Protecting Heritage, Shaping the Future: Sara Roversi Honored with the Costa Carras European Citizens Silver Award

Sneška Quaedvlieg–Mihailović Sara Roversi Lydia Carras Shiva Dustdar

Sara Roversi’s Future Food Institute, based in Pollica, was awarded at the Delphi Economic Forum for protecting heritage through youth empowerment

DELPHI, GREECE, April 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Future Food Institute (FFI), founded and led by Sara Roversi, has been awarded the prestigious Costa Carras European Citizens Silver Award for the Safeguard of Endangered Heritage 2025, promoted by Europa Nostra and ELLINIKI ETAIRIA – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage.

This annual award celebrates organizations that stand out in the protection of endangered cultural and natural heritage. The recognition honors FFI’s commitment to the safeguarding and promotion of food, environmental, and social heritage through regenerative practices, ecological education, and the empowerment of local communities.

The Future Food Institute is the first Italian institution to receive the Costa Carras European Citizens Award.
The jury, which evaluated projects from 13 European countries including Italy, Greece, Germany, Armenia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Portugal, and Turkey, stated:

“The Future Food Institute (FFI) is a pioneering force in transforming global food systems through education, innovation, and community engagement. Recognizing food as much more than a nutritional necessity, FFI celebrates its deep cultural role rooted in social traditions. Its commitment to prosperity-oriented thinking – balancing economic growth, social wellbeing, and environmental protection – demonstrates a holistic and impactful approach. Of particular note is the Institute’s work to protect menaica fishing in Cilento, threatened by industrial fishing and regulatory barriers, offering a tangible example of safeguarding endangered food heritage. Through an integrated strategy combining education, advocacy, and community engagement, FFI ensures that food remains a living bridge between tradition, sustainability, and the future.”

Sara Roversi, commenting on the award, stated:
“Pollica and Cilento are my school – living examples of resilience and guardians of a unique cultural and environmental heritage. I dedicate this award to the heroic farmers and fishermen, like Vittorio, who passionately carry on millennia-old knowledge – such as menaica fishing – and to the local administrators who preserve these territories by promoting holistic ecological development. Marginal areas with high potential, like Cilento, safeguard biodiversity and traditions that must be protected, enhanced, and made active contributors to our future. Together, we have the responsibility to keep this knowledge alive and pass it on to new generations so it can become a practical tool to build a more just world.”

She added:
“Receiving the European Citizen Award for the safeguarding of endangered European heritage is a profound honor. I believe in a Europe that protects, preserves, and regenerates its heritage – not only as a memory of the past but as a living foundation for our future. This recognition affirms the vision of a Europe that values its cultural diversity as a shared strength, and that sees ancestral knowledge and lived landscapes as guiding lights to face global challenges.”

FFI’s commitment is also expressed through the "Save the Ocean" Bootcamps, immersive educational programs that, starting from Pollica, engage young people, experts, and local fishermen in concrete actions to regenerate marine ecosystems, protect biodiversity, and raise awareness of climate and food challenges.

At the heart of these initiatives is the Paideia Campus in Pollica, recognized as a Living Lab for Integral Ecological Development. Inspired by the Mediterranean Diet – UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the campus promotes regenerative models for agriculture, food systems, and environmental policies.

Founded in Italy in 2014, the Future Food Institute is a global ecosystem with hubs in Europe, the United States, and Asia. Its approach integrates transdisciplinarity, community engagement, and technology to build a regenerative society and contribute actively to the achievement of the UN 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Delphi Economic Forum, held from April 9-12, 2025, marks its 10th anniversary with a focus on addressing major global challenges, such as ecological transition, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and economic cooperation. High-profile speakers, including Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, will lead discussions. Official partners include the Athens Democracy Forum by The New York Times.

The Costa Carras European Citizens Awards, established in 2023 by Europa Nostra and ELLINIKI ETAIRIA, honor the legacy of Costa Carras in protecting the environment and cultural heritage. The awards, funded by the A.G. Leventis Foundation, recognize significant contributions to these causes.

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