Slow Food is an international member-supported nonprofit association and a worldwide network of people committed to improving the way food is produced and distributed. A series of overlapping groups and entities make up our network:
* 100,000 members in 153 countries
* 2,000 food communities in the Terra Madre network
* More than 10,000 small producers involved in Presidia projects.
Local
Members join one of our convivia - local chapters who are working autonomously to defend their culinary culture and to support a more sustainable food future, spreading the Slow Food philosophy and making it real. Today more than 1,500 convivia around the world form the backbone of Slow Food. Visit the Slow Food Map to find your closest convivium.
National
Seven countries have that have been established to coordinate Slow Food activities, organizing events and projects with a deeper knowledge of the needs of their members After Slow Food Italy, where the association was born, Slow Food branches were created in Switzerland, Germany, USA, UK, Japan and The Netherlands.
International
Slow Food International offices plans and promote the movement's development worldwide, together with the association's , which is elected every four years at the Slow Food International Council, and the - made up of representatives of countries with at least 500 members. Slow Food's founder Carlo Petrini is the association's President.
Other Bodies
In order to realize its projects, Slow Food has created the following entities:
The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity was founded in 2003 to support Slow Food's projects that defend food biodiversity and traditions by working with communities and groups of producers, with a particular focus on developing countries. Key projects are Presidia, Ark of Taste, A Thousand Gardens in Africa and the Earth Markets.
The Terra Madre Foundation was founded in 2004. The Foundation organizes the Terra Madre event in Turin every two years and supports the growth of a global network of food communities, cooks, academics and youth working for a sustainable food system.
Slow Food was behind the creation of the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) which opened in 2004 to bring academic dignity to food and offers an undergraduate and graduate degree, masters program and vocational training courses. UNISG is another way in which Slow Food brings together the innovations and research of the academic and scientific world and the traditional knowledge of farmers and food producers.
Documents
The International Statute guides the operation of the Slow Food association.
The Guide to Starting a Convivium document will provide you with more information if you are considering opening a local branch.
The 2011 Financial Statement allows you to understand where Slow Food's funding comes from and how this is used.
Slow Food designed the fundraising guidelines to create long-term partnerships with donors and sponsors, based on mutual understanding and shared philosophy.
