Seven years ago, the United Nations General Assembly designated June 18 as the International Day of Sustainable Gastronomy, recognized as an expression and opportunity for the protection of the world’s natural and cultural diversity, as well as an opportunity for the concrete realization of the 2030 Agenda Goals. Gastronomic art, when it takes into account where ingredients come from, how food is grown, the path that leads them to our markets, and how they arrive on our plates, promotes agricultural development, food security, the preservation of biodiversity, and responsible production and consumption.
This year, we at Future Food Institute decided to celebrate this important day together with the National Council of Food Districts, participating in Matera in the event “The Pact to promote the Italy of good food with the beauty of the rural landscape and the uniqueness of the cultural heritage” (June 16-18). A three-day event in which the protagonists were the territories, with speeches from the world of agriculture, research, culture, institutions and from courageous and visionary administrators. The aim was to discuss the strengthening of rural territories and raising awareness about food waste, promoting a global sustainable development model: the Mediterranean Diet.
The Mediterranean Diet, an intangible heritage of humanity, has for millennia fostered the magical alliance between gastronomy and sustainability, keeping alive a unique biodiversity and promoting an algorithm of longevity that manifests itself in conviviality, a synthesis of environmental protection and health care. A sustainable, seasonal and circular gastronomy that, in these lands, combines the gastronomy of health and the gastronomy of inclusion
It is time to communicate that to achieve true sustainability, all dimensions of reality must be regenerated and brought into balance. A non-extractive circular model, based on the regeneration of value, must be extended to every dimension of our existence. Events like the one in Matera, organized in a city rich in history, tradition and culture, remind us that food is the result of a chain of processes along the entire agrifood chain.
Sustainability requires concrete projects, systemic innovations, community participation and involvement. The national rural network, food districts and rural markets play a strategic role in creating sustainable development models. Among the innovation and research programs, the SWITCH project, funded by Horizon Europe, aims to change the food systems and lifestyles of European citizens for a just, healthy and sustainable food transition by creating awareness and working with communities through real Food Hubs representing food systems in urban regions (CRFS). Among the project partners, Italy is represented by CMCC, Future Food Institute, Agro Camera (ARM), pOsti, UNINA Federico II and UNICAMP.
The domino effect caused by these actors, whose actions are hinged on gastronomy, could lead to a huge step forward in terms of global sustainability. The Mediterranean Diet, which integrates and regenerates every dimension of our lives, is proof of this.
