The work developed by the research group guided by prof. Borrelli in the context of NBFC embraced the idea that collaboration between different stakeholders is essential for the protection of biodiversity.
To contribute to a Diplomacy of the Mediterranean areas, the research group working on the intersection between the topics of biodiversity, food system and tourism developed both international networks of research and more locally rooted actions.
A wide data collection involving ecomuseums and other participatory institutions of the Mediterranean countries allowed to deepen the understanding of the role that cultural institution can play in the promotion of biodiversity and sustainable tourism.
These topics were deepened thanks to the promotion of a shared reflection with experts on food, tourism and participatory practices representing institutions both from Mediterranean countries, USA and the world (among others the FAO, ICOM, the network of Italian Ecomuseums).
This line of work highlighted the changes occurring at a global level in the conceptualization of the role of different stakeholders in the management of the climate crisis, and the potential of new, hybrid governance systems, where collaboration between institutional and non-institutional actors allow for more bottom-up approaches.
These reflections led to the definition of two collaborations with, respectively, the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology, based in Arusha, Tanzania, and the Rabat Social Science Institute, based in Rabat, Morocco, were formalized. In both cases, they allowed for a field work aimed at mapping areas of environmental and tourist interest, laying groundwork for comprehensive initiatives engaging local communities as primary stakeholders in preserving their cultural heritage and the surrounding biodiversity in areas with strong tourism potential.
The collaborations initiated led to the launching of few new initiatives, such as the Erasmus + EcoAct project, of the Weaver of the Future network and online exhibition.