In the framework of Universal Exposition, Expo Milano 2015, FELCOS Umbria (Fund of Local Authorities for Decentralized Cooperation and Sustainable Human Development) and APIMED (Mediterranean Beekeepers Federation) are invited to participate in the event “Beexpo –  Biodiversity and pollination: protection of bees and development of sustainable beekeeping” on Tuesday, June 16^th. The event is organized by the General Direction for the Development Cooperation (DGCS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Cooperation, in collaboration with University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, and will be held at Palazzo Castiglioni, Corso Venezia 47, Milan (Italy).

The event is a scientific-educational day; a day of international meetings regarding topics on the international bee-keeping heritage, sustainable apiculture and the importance of the function of bee pollination in maintaining food farming biodiversity. It aims to highlight the central role of the apiculture in relation to environmental risks linked to the loss of bee colonies.

The discussions will be carried out in three international roundtables: “Biodiversity, environment and sustainability”; “Cooperation, food safety, nutrition”; and “Local and national strategies and practices, proposals for the definition of guidelines for sustainable apiculture and protection of the global bee-keeping heritage”. Among others invitees there will be also the Vice Minister of the Agricultural and Forestry Politics, Andrea Oliviero, and the representatives of the counterparts of some European and extra-European countries involved in defining possible guidelines for the sectoral policies.

In this respect, Lucia Maddoli, FELCOS Umbria Head of Project and Partnership area and Project Coordinator of “Mediterranean CooBEEration”, and Vincenzo Panettieri, President of APIMED (Mediterranean Beekeepers Federation), are invited to take part in the debate and to participate in the “Cooperation, food safety, nutrition” roundtable.

During the roundtable, they will present the “Mediterranrean CooBEEration” project. The project is promoted by FELCOS Umbria, partnered with APIMED, and aims to support beekeeping and its strategic role for biodiversity protection and the socio-economic development in the entire Mediterranean area.

“Mediterranean CooBEEration” involves six countries in its activities: Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Palestinian territories and Italy. It focuses on three strategic aims: strengthening beekeepers and their local and national associations capacities, their technical competence and their capacity to actively participate in a dialogue with the related institutions; scientific research directed at studying bees and apiculture strategic role in areas subjected to degradation, biodiversity depletion and desertification; fulfillment of an international awareness campaign, which aims to create a global alliance for the bee and apiculture protection.

Lastly, the project has an additional political objective, which is to contribute to the construction of identity, integration and cohesiveness in the Mediterranean area. Simultaneously, it strives to convey how different actors, international bodies, local authorities, producers, academia and governmental institutions can work together organizing and balancing their roles and actions in the framework of a common objective for sustainable development.

In addition to FELCOS and APIMED, the project involves other partners, such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Bologna (DIPSA), the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Food Science of the University of Torino (DISAFA) and the National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia (INAT) - also partners in the “Mediterranean CooBEEration” project.

Participation in the event is open to everyone and no registration is required.

Please find attached the program of the event.