Official kick-off event of MOBILISE Mobility period in Dronten

In celebration of the arrival of our 36 trainees and the start of the mobility period, the kick-off event of the international mobility phase of the MOBILISE: Circular Talent Program for Climate-Smart Agriculture project took place on July 4th, 2024, at the Aeres Campus in Dronten.

The event brought together several guests, including the Ambassadors of Ethiopia and Tunisia, some participating companies, the European Commission, ICMPD, and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Tunis. Staff members from Aeres and MSM, as well as other stakeholders, were also in attendance to celebrate this milestone.

Mr. Bastiaan Pellikaan, chairperson of the Aeres board, started off the event with a warm welcome. Followed by Dr. Ir. Huub Mudde, MOBILISE Project Director, with inspiring opening remarks, thanking everyone who made the program possible and highlighting the essential role of participating companies, emphasizing their importance in the project's success.

His Excellency Ambassador Molalign Asfaw of Ethiopia and His Excellency Ambassador Skander Denguezli of Tunisia respectively, took to the stage, encouraging the trainees to make the most of this opportunity and expressing their hopes for the program's future success.

Sierk IJsselstein Mulder, Policy Officer of the Ministry of Justice and Security of the Netherlands also addressed invitees and students on behalf of the Dutch government that facilitates the MOBILISE project.

Giuliana Benedetto from the European Commission and Vera Cerbara from the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) joined online, sharing their excitement for the project's next steps.

Mr. Stefano Locatelli, Project Manager, gave a quick update on the project’s progress before everyone enjoyed a tea break. This was a great chance for students and company representatives to meet and start building connections for the traineeship. This interaction set the stage for fruitful collaborations during the traineeship period.

Next, Mr. Rien van Tilburg from Greenport Netherlands gave an insightful talk on the challenges and opportunities in the Dutch greenhouse horticulture sector. Following this, student representatives then took the stage to share their first impressions of the Netherlands, noting their surprise of the weather and their excitement for the upcoming journey.

Dr. Ir. Huub Mudde wrapped things up with an invitation to a dinner featuring some traditional dishes prepared by the students.

Here is to an exciting and productive traineeship period ahead!