Jewish students from all over the globe belonging to World ORT’s network have spent a week in Italy, taking part in a sustainable solutions challenge, alongside a busy programme of cultural engagement.

Twenty-six Year 12 students in total were selected to join other delegations from countries such as South Africa and Spain, with 10 coming from the UK and eight from World ORT’s Kfar Silver Youth Village in Israel.

Based in both Milan and Rome, the students were separated into five teams, tasked with developing scalable urban agricultural projects appropriate for real-world examples.

ORT, aware that intensifying urbanisation and population growth pose significant challenges to food production and distribution, said the students’ designs had to “increase and maintain fresh food supplies that could be integrated into a city, using innovative techniques and digital technologies, promoting environmental sustainability and fostering community involvement”.

An ORT winning team for social action, in Italy, July 2024 (Photo: ORT)

Each team pitched their respective projects at the end of the week to a judging panel, taking into consideration location, technology integration, sustainability and impact, as well as accessibility and inclusivity.

The proposed final projects included a vertical farming process in war-torn Eastern Ukraine that utilises rainwater and is powered by solar energy, an eco-friendly water filtration system allowing for faster crop growth in Peru, space-saving and sustainable hydroponic container farming in South Africa, and rooftop farming that employs artificial intelligence in Hong Kong.

Students drew on their own experiences and diverse backgrounds for inspiration and received advice from industry experts.

Dylan Lack, a UK participant on the trip, said the trip was “magical”.

He told the JC: “We’ve learned transferable skills that can be used in any workplace, which you don’t learn in school, so it’s a completely unique and rare experience. I’ve made new friends and seen Rome and Milan from a completely new cultural and historical perspective. This trip has opened my eyes to a whole range of diversity and culture, and I’ve appreciated meeting people from all over the world.”

An ORT winning team for innovation, in Italy, July 2024 (Photo: ORT)

When not engaged in the challenge, an itinerary was arranged for students which sought to introduce them to great Italian thinkers and inventors, as well as the country’s Jewish community past and present.

Among the many cultural sites the group visited were the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum, the Shoah Memorial in Milan, a tour of the Pantheon and Colosseum and Milan’s Innovation District.

Students also celebrated a Shabbat service in Rome’s Jewish quarter.

Beth Kulawy, community fundraising and engagement at ORT UK, said the students developed “a vast range of employability skills which will enhance their ability to engage and promote themselves as they progress their careers.

“ORT UK bridges the gap between school and the workplace, and we will work across the ORT global network to implement their wonderful ideas for greater sustainability, resource management and community engagement.”

The trip, organised by ORT UK, World ORT and World ORT Kadima Mada, is one of ORT UK’s four new JUMP employability programmes, created following the success of the long-running ORT JUMP Mentoring Programme.