By: Rowena Dumlao - Giardina
Events, Italy, , , ,

Week of Italian Cuisine in the World 2nd Edition (20 – 26 November 2017)

The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World (Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo) has come to its second edition after a big success last year. The theme of this year’s edition, which took place between 20 to 26 November, is the binomial “Cuisine and Quality Wine”. More than one thousand events took place which were coordinated by the 296 diplomatic-consular offices and Italian cultural institutes in more than one hundred countries which is aimed at promoting internationally the enogastronomic traditions as distinctive signs of Italian identity and culture. It focused on quality, sustainability, culture, food security, education, identity, territory and biodiversity.
banner cucina sito inglese2017-11-10-photo-00044918The coordination of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World was chaired by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF). It was organized through a team action involving all public and private sectors representing Italian cuisine and Italy in the world like institutions, trade associations, culinary schools, networks of certified Italian restaurants and operators in the food and wine sector and design.

FirstWeekofItalianCuisineintheWorld2017-6There were around 120 seminars and conferences, about 150 meetings with chefs, 170 tastings and dinners, show cooking, trade promotion events, and cooking classes. The Italian cuisine was also represented through cultural initiatives such as film and documentary transmissions related to food, conventions, concerts, language courses, and photo exhibits.

FirstWeekofItalianCuisineintheWorld2017-5At the presentation of the 2nd Edition of the Week of the Italian Cuisine in the World on 10 November 2017 in Villa Madama in Rome, Minister of Foreign Affairs Angelino Alfano spoke about contributing to the goal of the government in reaching  50 billion exports in the enogastronomic sector by 2020. By working hand in hand, this ambitious goal can be attained considering that Italy has 523 protected wine denominations and 292 in the food sector. Moreover, Italy is second in Europe for the surface area of organic agricultural cultivation and first in number of companies in the sector.
FirstWeekofItalianCuisineintheWorld2017-3Also in attendance in the presentation were: 

Maurizio Martina, Ministro per la Politiche Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali
Dorina Bianchi, Sottosegretario di Stato al Ministero dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali e del Turismo
Michele Scannavini, President of ICE-Agenzia
Luigi Pio Scordamaglia, President of Federalimentare
Roberto Miravalle, Coordinatore del Master in Gestione del Sistema Vitivinicolo
Cristina Bowerman, President of Associazione Italiana Ambasciatori del Gusto

The Italian Wine Heritage and Its Promotion Abroad:

Vincenzo De Luca, Direttore Generale per la promozione del Sistema Paese – MAECI Luca Bianchi, Capo Dipartimento delle Politiche Competitive, della qualità agroalimentare, ippiche e della pesca – MIPAAF
Antonello Maietta, Presidente Nazionale Associazione Italiana Sommelier
Riccardo Cotarella, Presidente Assoenologi
Innocente Nardi, Presidente Consorzio di Tutela del Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
Paolo Cuccia, Presidente Gambero Rosso

Protection of Italian Agribusinesses and the Richness of the Territories:
Gaetano Esposito, Segretario Generale di Assocamerestero
Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, Presidente Fondazione UniVerde
Tiziana Primori, Amministratore Delegato Fabbrica Italiana Contadina (FICO)
Salvatore Bruno, Segretario Generale Federazione Italiana Cuochi
Giordano Conti, Presidente Casa Artusi
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