Sustainability our duty says Mattarella

(ANSA) - Turin, September 23 - Sustainable development is our duty to future generations, President Sergio Mattarella said Friday at the inauguration of the Terra Madre (Mother Earth) Salone del Gusto, an international event dedicated to preserving biodiversity and securing a better food future for all.
    The theme of this year's edition, taking place through September 26 in Turin, is 'Loving the Earth'.
    "The UN 2030 Agenda...reminds us that today, sustainable development is a vital precondition for humanity and the planet," Mattarella said. "It is our duty towards our children and grandchildren. We cannot legitimately consume their future ahead of time".
    "Wasting food while so many go hungry is immoral, anti-social and anti-economic," Italy's president said, hailing the work of activists, associations and grassroots movements who "have developed food redistribution programs benefiting thousands of families, including in Italy".
    Mattarella went on to make an impassioned plea to the European Union, which he says is irreplaceable and must not fail in its task of caring for the wellbeing of its population.
    "The EU could be a credible driver of a new phase of development," Mattarella said. "If the EU fails to rise to its own task, there won't be anyone else to replace her. Europe must be mindful of its balancing function in the world," the Italian leader concluded.
    Photo: Mattarella greets Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini in Turin