The six founders established the Italian Foundation for Food Education motivated by their wish to harness an important wealth of relations and common experience and to further food education by concretely promoting the adoption of MIUR’s Guidelines by the Italian school system.
FEI’s six founders, who all have extensive experience in the fields of education, health, food, communication and sustainability, started working together in 2009 as members of the Technical-Scientific Committee “Food & Schools” (Comitato Tecnico-Scientifico “Scuola e Cibo”) established by MIUR – the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research. The Committee was entrusted with developing a shared methodological framework to promote food education in the Italian school system as a whole.
During its three years of activity, the Committee worked with schools throughout the country, involving private entities, government agencies and administrations in an on-going, organic program. This allowed MIUR to introduce food education in schools as an interdisciplinary subject of study following specific Guidelines, which were drawn up a few months after the Foundation was established.
Through their activity in the Committee Food and Schools, FEI’s founders established significant relationships with the directors of USRs (Regional School Offices) and with the health appointees of USRs and USPs (Provincial School Offices). Actively involving them in the planning of strategies and activities made it possible to carry out significant didactic events and meetings with school principals, teachers, pupils and families in virtually all the Italian regions. It was a unique experience involving the entire Italian school system, with sharing and dialogue about the methodologies, languages and tools needed for a kind of food education that builds a sustainable food culture and enhances local and global, traditional and emerging values.
The Foundation is a participatory entity serving the entire system of education and schools, aiming to provide methodological continuity and soundness to food education initiatives, promoting their development through participation and dialogue.