You are cordially invited to the press presentation
of the Earth Partner Exhibition at Borgo Laudato si’.
The presentation will take place on Wednesday 10 September at 11.00,
Sala Marconi, Dicastery for Communication, Piazza Pia 3.
Introduced by Paolo Ruffini
The speakers will be:
His Eminence Cardinal Fabio Baggio
Amber Olson Testino, President of Partner
The Earth Partner Exhibition at Borgo Laudato si’
10 September - 4 October 2025
We are pleased to announce the opening of the Earth Partner Exhibition
at Borgo Laudato si’.
55 multimedia projects by artists from 28 countries,
exploring the interiorization of the ecological crisis in the young generations
How can the young generations respond to the crises of our time? How do young people react today, faced with the climate crisis, a crisis that they have not contributed to creating? And above all: can art become a tool for concrete change?
This September, Borgo Laudato si’, in the pontifical gardens of Castel Gandolfo, will present an innovative exhibition, dedicated to reflecting on these fundamental questions. The exhibition will present 55 projects by artists under 30 years of age, from 28 countries throughout the world. The projects are a selection of winners and honorable mentions from the most recent editions of the Earth Partner Prize (previously known as #CreateCOP), launched six years ago to offer a platform to creative young people to propose ideas, answers and solutions to the decisive challenge of our time. The Prize and the Exhibition were conceived and curated by Earth Partner, the sustainability division of the creative agency Art Partner, led by Amber Olson Testino.
The Earth Partner Exhibition at Borgo Laudato si’ will therefore share some of the most innovative, stimulating and transformative creative expressions that have emerged from the project so far. The exhibition will take place in conjunction with the Jubilee of Hope, during the Time of Creation.
Borgo Laudato si’ is a project promoted by the Laudato si’ Centre for Higher Formation, a scientific, educational and social institution engaged in the integral formation of the human person, in accordance with the principles of the Encyclical Laudato si’. Instituted by Pope Francis in 2023, the Centre was created with the specific mission of developing the Borgo Laudato si’ within the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo, based on three fundamental pillars: education in integral ecology, environmental sustainability, and the circular and generative economy. The Borgo, which will be officially inaugurated by Pope Leo on 5 September 2025, occupies 35 hectares of gardens and 20 hectares of farmland, and is home to over 3000 plants belonging to 300 different species. Its foundation was inspired by Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter Laudato si’, on the care of the common home.
Faithful to the spirit that inspires this exhibition, its installation will be at the same time ecologically sustainable and significant. The work of each participating artist will be presented in frames produced using trees that were felled during Storm Vaia, which devastated 41,000 hectares of forest in 2018. A fragment of that destruction now supports a message of renewal and artistic expression. We are grateful to the Autonomous Province of Trento and the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol for mounting the exhibition and for the creation of the frames, and to the Magnificent Community of Fiemme for providing the reused materials. Special thanks are also due to the Festival Autumnus of Trento, where the exhibition will be on display from 13 to 19 October, and to the workshop Emotions to Generate Change for helping to bring this exhibition to life.
The Earth Partner Exhibition coincides with the open call for this year’s edition of the Earth Partner Prize, presented in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The hope is that the exhibition may inspire visitors to formulate their own answers to the global environmental crisis, and feel motivated to present their artistic responses and solutions via the prize platform. The Earth Partner Prize is accepting entries until 10 October 2025. More information and press material is available here: Press Toolkit.
Amber Olson Testino: “Today's young people have internalized the ecological crisis as an integral part of their daily lives, and I am moved to see how their creativity is directed towards issues ranging from extreme weather events to plastic pollution, from corporate responsibility to ocean conservation. The result is a body of work that is both intimate and expansive, expressing the urgency of the current crisis and, at the same time, a profound hope in a true integral ecology. We are deeply grateful to the Borgo Laudato si’ for providing such a beautiful and meaningful setting”.
Aakash Malik, authori of the work Escaping Inferno: “To display my work in a place as loaded with meaning as Borgo Laudato si’ is at the same time an honour and a responsibility. It is a confirmation of the commitment I devote to recounting the environmental challenges that surround us. For me, it is not only a question of showing images, but of contributing to a collective call to action. Initiatives such as this are fundamental, because they amplify our voices and remind us that art has the power to affect culture and to inspire systemic change”.
Adedolapo Boluwaitfe, author of the work Invitation to Invade: “Participating in this exhibition means a lot to me, not only because it allows me to display my photographs, but also because it carries within it the concrete value of impact. It is a real honour to be able to share this space with incredibly talented artists who, like me, use their art as a tool to highlight issues and to stimulate dialogue. I am particularly enthusiastic about a place such as Borgo Laudato si’, a place rich in history and meaning. To exhibit my art in this environment makes the message even stronger, reminding us that protecting the earth is both urgent and unquestionably sacred”.
“Being among the winners of the Earth Partner Prize in 2024 has encouraged me to go beyond the boundaries of how I tell the stories linked to plastic pollution and more. Since then, I have had the opportunity to experiment with other languages, such as video art and mixed techniques, at the same time broadening my outlook towards eco-conscious practices exploring the interconnected relationship between the human being and nature”.
Useful Contacts
For information on Art Partner, Earth Partner and the works on display:
Marianna Beltrami, Earth Partner Coordinator
mbeltrami@artpartner.com
For information on Borgo Laudato si’:
Donatella Parisi, Head of Communication
comunicazione@laudatosi.va
