Cairo, Alexandria, Damanhour and Sohag governorates divided into 11 groups. 

It was organised by the Goethe-Institut in Alexandria in cooperation with You Think Green Egypt initiative, and with the support of the German Embassy and Cairo Climate Talks.

During the period of the Eco Heroes projects, the students embarked on expeditions, visiting a plastics factory in Cairo, solar energy systems at the Faculty of Science at Alexandria University, and Karaman Island in Sohag.

Resisting climate change is a top priority for the German state as well as Egypt, which is preparing to host the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP27) in November, Frank Hartmann, the German ambassador to Egypt, said at the ceremony. 

"This resistance is not only the responsibility of governments, but rather a task that falls on the shoulders of every individual, and therefore the participation of young people to it is essential," he stressed, adding that he is pleased to witness the outstanding ideas of young people to protect the environment, “from which we can learn a lot.”

Also, Sebastian Vötter, Director of the Language Department at the Goethe-Institut in Cairo and Regional Officer for the Middle East and North Africa, said that helping young people in particular to strengthen their capabilities to solve problems and innovate is at the heart of the Goethe-Institut strategy, and the Eco-Heroes project was a true example of this.