I have been invited to a friend's house that night to inaugurate her new home, I shall bring them the message of Turin that has touched me so profoundly that I have based my life's work on. I hope they understand, I hope we can make a difference. On this particular day, I believe, it's not about selling products - It's about reflecting on the future...It goes much deeper than that...
I wish you all a Happy Terra Madre Day! I would like to especially thank all the people who helped me make the book Mouneh a reality, especially all the farmers and food producers mentioned in the book. I will continue to work for all of you... In fact, there is more to come very soon...exciting news!
From the Terra Madre Day Website
In 2009 the very first Terra Madre Day organized by Slow Food saw more than 1,000 events take place across 120 countries in one of the largest collective occasions celebrating food diversity and the right to good, clean and fair food ever achieved on a global scale. Slow Food convivia and Terra Madre communities brought the voice of small-scale farmers and producers, responsible cooks and concerned consumers to their regions, expressing how our global campaign for better food begins with local sustainable economies that make our lives more pleasurable. This year we have the opportunity to demonstrate not just the diversity of our network, but its connectedness and resolve, by supporting the Thousand Gardens in Africa project. Many actions for Terra Madre Day will incorporate fundraising to adopt a garden or make a contribution, and others are organizing diverse activities to promote the project locally and strengthen the Terra Madre network together with the African communities. Once again we invite you to highlight the importance of eating locally on December 10, using your creativity to spread our message and promote better food systems; creating a global revolution with local roots.
Carlo Petrini
Slow Food International President
A message from Carlo Petrini on You Tube :) One of my heroes...
If you want to organize something, here are a few ideas posted on their website:
Terra Madre Day could be celebrated by organizing a....
• Celebratory Communal Meal
Meals shared in schools or universities, restaurants, on farms and in public settings can bring the pleasure of good, clean and fair food to a wider audience. By inviting producers to attend, diners will expand their knowledge and appreciation of local food. These occasions also help us remember that food means enjoyment, culture and conviviality, and the act of eating can influence our values and attitude.
• Excursion to Producers
From a bicycle trip in Canada to a train journey in the French Alps and a school excursion in Morocco, tours to carefully selected farms and producers from a specific region offer an excellent way of bringing consumers and producers together, providing an enjoyable hands-on educational experience, where people sample products and learn from producers.
• Film and Cultural Events
Music, theater, oral traditions and visual arts can all play a role in creating a critical awareness of food culture. For example, a cinema program that focuses on food-related issues, the agricultural and food industry's repercussion on society and the environment, and our gastronomic heritage.
• Campaigns
The key principles of Terra Madre Day can also be demonstrated through focusing on a particular issue. In Spain, convivia have been holding cooking demonstrations in marketplaces to promote sustainable fish choices. In Morocco events have been organized to urge the government to make a clear statement on the cultivation of GMO crops.
• Thematic Activities
Dedicating an event to a specific food, issue or tradition can be a way to focus attention on something important to your community or convivium. In Uganda, an event focused on hunting down rare varieties or fruit and vegetables to protect biodiversity, while in Canada, participants celebrated their native blueberries at a local farmers' market.
• Food and Taste Education Activities
Food education activities take a wide range of approaches and can be organized for varied audiences: children and adults, teachers, farmers, members and the public. An activity may involve school gardens, guided tastings, providing a forum for a guest speaker or local producer, knowledge exchange between older generations and young people, or practical workshops.
• Local Terra Madre Gatherings
Meetings between producers, cooks, researchers, young people and consumers provide an opportunity to strengthen the local good, clean and fair food network, to share information and present ideas for the future to the public and governments.
Terra Madre producers could come together with your local Slow Food network in conferences, workshops, markets, or excursions.
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| Let us be grateful for Mother Earth's Offerings and not Abuse of her Generosity |
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