Food sustainability was at the core of the annual plenary meeting of “Schools Beyond Regions and Borders," a European-wide civic education project coordinated by Giuseppe Zorzi and Daniela Ferrari that promotes multicultural interaction among high school students. From May 6th to 10th, the event brought together over 100 students and teachers from nine European countries across several scenic locations in the Trentino Region, where they explored sustainability and circular economy practices, visiting the Felicetti pasta plant and BioEnergia Fiemme.
Alongside institutional partners such as the University of Trento and the Bruno Kessler Foundation, The American University of Rome (AUR) was invited to share its expertise on novel foods – those produced using advanced technologies and processes to minimize natural resource use and environmental impact. Professor Marina Mefleh discussed the drivers behind novel food innovations, while graduate student Amelia Veness led a workshop on meat and meat alternatives, drawing from her Master’s thesis research.
Sustainability also took center stage during a conference on eco-conscious culinary practices as a cornerstone of ‘sustainable gastronomy,’ organized in Predazzo, Val di Fiemme. Italian chefs Sara Bertocchi and Alessandro Gilmozzi, along with Maurizio Zeni from TrentinoSolidale, a non-profit organization fighting food waste, emphasized the great potential of sustainable gastronomy to shape consumption patterns and significantly advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production.
AUR looks forward to the next meeting in 2025!