In May 2015 the Universal Exhibition (EXPO 2015) will open inMilan. The theme for the six months of the Expo is "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life". The international event will highlight tradition, creativity and innovation in the food sector. The main topics that will be addressed concern the security and quality of food, agriculture and biodiversity, innovation in the food chain, education on nutrition, food and culture, and cooperation and development in the food industry.

On the occasion of this important event, the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research and the Swiss Embassy in Italy, with educational support from the Niccolò Machiavelli high school in Rome, have decided to explore these themes through a project aimed at schools. The project has two goals. Firstly, to raise awareness among boys and girls at Italian and Swiss high schools on the new challenges our world is facing and will have to face in the areas put forward by the EXPO. All these aspects will serve as the starting point for further reflection and to find new solutions. Secondly, and more importantly: to actively involve young people from the two countries so they get to know each other better, and work and reflect together on the issues in order to develop a deeper understanding.

For the 2014-2015 school year, five experts have developed a learning tool that includes the following fact sheets:


  • Waste and food education
    Author: Andrea Segrè, Professor at the University of Bologna 
  • Food security and sustainable agriculture
    Authors: Atlant Bieri, Science journalist
    Jean-Daniel Charrière, agricultural engineer, Bee Research Centre, Agroscope
    Felix Herzog, Ecologist at Agroscope, (Center for Agricultural Research in Switzerland)
     
  • Agricultural and food heritage 
    Author: Marta Lenzi, expert on the history of gastronomy and customs
     

The fact sheets are aimed at students and teachers in second grade of high schools inItalyandSwitzerland.

Along with the discussions and exchange of materials, we are holding a competition where groups of four students from the two countries will have to develop a concept for an APP for Smartphone, Tablet or Android, related to one of the fact sheet themes. The group with the winning concept will have their APP developed by a programmer. What’s more, they’ll win a trip to EXPO 2015 together with the other groups that have developed the most innovative and original concepts.