Some projects stem from a single spark of inspiration before branching out into unexpected territories, and there are places where those paths intersect, sparking encounters capable of reshaping entire perspectives. It is with this spirit that on October 24th we will return, for the second consecutive year, to the Metropolitan Theatre as Sustainability Partner of TEDxCatania. Our aim is to engage the audience around two major focus areas: creating an enabling ecosystem to co-design and test eco-innovative solutions for Mediterranean horticultural greenhouses—with a strong emphasis on water and energy conservation—and promoting as well as exchanging best practices to prevent water stress and fight major pests in the olive-growing sector.
Two critical themes that we are actively advancing through two European projects of Mediterranean significance: PROTECHMED (PROmoting innovative solutions for the TECHnological Transition of the MEDiterranean horticultural sector), an initiative uniting a partnership across 6 nations (Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Lebanon, Malta, and Turkey) co-funded by Interreg NEXT MED; and STEP-OL (Stratégies partagées pour la surveillance, la prévention et le diagnostic précoce des maladies de l’olivier et l’adaptation au changement climatique pour une oléiculture résiliente), co-funded by the Interreg NEXT Italia–Tunisia programme. Two distinct projects driven by a shared purpose: bridging existing resources and expertise to forge groundbreaking solutions.
The theme “Grafts”: cross-pollination and hybrid ideas
The underlying thread of TEDxCatania is the graft, a botanical metaphor chosen to celebrate the transformative power of cross-pollination and the strength of hybrid ideas, prompting the audience to reflect on a central question: “What are you ready to transform?” It is a concept that resonates deeply with SVIMED’s core identity: for over two decades, we have been dedicated to building bridges between people, businesses, research bodies, institutions, and local communities to trigger meaningful change and tackle the Mediterranean’s greatest challenges, from global warming and resource conservation to the ecological transition in agriculture. TEDxCatania 2026 will gather a diverse audience around talks and debates designed to cross-connect industries and innovative approaches. It represents a precious platform to showcase not only our projects on the ground, but the overarching vision guiding our work. A narrative that will come alive through direct dialogue with participants, project presentations, hands-on interactive activities, and giveaway items. Furthermore, for the STEP-OL project, a specially designed educational game will be available for curious attendees to test their skills in recognizing the main diseases affecting olive trees.
AgroVision Live Demo: Smart Glasses for Agriculture 4.0
Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to test AgroVision smart glasses, deployed within the framework of PROTECHMED for advanced greenhouse crop and climate monitoring. Powered by sensors and control units installed inside the greenhouse, environmental and agronomic data (temperature, humidity, irrigation metrics, etc.) are processed by a digital platform and displayed in real time directly on the operator’s display, enabling seamless interaction with the platform and remote technical guidance. «This system allows an agronomist or plant health specialist to evaluate crop conditions in real time and detect potential diseases without having to be physically present on site, » was highlighted during recent greenhouse demonstrations by Dynamica Assistenza Tecnica ed Informatica, which installed the system at Moncada OP. TEDxCatania thus offers a unique opportunity to cultivate new ideas together and shape a sustainable future for Mediterranean agriculture.