Slow Food Time

The International Congress is the culminating moment of Slow Food’s collective life. It is where management bodies are elected and decisions are made on worldwide strategies for developing the association, the Terra Madre network and projects to defend biodiversity.
In 2003, the Congress was held in Naples. That was when it was decided to organize Terra Madre and the School Gardens project was outlined. Five years later, the third edition of Terra Madre is being held and more than 130 School Gardens have been set up globally.
In 2007, the Congress was held for the first time outside Europe, in Puebla, Mexico, a decision that symbolized the Association’s increasingly international and outward-looking character. The meeting brought together 414 delegates from around the world, representing 85 000 members.

In this Mexico Special, we hope you will capture and be inspired by the forceful ideas and joyful energy of the meeting.

DECLARATION OF PUEBLA

Founded more than 20 years ago as a movement of people concerned about the proper pace of life and pleasures of food, Slow Food has over time developed greater awareness, inclusiveness, ability to examine and evolve. The Puebla Congress closed with a commitment to continuing the approach stated in the 1989 Manifesto, while developing the various essential components of the association, seeking out and promoting good, clean and fair food.
The Declaration of Puebla has evolved from and been inspired by the Manifesto, highlighting the following four fundamental principles:

I. Recovering wisdom: a commitment to protecting, defending, reappraising and using traditional knowledge of agriculture, livestock, fishing, hunting, gathering and processing food, listening to and establishing close relations with indigenous peoples.

II. Focusing on local culinary traditions, maintaining an approach attentive to local cultures, economies and memories, because every living being and every activity originates in a specific geographical area, and this defines its vitality and existence.

III. Opposing a mistaken idea of productivity, which threatens the environment and the landscape. Slow Food will continue its work to spread ideas and behavior that promote sustainability, beauty, gentleness and happiness, in the firm belief that our planet is the only source of life and pleasure for ourselves and future generations.

IV. Strengthening and increasing the international exchange of information, knowledge and projects, starting with members and extending to the Presidia, the Terra Madre network and activities undertaken by the Terra Madre University network.

Food and the earth, pleasure and justice, quality and everyday consumption, product recognition and equal respect for all cultures: these are themes adopted in 1989 which were reconfirmed in Puebla through the presence, deliberations, energy and imagination of delegates from 49 countries.

CARLO PETRINI’S OPENING AND CLOSING ADDRESSES

In his opening address at the Fifth International Congress, Slow Food President Carlo Petrini described the association’s progress in recent years. He stressed how important it was to retrieve traditional knowledge and promote the development of local economies, which are essential in dealing with the environmental and social damage caused by the dominant system of food production and distorted conceptions of productivity.
He stated that this was the only way to build a sustainable future. Our association is directly involved in meeting this challenge and can only do so if we have an open mind and cultivate some useful ‘crazy ideas’.

In his closing address, Petrini focused on the role of youth — whether students or small farmers — within our association in promoting an exchange of equally respected knowledge between Global South and North. The Slow Food youth network will meet up for the first time during Terra Madre 2008, joining the networks of small farmers, cooks and academics who already form the backbone of the Turin meeting. Petrini also announced the names of the three new Vice-Presidents: re-elected Alice Waters of Slow Food USA, the Indian activist Vandana Shiva and, putting words into practice, John Kariuki Mwangi, a Kenyan student from the University of Gastronomic Sciences, a choice drawing most applause from the delegates.

Here are some extracts from the addresses

‘We have experienced four intense and significant years since the last Congress. We have founded the first University of Gastronomic Sciences in the world, consolidated the concepts of “good, clean and fair” and organized two editions of Terra Madre. We have also strengthened the idea of co-producers: namely, consumers who do not passively react to publicity and the pressures of the outside world, but are actively involved in all the implications and consequences of their buying decisions [...] This Congress will define our new objectives, new strategies and future structure. At the same time, we will have do consider how to maintain the growth of the Movement without losing the important values of friendship, joy, affection and healthy eccentricity that have been such distinguishing features so far.’

‘It’s interesting to see the crisis of the concept of limitless linear development, which presumes to talk of underdeveloped countries and regards as exemplary those countries that use productivity as a guiding principle. We should return to a concept of civilized behavior, and a boosting of local economies, not of linear development [...] Resources are not infinite.’

‘Traditional knowledge is the seedbed for biodiversity. It is nurtured by humble small farmers and it is up to us to support the scientific validity of their knowledge and convey it to universities. When they are able to speak on equal terms with university academics, we will have won a great battle. The destruction of the self-esteem of small farmers is one of the main causes of our environmental disaster.’

‘We are opening the doors of our movement. We want to create an international association of gastronomes, people who believe and are involved in food culture. Not that Slow Food intends to pursue an elitist approach. It will take a considerable effort [...] but we have to try, always with a joyful, affectionate and friendly attitude. We are members because we have shared aims, but membership is something much stronger. It is a rational decision fueled by irrational drives and motivations — the desire for life and hope, the need for social relations, dissatisfaction with the empty words of political parties. We must continue to be happy and cheerful. That is the antidote to the world of today, that is the basis for friendship and for our own lives.’

