A sustainable table for multiculturalism and inclusion

"The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encourages education system to respond to environmental issues by defining relevant learning objectives and implementing actions that empower students, families and local communities appropriate response. The project “A sustainable table for multiculturalism and inclusion” shares this urge since questionnaires revealed that most students nowadays prefer fast and junk food and rarely adopt green behaviours. Thus, the objectives of this project are: to raise knowledge and awareness of a sustainable food system and its benefits on human life and health in order to persuade youngsters to change their eating habits and preserve our environment; to raise cultural awareness of local, national and European heritage through food choices and eating habits and to develop students’ professional competences in gastronomy as well as their social, civic, entrepreneurship, linguistic and digital competences. It also aims to develop teaching professionalism by increasing teachers’ abilities to develop European networks while working in cross-border projects, sharing ideas and practices and discovering innovative didactic strategies to be used in classroom.To achieve these goals, five schools from European countries (Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland and Romania ) decided to involve students and their families in stimulating activities like practical training, sustainable cooking laboratories in which they experience traditional and innovative recipes, workshops, outdoor activities and comparative studies of European eating habits which, although different, are all united by the same quality “to be sustainable”. Since the best approach to this issue is prevention learned at a young age through healthy eating and active living habits that stand the test of time, we found relevant to target students aged 14-18 (of which 20 students are engaged directly in each mobility) as they will become the next generation aware of the ecological benefits of sustainable consumption. Throughout the activities, by cooperating and combining their own ""foods"" students create a real sustainable table as a result of their visits at farms and farmers’ market and by using safe and eco-friendly working behaviours. The virtual sustainable table, in the form of an e-book with traditional and innovative European healthy recipes and safety suggestions for healthy food choices and habits, will be created and spread on the project website and on eTwinning space and presented in the sustainable green day organized in schools with the help of parents and local communities. Students also prepare a diet program based on scientific measurements of body index mass between people who use healthy food and who don't. Tasks and responsibilities are equally divided among partners according to their expertise favouring objective fulfilment and good cooperation is guaranteed by using different communication channels: social networks, e-mail, eTwinning, Skype. The topic for all the activities and the final result- a sustainable table- become the means to get to know and understand cultural diversity and acquire intercultural competences. Multicultural sustainable dishes and practices develop participants’ sense of European citizenship and identity through greater understanding and intercultural responsiveness to environment problems and by training European citizens free from any cultural prejudice, socially committed to the construction of a greener world and more motivated to intervene actively. Project activities also result in increased critical thinking and ability to cooperate effectively and respectfully with other people, increased ability to manage tasks resorting to talents and creativity, developed linguistic, digital and professional skills; a set of good practices regarding healthy eating habits, preservation of the environment and of the national identity by promoting traditional cuisine and local traditions; a set of innovative methodological strategies to be used in classroom and a project blog promoting project activities and outcomes, opinions, useful recommendations for further didactic activities; culinary exhibitions. Through the dissemination activities, whole communities benefit from raised awareness regarding the importance of preserving the environment and the local biodiversity, of encouraging organic sustainable farming and of having a healthy lifestyle based on healthy eating habits which promote a consistent reduction of food waste and consumption of additive free products. Raised awareness of people regarding the importance of changing their unhealthy eating habits benefit their own health as well as the environment and the whole planet. By adopting a healthy environmentally friendly diet, not only will we increase our life span and the quality of our standard of life, but we will also give our planet the chance to recover and sustain future communities in a balanced eco-system."