“Vivir do Solo”: 25 Years of Soil Education
* This article has been translated into English using an automatic translator, so it may contain errors..
April 22 is Earth Day, a date promoted by the UN since 1970 to remind us of the urgent need to care for and protect our planet.
The Consello da Cultura Galega used the occasion to present new translations of the comic, which now totals 14 editions, translations into 11 languages, and over 70,000 printed copies.
Living in the Soil is much more than a comic: it’s an outreach project aimed at young people to raise awareness about the importance of soil as a living resource, essential for life on Earth.
Since its launch in 2000, the project has expanded with new editions, regulatory updates, translations, and educational resources. The comic was just the starting point: a teaching unit, educational activities, and even a student-created version have been added.
The latest French and Portuguese translations, supported by the scientific societies of both countries, bring this long outreach journey to a close.
A small project with big impact
The original story, in 14 pages, follows three young people from a village facing various issues related to soil use. Over time, the comic grew to 20 pages and was adapted to new realities.
The project was created by:
- Script: María Pilar Aleixandre, escritora.
- Scientific advice: María Teresa Barral Silva y Francisco Díaz-Fierros
- Illustration: Fran Bueno
- Coordination: Monserrat Díaz Raviña, MBG-CSIC researcher.
2015: a key milestone
Coinciding with the International Year of Soils, the project took a big leap in 2015. The CSIC and the Galician Delegation of the Spanish Society of Soil Science promoted its reissue in Spanish under the Ciudad Ciencia program, with 10,000 printed copies distributed across 43 cities.
That same year, educational units were created in Galician, Spanish and English. New collaborators joined, such as Mara Noemí Rodríguez Fonteboa as screenwriter and Montserrat Díaz-Raviña as coordinator. The 28-page unit includes both theory and hands-on classroom activities.
The Galician version of the comic is part of the documentation collection of all school libraries included in the Galician School Library Plan.
A comic translated around the world
In addition to Galician and Spanish, the comic has been translated into:
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- Catalan, with support from the Center for Catalan Studies and the Diputació de Lleida
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- English, funded by the University of Santiago de Compostela
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- Italian, thanks to the Italian Society of Soil Science and the Nebrodi Park (Sicily)
In fact, this park organizes a school competition every December 5, World Soil Day, based on the content of Living in the Soil.
More information
Consello da Cultura Galega | Tel. +34 981 957 202 | medios@consellodacultura.gal