Fair trade, “Do the right thing”: National fair of critical consumption and sustainable lifestyles

MILAN – Promote the “good practices” of consumption and production, enhancing the specificities and excellence of the territories, large and small, and creating virtuous synergies between associations, institutions, consumers and local entrepreneurs. This is the goal of Do the right thing! – from 24 to 26 March – the national trade fair for critical consumption and sustainable lifestyles which returns to Milan on the weekend of 24-26 March 2023 for its 19th edition, organized by the publishing house Middle earths.

Nine thematic areas. They are tourism, food and street food, vegan, childhood, cosmetics, fashion, green and the third sector – with over 450 innovative, responsible and carefully selected exhibitors from all over the country. In parallel, a rich cultural program takes place designed for all ages, curated by experts and associations with almost 300 proposals for meetings, 700 speakers, debates, tastings and shows, which tell the story of sustainability at 360 degrees in lifestyles, in tourism slow and in the regeneration of territories, the circular economy, the fight against waste, social and environmental justice, climate activism and renewable energy, social cohesion, ethical finance, fashion and parenting. The Fair also involves 6,000 students from Lombardy but also from other parts of Italy, enrolled in various meetings together with their classes and their teachers. And to support the visitors, almost 200 volunteers.

Space. 32 thousand square meters occupied by Do the right thing, in the two pavilions of the Allianz-MiCo in viale Scarampo (corner of via Colleoni; the Portello stop of the Lilla metro is perfect for visitors, the Lotto Fiera stop of the red metro is very convenient. A large parking area for bicycles is built inside the fair , with the possibility of small repairs of the two wheels to be done with the supervision and help of experts (also a test circuit for children). On the fair website it is easy to navigate the cultural program by choosing to explore the meetings by day or by theme: Agri-food, For women, Children, Climate change, Energy, Great Paths Fair, Parents, Inclusion, Fashion, Regeneration, Travel . “It is a fair full of collaborations and participation: the result is truly impressive in terms of the number of people involved and the quality” comments Miriam Giovanzana, editorial director of Middle earths which organizes Do the right thing!.

Everyone’s school 2023. Particular attention is paid to the world of school: “CHALLENGES – Everyone’s school 2023” is the event organized, within the fair, by Terre di mezzo Editore in collaboration with Erickson Editions and MCE (Educational Cooperation Movement), dedicated to the protagonists of school change: students and teachers of schools of all levels, school administrators, educators and parents, but also territories and citizens. For them, this sixth edition of SFIDE, entitled “Energies in action! Practical ideas and tools to teach together”, offers a program of 83 certified training appointments with the involvement of 150 speakers, including teachers and experts from all over Italy. The meetings and workshops are described on the dedicated website www.sfide-lascuoladitutti.it, organized according to 5 thematic strands: Working with words, reading and languages, Valuing diversity in the classroom, Cultivating citizenship and freedom, Recreating teaching, Feeling good at home and at school.

Environmentally conscious travel. The Conscious Tourism, Great Paths and Outdoor area – which offers trips that are attentive to the environment, the rights of peoples and workers, with associations and institutions active in the promotion and enhancement of the great historical and cultural itineraries – develops within the Fair dei Grandi Cammini, the largest event in Italy dedicated to walking and cycling routes. A novelty in this sector is the Cai, the Italian Alpine Club, present for the first time in Do the right thing! with a stand of 150 square meters. Inside, visitors will find a climbing wall, a corner for the purchase of books from the Association’s editorial series and a meeting space, which will see a busy program focused on the various issues related to the mountain and its slow, respectful attendance and passionate: from walking experiences on the Sentiero Italia Cai to aids to allow people with disabilities to travel along the paths; from the situation of shelters in the era of the climate crisis to the critical environmental issues affecting various mountain areas of our country; from advice on how to approach the mountain environment in reasonable safety to book presentations and hiking guides.

The culture of cohesion. The fourth edition of Social Cohesion Days. Born in 2014, the international festival aimed at developing and strengthening the culture of social cohesion this year is dedicated to the theme “What is (we) still missing? Objectives achieved and future scenarios for a cohesive society”. Affirming the centrality of social cohesion issues in Italy and in Europe, also through the promotion and development of smarter, fairer and more sustainable economic growth, is one of the objectives of Social Cohesion Days, which dedicates the 3 days to promoting discussion between different stakeholders on policies, actions, good practices and innovative projects.

A program with 25 initiatives. In a dedicated exhibition space of about 1200 square meters, with an Arena with 80 seats, the Promoting Committee of Social Cohesion Days – made up of the Easycare Foundation, ASVIS, FIMIV, Ethical Finance Foundation and Open Laboratory of the Cloisters of San Pietro in Reggio Emilia – presents a program of 25 initiatives including conferences, training seminars and accredited workshops, book presentations, learning workshops for schools and entertainment. The gastronomic part will not be missing, organized by social cooperatives and oriented towards food sustainability for the reduction of food waste and the promotion of zero km products.

Exhibitions to visit. During the 3 days of the fair, visitors can enjoy various exhibitions. Here are the main ones.

– “365 times Europe – One year always on foot through 22 countries”: 60 shots that tell the story of Riccardo Carnovalini and Anna Rastello’s journey made up of 365 uninterrupted days of walking, 11,275 kilometres, more than 15 million steps in 22 different countries, thousands of meetings to understand and tell about Europe.

– Africa magazine proposes “One day in Africa. 24 hours on the real continent” which collects 45 images taken by reporters of all nationalities grappling with the daily life of a continent in constant fibrillation. The photographs are exhibited according to the time in which they were taken, from dawn to late at night, to ideally reconstruct a day full of life, spent discovering places and people thousands of kilometers away from each other, but united by the same vibrant energy .

– “What Energy!” is the name of the special project dedicated to renewable energies and energy communities. The Fair is an opportunity to take stock of the most interesting Milanese experiences, with enormous potential, such as the CER project of the Milan Polytechnic, which will involve businesses, families and teachers from the University of Città Studi, and the initiative of the Istituto Rinnovata Pizzigoni, carried out by the school and by a group of enthusiastic parents who are donating their time to the cause.

– Dedicated to the world of ethical fashion, which talks about craftsmanship, low-impact productions and independent designers, is the Critical Fashion space and in particular the project, created with the contribution of the Lombardy Region, “The beauty of sustainable km”, which explores the transparent supply chain in the fashion world.