Launching Conference: MEDDIET Mediterranean diet and enhancement of traditional foodstuff

Launching conference to enhance the first project on the Mediterranean Diet, involving 6 countries, 15 thousand consumers and 5 thousand pupils, financed by the European Commission with about 5 million euro.

On the 23rd May the MedDiet launching conference will be held in Rome at the headquarters of Unioncamere. The initiative “MedDiet – Mediterranean Diet and enhancement of traditional products”, got the financing of approximately 5 million euro under the ENPI CBC Med Programme. It starts from the 1st January 2013 and has a duration of 30 months
The Mediterranean Diet has been recognized as a World Heritage by UNESCO, and now, for the first time, it’s the focus of a European project that involves 6 Mediterranean countries: Italy, Greece, Spain, Egypt, Tunisia and Lebanon
Several activities are foreseen, all pursuing the specific objective of increasing awareness of the Mediterranean Diet as an essential part of lifestyle.

This idea has been stated by UNESCO and it is based on the recognition of the diet as “a set of skills, knowledge, practices and traditions going from the landscape to the table”: from the products of the land and the sea directly to our dishes.

Mediterranean Diet is also a way to promote “social interaction, since communal meals are the cornerstone of social customs and festive events. It has given rise to a considerable body of knowledge, songs, maxims, tales and legends”. In summary, this is a real way of life, which roots are in the knowledge of the territories and its strength in many traditional foods, with an great economic significance.

All the results of this project will be capitalized in the last activity. Starting from the Mediterranean Knowledge System of Mediterranean Diet and from the proposal of shared Mediterranean legal framework for the Safeguard of traditional product of the MedDiet, the partners will elaborate and sign a Euro-Mediterranean Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of the Mediterranean Diet.

The launching conference under the title “Mediterranean Diet, a driver of economic development, prosperity and solidarity among the countries of the Mediterranean Basin” will gather the representatives of the project partners and associates as well as of other institutions such as the European Parliament, EU delegation in Rome, the Embassies from Egypt, Greece, Lebanon, Spain and Tunisia in Italy and several Italian Ministries. The Joint Managing Authority will also participate to the conference.