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On the occasion of the International Day for Biodiversity on May 22nd, established by the United Nations 23 years ago to raise people’s awareness and increase understanding on an issue of fundamental importance for all of us and for generations to come, Korian Group, leader in services from prevention to treatment, in line with its values as a Benefit Society, launches the third edition of Bee Korian, the first project that promotes the well-being of the elderly and intergenerational dialogue thanks to bees, born from the collaboration with ApicolturaUrbana.it, which takes the hives to the Padre Pio Institute in Tarzo. Bee Korian is an initiative born from the desire to protect bees, fundamental insects in our ecosystem, not only because they deal with pollination, but also because, being sensitive to environmental modifications, they act as bioindicators, signaling, through their behavior and state of health, the conditions of the surrounding environment. For this reason, each structure involved in the project installed two hives, capable of protecting around 120,000 bees. The project has a double value: on the one hand it represents real protection for biodiversity, creating a space for bees where there was none before and generating a great opportunity to raise awareness, and on the other it represents an alternative and exciting opportunity for guests of the structures and for the local schools, who will be involved in educational initiatives on the world of bees and environmental protection. Thanks to the two previous editions, in fact, it was observed how the bee hives have become a real point of reference for the residents of the structures, who often go to the stations during the day to check on the conditions of the bees. A small gesture that excites and can change the day of many. “Bee Korian is one of the valuable projects through which our soul as a Benefit Society is expressed. It is an initiative in which we believe very much because it allows us to contribute to improving the overall well-being – physical, emotional and mental – of our patients and, at the same time, of the environment” – comments Federico Guidoni, President and CEO of Korian Italia – . “With last year’s edition alone, the project, carried out thanks to the precious support of ApicolturaUrbana.it, made it possible to reduce 1,560,634 kg of CO2 and to give birth to 4,000 new bees per day, in the name of sustainability and respect for our Planet, guaranteeing new generations a better future”. “It is the third year that we have managed bees in the Korian RSAs, the experience of bringing biodiversity to such a particular place has given us the opportunity to come into contact with the guests of the structures who have welcomed the project and the presence with great enthusiasm of bees” – comments Giuseppe Manno, founder of ApicolturaUrbana.it – The guided tours we organized were an opportunity for discussion with wonderful people who told us about their experiences of contact with bees in their youth, while others were amazed. and bewitched by the organization of the hive; someone even confided to us that in their entire lives, on the threshold of 90 years, they had never seen something so special. Today the bees in the structures are a fundamental step in the guests’ walk in the garden. These are the elements that make us proud of this collaboration, our beekeepers at the end of the workshop and sharing moments leave the RSAs with their hearts full of satisfaction”. Bee Korian, which will continue until October, also depending on the weather conditions – is structured at different times. Initially, guests will be invited to participate in educational sessions at a safe distance to learn more about bees and their world. At the end of the season there will be a small production of honey, which will also be studied to identify, through pollen, which flowers the bees have visited. A very interesting aspect which will also allow us to estimate, based on the type and percentage of plants visited, the level of CO2 eliminated with the project. According to the analyzes commissioned by Apicoluturaurbana.it to CREA, Council for research in agriculture and analysis of the agricultural economy, from the 2023 edition – at a national level – it emerged that 480,000 bees visited 54,118 plants, 240,000,000 flowers and 195,857 trees and crops per day: the activity of the bees and their presence have made it possible to reduce 1,560,634 kg of CO2, equivalent to the annual traffic of 761 cars. At the end of Bee Korian, in autumn, the children of the local schools will also be involved in a competition which involves the creation of the label on the honey packages: an activity in which the guests of the facilities will also be able to participate, for further comparison dynamic and constructive between generations.
