Negotiations on the text of the resolution establishing November 16 as International Mediterranean Diet Day have concluded. The resolution is now slated for adoption by the General Assembly on December 15. The announcement was made by Italy’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, at the event organized by Italy, Lebanon, and Morocco on December 2 at the UN, entitled “Mediterranean Diet: Science, Sustainability, and Cultural Heritage.”
Speaking at the opening of the panel discussion, Massari commented that: “Science and academia have abundantly demonstrated that the Mediterranean diet is a healthy lifestyle that promotes health, well-being, and resilience, reflecting the cultural values and identity of the territories.” Ambassador Massari then added “This is why the message of establishing an International Day of the Mediterranean Diet is spreading to other regions of the world, highlighting the contribution of traditional diets and local products, and the role that traditions and traditional cultures play in shaping not only food systems, but also sustainable development and therefore the very future of societies.” The President of Filiera Italia, Scordamaglia, agreed on this perspective in his video message from Italy where he thanked the Italian delegation at the UN for their work to promote this International Day.
The event, organized on December 2 at the UN Headquarters and moderated by Sara Roversi, was attended by the Directors of FAO—which has already approved a resolution for the establishment of International Mediterranean Diet Day—and UNESCO, which has included the Mediterranean Diet in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010.
Academics Antonia Trichopoulou, Loredana Quadro, and Harini Sampath spoke, along with representatives of communities emblematic of the Mediterranean diet (Agros-Cyprus, Brač-Croatia, Koroni-Greece, Pollica-Italy, Chefchaouen-Morocco, Tavira-Portugal, Soria-Spain). Stefano Pisani, Mayor of Pollica, was also in attendance, representing not only Italy but the very soul of our country’s heritage as Coordinator of the Permanent Secretariat of the Emblematic Communities of the Mediterranean Diet.
The event was wrapped up by a tasting of typical Italian, Lebanese, and Moroccan products at the Permanent Representation of Italy.Italy was represented by Lioni dairy company and their traditional products from the municipality of the same name in Alta Irpinia.
