A week for our planet

On the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, promoted by the United Nations and set for June 17th each year, the University of Sassari will host important initiatives and events for an entire week, organized by the Desertification Research Unit and the Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with numerous international partners. The data reported by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification are alarming; governments and scientists must act in close synergy to implement decisive and impactful actions that can counter or at least slow down this phenomenon, promoting good practices and alternative solutions.

Each day will be dedicated to a specific theme, and the proposed initiatives will have a broad scope to reach and involve as wide an audience as possible. To participate in the events, simply click the links present on the posters.

On the first day, after the formal opening of the works and the presentation of the theme, a seminar promoted by the MICRO4LIFE project on microorganisms as a resource for sustainable agriculture will take place. In the afternoon, in the main hall of the Department of Agriculture, a film festival dedicated to "Sardinia and Climate Change" will be held, fostering constructive debate and moments of deep reflection on this theme.

The second day will be dedicated to the crucial theme of water, a vital but limited resource. Numerous research and cooperation projects aimed at the sustainable management of the resource through innovative solutions will be presented.

On the third day, the focus will be on soil and the promotion of the best sustainable management practices to improve its fertility, functionality, and productivity, especially in agriculture and forestry, with the sharing of the results of the TERRA project of the Department of Agriculture.

The fourth day will be partly dedicated to the local population, continuing during the first part of the morning the path dedicated to the theme "Sardinia and Climate Change" by welcoming participants directly in the field with games and educational workshops organized by the National Research Council of Sassari and the Department of Agriculture. Simultaneously, an online event sponsored by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification will be organized starting at 12:00 PM, where successful cases from across the African territory will be presented.