SlowMed aims to promote creative intercultural dialogue and to consolidate a Mediterranean cultural identity based on its culinary heritage
The Mediterranean Diet is a nutritional pattern shared by all the Mediterranean countries, widely recommended by the modern science to be adopted for the benefits of the health. “Diet” is understood here as “diaeta”, which means in latin “a way of living”. Passed down from generation to generation, the Mediterranean Diet has become a valuable piece of common cultural heritage, integrating a balanced combination of food based on fresh, local and seasonal products with the landscapes, techniques and social features.
During centuries this Diet has evolved according to its strategic location and capacity of mixing and exchanging of the Mediterranean people, showing to be an evolutionary, dynamic and vital tradition. In 2013, its importance has been recognized by UNESCO which included Mediterranean Diet in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Nevertheless, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) considers it as “decayed into a moribund state” due to the continuing development of globalization. Therefore, the preservation and promotion of the Mediterranean culinary heritage represents an important and urgent objective.
