The “Week of Italian Cuisine in the World” is the annual thematic review dedicated to the promotion of quality Italian cuisine and agri-food products, as promoted by the entire network of Embassies, Consulates, Italian Cultural Institutes, and ITA Offices abroad through activities that support exports, internationalisation, and incoming tourism flows.
The 2024 event, entitled “Mediterranean Diet and Roots Cuisine: Health and Tradition”, was developed around the rediscovery of the close link between traditional gastronomy and health. As part of the 9th Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, all the Italian Cultural Institutes committed themselves to presenting various events to Italians abroad, including:
- Italian Cultural Institute of Tokyo – 16th edition of JETCUP, the competition that selects the best professional Italian wine sommelier working in Japan. Organised by JET (Japan Europe Trading) in collaboration with the Institute, the competition saw 6 sommeliers selected from 75 participants compete in front of an audience of wine enthusiasts and experts.
- Italian Embassy in Sofia – This year’s edition opened with a tasting of Italian wines entitled “ITALIA GRAND TOUR DIVINO”, organised by the Italian Embassy and the ITA Agency in Sofia at the Hilton Hotel in Sofia, with the aim of celebrating Italian wine.
- Italian Cultural Institute of Lyon – In collaboration with the Consulate General of Italy in Lyon, the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Lyon and La Bonne Europe Association, a series of events was organised, such as “Cucinare con Corto Maltese: Ricette per naviganti e sognatori” – a discussion with Michel Pierre, Hugo Pratt’s biographer and co-author with Hugo Pratt of the book “Cucinare con Corto Maltese”, with a preface by Massimo Bottura.
- Italian Cultural Institute of New York – The theme of the “Ingredients/Ingredienti. I segreti della cucina italiana” event was the adaptation of the Mediterranean diet outside Italy and how it changes when it comes into contact with other cultures. Professor Annamaria Colao, Unesco Chair and lecturer at the Federico II University in Naples, defined this phenomenon as the “planeterranean diet”. She will launch a research project starting in New York, involving young people going to high school.
