L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 4 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS T his year, we cele- brate the 7th edi- tion of the Week of Italian Cui- s i n e i n t h e World, an initiative that runs across the world with the sup- port and participation of the I t a l i a n c o n s u l a r a n d diplomatic network, and that involves local Italian culi- nary realities, as well as some of Italy's own chefs, agro-food businesses, restaurants and culinary education institu- tions. The "Week" wants to be a way to place one of Italy's most loved excellences in the spotlight, at the same time, across the globe, with a series of initiatives, events and offers i n s p i r e d b y a t h e m e t h a t changes every year, but that always has the same key goal: "showcasing Italy and the Italian taste in the world" and "promoting Italian culinary traditions and food-and-wine connoisseurship as a distinc- tive trait of Italian identity and culture." The first edition of the ini- t i a t i v e r a n i n 2 0 1 6 , a n d f o c u s e d o n t h e t h e m e o f food's integration with all the elements we consider pillars of Italianità: art, music, lan- guage, cinema, fashion and design, but also science and t e c h n o l o g y . I n 2 0 1 9 , t h e focus shifted to health and tradition, and how they meet in Italy with the Mediter- ranean diet, an expression of proper nutrition, a balanced lifestyle and sustainability for the environment and health. Last year, in 2021, the theme was Tradition and Perspec- t i v e s o f I t a l i a n C u i s i n e : Awareness and Enhance- ment of Food Sustainability. This year, the topic at the center of the Week of Ital- ian Cuisine in the World is Conviviality, Sustainability and Innovation: The Ingredi- ents of Italian Cuisine for the Health of People and the P r o t e c t i o n o f t h e P l a n e t which, as pointed out by the Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles, Silvia Chiave, is "a title that emphasizes the themes of conviviality, of our right to pleasure, of a healthy Italian diet, sustainable for both people and the planet. But also focuses on innova- tion based on our territory, our products and our people, on relationships and on the traditional skills that make I t a l y ' s c r a f t s m a n s h i p a n example for the world." A l t h o u g h t h e t h e m e s change every year, the goal remains the same: making Italian agri-food excellence known around the world. In fact, the event - which this year is taking place in Los Angeles from November 14 t o 2 0 - h a s i n c r e a s i n g l y established itself as one of La Farnesina's flagship initia- tives to promote the best of Italy's food and wine produc- t i o n a n d t r a d i t i o n s . T h e event proved to be an effec- tive tool for integrated pro- motion and is considered one of the pillars of the Made in Italy internationalization s t r a t e g y o u t l i n e d i n t h e Export Pact. As said, three are the key- words of this year's edition, sustainability, innova- t i o n a n d c o n v i v i a l i t y : while most of us are familiar with the first two, we may spend some time on the last, "conviviality." Indeed, this is an old word of the Italian language, one that, as most of those that form our beau- tiful idiom, comes directly from Latin. For our forefa- thers, a convivium was a banquet, a meal shared with others, but also the people who shared that meal with one another: the very ety- mology of conviviality, then, brings together two ideas, that of "food" and that of "togetherness." And when you think about the way Ital- ians enjoy eating together, about the way they consider food a way to bond with one another, but also to show affection and make others feel welcome, the importance of conviviality becomes all Continued to page 6 Los Angeles welcomes the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World Pizza, pesto, parmigiano, pasta… The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World celebrates these culinary icons and more (Photo: Nitr/Dreamstime) SILVIA GIUDICI

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