The regions of Campania and
Lombardy respectively in southern and northern Italy have teamed
up to promote quality Italian food and the traditional
Mediterranean diet at Milan Expo 2015, regional representatives
said Tuesday.
The regions are also planning to use the upcoming Universal
Exhibition on food-related themes to advance the fight against
fraudulent 'Made in Italy' food products.
"We have an extraordinary opportunity to valorise the
Italian lifestyle, which had benefits for health and for our
enterprises," said Lombardy regional governor Roberto Maroni of
the anti-euro and anti-immigrant Northern League.
"Consumption of counterfeit food products is worth 60
billion euros, double the value of Italy's agricultural and food
exports," he added.
In addition, "the more we follow a healthy lifestyle the
less we spend on health," he continued in reference to the
traditional Meditteranean diet focusing mostly on plant-based
foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and
nuts, olive oil and lean meat and fish.
Studies have shown that such a diet reduces the risk of
heart disease and cancer.
"Even if I don't like the use of the term 'diet' in
relation to our food, I think it should be changed," Maroni
quipped.
For its part Campania is leading a group of 12 regions that
will use Expo to promote a Mediterranean Charter for Infancy
aiming to spread the culture of the Mediterranean diet among
pre-school and primary school children.
Experts began drawing up the charter on Tuesday, with a
special fcus on school canteens.
The project will be presented officially at Expo on July
25.
"The twinning with Lombardy is a big opportunity and Expo
is a big challenge for everyone," said Campania regional
governor Stefano Caldoro of ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's Forza
Italia party.
"Italy has many world-beaters and I think that on occasions
such as this the regions must work together regardless of
political differences and vested interests in the interests of
the country," he added.
"The real challenge, in fact, is represented by
globalisation where it is the country that is the protagonist,"
Caldoro concluded.
Expo 2015 runs from May 1 to October 30 on the theme
'Feeding the planet, energy for life' and is expected to draw
millions of visitors from across the globe.
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