Empowering families: Innovative cross-cultural child-parent food waste education project
Foodwise Families: fostering multicultural harmony through zero waste cooking, a new project launched by NWAMI International Malta and supported by APS Bank, aims to combat food waste and build a sense of togetherness and common purpose, extending beyond the kitchen to enhance social cohesion within communities. The project’s focal point revolves around a series of four cooking workshops for children and parents, exploring traditional recipes from Malta and various corners of the world. These hands-on events will give participants the opportunity to learn about the culinary traditions of different communities present in Malta and create meals together. At the same time, the events will also highlight the fact that food waste is the third largest contributor to climate change.
The Foodwise Families workshops are open to children aged eight to 14 together with their parents or legal guardians. Additionally, the project will culminate in the creation of an engaging multicultural zero waste cuisine cookbook for children, fostering interactive and sustainable culinary exploration with information about Maltese and global culinary curiosities and traditions as well as practical tips for food shopping, food storage and food recycling. A competition to design the cover of this cookbook will also be taking place over the coming weeks.
Maria Gabriele Doublesin, president at NWAMI International Malta and the creator of the project explains: "Through the Foodwise Families initiative, our aim is to contribute positively to individuals and the community, aspiring to leave a lasting and meaningful impact. Participants, including children and their parents, will acquire valuable culinary skills, preparing delicious and nutritious meals using a zero waste approach, while also learning about the food traditions of different people in our communities. This will help foster cultural understanding and appreciation among participants, promoting greater social harmony and inclusivity.”
Foodwise Families also welcomes the input and participation of educators and food industry and hospitality professionals, willing to share their knowledge on food storage and preparation. Anyone interested in contributing to the project or in registering to participate in a workshop can find more information at www. nwamiinternationalmalta.org. More details can also be obtained by sending an email to president@nim.org.mt
NWAMI International Malta is a non-profit organisation, dedicated to promoting community cohesion and social inclusion, through grass-root education, art, culture and community engagement. By engaging in various initiatives, events and projects, the organisation seeks to identify and address the needs of Malta’s contemporary society, foster connections between different cultures, celebrate diversity and actively contribute to inter-cultural dialogue while addressing issues related to social equality and integration.