Join us for a week-long interactive experience designed to transport visitors into the heart of the Mediterranean landscape. Participants will explore iconic tree species through 360° Virtual Reality, complemented by sensory elements, including curated tastings of regional products.
Visitors are welcome to drop in at any time during the scheduled sessions to try the VR experience and engage with the showcase.
Programme Schedule:
- Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: 15:00 h–17:00 h
- Friday: 10:00 h–12:00 h
Explore the world of the three iconic Mediterranean trees (olive, carob and stone pine), holding the profound bond between humans and nature, through a 360° VR journey.
For centuries, humans have nurtured these trees, cultivating them with care and intention. Through patience and observation, communities selected the finest varieties for each land and micro-climate of the Mediterranean. From diverse soils, winds, and suns emerged thousands of unique trees varieties, each with its own genetic makeup.
But today, this rich heritage faces a quiet yet profound threat. Modern cultivation increasingly favors just a handful of high-yield varieties grown on a large scale. This growing uniformity comes at a cost: a single pest, disease, or extreme climate event could wipe out entire orchards. Meanwhile, forgotten varieties fade away, one by one. With their disappearance, we risk losing not only centuries of knowledge and resilience but also the ancestral dialogue that has long connected people and the land.
Join us on this journey to reconnect with the wisdom of biodiversity and rediscover why protecting these ancient trees means protecting our shared future. The session will also include a guided tasting of selected Mediterranean products, offering participants the opportunity to further connect with the region’s cultural heritage through its flavours.
Organised by: European Forest Institute (EFI)
Featuring: Magda Bou Dagher Kharrat & Gabriela Moscardini