The Mediterranean Diet: a crucial tool for a more nutritious and sustainable future
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Figure: FAO Director-General speaking at the event "Mediterranean Diet, a Tool of Diplomacy" Royal Palace of Caserta (Italy). ©FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto
15/07/2022
Caserta (Italy) - Healthy and sustainable diets like the Mediterranean Diet are crucial to promoting nutrition for all, protecting the environment and combating food waste.
This was the main message at an event today organized by the Government of Italy, supported by FAO, to raise awareness on the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet and how it is an important and concrete tool for the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event underscored not just the health and nutrition benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, which are widely recognized, but also highlighted how it incorporates products that put less pressure on soil and water resources, have lower greenhouse gas emissions, and that stem the erosion of biodiversity and improve the living conditions of rural populations.
Speaking at the event, the FAO Director-General QU Dongyu stressed on the importance of healthy diets and access to nutritious food for combating malnutrition, disease and death.
He said there are many important lessons to learn from the Mediterranean Diet, and from Italy. He cited the important ways in which Italians recycle leftover food to reduce food waste, such as by making soups.
Food waste is one of the biggest challenges globally, and reducing it is a high priority in the Mediterranean, a region with limited resources. This is reflected in the local diet.
“You have had the culture to survive – you have been a proud civilization for thousands of years,” the Director-General said.
He spoke of the important contributions to agriculture that this region had made, and how many of the region’s local vegetables have become popular in far-flung countries. He also highlighted the popularity of Italian cuisine across the world.
“I hope we understand real diplomacy from Italian food,” he told the audience.
He concluded his remarks by urging people not to lose hope even though the world is confronting complex challenges like increasing food insecurity, and the impacts of the climate crisis.
“We are facing challenges and risks, but let’s remain hopeful,” he said.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, Luigi Di Maio, also attended the event, which took place at the Palatine Chapel of the Royal Palace of Caserta. Pina Picierno, the Vice-President of the European Parliament, was also in attendance along with experts on diet and nutrition.
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