The KIARA team was delighted to take part in this year’s University of Reading Community Festival, which returned for its fourth and most ambitious edition yet. With an estimated 8,500 visitors attending throughout the day, the festival provided a fantastic opportunity to share research, engage with the public and celebrate the University’s achievements alongside colleagues, students, alumni and community partners.
As part of the festival, the KIARA project hosted an interactive stand where visitors could learn more about our work supporting sustainable and regenerative agriculture. Throughout the day, our team welcomed 258 visitors to the stand, engaging in conversations about soil health, farming innovation and the importance of knowledge exchange between researchers, farmers and society.
One of the highlights of the day was the enthusiastic participation of younger visitors. Children particularly enjoyed the colouring and activity games specially designed by our talented PhD students, Niusha and Bénédicte, whose creativity helped make complex agricultural and environmental topics accessible, fun and engaging for all ages. Their activities sparked curiosity about soils, plants and sustainability, while providing families with an enjoyable way to interact with the project.
For the KIARA team, the event was a valuable opportunity to connect directly with members of the public, answer questions and discuss how research can contribute to more sustainable and resilient food and farming systems. The strong level of interest shown by visitors highlighted the growing public awareness of environmental challenges and the importance of innovation in agriculture.
We would like to thank everyone who visited our stand and helped make the day such a success. Special thanks go to Niusha and Bénédicte for their outstanding contribution in creating engaging activities for our younger visitors, and to all members of the KIARA team who dedicated their time and enthusiasm to sharing the project with the wider community.
Events such as the Community Festival demonstrate the importance of bringing research beyond the laboratory and into conversations with society. We look forward to continuing these exchanges and sharing the progress of the KIARA project with communities across Europe.