Promoting the growth of young people through international pathways is the central objective of initiatives that strengthen links between school, territory and enogastronomic exchanges.
For almost twenty years, the “Pellegrino Artusi” Institute of Higher Education in Chianciano Terme has been carrying out a stable program of cooperation with the NAIT School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts in Edmonton, Alberta. This food and wine exchange project has consolidated itself as a point of reference for the internationalization of professional training in the catering and tourist hospitality sector.
The educational value of food and wine exchanges
Since 2006, hundreds of Italian and Canadian students have been able to live mutual professional and cultural experiences. The agreement provides for periods of stay in Italy and Canada with the performance of practical activities within selected accommodation facilities, offering students the opportunity to work in the field, in real professional environments.
The exchange scheduled for May 2025 will feature six Canadian students, accompanied by two tutor teachers, who will be welcomed in Chianciano Terme from 5 to 31 May. Students will carry out internship experiences in three hotels in the city: Hotel Villa Ricci, Atlantico Palace and Hotel Cristallo. At the same time, they will participate in cultural and food and wine visits in the Tuscan territory, further enriching the learning path.
These food and wine exchange initiatives are possible thanks to the synergy between the school world and a wide system of local actors, including public bodies, banking institutions, local companies, international associations and operators in the tourism sector. In particular, the Lions International associations and the Soroptimist International Club of Chianciano Terme and Montepulciano have recently confirmed their support with scholarships and financial contributions in favor of the students involved.
A dinner to celebrate the common commitment
To celebrate this important anniversary, a gala dinner will be held on Friday, 4 Aprile 2025, in the large hall of the Artusi Institute. The event, in addition to having a symbolic value, will serve to raise funds to support the stay of Canadian students. The program includes the participation of institutional representatives, local entrepreneurs, teachers and students, in an atmosphere of sharing and mutual recognition.
The dinner will be entirely organized by the teachers and students of the Institute, who will offer a menu that combines the Tuscan tradition and the influences of Canadian cuisine. This event represents a concrete demonstration of the skills acquired through food and wine exchanges, confirming the central role of experiential training.
During the event, a commemorative video will also be screened with images and testimonies collected in the last twenty years of collaboration, offering an insight into the evolution of the project and the results achieved.
Strengthening ties through food and wine exchanges
The experiences related to food and wine exchanges are not limited to a mere transfer of technical knowledge, but involve deeper aspects related to cultural identity, intercultural awareness and the construction of an open and collaborative mentality. The opportunity to live and work in a foreign context allows students to acquire autonomy, critical spirit and interpersonal skills.
Projects of this type strengthen the ability of educational institutions to act as actors of local development, able to dialogue effectively with the world of work and production. Food and wine exchanges thus become a tool of educational diplomacy, helping to build bridges between distant realities and to promote a sustainable and integrated approach to training.
The message of the president of the Canadian Chamber in Italy, Caterina Passariello, fits into this context: “I would like to express my applause to the Artusi Institute for the continuity with which it has cultivated this relationship with Canada. Initiatives like this strengthen the link between our countries through educational excellence and the culture of hospitality. I wish all the participants good work and I share the need to support and spread these initiatives in the future”.
The perspective is to further extend the scope of food and wine exchanges, involving new partner schools and including additional sectors of the agri-food and tourism supply chain, also thanks to digitization and the use of international collaborative platforms.
A shared vision for the future
The project between Chianciano Terme and Edmonton is part of a broader vision of transnational training, which looks at the future of vocational education as an open and interconnected ecosystem. Food and wine exchanges represent a concrete opportunity to face the changes taking place in the hospitality, catering and tourism sectors, providing students with tools to understand and interpret market transformations.
In this context, the Canadian Chamber in Italy is organizing a mission to Toronto on the occasion of the World of Travel, Trade & Taste Expo 2025, which will be held from May 30 to 31 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The initiative involves the creation of a Mediterranean Pavilion, offering Mediterranean institutions, associations, companies and professionals a unique opportunity to promote economic, cultural and commercial exchanges with the Canadian market.
Dialogue with international partners also allows for different educational approaches to be tested and replicable good practices to be developed. In this context, the ability of schools to generate shared value becomes an essential element in building a fairer, more competent and participatory future.
