This morning, P. Fabio Baggio, General Director of the Center for Higher Education Laudato Si’, awarded certificates to the participants of the first gardening and green space maintenance training course, aimed at socially vulnerable people. The course, realized in partnership with the social cooperative Percorsi di Cittadinanza, included 80 hours of theoretical and practical lessons at Borgo Laudato Si’. Thanks to the experience and guidance of the master gardeners of the Gardens of the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo, the trainees were able to learn elements of botany, experiment with the main techniques, and use the tools necessary for the care of trees, plants, flowers, and gardens.

Among the participants, there is a variety of origins, including Senegal, Morocco, Iran, Ghana, Cameroon, and Italy. Their life and work experiences are also very diverse: the trainees, including three unaccompanied minors, come from reception centers and communities in the Castelli Romani area. Some of them have started integration paths independently, which they strive to carry forward despite difficulties.

For the participants of this first course, who passed a selection process involving over 90 candidates, a professional internship period will begin in September, allowing them to apply what they learned at Borgo Laudato Si’.