From the ground up: Citizens cultivating soil health
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Citizen engagement is a key component of the EU Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’. Recognizing the importance of involving people beyond the “expert circles” in protecting and restoring our soils, the event "From the Ground Up: Citizens Cultivating Soil Health" will focus on how citizen engagement can advance the Mission’s goals and strengthen the development of Soil Health Living Labs.
The event aims to raise awareness of the critical role citizens can play within SHLLs, while encouraging the development of bottom-up initiatives aligned with the Mission Soil objectives. Participants will also receive practical guidance on funding opportunities and proposal development in line with the 2025 Mission Soil call.
In addition to an introduction to the Mission Soil 2025 funding opportunities, the agenda includes presentations from existing SHLLs, and a dedicated session on tools and strategies for citizen engagement. An interactive co-creation moment will give participants the chance to collaboratively design engagement concepts adapted to local contexts.
The event will also feature a pitch corner and networking session to support the formation of new partnerships and consortia. This event is particularly relevant for Mission Soil call applicants, researchers, civil society organisations, local innovators and start-ups, municipal representatives involved in land or soil-related initiatives, and stakeholders already participating in Living Labs.
The event starts at 8:30 for those who are going to join in person and at 9:00 for those who join remotely. Click on each item of the agenda below to discover the details of each session.
Join the conversation on how citizens can contribute to soil health – from the ground up.
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08.30 - 09:00 | Registrations & welcome breakfast
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09:00 - 09:30 | Part A – Mission Soil Overview & Funding Opportunities
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09.00 – 09.15 | Welcome & Introduction to the EU Mission ‘’A Soil Deal for Europe’’
09.15 - 09.30 | Presentation of funding opportunities for SHLLs: Overview of Mission Soil 2025 funding opportunities
Q&A
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09:30 - 10:50 | Part B – Thematic Session: Citizens cultivating soil health
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09.30 - 09.50 | Citizen science in soil health “Why Soil Matters — and How Citizens are Key to Innovation”
09.50 - 10.50 | Citizen engagement: tools, strategies, and participatory approaches to foster public involvement and boost awareness
Showcasing on-the-ground insights and experiences
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10:50 - 11:10 | Coffee Break
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11:10 - 12:40 | Part C – Co-creation & Pitching
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11.10 - 11.40 | Interactive Breakout Sessions: a first attempt at co-creating citizen engagement ideas in groups.
11.40 - 12.00 | Presentation of breakout results: sharing ideas, challenges, and possible collaborations.
12.00 - 12.40 | Pitch Corner: Attendees pitch ideas, areas of expertise, or interests to build connections and find future partners.
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12:40 - 13:10 | Part D – SOILL Support Tools
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12.40 - 13.00 | Overview of SOILL Hub, Helpdesk, Mentors, Mapping Form
13.00 -13.10 | Q&A and Wrap-up
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13.10 - 14.00 | Networking lunch
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