‘It's not enough to get emotional when talking about youth or equal opportunities for women or the crucial importance of small farmers in our association without following these declarations of intent up with actions. It is right that the baton be passed into new hands with renewed energy. This is how Slow Food policies will evolve in coming years. The next four will be fantastic: enjoyable, interesting, and packed with new projects as a direct consequence of Slow Food’s recent development in areas such as South America, Africa and Asia.’

‘Being a member of Slow Food means participating in a collective body. Everyone is entitled to belong to Slow Food. We will work to make the convivia autonomous and flexible. The areas where we are present will adapt to local conditions so that our message can penetrate effectively. In our 20-year journey, we have traveled from eno-gastronomy to eco-gastronomy, and we are now moving on to new goals to reiterate the importance of Slow Food members as significant elements in civil society.’

‘I have no fears about the growth of the movement precisely because our main characteristic must always be local autonomy and agreement over basic aims. What conflicts can there ever be with this kind of attitude? People in every part of the world will work autonomously but with the same objectives — none of us is alone. Let growth be accompanied by hope. The same hope I have for the fate of our planet.’

From Global to Local: Grassroots projects in Mexico

The Mexican region of Xochimilco is a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its chinampas, pre-Columbian floating gardens once common in the dried-up lake where Mexico City now stands.
The network of Productos de Chinampas de Xochimilco, and the Condesa Roma convivium

, together with Karina Morales Torres, a graduate from the University of Gastronomic Sciences, and a member of the Youth Network, are holding intense discussions with restaurateurs from Mexico City to ensure that traditional products from these attractive floating gardens are properly recognized in Mexican cuisine. Already six restaurants not only buy corn and vegetables from Xochimilco, but are also actively involved in developing these small-scale enterprises. Some chinamperos are already planning their crops according to restaurant demand and are beginning to grow products they never dreamed could have a market. Project coordinator Luis Jhon says that truly ‘fair’ trade is only possible when buyers and sellers meet and talk, and that it is essential to remove the harmful costly barrier that exists between the rural and urban worlds.

To bring the chinampas closer to the city, the project also envisages the setting up of a farmers’ market in the Condesa Roma district. Following a trial visit organized by the local convivium, some chinamperos are preparing to perform an educational function by welcoming visitors to their chinampas, without of course sacrificing their productive capacity.

Luis Jhon
Project coordinator
troncho77@yahoo.com

And from Mexico … to Stuttgart

The second edition of the Guten Geschmacks (Good Taste) event was held in Stuttgart from April 3 to 6, 2008, welcoming over 250 artisan producers. Their passion, public interest and a large educational section made the fair a great place for people to meet and exchange information and ideas. The aim was to make a stand against the industrialization and the standardization imposed by the food industry today.

The event was also attended by the food community of cacao producers from Villahermosa, the capital city of the Tabasco state in Mexico, who were devastated by flooding in November 2007. The Mexican producers told the public how they dealt with the disaster and how, in conjunction with Slow Food, Terra Madre and Mas Para el Campo, they have created Restablecimiento del Agroecosistema Cacao en Tabasco, an association which coordinates various producer cooperatives for Chontalpa cacao. The project covers 720 hectares of land and aims to re-establish the regular production cycle, improve product quality and improve commercialization.

The event program also featured round table discussions, forums and a rich array of fringe activities (dinners, taste workshops and so on). Healthy eating in kindergartens, schools and at home took centre stage, and a cooking competition for children was inspired by the quote from the film Ratatouille: ‘Everyone can cook’.

For further information on the event, visit: www.slowfood-messe.de

Alma Rosa Garces Medina
Community Coordinator
atcovillahermosa@yahoo.com.mx

Journey to the roots of food: International Salone del Gusto-Terra Madre 2008

This year the Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre — to be held in Turin from October 23 to 27 — are being presented together as a single event, united by two distinct but closely linked principles. The theme of the 2008 edition is Journey to the roots of food, and is represented by a tree. From the branches weighed down with fruit - i.e. the Salone with its bounteous food — and through the sap of good, clean and fair, the path leads to the roots and the earth — i.e. Terra Madre, the world meeting of food communities.
The underlying ideas are fully expressed in the Via Virtuosa, an informational and educational trail which will wind its way around the Salone. It will seek out the good, the clean and the fair, teaching us to consume less and live better, and come to an end at the Presidia, which for the first time will be hosted at the Oval Lingotto building, the venue for Terra Madre.

2008 will also see Terra Madre Netherlands held from May 17 to 18 in the town of Middleburg, and Terra Madre Ireland from September 4 to 7 in the ancient city of Waterford.

The recently created Waterford Institute of Technology convivium

will help organize the Irish event. Founded by Youth Network member Donald Lehane, this convivium is the first in Ireland to be based in a tertiary education institute. It aims to organize food education initiatives and convivia meetings. Students will also help organize the inaugural lecture on food policies and other activities during the four-day event, which is certain to add life to the town of Waterford and its surrounding region.

