The new platform, known as the Food-Sharing Compass, will be unveiled at the final event of the EU-funded CULTIVATE project which created it for the wider food-sharing community.
On 19 November 2026 (09:00-18:00), food sharing practitioners, city officers, researchers and curious newcomers will gather at Comet Louise, Brussels for the closing event of the CULTIVATE project: "Helping food sharing thrive: introducing the CULTIVATE food sharing compass platform". The event is hybrid: online for the morning sessions and in-person for the full day.
The highlight of the day is the Food Sharing Compass, a free online platform that pulls together five handy tools for anyone working with, or curious about, food sharing. It helps users find the right resources for what they need and see how it all fits together.
The morning looks at the Compass and two panel talks, bringing together voices from the European Commission, cities like Milan and Utrecht, Slow Food and several universities to chat about how food sharing can make city food systems more sustainable and fair. In the afternoon, in-person guests are invited to go further: an interactive challenge across three themed rooms turns the tools into hands-on practice - turning evidence into policy, finding partners to team up with, and spotting how ideas could take root in their own areas. To close, the Food Sharing Community World Café brings everyone around the table to share experiences and imagine how the movement can keep growing long after the project ends.
Since 2023, CULTIVATE has been looking at how food sharing initiatives can grow from scattered efforts into a stronger, more connected movement. The project's final event is intended as a handover: the tools, knowledge and connections are now freely available for the public.
Registration is open until 23 October 2026. In-person spots are confirmed by the organisers (you'll hear back by 30 October). Registration and the full agenda here.
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