Almut and Erwin Büschlen explain how they are using art, primary school students, the environment, the Garden of Eden and more to engage with people in Montichiari, Italy.

"Last November we had the third edition of our exhibition "alternativamente" [Alternatively] organized by our evangelical social-cultural association "stradafacendo". The title was about "the tree of life" of the Garden of Eden and the main issue of the exhibition was the environment and to be aware of our behaviour towards it.

"We invited the primary school classes to work out an artistic object for the "tree of life" to participate in a competition to win a prize sponsored by a supermarket from Montichiari. We exhibited a serpent made with 125 painted paper rolls, a tree made with an iron net that reminds us of the Garden of Eden, and a crown of thorns that represents Jesus' crown of thorns and his suffering on the cross for man and the creation.

"A large number of people came, including parents and teachers, with good feedback and positive reports from the media. At the end, when the Director of the Museums from the town saw the exposition, he immediately arranged that our objects should be exhibited from March onwards in another exposition in a Museum in the town for the whole year.

"In the meantime, the counsellor of the environment office from the town hall arranged that the "Tree" was on display in the entrance to the Town hall. This experience has given us the possibility to know many people and our association is now known much better in the town."