World Soil Day 2025 at USAMV Cluj-Napoca, with events under the central theme “Healthy soils, healthy cities” and competitions for students

World Soil Day 2025, celebrated at the Faculty of Agriculture, took place under the theme “Healthy soils, healthy cities”, highlighting the essential role of soil in urban environmental health and in the development of sustainable and resilient communities. The event highlighted that healthy soil directly contributes to temperature regulation, water retention, air filtration, biodiversity protection and the creation of greener cities that are better adapted to climate change.

The event programme brought together teachers, students, agricultural specialists, representatives of public institutions and professional organisations. Activities included thematic presentations, interactive discussions, examples of good practices and innovative proposals for sustainable soil management and the revitalisation of urban spaces through green solutions.

The prizes awarded to students were: First Prize – Lăpădean Adrian and Suciu Victor (1000 lei), Second Prize – Dumitru Rebeca (800 lei), Third Prize – Kuttel Philipp and Harasz Martin (500 lei).

World Soil Day was also marked on 4-5 December at the Faculty of Horticulture and Business in Rural Development, with the event “Multidialogue on Soil – Current Bio-inspiration for Future Generations’ Communities”, which brought together researchers, teachers, students, NGOs, local government representatives and European experts in an interdisciplinary dialogue dedicated to soil protection, food sustainability and bioeconomic innovation.

The first day was dedicated to exploring European food systems, presenting Horizon Europe research initiatives and connecting the academic community with major funding directions in the field of food transition. The FutureFoodS partnership highlighted the current challenges facing food systems and the need for integrated approaches that support healthy diets, reduce environmental impact and increase consumer confidence. The BIO-INSPIRE project, also presented on this day, highlighted the potential of regional bioeconomy clusters as drivers of innovation and transnational collaboration, aimed at developing a governance model that can be replicated at European level.

The presentations dedicated to soil highlighted the central role of underground biodiversity, accelerated soil degradation and the need to rethink society’s relationship with natural resources. Analyses of fertile soil loss in Romania, caused by erosion, climate change and anthropogenic pressure, complemented the educational approach with a call for action and collective responsibility.

Participants also discovered the Casa Apei – Un campus responsabil (House of Water – A Responsible Campus) project, a USAMV Cluj-Napoca initiative aimed at reducing plastic, providing access to drinking water and creating a community space dedicated to interaction and informal learning.

The second day of the event highlighted student contributions, the community’s vision for soil protection, and concrete examples of civic engagement and sustainable development. The presentations dedicated to Soil Day reminded us that soil is “the beginning of all beginnings” and that protecting it is essential for sustaining life on Earth.

The student community presented creative concepts in the ideas competition, demonstrating the interdisciplinary potential of young people to imagine solutions for regenerative agriculture, environmental education and circular economy. International presentations, such as the analysis of the collaboration between tourism and local producers in Germany, complemented the European perspective on sustainable development, highlighting the importance of community partnerships for the revitalisation of rural areas.

Participants were encouraged to continue the dialogue and transform the knowledge they had acquired into concrete actions: from research and education to the development of community projects and active involvement in the European initiatives presented.