Great success for the 2023 – 2024 edition of “Olio in Cattedra”, the educational project promoted by the National Association of Oil Cities to promote the culture of oil and the olive-growing landscape in primary and high schools. The membership numbers confirm an already positive trend, marking yet another leap forward. In fact, there are 6270 students, 429 classes, 93 schools from more than 100 municipalities who have shown that they care about the olive tree and its thousand-year-old culture of which the young generations are guardians.
The theme of this edition is EVO Oil as an inclusive language. In particular, Primary Schools will explore the multicultural aspect through the culinary uses and traditions of different religious, geographical and historical communities. EVO Oil thus becomes an opportunity to discover and appreciate the differences present within the class, the community, the territory. For lower secondary schools, agricultural colleges and hotelier colleges, the same theme will be developed from an accessibility perspective. The novelty this year is that UNAPROL in collaboration with the Città dell’Olio Association will give the winners of the MASTEROIL and AGRIOIL categories a basic oil tasting course.
“Olio in Cattedra is an event much loved by schools which grows every year in terms of participation – declared Michele Sonnessa President of the Città dell’Olio – to reward the enthusiasm that we have always recorded around this project, in agreement with UNAPROL and in compliance with the protocol we have signed, we wanted to offer a very valuable and fun training opportunity: the free mini-course which will allow even the littlest ones to learn about the tasting techniques of EVO oil and learn to recognize the various types of oil present in the area by studying their characteristics with direct tasting experience. In this way we educate those who will be the ambassadors of our excellence to conscious consumption.”
THE WINNERS: The Jury composed of Caterina Pira – thematic creator of the Oil Project in Chair, Antonio Balenzano – Director of the National Association of Città dell’Olio, Marcello Bonechi – Deputy Vice President of the National Association of Città dell’Olio, Natascia Maesi – Press Office of the National Association of Città dell’Olio Olio, Manola Bardelli – Teacher at Castellina Scalo primary school – IC Monteriggioni (SI), Barbara Degl’Innocenti – Renaia Toscana Delegate (Hotel Institute) and School Director of the Enriques Institute of Castelfiorentino (FI) and Elia Del Pizzo – UNAPROL Representative awarded the following prizes: for the BIMBOIL category, the Istituto Comprensivo Corropoli-Colonella di Controguerra of Classes 1 – 2 – 3- 4 – 5 won with the essay entitled: “We… little pinkies”. In the motivation we read that the work is complete and well structured, consistent with the indicated theme and original for the choice of using leaves from the olive tree which contain different elements whose common thread remains the EVO Oil, told in the story, in religion, in poetry, in the tales of ancestors and myths. In second place is the Istituto Comprensivo Verdi – Cafaro di Andria (BT) with the work entitled “RicettOlio Merendero” created by Classes 4 ABCDEFGH. The motivation states that “the students discussed extensively among themselves and in the school community that hosts them, creating a recipe book whose protagonist is Evo Oil which becomes the main ingredient of three typical recipes from other countries”. Third place was won by the Istituto Comprensivo Li Punti of Sassari with the project entitled “Osteria Principe EVO” created by the 5D class. “The final project – writes the jury in the motivations – turns out to be a meeting between different cultures and dishes which enrich the students by providing a real culinary exchange, giving rise to a restaurant menu whose main product is Extra Virgin Olive Oil. In the CHILD JUNIOR category the ranking sees the Istituto Comprensivo Verdi – Cafaro di Andria with the 1 E classes , 1F, 2F, 3A, 3E, 3F occupy the top step of the podium with the essay entitled: “EVO OIL at the fair… for all the senses – Multisensory exhibition: The Green Room – The Noises Room – The Taste Room” which wins because it was judged by the jury, an innovative but above all inclusive product that was able to celebrate the synergy created with the territory and with the actors who are part of it. The Istituto Comprensivo Grazia Deledda of Ilbono, classes 2A and 2B, came in second place with the work “r: among the olive trees and nature with our Centenarians” which was considered very adherent and responsive to the project theme from the beginning to end. In fact, the class created a well-structured and set-up exhibition that can be enjoyed both virtually and through a visit to the school, managing to enhance the territory of origin (Ogliastra), the olive-growing environment, the centenarian grandparents, but above all the 5 senses. In third place we find the Istituto Comprensivo Roncalli – Burgio di Lucca Sicula with classes 1-2-3 and the work “Our oil: yesterday and today. A colorful story…”. In this case, the exhibition was created with elements of the territory which explored the historical, religious and cultural aspects of EVO oil and the olive tree, involving local actors. A special mention was given to the Fermi Comprehensive Institute of Matera for the essay “EVO oil in our territory” created by classes 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D for having had the original and innovative idea of the virtual visit to the exhibition . In the MASTEROIL category in which students were asked to plan an accessible gastronomic event with EVO oil at its centre, IPSEOA Elena Cornaro from Jesolo triumphed with the afternoon work of classes 2-3 entitled “Jesolo, a friendly and accessible city”. The motivation states that the planning is accurate and also involves the AC in the event which combines technical skills with the visual language of photography. Finally, first place was won in the AGRIOIL category whose objective was the construction of an itinerary to improve the use of the landscape and the olive-growing heritage by people with different types of disabilities, it goes to the 5TA class of the IISS Lanoce of Maglie because the students in their essay entitled “The Oil Routes in the Land of Cerrate” were able to focus very well on the theme of the project, developing it coherently, providing a completeness of elements linked to their territory of origin.
