1. Understand key factors contributing to longevity, including diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices.
2. Identify evidence-based habits and practices that promote a long, healthy life.
3. Explore the roles of nutrition, physical activity, and mental health in supporting active aging.
4. Recognize the impact of social connections and purposeful living on well-being and longevity.
5. Develop strategies for stress management and emotional resilience as part of healthy aging.
6. Learn adaptable, sustainable routines that foster lifelong vitality.
7. Create a personalized plan to incorporate longevity-promoting habits into daily life.

By course end, participants will be equipped with practical tools to support long-term health, vitality, and life satisfaction.

This course is designed for educators of all levels as well as individuals interested in learning and teaching sustainable ways of living in alternative ways incorporating 21st century and life skills.

1. Interactive Lectures and Discussions: Facilitators will provide evidence-based insights on longevity factors, including nutrition, physical activity, mental wellness, and social connections. Group discussions will allow participants to share perspectives and deepen understanding.
2. Guest Expert Sessions: Health professionals, nutritionists, fitness experts, and mental health practitioners will share actionable strategies for cultivating a long and healthy life.
3. Workshops and Practical Exercises: Participants will engage in practical sessions, such as meal planning for longevity, stress-reduction exercises, and low-impact physical activities suitable for all ages.
4. Self-Assessment and Reflection: Self-assessment tools will help participants evaluate their current lifestyle choices, identify areas for improvement, and set personal longevity goals.
5. Case Studies and Success Stories: Analyzing real-life case studies and stories of centenarians will provide insights into the diverse ways people achieve long, healthy lives.
6. Personalized Longevity Plan: By the end of the course, participants will develop their own personalized longevity plan, incorporating dietary, physical, and mental health practices tailored to their lifestyles.

Assessment:
1. Reflection Journals: Participants will maintain a journal throughout the course to reflect on their learning, self-assessments, and personal progress.
2. Quizzes and Knowledge Checks: Periodic quizzes will assess understanding of key concepts on nutrition, exercise, and stress management related to longevity.
3. Practical Applications: Participants will complete tasks such as designing a weekly meal plan, setting achievable fitness goals, and identifying stress management techniques they plan to adopt.
4. Final Project: Personalized Longevity Plan: As a culminating assessment, each participant will submit a personalized longevity plan, integrating course insights and outlining lifestyle adjustments that support a balanced, active, and long life.
This approach combines theory, self-reflection, and practical application, empowering participants with knowledge and habits for a healthier, longer life.

🟦 Day 1 – Introduction to Blue Zones & Power 9® Overview

Focus: Understanding the origin and core principles of Blue Zones®
Objectives:

• Learn the concept of Blue Zones® and the research behind it
• Discover the Power 9® principles and how they interconnect
• Begin to assess one’s own current lifestyle

Activities:

• Group mapping exercise: “Where do we currently live on the Blue Zone spectrum?”
• Interactive presentation: Blue Zones® stories and photos
• Mini quiz on Power 9®
• Self-assessment: lifestyle habits vs. Power 9®

Materials:

• Blue Zones documentary clips
• Power 9® overview handout
• Lifestyle habit questionnaire

🟩 Day 2 – Move Naturally & Downshift

Focus: Movement without exercising & stress management
Objectives:

• Understand how natural movement and stress reduction increase longevity
• Identify personal and environmental movement patterns
• Experience “downshifting” techniques

Activities:

• Case studies: Sardinia & Okinawa lifestyle routines
• Personal reflection: movement audit + stress triggers
• Practice: micro-movement integration (chair yoga, walking Moai simulation)
• Group activity: build a “downshift routine” with others

Tools:

• Step counters or movement journaling sheets
• Stress triggers worksheet
• Music, mindfulness, breathwork script

🟨 Day 3 – Eat Wisely (Plant Slant, 80% Rule, Wine @ 5)

Focus: Food as a longevity tool
Objectives:

• Explore Blue Zone nutrition habits
• Identify where overeating begins and how to stop it
• Learn simple plant-based meal ideas

Activities:

• Food journaling: last 3 meals vs. Blue Zone principles
• Mini-lecture: Beans, bread, and the 80% rule
• Tasting session (optional): Blue Zone snack samples
• Quiz: “Plant or Not?” identifying whole vs. processed foods
• Create a personal 1-day Blue Zone meal plan

Resources:

• Sample Blue Zone recipes
• Mindful eating script
• Portion size tools

🟪 Day 4 – Purpose & Connection

Focus: Social circles and meaning in life
Objectives:

• Understand the importance of social connectedness
• Clarify one’s personal purpose
• Build intentional connections and tribes

Activities:

• Group brainstorm: What gives us purpose?
• Purpose-finding workshop (guided questions + journaling)
• Moai creation: building your own healthy tribe
• Roleplay: supporting each other’s purpose in daily life
• Personal pledge & tribe card creation

Tools:

• Purpose worksheet
• Tribe mapping template
• Connection stories from Blue Zones

🟥 Day 5 – Bringing Blue Zones to Life Radius + Summary

Focus: Environmental change, habits, long-term integration
Objectives:

• Apply Power 9® to personal environments (home, work, local community)
• Understand how small nudges create permanent change
• Create a personal implementation plan

Activities:

• Case study: Albert Lea – reverse engineering community well-being
• Self-mapping: Life Radius sketch + barriers/opportunities
• Group brainstorm: 10 small home/workplace changes
• Final quiz: What’s your Blue Zone IQ?
• Closing: Each participant presents their Personal Longevity Blueprint

Final Hour:
🧭 13:00–14:00 – Summary Circle

• Group reflection on transformation over 5 days
• Sharing personal action plans
• Closing ritual with music/quotes/visual reminder takeaway

 🟠 Day 6 – What did we learn?

Focus: Summary of the whole week with inclusion of personal commitments
Objectives:

•         Understand the cultural differences and the possibilities to change anything in our life

Activities:

• Montage of the integration of Blue Zone of its life
• Dissemination: SPRE project
• Certificates and course closure

Language level:	English B1 and above*
Locations:	Pula (Croatia)
Time:	9 AM to 2:30 PM daily (extracurricular activities outside of learning activities)
Dates:	Pula: 21-26 July 2025 (6 days, 30 lessons)
Price:	€510 (6 days) - including an extracurricular activity and a welcome lunch or dinner

*The language of the course is English, linguistic aid may be provided for speakers of Hungarian with lower language abilities.

The course complies with all rules as set in the Quality Standards of the Erasmus+ program. Courses are including an extracurricular cultural activity and a welcome lunch or dinner, and study groups are international. Note: should the latter condition not be met, participants will be informed 40 days in advance.

Payment facilities: participants with funding from the actual year’s project budget may ask to request a deposit of EUR 100 to guarantee their places on the course and pay the rest of the fees later.

It is possible to take part in 2 consecutive courses, please book both separately. A price reduction of 15% will be applied.

This course is hosted by Talijanska srednja skola Dante Alighieri (OID: E10101077) in Pula (Croatia).