From March 22nd to April 2nd, 2026, Foligno welcomed a group of 20 Greek students and 2 teachers for an enriching educational and cultural mobility experience focused on tourism.
Coming from Rhodes—the largest Greek island and a major tourist destination—the students are already familiar with the impacts of mass tourism. Their stay in Umbria offered them a valuable opportunity to discover alternative and more sustainable approaches to the sector.
Throughout the two weeks, participants took part in classes, workshops, and field activities centred on sustainable and inclusive tourism. They collaborated with local organisations such as La Locomotiva and the Local Action Group, exploring innovative initiatives aimed at improving accessibility to cultural heritage. Among these, they discovered ArtMia, a project developed by Crhack Lab, which aims to create a more inclusive access to culture for diasbled people.
The programme also included visits to educational institutions such as the Feliciano Scarpellini secondary school and the Centro Studi di Foligno, where students deepened their knowledge of responsible tourism practices. A visit to the Regional Civil Protection Centre in Foligno gave them insight into the management of large-scale events in tourist areas.
Hands-on experiences were a key part of the mobility: in Assisi, students explored the city and its surroundings by e-bike, promoting an eco-friendly way of discovering both urban and natural heritage. They also attended tourism-related lectures at the University of Assisi, gaining further insight into the Italian education system.
Towards the end of their stay, the group travelled to Rome, and visited an agritourism facility in Spoleto, where they experienced rural life and learned how this model contributes to sustainable and responsible tourism.
Beyond developing professional skills, this mobility fostered intercultural exchange and encouraged students to reflect on more sustainable ways of travelling and managing tourism in the future.
