The Olive Oil Goes to School is a project of CEPAAL – Center for Studies and Promotion of Alentejo Olive Oil, co-financed by the IOC – International Olive Oil Council, and its main objective is to educate and raise awareness among first cycle students (ages between 6 and 10 years) to the importance of consuming olive oil, as a healthy fat and pillar of the Mediterranean diet, as well as a characteristic element of the identity and culture of Portugal, and in particular the Alentejo region.
The project was developed with the first cycle classes of the Moura, Barrancos, and Reguengos de Monsaraz School Group and included the Workshop “The path of olive oil”, which aimed to explain to students the entire olive oil production process, from the olive grove to the olive mill press.
As part of the Olive Oil School Week, the work developed by the students was exhibited/presented in schools. These jobs consisted of manual work, olive oil tastings, and food made with olive oil.
Also, during this week, olive trees were planted in the schools involved in the project.
We also involved school canteens with the Workshop “How to use olive oil?” which aimed to convey to these employees the entire olive oil production process, from olive harvesting to bottling, mentioning throughout the Workshop the benefits of olive oil consumption for health and its importance in the Mediterranean diet and the culture of the region, encouraging the use of extra virgin and virgin olive oil in the preparation of school menus.
The Olive Oil Goes To School project proved to be an extremely enriching project, not only to raise awareness among the youngest, thus preparing the younger generations to preserve a fat that is the identity and culture of Alentejo, and Portugal, but also because it allowed them to involve the entire school community and families, in a unique synergy that we intend to maintain throughout the three years of the project. This project will last 3 years and each year will cover 5 different municipalities in Alentejo, in which CEPAAL members are located.
About CEPAAL Based in Moura, CEPAAL – Center for Studies and Promotion of Alentejo Olive Oil was born in 1999 and is a non-profit association that aims to boost and promote the national olive and olive growing sectors, in general, and the Alentejo sector, in particular. In addition to 28 producers, its members include institutions linked to the olive and olive farming sector, including State bodies, municipalities, and universities.
Website: http://azeitedoalentejo.pt/en/cepaal
