Coimbra, Portugal, Oct. 31, 2024 (Lusa) - The University of Coimbra (UC) is leading an international project, which starts on Thursday, to promote more sustainable lifestyles to tackle climate change, the agricultural crisis and the lack of food literacy.
‘This project confirms the prestige and technical capacity of the University of Coimbra’ and is “a source of pride for the UC and for Portugal”, emphasised Professor Cármen Soares, from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, who is leading the collaboration between 15 institutions from six European countries (Portugal, France, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain) and five associated partners from three countries.
The educational institution said in a statement that the Convivium project aims to promote actions to preserve food heritage, in line with the values of the New European Bauhaus programme: beauty, sustainability, and inclusion.
‘Convivium aims to explore food cultures as a living heritage and how food reflects social change and contributes to local well-being,’ it added.
The project will propose practical solutions, such as requalifying cultural landscapes, revitalising community gardens, and promoting cultural events that encourage sharing and coexistence.
It brings together various Portuguese organisations, such as Atelier Sérgio Rebelo, Coimbra City Council and Coimbra Mais Futuro - Coimbra Local Development Association.
Foreign institutions, such as the University of Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne, the University of Utrecht, and the University of Gdansk, participate in it.
According to the UC, these organisations will develop interdisciplinary work to integrate the cultural dimension into the European Green Deal, ‘enhancing food heritage through innovative solutions for more sustainable and just lifestyles through art, culture, architecture and design’.
The project was one of four selected out of 58 applications and has received funding of over 3.5 million euros. It will run for 36 months, starting on 1 November 2024 and ending on 31 October 2027.
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