Brescia. The entry of the Aib Foundation among the members of Ambiente Parco takes place with the aim of strengthening the presence of local businesses and to be more incisive on continuous training also for adults. Fondazione Aib, the body promoted and governed by Confindustria Brescia to manage activities in the field of education and training, emanation of the Industrialists’ Association, has decided to join the shareholding structure of AmbienteParco since it carries out education activities in an area, that of sustainability, which for Confindustria and the Aib Foundation is of central importance and in which they intend to invest.
AmbienteParco will be able to become a subject thanks to which companies create paths, projects that build and strengthen their “purpose”, their ethical purpose, responding concretely to the principles of sustainable development and, since it operates in an inclusive way, to the needs of the most vulnerable subjects .
The entry among the members of the University of Brescia consolidates a collaboration already underway between the two institutions, materialized in a close relationship with the territory in the context of the so-called “third mission” activity, which, institutionally, supports research and teaching.
The vision and actions implemented in the context of the collaboration with AmbienteParco are set out in the University Strategic Plan.
“UniBs undertakes to identify and implement an organizational and management model that promotes sustainable development in all processes through concrete strategies and actions and to develop projects for its dissemination and promotion, aimed at actively involving the university community and the local area” says Roberta Pedrazzani, Councilor for UniBs of AmbienteParco.
“The involvement of industry, crafts and agriculture, as well as institutions, in the realization of important research projects allows us to interface with new needs and to respond to continuous challenges, with a view to cooperation and inclusiveness” .
By enhancing the synergy with AmbienteParco, the opportunities for transfers expand knowledge and to share the objectives, methods and results of scientific research with the community. Through AmbienteParco it is also possible to develop interaction with the school, articulating a didactic and recreational offer that responds to the diversified educational and training needs. Finally, the University’s response to the challenges posed by the ongoing climate and socio-economic changes opens up to families, in the context of seminar programs and events on sustainability issues.
In 2022 growing numbers between confirmations and news
Thanks to the synergistic meeting of these players, the year 2022 that has just ended has brought growing numbers in the balance sheet of the science park dedicated to environmental sustainability of 12,000 m2 in the heart of Brescia.
Between educational tours, events for schools and families, thematic weekends, AmbienteParco welcomed more than 19,000 people during 2022, with a marked increase on previous years, confirming itself as one of the main cultural and educational attractions of the city.
The contribution of A2A, which for years has been providing free admission to educational courses on water and waste for schools in Lombardy, is significant for the success of these numbers.
Sustainable development, inclusiveness and science are the keywords in the management vision of the park: in addition to ordinary internal activities, the positive trend continues in fact considering the number and relevance of the projects tackled operationally in 2022, as lead partner or partner.
From A Natural Threadthe climate transition strategy of the Municipality of Brescia, which sees AmbienteParco engaged in communication and dissemination, a HEARTa project for the enhancement of the Castenedolo forest awarded in the Quarry Life Award both by Italcementi in the Italian edition and by HeidelbergCement in the international edition, at AgriAir, the data driven research project on air quality in the Po Valley.
A year therefore full of challenges and goals, as challenging as it was adventurous, which definitively overcame the pandemic crisis and outlined a decisive route for the future of AmbienteParco.
Sustainability at the center in the year of Brescia capital of culture
There are many initiatives that AmbienteParco is organizing for 2023 with the aim of involving the citizens and visitors of our city.
The creation of new exhibition spaces is envisaged to broaden the dissemination of the aspects of sustainability in areas not yet present in AmbienteParco, such as for example in industry, a sector in which Brescia is the leading province at national level.
“Our entry into the shareholding structure of AmbienteParco is motivated by importance which has for us the theme of sustainability. We intend to expand AmbienteParco’s awareness and education action on this issue to adults and workers. Companies will also be able to carry out positive sustainability actions in and with AmbienteParco, and with the support of the Aib Foundation”, says Elisa Torchiani, new president of the Aib Foundation and vice president of Confindustria Brescia with responsibility for human capital.
Shows, screenings and concerts, related to the theme of sustainable development, will be one of the ways to attract people of different age groups. AmbienteParco has always paid close attention to school-age children and the first new initiative in 2023 is aimed at them: the School of Architecture for children.
All this will be joined by other city initiatives in which AmbienteParco collaborates with other entities and institutions, starting with science dissemination events for A Natural Threadthe climate transition strategy of the Municipality of Brescia drawn up with the support of the Cariplo Foundation.
It starts with the School of Architecture for children and with FameLab
2023 starts with the inauguration of the School of Architecture for children entitled to Bergamo Brescia 2023: a national project, starting on February 9 at AmbienteParco which brings SOU to the city, a real school of architecture for children aged 7 to 12, the first in Italy and second in the world.
11 afternoon lessons for the special edition, with plans to continue in the 23/24 school year and the aim of teaching the value of beauty for the well-being of people and the community, starting from the foundations of urban planning, landscape, environment, sociology, urban agriculture, alongside professionals including architects, artists and designers.
Managed by Mariachiara Bonetti, architect, former professor of Architectural Composition at the Milan Polytechnic, professor at the Santa Giulia Academy and PhD candidate at the University of Brescia.
The appointment with FameLab, the first science talent show, is also backan international science communication competition for young researchers and university students promoted in 30 countries, which AmbienteParco has been hosting since 2021.
“The ecological transition to which we are called requires the contribution of each of us. This is why it is necessary to raise the awareness of every citizen on the role that human nature has towards climate change and on the solutions and behaviors to be implemented to combat it”, says Marco Caffi, founding partner and president of AmbienteParco. “Technological development is necessary for the ecological transition, which we can say has already started, but technology alone is ineffective if not accompanied by a cultural change. Common behaviors and choices are in fact the basis for achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal and for this reason it is essential that every person is aware of his role ”.
“Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023 represents a great opportunity for AmbienteParco”concludes Caffi. “Thanks to the many initiatives we are organizing and the collaboration with the Brescian museum system, we will be able to strengthen our mission and make AmbienteParco more and more the place where the world of research and business can dialogue with citizens on the issues of sustainable development, circular economy , energy, water, mobility, to contribute to the cultural evolution we need”.