Foods That Change the World

The sixth Slow Food International Congress, to be held this year in Turin simultaneously with Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre over October 25-29, will present an important new document on the right to food. Entitled “The Central Role of Food”, it is the first document to be translated into all 50 languages of the countries where Slow Food is present, and will be sent to convivia, members and communities, as well as media and cultural institutions, environmental organizations and other affiliated groups for discussion prior to the Congress.

It is hoped the open document will stimulate an extensive debate and help Slow Food and Terra Madre realize the powerful potential of its network, thanks to its diversity. The document will synthesize matters, aiming to be relevant to all cultural contexts, and will also invite each convivium or community to enrich it with its own specific experience.

When Slow Food began it was guided by an intuition that has now gained widespread support: the centrality of food. It is the underlying starting point for a new political approach, a new economy and new social relations. This necessity has become apparent not only within the Slow Food and the Terra Madre networks, but to millions of people around the world who are becoming aware of the crucial aspect of food.

By “centrality of food” we are talking about the firm belief that food is the primary right of man, and that a healthy food system ensures not only the survival of humankind, but of the entire planet. We must fight for the right to food and to eradicate hunger, just as we fought to end slavery. The time to hesitate is over.

Acknowledging the centrality of food is an opportunity to ensure soil fertility, clean air and water, to safeguard biodiversity and landscapes, to protect our health, knowledge and tradition, and the enjoyment of conviviality and a collective spirit. But these opportunities will be futile if we don’t go back to the land, fight waste, build local economies and ensure life-long education: we need a universal reaffirmation of the right to food.

The full document and the summary are available to download now, and will be debated and enriched by meetings and events across the world by Slow Food convivia and Terra Madre communities.

Carlo Petrini, President of Slow Food International

Find out more about Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre 2012!