Fake news, information overload and fatigue can all lead to people disconnecting with climate change, right when we most need to act.
That’s why the MAIA project (which drives Alter) seeks novel ways to engage the public by combining science, art and education. Among other initiatives, our travelling exhibition, “Drivers of Change: Building the Climate Response Together,” is designed to raise awareness through a interactive, multimedia content, providing a fresh look at the issues and what’s being done about them.
So we were delighted when Milan’s Fa’ la Cosa Giusta! (Do the Right Thing!) fair offered to host the first edition of the exhibition in March, 2025. The fair attracts a varied public interested in conscious consumption and sustainable lifestyles, making it the perfect location to launch our series of travelling exhibitions.
We spoke to Corinne Barbieri, Head of the Cultural Program of Do the Right Thing!, to find out more.
The MAIA project exhibition was one of the highlights of this year's Do the Right Thing!. What inspired the collaboration between the fair and MAIA?
Do the Right Thing! was founded in 2004 with the aim of spreading and promoting good practices related to sustainability, anticipating issues that have only recently captured the attention of the media and public opinion.
The event has always sought to create connections between individuals and well-intentioned organisations that are engaged in addressing environmental and social challenges.
In line with this philosophy, the MAIA project seemed to us to be a valuable opportunity to involve the project and raise awareness of the complex and urgent challenges posed by climate change.
The theme of this year's fair was "the taste of trust." How did the MAIA exhibition fit with this theme contribute to promoting the values and objectives of the event?
Looking at current events, we realised that we are going through a period characterised by great distrust about the future, and that the climate crisis has a profound impact on this sense of instability.
The MAIA exhibition contributed precise and objective perspectives of climate change, providing useful and diverse tools to the fair’s visitors. This showed how the role of science and the actions of individuals and communities can be an incisive force for change that contributes to building climate of trust in the future.
The fair offers a space for storytelling to engage visitors. How did the MAIA exhibition help achieve this objective?
For us, storytelling is a driver of change that helps convey complex and sensitive themes. Over the years, we have experimented with different ‘languages,’ from the most conventional to the most artistic, with the idea of finding the best ways to tell a story.
Exhibitions remain a very powerful tool for us to talk about the world and MAIA's proposal for us to host the exhibition was welcomed with great enthusiasm by our public, who are used to finding exhibitions like this at fairs.
MAIA aims to make climate change research more accessible and actionable for everyone. How has hosting the exhibition helped bridge the gap between scientific research and the general public?
We believe in the value of scientific research and access to data, so we’re always looking for collaborations with research bodies and universities that are willing to tell their stories.
The MAIA project is in line with this philosophy and has the further advantage of being an international project, which gives the public an even broader and more complete vision of such a delicate topic as the climate crisis.
Can you share any highlights from the MAIA exhibition?
The best moment was with the students who visited the exhibition on the Friday morning. These young people, who met with MAIA representatives, had many questions, concerns and provocations. It was a wonderful exchange that was enriching for everyone.
I believe these opportunities are truly precious for young people: the possibility of leaving the school environment to compare their experience with that of others and encountering different professionals allows them to develop new ideas for their future.
What do you think visitors took away from the exhibition? And how do you measure the success of such an initiative in the context of the fair?
This year's edition had over 50 thousand visitors, a fantastic result that’s attributable to the presence of many interesting realities. MAIA made a significant contribution to this edition of Do the Right Thing! and we believe it has provided our audience with valuable tools.
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