The 6th Edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the world kicks off in Bucharest

The Italian Embassy, the ICE-Agency Office and the Italian Institute of Culture in Bucharest, in collaboration with the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Romania, are hosting the sixth edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World.   The annual event is promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, the Ministry of Public Education and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development in order to promote Italian culinary excellence abroad and the values that inspire it.   The theme of the 2021 edition is Tradition and perspectives of the Italian cuisine: raising awareness and capitalization of the food sustainability, as it is highly topical these days. Sustainable food is healthy, observes the ecosystems and biodiversity, provides added value to the origin territory and is accessible to all from the economy point of view. Promoting sustainable agriculture and food can contribute to achieving the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda. In addition to the topic of sustainability, the Italian Cuisine Week calls on reflection on a number of similar topics: promoting the Mediterranean diet as a balanced and healthy eating model; the inadequacy of the labeling system based only on the overall nutritional value of the food without having an adequate scientific basis; protection and capitalization of products with protected and controlled designation of origin, along with actions to combat counterfeit food; the link between biodiversity and food variety; promotion of Italian wine; capitalizing on the food and wine traditions of the Italian regions and territories, including for tourism purposes.   In an event hosted at the residence of the Italian ambassador in Bucharest, the speakers underlined that Romanian consumers are paying more and more attention and are becoming more and more sensitive about food: Italian cuisine is one of the most praised, with Romanians feeling close to it, because they associate the Made in Italy products with the high quality and well-being concepts.   Italy is the second largest trading partner for Romania. The exchanges of agricultural and agri-food products in recent years have presented one of the most dynamic developments. The year 2021 started well with the HoReca industry resuming its activity, which led to the increase of Italian exports of agri-food products: + 21.6% in January-June 2021 compared to the same period of 2020. Most of the sectors of recorded significant increases: coffee and tea + 40.8%, olive oil + 30.2%, fish products and canned fish + 21.6%, meat products + 13.9%, sweets +28, 3, pasta + 17%, dairy and cheese + 20.3%, fruits and vegetables 11.9%, bottled wines + 79%, sparkling wines + 65.6%, alcohol and alcoholic products + 93.4%.   The main Italian products imported in Romania are: fruit and vegetables, meats, sweets, coffee, oil, fish products, concentrated citrus juices, rice and wines. Statistics available for the first half of 2021 show a good position of Italy among the main suppliers of Romania: for instance, Italy is the first supplier of olive oil, prepared and preserved tomatoes, pasta and wines from fresh grapes, and the second supplier of fresh, smoked coffee and meat and sausages.   According to the Italian Ambassador to Bucharest, Alfredo Durante Mangoni, “the Mediterranean diet, food and traditional cuisine are an Italian heritage viewed with admiration from different parts of the world.”   “In a period as complex as the one we live in, to discuss food security, the sustainability of agricultural economies, is a fundamental turning point. The pandemic has changed our habits: eating healthy is a way to take care of yourself and your family and enjoy life. Vivi all’Italiana!”, the ambassador added. The programme of events of the Italian Cuisine Week in Romania is dedicated to the professionals in the HoReCa sector, to consumers, food lovers, to those who love the new trends.   Among the events, there is an online seminar in partnership with Metro, with Italian chefs Antonio and Michael Passarelli as protagonists, who will present four customized recipes. Another event is the “interpretation” of an Italian recipe by two Romanian food bloggers.   The most important Italian restaurants in Romania will promote the Italiaj cuisine, also by offering an “Italian appetizer” to the loyal customers.   There will also be an online seminar on nutrition in partnership with Federalimentare, focusing on applying the label on the front of the product, a topic on which Romania and Italy have joint stances within the EU.   The events also include three documentaries in the “Food Markets” series, dedicated to the food markets in Palermo, Florence and Turin, as well as the release of a video recipe of an exclusive cake made by a famous Italian chef.   For more information on meetings in Romania during Italian Cuisine Week in the world, visit the social networks of the Italian Embassy, the ICE-Agency and the Italian Institute of Culture in Bucharest. (Photo:https://www.facebook.com/ItalyinRomania/photos/a.167072643415177/4307073176081749)