Botanical Kalsa Garden

Botanical - Kalsa Garden, a new project designed for children and adolescents, including those in vulnerable situations, has been launched at the Botanical Garden of Palermo.

The initiative is promoted by Unipa Heritage - Museum System of the University of Palermo and the social cooperative Orto Capovolto, as part of the “Educare insieme” (Educating Together) programme of the Department for Family Policies, dedicated to combating educational poverty.

Partners in the initiative include: the Department of Psychological, Pedagogical, Physical Exercise and Training Sciences of the University of Palermo, the Municipal Department of Education and Third Sector Organisations: USSM Malaspina, Centro ABA Palermo, Laboratorio Zen Insieme – Save the Children, Parco del Sole, Cooperativa Cuore che Vede, CesVop, Nautilus and Arciragazzi.

THE INITIATIVE

Little hands sinking into the earth are an instinctive gesture: they search, dig, observe and wait. In that movement, there is already an idea of the future. This image gave rise to Botanical – Kalsa Garden, the project that, starting in March 2026, will transform the Botanical Garden of the University of Palermo into a “small possible city” dedicated to children, the community and trust.

Supported by the “Educare insieme” (Educating Together) initiative (Department for Family Policies - Presidency of the Council of Ministers), the project combats educational poverty by transforming the scientific garden into a place of growth for the most vulnerable young people.

PROGRAMME AND ACTIVITIES

The programme begins on 11 March 2026 and will run until December 2026 for children, young people and families. Discover the series of workshops designed for each age group:

🌿 Un orto nell'Orto (A vegetable garden in the Garden) Three series of workshops on environmental education and healthy eating. Children (0-6) and families will learn how to grow food at home; children (5-14) will add the theme of biodiversity to the vegetable garden experience; and teenagers (14-17) will design and create an above-ground vegetable garden.

🌸  Da Orto nasce Orto (From Garden to Garden)
Workshops for vulnerable children who will be encouraged to get in touch with nature and introduced to horticulture and gardening, giving them space for autonomy and new skills.

🍎 Dall’Orto al piatto (From Garden to Plate)
A course on food education for families and ecological sustainability in the kitchen (parents and children aged 0-6). A nutritionist biologist and an environmental education expert will offer a test to calculate the family's daily ecological footprint; in subsequent meetings, they will discuss organisational strategies in the kitchen and the eating habits of children and the whole family.

🏃 Giocare nell’Orto (Playing in the Garden)
A fun sports programme to discover the garden and recycling. Children will be involved in sports and creative activities, developing teamwork and using recycled materials.

☀️ Estate nell'Orto (Summer in the Garden - Summer Camp)
When schools close, the Garden opens its gates. Weeks in the open air filled with exploration, new friendships and awareness.

A LEGACY FOR THE CITY

The project leaves concrete marks that will remain available to the community:

The Educational Yurt: A traditional circular tent used by Central Asian nomads will host activities and remain at the Botanical Garden for future initiatives.

The Participatory App: A digital tool for gathering knowledge, tracking the progress of the workshops and maintaining the network between educators, institutions and families.

🎤 The following speakers will take part in the presentation of the project on 24 February 2026 at 10.30 a.m. in the Sala Carapezza at the Steri:
• Massimo Midiri,Rector of the University of Palermo, 
• Mimma Calabrò, Councillor for Social Policies of the Municipality of Palermo
• Michelangelo Gruttadauria, President of UniPa Heritage
• Angelica Agnello, Director of Orto Capovolto and Project Coordinator
• Massimiliano Lombardo, Regional Manager of CoopCulture

Watch the presentation video on Palermo Today

INFO on coopculture.it