The carob tree takes center stage at the Mediterranean Network Forum 2026.

The Agriturismo Le Chiuse di Guadagna and MuRu - Rural Museum in collaboration in the "Carob Heritage" project brought the experience of the Iblei to the conference organized by EFI Mediterranean Network Forum 2026 .

Luca Iozzia , the creator of the Carob Heritage project, was invited as a speaker to represent our region in an international context dedicated to the resilient management of Mediterranean forests.

At the centre of the debate, a resource that for us is pure identity: the carob tree .

A dialogue between research and territory.

It's a true meeting point between those who study the carob tree and those who live with it every day. Luca shared the stage with experts from over 28 countries, actively participating in the Carob Days .

Together with researchers and other Mediterranean production entities, we discussed:

• Biodiversity and Resilience : How the carob tree can help us respond to the challenges of climate change.

• Applied Research : new frontiers in the use of fruit and wood.

• Rural Culture : the role of museums like MuRu in preserving agricultural memory and projecting it into the future.

Why this collaboration is special

Participation in Valencia strengthens the inseparable link between the hospitality of Chiuse di Guadagna and the cultural mission of MuRu . For our guests, this means knowing that the shade of the carob trees under which they rest is part of a botanical and historical heritage studied and protected throughout the Mediterranean.

We return from Valencia with new ideas, international collaborations, and the certainty that the daily work done in Scicli by the Carob Heritage staff is a fundamental part of a much larger Mediterranean network.