Italy, the cradle of Mediterranean cuisine, is everywhere appreciated in its purely gastronomic aspect. Therefore, alongside the immense artistic and natural heritage, the cuisine also acquires its full tourist dignity. And in fact, the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, on 2017 June 2018 announced that XNUMX will be the year dedicated to Italian food.
This is what was said during the presentation of the year dedicated to Italian food by the Minister Maurizio Martina and Dario Franceschini.
A heritage, that of Made in Italy agri-food, which combines know-how, artistic and landscape beauties, representing one of the best business cards of our country in the world. Food, together with art, tells the story of our lands and the communities that inhabit them. An immense value that the Italian government continues to promote and protect with national and international initiatives.
“Thanks to Expo Milano - affirms Minister Maurizio Martina - we have strengthened the promotion of the culture of food, understood as an instrument of democracy and equality, as a key for the protection of biodiversity and the sustainable development of our planet. Dedicating 2018 to Italian food, therefore, is a far from trivial choice. It means once again placing the emphasis on keywords such as quality, excellence and safety that make our products unique. It means enhancing the work of thousands of farmers, fishermen, artisans and food producers. The world is hungry for Italy. This is demonstrated by the constantly growing export data, which exceeded 38 billion euros, and the positive results of the first edition of the 'Week of Italian cuisine in the world' promoted in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassies of more than one hundred countries that responded enthusiastically to the initiative. Because, when we tell about food, we also tell the story of who made it, of the territory from which the raw materials come. This is also what Italian know-how consists of. Our strength, our pride. "
“As 2016 was the national year of walks and this year is the national year of the villages, 2018 will be the year of Italian food. - underlines the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, Dario Franceschini - It will be a way to enhance and systematize the many and extraordinary Italian excellence and make a great investment in the image of our country in the world. Italy must promote itself abroad in an integrated and intelligent way: enhancing and promoting the intertwining of food, art and landscape is certainly a very useful tool for this goal. "
