Eating nutritional food and having a healthy diet was emphasised to students who were part of the “We Love our Veggies” nutritional workshop that was held at the French residence last week.
The event which was organised by the French Embassy, BRED Bank Fiji and book-author and nutritionist Vittoria Pasca, was a success. Students, who participated, were able to learn more about eating healthy.
About 30 students from Dr Ram Lakhan Memorial Primary School were part of the event.
During the event Bred Bank Fiji gifted 400 copies of the “We Love our Veggies” books to the school. The book was co-authored by Ms Pasca and Courtney Underwood-Dass.
According to a joint statement from the French Embassy, BRED Bank Fiji and Healthy Eating — the event also highlighted the diversity of fruits and vegetables that grown at the ambassador’s residence.
French Ambassador to Fiji, François-Xavier Léger thanked BRED Bank Fiji for the books and sponsoring the event.
“This book has been written by Vittoria and Courtney. It is full of fun activities about healthy cooking and vegetarian food,” Mr Léger said.
“Let’s talk a bit about why this is important. Many of the foods we see in supermarkets come from far away and need lots of packaging.
“By growing our own food and choosing local products, we help reduce pollution and protect the environment,” he said.
“It’s like being a hero for the planet. Remember, by eating healthy and growing your own food, you are making a big difference. You are helping your body stay healthy and the earth stay green.”
BRED Bank Fiji deputy chief executive officer, Pierre-Antoine Vallet recognised the importance of contributing to a healthier society.
“Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not just a buzzword for us, it is a commitment to making a positive impact,” Mr Vallet said.
“Our CSR axis incorporates the environmental challenges of our stakeholders into our own strategy and underlines our determination to help our customers, cooperative members and regions to reduce carbon emissions.
“This event may be perceived as a small step but it is a significant stride in the right direction, with the right audience; our children.
“Studies have shown that vegetables have a much lower environmental footprint compared to many other food sources.
“By instilling this message in young minds, we will ensure a sustainable future for our communities. We are also very proud to support the French Embassy’s “Green Embassy” commitment.
“The goals of the “Green Embassy” project internationally strengthen France’s exemplary commitment in regard to sustainable development.
“As a bank with French heritage, we thank the Embassy for this opportunity to make an impact as we are united by a common goal today: to inspire our young-stars and communities to embrace healthier eating habits and sustainable agricultural practices.”
Book author Vittoria Pasca added she was grateful for the support from the French Embassy and BRED Bank Fiji.
“We’re constantly looking for ways to have our book reach more children and it was very generous of Bred Bank to donate a book to each student and their teachers,” she said.
“We really believe that children can develop a taste for healthy foods from a very young age and learn some healthy habits that will stay with them as they grow up to become healthy and happy adults.
“And, why not, positive change in the family can start from the kids, so we hope that when the students go back home with their books, they can become the health champions in their families and communities.
“For those who still think that nutritious food doesn’t taste good, today we made some delicious choco-nutty energy balls together with the kids and everybody loved it.”Mrs. Underwood-Dass added that in the book, one will also find easy and fun recipes and activities that they could do in a classroom or as a family.
“The activities are created to evolve into STEM learning,” she said.
“Our vision is for each child to have the best start in life by making healthy choices.
“Let’s start our journey to healthy eating together — happy cooking.”
She thanked BRED Bank (Fiji) for helping to share this important message with the students and guests.