Milan, April 22, 2025 – On the occasion of Earth Day, Prada Group and Forestami announce the third edition of the Forestami Academy, a project aimed at raising awareness among citizens about the importance and role of nature in cities.
The project, coordinated by Maria Chiara Pastore, Associate Professor at the Politecnico di Milano, consists of three sessions, one of which is an outdoor course, that will delve into the role of plants in modern urban environments, with presentations by international experts from the cultural, academic and scientific fields.
This year’s theme is “Plants in the City: Do We Really Know Them?” It will be a journey to explore green buildings, biodiversity and the invisible links between plants, soil and citizens.
Lorenzo Bertelli, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at the Prada Group, said: “We are delighted to work with the Forestami Academy for the third consecutive year to actively promote urban greening and the well-being of Milanese citizens.
This year, Forestami Academy activities will be dedicated to teaching how to identify green areas, which will help to increase citizens’ environmental awareness and knowledge. After personally exploring and becoming familiar with plant diversity, protecting and promoting plant diversity is not only a sign of respect for the environment, but also an important step towards a more sustainable future.”
“The Forestami Academy program is essential to deepen the understanding and appreciation of urban forestation and biodiversity – the cornerstone of the future of our cities,” said Stefano Boeri, founder and co-founder of Forestami.
People are eager to connect with their surroundings and actively participate in a shared ecological culture. This is the key to the success of the Academy. As the Academy’s three-year cycle comes to an end, we hope to see it continue to develop and continue to fulfill its mission. We are extremely proud of our collaboration with the Prada Group. This is an outstanding example of how a company and local entities can work together to bring about tangible environmental change.”
The first of the three events in 2025, titled “Plants in the City”, will take place in May On Thursday 15th at the Milan Triennale, with the presence of Paola Bonfante, Professor Emeritus of Plant Biology at the University of Turin, affiliated to the Accademia dei Lincei.
The second session, entitled “Greener cities, better life: the role of plant diversity and ecosystem services in urban spaces”, will take place on Wednesday 18th June at the Milan Triennale, with the presence of Tiziana Ulian of the University of Turin, Honorary Researcher at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The third and final course of the Forestami Academy will take place in September 2025 and will be an outdoor experience focused on the recognition of urban forestry in order to put the acquired knowledge into practice.