Food as a means of dialogue in Mediterranean Contexts

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Project in brief The Mediterranean Diet has recently been included by the UNESCO in its Intangible Cultural Heritage List while the Council of Europe acknowledges the diet key role in promoting tolerance and diversity. At the same time the Food and Agriculture Organization, due to the continuing development of individualistic societies, considers this diet “decayed into a moribund state”. Against growing globalization, the conservation of the Mediterranean culinary heritage represents an important factor in maintaining its richness, healthy character and bio-diversity. As a contribution to this challenge, SLOWMED project aims to promote creative intercultural dialogue with a view to consolidating a Mediterranean cultural identity based on its culinary heritage and to encourage the intergenerational transfer of traditions to young people. Considering food as “a work of art”, the project will also involve a wide range of artists from the Mediterranean region in a new way of highlighting the culinary heritage. Food contests, artistic competitions and educational workshops addressed to children will help spread the project’s message to various social groups of the Mediterranean area. Specific objectives • To encourage the Mediterranean culinary heritage preservation and conservation • To promote the recognition of food as a form of cultural and artistic expression • To foster nutrition education based on the Mediterranean culinary heritage

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