On the occasion of the launch of the German-Italian cooperation project ConnActions funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the project “Connessioni di gusto fra l’Oltrepò Pavese ed Hannover” (Taste connections between the Oltrepò Pavese and Hannover) funded by the Lombardy region, the principal Stefania Fecchio accepted the invitation of Dr. Ivana Marenzi from L3S and accompanied the students from the Santachiara hotel management school to Hanover together with teachers Silvano Vanzulli (head chef) and Marina Riccardi (principal).
The week from November 21-26 was packed with appointments that included the exchange with three German schools (IGS List in Hanover, BBS2 in Wolfsburg and Walter-Gropius Schule in Hildesheim) and the preparation of the gala dinner of the Italian Consulate General in Hanover. In addition to a tasting at the August Kestner Museum, the students also offered a cooking seminar for 19 participants together with their German colleagues under the expert guidance of chef Silvano Vanzulli at the restaurant Der Gartensaal in Hanover’s New Town Hall, the results of which were tasted with great pleasure by more than 60 guests in the evening. “This week was a unique experience for our students, many of whom are already planning an internship at one of the partner schools in Lower Saxony,” Stefania Fecchio sums up this week full of experiences.
A great start for the “Rete del Gusto” Hanover – Oltrepò Pavese network, which is planning many more activities as part of ConnActions until July 2026. ConnActions is a four-year project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the bilateral cooperation between Germany and Italy in the field of dual vocational training. The project is coordinated by the German-Italian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Italy).
ConnActions pursues the exciting goal of establishing six German-Italian networks, each with its own thematic focus. These networks are not just think tanks; they design joint work programs and activities in the field of dual vocational training. Different groups of Italian and German stakeholders from the public and private sectors will work together in each model network. “I am very happy to accompany the network together with Stefania Fecchio and her Italian and German colleagues over the next three years,” says Dr. Marenzi from L3S.
“When pupils actively help to shape Europe in this way, it is not only a very special experience for them personally but is also another important building block for a common Europe.”