For further information on the Irish event, visit: www.terramadreireland.com

Donald Lehane
Leader of the Waterford convivium
lehane@iol.ie

Markets that sow the seeds of peace

Dana Ghoussaini from Lebanon and Michal Ansky from Israel met recently at the inauguration of the International Network of Earth Markets. The two young women are both heavily involved in the project in their respective countries and enthusiastic about a possible future partnership. Dana, representative of Slow Food Beirut

and coordinator of Lebanon’s three Earth Markets, presented the project to the meeting: ‘Our three markets are a true community of producers, who will thus have the opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge. They are also a social meeting point and offer an opportunity to promote food which is good, clean and fair’. Michal, a food journalist and Master student at the Slow Food University of Gastronomic Sciences, is one of the organizers of Israel’s first farmers’ market, a weekly Earth Market to be held on Tel Aviv’s harbor from May 2.
Dana and Michal joined around 70 representatives of farmers’ markets and Slow Food from around the world at the meeting in Italy this March. This new Slow Food project has developed a specific model of farmers’ markets: Earth Markets are united by a common set of regulations that can be adapted to suit national situations. Delegates visited the inaugural Earth Market, established three years ago in the Tuscan town of Montevarchi, and heard from representatives of other pilot projects in Lebanon and Mali. Coordinators of farmers’ markets networks in America and England, who may join the Earth Market network in the future, also presented their experiences.

For more information: info@mercatidellaterra.it

No waste

Nicole Sturzenberger is a recent graduate from the UNISG Master in Food Culture Program who wrote her thesis on transforming olive oil production waste into energy. She now works for the University of California, in Davis. Here she tells us what she is up to:
‘At the university I work for the Olive Center and the Robert Mondavi Edible Garden. We have been producing our own olive oil from heritage trees on campus for the past four years. The oil was born of an innovative idea to turn a landscaping hazard into a sustainable and enjoyable product. Students would slip and sue the university when fallen olives littered walkways and bike paths, so the director of Buildings and Grounds had the insight to make oil. The oil is only sold on campus and is a hit in the California olive world. We are also in the process of planting a new organic olive orchard and are looking to use waste olive stones to produce energy’.
Nicole’s work at the center is part of the university’s efforts to achieve ‘zero environmental impact’ by 2020.

Nicole Sturzenberger
Robert Mondavi Institute Garden
ndsturzenberger@ucdavis.edu

The call of the mountains

On May 17 and 18, 2008, the Coolporteur convivium

in the French Alps will organize an event in Gap (France) dedicated to the products and flavors of the mountains. Savoirs et saveurs de montagne will be a unique event for this westernmost Alpine area, a celebration of terroir, a school of taste and an open discussion about the future.
The event will feature:
- A market with mountain products from France and Italy and the active involvement of local bodies such as the natural park, purchasing groups etc.
- Taste workshops guided by producers and cooks.
- A Manger Slow space, with culinary demonstrations to show the public how to prepare simple quality products at reasonable cost.
The event closes an inter-regional program financed by the European Union called Le tour des savoirs et des saveurs de la montagne. 1500 visitors are expected to attendi.

Rostain Philippe
Convivium leader of Slow Food Coolporteur
philippe@slowfood.fr

The Canadian good food venture

Paul Finkelstein began teaching at Northwestern Secondary School in Stratford (Ontario, Canada) seven years ago. He was greeted by a situation common in so many schools: vending machines scattered around the building and menus packed with high calorie food in the canteen. Paul has for some time been fighting a battle against the obesity epidemic, and other serious health problems affecting young people, with a distinctive recipe that combines food education programs, school gardens, dinners and trips. His main objective is to introduce students to real food: he gets them to cook fresh produce and experiment with the various ingredients so they can develop their own personal tastes.
This approach led Paul to open the Screaming Avocado Café within the school, which he runs together with his students. The café only offers healthy menus and students prepare all the food: bread, pasta, sandwiches, rabbit with olives, Moroccan lamb couscous, sushi etc. The initiative is part of a wider program of food education inspired by the principles of local seasonal produce, which involves 200 students each year. Through exchanges promoted by Slow Food, students have been able to travel to other parts of Canada and overseas (Japan) to meet and compare notes with students from different countries and cultures.

Paul Finkelstein
paulfink@fc.amdsb.ca

Slow Food on Film

For five days the Manifattura delle Arti district of Bologna, Italy, will be stimulated by food images and events promoted by the Slow Food movement and the Cineteca di Bologna at the first Slow Food on Film festival. The event will be held from May 7 to 11 and will stage screenings from morning to evening in the main cinemas of the city, followed by tasting sessions of food and wines inspired by the films.
There are four official competitions: Shorts (for fictional shorts), Docs (for documentaries), BFF – Best Food Feature (for the best food feature film) and the Golden Snail – Best Food TV Series (for the TV series—fiction or documentary—which has made its mark internationally for its aware, intelligent and culturally appropriate representation of gastronomy).

The entire progam will be available shortly on: www.slowfoodonfilm.com
Slow Food members are able to book events at discounted price on the site.