Markus Feichter is the Chair of WOB in South Tyrol, Italy. He is a pedagogical expert and teacher for sustainable creative learning. In this role, he also set up a teacher training institute and set himself the goal of sustainable pedagogy with a strong connection to life and nature. He attaches great importance to alternative pedagogical methods, such as the pedagogy of Rudolf Steiner, Maria Montessori, Peter Petersen and others. He further developed this pedagogy in his school and put it into practice. In this way, he not only supports students but also the teachers and parents involved. In this activity, he has given practical and project learning a large part in his curriculum. Alternative exams with a portfolio should also integrate more human-friendly quality checks and assessments.

Ivo Mahlknecht lives and works in Tramin (South Tyrol, Italy). He studied at the Academy of Florence. In the 1980s, he experimented with neo-expressionist painting in the style of the Neue Wilde. The radical break came in the 90s: from one day to the next, he literally interrupted his successful career to paint in the style of the old masters: Velasquez, Rembrand, Vermeer, the Russian landscape painters (George De La Tour and the still life painter Chardin are his role models). They managed to awaken the sensuality and symbolic power of painting through their special technique. Mahlknecht describes the painting of old masters’ themes such as “dealing with a crime thriller”. Mahlknecht displays his authentic interpretation of the old masters with his unique sense of humor.