The United Nations General Assembly passed the resolution establishing the International Day of the Mediterranean Diet, setting it at 16 November.
The resolution – proposed by Italy together with Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Lebanon, Morocco, Portugal, San Marino, Spain and Tunisia – is the result of negotiations (closed on 2 December last, in New York) that aimed at the recognition of territorial diets in terms of food security, protection of biodiversity and traditions, as also recalled by the Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations, Maurizio Massari, in illustrating the initiative. “The message of establishing an ad hoc international day,” said the ambassador, “spreads to other regions of the world, highlighting the contribution of local products, the role that traditional diets play in shaping not only food systems, but the very future of societies”.
It is no coincidence that the initiative is part of Italy’s commitment to the transformation of global agri-food systems and comes after the recognition of Italian Cuisine as a World Heritage Site.
The choice of the day (16 November) is no coincidence: it coincides with the date on which UNESCO, 15 years ago now, inscribed the Mediterranean diet on the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of Humanity.
The Fao – which over the years has continued to support countries in the protection and promotion of the Mediterranean diet, also thanks to long-term collaborations with Italy and projects in Lebanon and Tunisia – will play a leading role in supporting the activities related to the celebration of the day, which has obtained the support of member states in the Council, also because the resolution – promoted by 13 countries in the Mediterranean area – contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
A philosophy of life that stems from the past and can lead us towards a healthy, sustainable and inclusive future: the Mediterranean diet as a social institution based on knowledge that is passed down, agricultural practices, short supply chains and conviviality is a representation that emerged as early as the Unesco candidacy, which ruled: “It is a system rooted in respect for the land and biodiversity, and ensures the preservation and development of traditional activities and crafts related to fishing and agriculture in Mediterranean communities, of which Soria in Spain, Koroni in Greece, Cilento in Italy and Chefchaouen in Morocco are examples. Women play a particularly vital role in the transmission of skills, as well as knowledge of rituals, gestures and traditional celebrations, and in the preservation of techniques’.
Dining and Cooking