BACKGROUND AND AIM: Raising community awareness is a multifaceted process that necessitates participatory engagement and tangible actions at the local level. Within the framework of the European PA-MAP Project (Participatory Approach to Monitoring Air Quality in Urban Environments), we addressed the issue of air pollution with primary school students in various European cities using the ORPAC (Observation, Reflection, Planning, Action, and Change) methodology.METHOD: Theoretical lessons and practical teaching activities were designed and implemented, involving 200 students and 12 teachers. The participants included children aged 9 and 10 from several primary public schools: Istituto Comprensivo Statale Italiano Montessori in Barcelona (Spain), Istituto Comprensivo Statale Italiano di Contursi Terme (Italy), and Convitto Umberto in Torino (Italy). With the assistance of their teachers, the students engaged in a participatory and co-creative scientific program, developing concrete actions to promote sustainable behavior at the local level.RESULTS: The schoolchildren participated in writing a narrative about air pollution and took initiative for change alongside their teachers and families. Each student devised and implemented a practical action to reduce exposure to air pollution, involving their families and friends. Investigations were conducted at the neighborhood level, observing and gathering information on the modes of transportation used to reach school, the motivations behind these choices, potential alternative routes, and the feasibility of creating green spaces around the school.CONCLUSIONS: Through the ORPAC method promoted by PA-MAP, the children's awareness was significantly heightened, enabling them to contribute to the promotion of sustainable solutions with their families and participate in a co-creative process aimed at enhancing the quality of urban spaces and air. Public participation and awareness-raising regarding air quality necessitate active local-scale research and a responsive approach to inputs from city residents, thereby facilitating the integration of targeted strategies and policies to achieve sustainable objectives.