Vatican launches eco-friendly training centre

September 03, 2025

The Vatican has unveiled its first vocational training centre, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to sustainable agriculture, organic winemaking, and olive harvesting. This pioneering project transforms part of the papal estate at Lake Albano into a vibrant hub for ecological education and hands-on farming training.

A living legacy of Pope Francis’ ecological vision

The initiative, known as Borgo Laudato Si, takes its name and inspiration from Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si (Praised Be), which urged global action to protect the environment and safeguard human dignity. Building on that message, the new centre serves as a living model of eco-friendly farming and renewable practices, designed for everyone from schoolchildren to international business leaders.

Pope Leo XIV, who has reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to caring for creation, will officially inaugurate the centre with a liturgy and tour of the lush gardens, vineyards, and olive groves of Castel Gandolfo. Since 2022, staff have worked tirelessly to bring Pope Francis’ ecological mission to life.

Eco-innovation at Borgo Laudato Si

At the heart of the project is a state-of-the-art greenhouse, designed in the same curved embrace as St. Peter’s Square. It faces a 10-room educational facility and dining hall, where visitors can take part in:

• Afternoon school trips focused on organic farming.
• Intensive courses on regenerative agriculture and sustainable land management.

The entire facility is powered by solar energy and follows strict zero-waste principles. Plastics are banned, recycling and composting are mandatory, and AI-powered irrigation systems ensure efficient water use. Rainwater harvesting, wastewater treatment, and reuse systems are also in place to maximize conservation.

The Vatican’s first vocational school

For the first time in history, the Vatican will host a vocational school dedicated to green jobs. Students will receive hands-on training in sustainable gardening, organic winemaking, and olive harvesting—with a strong focus on job creation for vulnerable groups, including refugees, survivors of domestic violence, recovering addicts, and rehabilitated prisoners.

Products from the farm—such as Laudato Si wine, organic olive oil, artisanal cheese, and herbal teas—will be sold on-site, with all profits reinvested into the project. This creates a self-sustaining cycle that funds education while promoting eco-friendly food production.

Planting seeds of global change

Although the centre is still in its early stages and lacks on-site dormitories, it has already welcomed school groups and helped its first batch of trainees secure jobs. According to Rev. Manuel Dorantes, director of Borgo Laudato Si, the Vatican’s message is clear:

 “If the smallest state in the world can achieve this, imagine the potential of larger nations with greater resources.”

While financial details remain confidential, the centre is supported by multiple partners who share a vision of turning faith-based ecological education into action.