Food led us here
It all began with a shared passion
What passion?
Our passion for food!
Yeap, that is right: we are openly acknowledging we love food!
Don’t you?
We think it is not only the source of our nutrition but also something that brings us together. The food we eat and share is a way of telling our histories and traditions, it is a way of creating collective moments and amazing memories, a way of caring for those that are important and dear to us. Food is more than just a source of nutrition.
We believe that by acknowledging the central part that food has in our human experiences, we can strategically tackle some key issues associated with climate change.
Have you ever heard the expression “Food is the window to the soul"? Well, we like that expression, and we built upon it: food is our starting point - and our endpoint for that matter, so that we can come full circle - to design innovative and engaging learning materials that contribute to sustainability transitions.
Odysseus’ Ten-year Journey Home
Simeon Netchev (CC BY-NC-SA)
Why Food Odyssey?
Other than the fact that the title is cool and memorable, as secondary as that might seem for some, it reflects our recognition that the journey to more sustainable agri-food systems is complex and it needs our commitment to being active agents of the changes we need to get us closer to the futures we want to live in.
Much like in the literary Odyssey, we know that many challenges are ahead of us, but we are confident that our ingenuity, skills, and collaboration will help us to achieve our goals.
Curiosity: in Homer’s Odyssey, food was also a big deal. The ancient code of hospitality portrayed in The Odyssey is called xenia, and "it involved hosts providing their guests with safety, food and comfort" - as explained in this short video: Everything you need to know to read Homer's "Odyssey" - Jill Dash
If you want to refresh your knowledge of the literature classic "The Odyssey" - without having to read it, because yes... it is a lengthy endeavour and your "to read list" might already be long enough as it is - we recommend this 12ish minutes video:
A Long and Difficult Journey, or The Odyssey: Crash Course Literature 201
Project overview
The Food Odyssey Project is an innovative initiative funded by the Erasmus+ Programme and created by a diverse consortium of partners, including NGOs, Foundations, private sector organisations, and VET Schools from 4 different countries (Slovenia, Italy, Serbia and Spain). Learn more about the project consortium here.
The project's primary goal is to innovate European agri-food vocational education by empowering teachers with cutting-edge tools. This includes the co-creation of an online escape room designed to educate students about the vital connection between food systems and climate change.
The project adopts a "train the trainers" approach, with agri-VET teachers taking on the role of mentors, guiding their students on a transformative learning journey. Through gamification and innovative pedagogical techniques, students become the heroes of their own narratives, embarking on a journey of self-discovery, food literacy education, and awareness raising.
Food Odyssey is a significant step toward addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and sustainable food systems, offering a dynamic and engaging platform for education.
Project duration: 1 September 2023 – 31 August 2025
The project is being implemented and funded under the Erasmus+ KA2 programme.
Source: https://izo.si/en/food-odyssey/
Curious to learn more?
Are you also passionate about food and sustainability?
Be sure to follow us on social media, as we will release some great results throughout our journey!