Uniting a Vast Network

This year visitors and participants to Slow Food two’s largest international events, to be held in Turin, Italy over October 25 to 29, will notice a big change. For the first time, the Terra Madre world meeting of food communities, now in its fourth edition, will become completely unified with the Salone del Gusto – Slow Food’s international fair of artisan foods.

This step is the natural evolution of the two events becoming increasingly interlinked over the years – since the decision to hold them simultaneously and side-by-side was made back in 2004 – and represents the development of our worldwide movement. Slow Food and the Terra Madre network it founded are, after all, one large united movement, working together to promote good, clean and fair food.

Importantly, this decision means that the Terra Madre gathering will be open to the public for the first time; the workshops and conferences will still be held, but within the public event, and for the first time all the food communities will be part of the exhibitors’ pavilion. This is a fantastic opportunity for Slow Food members who will be in Turin for the events to meet, exchange and build friendships with their counterparts from around the world.

We have also decided to hold the Slow Food association’s sixth International Congress during these days, allowing for the Terra Madre food communities to participate for the first time. Slow Food and Terra Madre can invigorate and reinforce each other, working together to overcome challenges in the evolving story of our movement.

Carlo Petrini
Slow Food International President

Click here to find out more about Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre 2012