Food Policy. First day of the Food Forum. Young people are the protagonists
Milan, May 8 2023 - A Guinness picnic that will cross the city organized for young people by young people on June 18th and a virtual relay between Milan and Naples launched by the Plenipotentiary Minister Stefano Gatti.
It opened with the announcement of two major initiatives that will involve young people and cities at a national and international level, the Food Forum "The Food Policy of Milan for the future of the city", an event which from today until 13 May will see over thirty events and more than sixty subjects involved to talk about sustainable food policies in Milan.
“One of the legacies of Expo is certainly the city's Food Policy which increasingly involves the whole city in a choral, concrete, widespread and participatory action: a public policy capable of promoting a sustainable food system at the service of promoting health, capable to overcome inequalities in a redistributive and cooperative logic - underlined the Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Education with responsibility for Food Policy Anna Scavuzzo -. Eight years after the signing of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, many results have been achieved and even new challenges, with partners who contribute to its success at a city, as well as national and international level. Foundations, third sector entities, universities and schools, businesses and the tertiary sector united to guarantee access to food and water for everyone, in a sustainable, healthy and fair way. These days of reflection are an opportunity to share the story of this experience and to discuss the future of the city."
This morning's opening saw Mayor Giuseppe Sala on stage and then Deputy Mayor Anna Scavuzzo, Massimiliano Tarantino, General Director of the Feltrinelli Foundation - who hosted the opening event -, and Giovanni Fosti, President of the Cariplo Foundation, who hosted promoted together with the Municipality of Milan the path for the launch of a city Food Policy and its development.
The event saw the participation of dozens of young people in the Feltrinelli Foundation, greeted by councilor Martina Riva who presented the European Food Wave project, which sees the Municipality of Milan as the leader of an international network of 19 cities and 13 NGOs, with a community of young people committed to working together on sustainability, the role of urban food policies and on changing our lifestyles.
And it is precisely as part of this project that a large picnic open to the city will be organized on June 18th which will see similar events in several other European cities. A fun day to promote the debate on the topics of the fight against waste, the valorization of local and seasonal specialties, the reduction of emissions, and choices in the food field that are more respectful of the climate and the environment.
The afternoon continued with the municipal council, which saw the participation of Stefano Gatti, Plenipotentiary Minister, special envoy for food security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation "We have an ethical as well as political duty in playing an important role in field of food policies at an international level, being a country in which food and the production of raw materials have their roots in a long tradition - underlined Gatti during the dialogue with the City Council -. The work started in Milan with Expo and carried forward thanks to the city's Food Policy and at an international level to the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, is precious for the Italian Government and an opportunity to develop further projects and actions. In fact, it is precisely in collaboration with the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact that we will promote the Conference 'Food policies for Mediterranean cities' on 26-27 May in Naples, which will see the participation of twelve Mediterranean cities and eight Italian cities. who will discuss the issues of urban Food Policy".
Tomorrow the Food Forum continues with a day dedicated to neighborhood hubs and actions against food waste. Appointment at 14.30 pm in via Pantano 9 at the Assolombarda headquarters for the event 'Neighbourhood Hub against food waste: from pilot project to successful policy'.
Updated: 10/05/2023