7th Slow Food International Congress – Chengdu, 2017
The 7th Slow Food International Congress took place in Chengdu, China, from September 29 – October 1, 2017.
The Congress is a key moment in the life of the Slow Food movement, ratifying its direction in terms of policy, finance and organization at the international level, and consequently also at the national, regional and local levels. A total of 400 delegates from 90 different countries had voting rights at the congress, including the Executive Committee of the International Council, board members of our national associations, convivum leaders and Slow Food members.
Read the Declaration of Chengdu in:
- ENGLISH: The Declaration of Chengdu
- ITALIAN: La dichiarazione di Chengdu
- SPANISH: La declaración de Chengdu
- FRENCH: La déclaration de Chengdu
- GERMAN: Erkärung von Chengdu
- PORTUGUESE: A declaração de Chengdu
- RUSSIAN: ДЕКЛАРАЦИЯ ЧЭНДУ
The Congressional Motions
You can also find these motions available in Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and German.
The Manifesto of the Slow Food network in South America is also available in English, Italian, Spanish and French.
The Slow Food International Statute (2017)
As ratified at the Congress.
Slow Food International Organizational Structure
Slow Food Organizational Guidelines
As voted on at the Congress.
Financial Statement 2012-2016
Ark of Taste Report 2012-2017
Slow Food in Africa Report 2012-2017
Why in China?
Today roughly one human being in five is Chinese and China is coming to terms with the results of fifteen years of shining economic growth. If on the one hand this has helped vast masses of the population to emerge from poverty, on the other it has stripped bear the country’s traditional craft, food and farming heritage, sparked lightning urbanization— with the accompanying costs in terms of quality of life—and savagely depleted environmental resources. Given its huge importance on the world stage, China cannot remain indifferent to a domestic and international situation that demands a radical change of direction. Thanks to the experience of food communities over the world that safeguard the resilience of their local territories and seek fair, harmonious wellbeing, we at Slow Food can make a modest contribution in staking out possible roads to follow. Which is why, at Chengdu, we must speak about the climate, biodiversity and the new economy, and table our most noble and ambitious projects to find the right solutions for the right places at the right time.
Food is what allows us to live and meet each other—our identity and our window on the world. Chengdu has to be a springboard for effective answers to the contradictions that we are witnessing in the world today, for finding an organizational dimension inclusive of the diversities expressed by our communities: from the convivia to the Terra Madre communities, from indigenous peoples to spontaneous groups, from young people to other associations. The congress is where we will refine our positions, design our alternatives and the horizon for our actions to establish an alternative way forward.
An introductory presentation is available here, in English and Italian.
A comprehensive reflection by Carlo Petrini on the congress and what it means for Slow Food is available here, in the following languages:
