(by Elisa Cecchi).
As part of an initiative launched
at Milan Expo 2015 by Italian farmers' group Coldiretti-FAI,
Italian motorists hitting the highway will have a pick of some
of the best Italian-made agricultural products when they stop at
service stations.
The initiative was presented on Thursday at the world's
fair by Coldiretti-FAI and the Cremonini group that manages
Chef-Express service stations.
The first part of the project involves nine stations in
the regions of Emilia Romagna and Lazio, although it will grow
to include 43 highway service areas across the country, said
Chef Express Director General Cristian Biasoni.
''The highway market will open up over the next six to 12
months, when concessions to operate around 150 service areas
will expire and we aim to acquire an important portion'',
Biasoni also said.
Over 80 types of top Italian food products will be on sale,
including extra-virgin olive oil, different types of pasta and
cookies, as well as sauces and aromatic plants, all labeled FAI
- ''Firmato dagli agricoltori italiani'', or signed by Italian
farmers - to guarantee their quality and destination of origin.
According to a new survey carried out by Coldiretti and
polling institute Ixè, some 30 million Italian adults will go on
holiday this summer and spend an average of 504 euros per
person.
About one-third of the holiday budget will be spent on
food, including wine and food souvenirs, Coldiretti said.
The research also noted that 82% of the holidaymakers
polled will be vacationing in Italy, with one in three picking a
destination in their region of origin.
Meanwhile on Thursday the Education Ministry said it would
be providing schools with funding so students from across the
country could travel to attend the world's fair in Italy's
financial capital.
The ministry said it would allocate almost 3.5 million
euros to regions, based on the number of students and their
distance from Milan.
''Expo 2015 needs to be an opportunity for young people to
gain knowledge'', Davide Faraone, undersecretary at the
Education Ministry, wrote on Facebook.
And culture will take center stage at Expo on Friday and
Saturday, when culture ministry delegations from 80 countries
will be attending a conference on cultural heritage protection.
The Italian culture ministry is hosting the two-day event,
which runs under the banner 'Culture - Instrument of Dialogue
Among Peoples', and has extended a conference invitation to
culture ministers from the record 140 countries taking part in
the Milan world's fair.
Italian Premier Matteo Renzi is scheduled to address the
conference on Friday.
UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova is expected to attend.
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