ACTION PLAN FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET MUNICIPALITY OF PYLOS-NESTOR

Koroni, a picturesque town by the sea. It is built on the eastern edge of the new municipality of Pylos-Nestoras, in the western peninsula of Peloponnesus. Koroni and Methoni, standing opposite each other, constitute the two sister-cities which are guarding the Messinian first finger of the Peloponnese. The citizens live on tourism and agriculture. The castle overhangs the city. It was built in the 6th or 7th century AD. It was successively occupied by the Byzantines, the Venetians, the Turks, and was finally liberated in 1828 by French general Maison for the new independent Greece. This shows well the strategic importance of the site.

The “Local Quality Agreement of Pylos- Nestor” is a non-profit organization, founded on August 2013 with the initiative of the Municipality of Pylos- Nestor. Vision: To safeguard the local identity and to promote the natural and the anthropogenic value of the Municipality, which is constituted by the following elements:

Tradition, history and culture, Local products, gastronomy and local services, Nature and People.

The basic aims are: Creation of surplus value for public and business sectors and civil society. Promotion of the product’s local identity and local services. Promotion of the local cultural heritage. Advancement of an integrated strategy for the economic development of the local economy.

The company’s strategy is based on the following axes:  Local Culinary Tradition: promote it as a lifestyle.  Health: promote the contribution of the local nutritional model on the improvement of health.  Local Products: help enhance the quality of local products by supporting the modernization of the production process.

 Environment: promote the policy of “green development” of the area.  Culture: promote the local dietary model as integral part of the local Mediterranean culture.  Tourism: promote culinary tourism, based on the quality local products and the Messenian Cuisine.

Among Municipality of Pylos-Nestor Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania Maniatakeion Foundation Captain Vassilis Foundation A’Technological Educational Institute of Peloponnese

Aims:  To enhance the competitiveness of the rural sector with multiplier benefits for the rural population.  To upgrade the tourism product.  To promote sustainable development with emphasis to the safeguarding and highlighting of biodiversity.

 To promote the Mediterranean Diet as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, in order to create a model of development with cultural, social, historical, nutritional, culinary and environmental actions.  To advantage M.A.I.CH.’s services (counseling on crops, agricultural techniques, accredited soil tests, etc).

 To utilize M.A.I.CH.’s and A’T.E.I.’s of Peloponnese logistics, experience and professional stuff.

After three successful organizations (2011, 2012 and 2013) the Mediterranean Diet Festival in Koroni has become an institution. The main purposes of the Festival are: 1. To promote the Mediterranean Diet as a component element of the intangible cultural heritage of the Region, 2. To promote the intercultural dialogue between the countries that submitted together the joint nomination of the Mediterranean Diet to UNESCO’s representative list, 3. To enhance the diffusion of this project not only to Greece, but, in collaboration with Chefchaouen, Cilento, Soria as well as Agros, Tavira and islands Hvar and Brac to all Mediterranean countries.

EVENTS:  We continue our commitment and we appointed Koroni’s “Young Ambassador of the Mediterranean Diet for 2013”.  For the first time we conducted the extra virgin olive oil tasting contest “Panelaion” (in collaboration with A’Technological Educational Institute of Peloponnese).

 Painting exhibition: “Farming activities in the area” from the students of Koroni Primary School.  The 2013 Mediterranean Diet Festival in Koroni was held under the auspices of the “Thesmoforia”.

The Ministry of Rural Development and Food in collaboration with other Greek ministries and other relevant bodies, has decided to start the revival of a known ancient rural female institution, the “Thesmoforia”, in order to connect the primary with the secondary sector of economy and to highlight, nationwide, local agricultural quality products from all regions of Greece.

The name “Thesmoforia” suggests that the production of agricultural goods and especially food, had a significant impact in the way of living, the social organization, the creation and development of new institutions. The “Thesmoforia” was a feast in which ancient Greeks honored Goddess Demetra and her daughter Persephone. The celebrations lasted for five days and only women could participate. The “Thesmoforia” celebrations were a hymn to fertility.

Today the “Thesmoforia” focus on the importance of agriculture, the creation of social institutions and the development of modern society. In the next years the Mediterranean Diet Festival in Koroni will be embodied in the “Thesmoforia” because it connects the primary sector of economy with tourism and culture, giving added value to quality local products, by connecting them to local tradition and promoting the area as gastronomic and touristic destination.

The “Agro-nutritional Cooperation of the Region of Peloponnese” is a non- profit organization, which was created with the initiative of the Region of Peloponnese, with the following members:

Region of Peloponnese. Municipalities of the Region. Collective Agricultural Organizations of the Region. Stakeholders from industry, commerce, tourism, catering and consuming sectors who are active in the Region in the field of nutritional agricultural products. Universities and Research Centers which are located in the Region or involve in research areas related to the “basket of products from the Region of Peloponnese”.

Main objectives of the Cooperation: a. To obtain the offer of high quality local products with strong competitive advantages such as locality and cultural heritage. b. To ensure that people from the Region produce and consume local, qualitative, healthy, sustainable, traditional products. c. To increase the biological and integrated production in agriculture and in cattle- raising. d. To increase the manufacturing activity in agricultural products and their certification.

e. To safeguard and promote local varieties. f. To enhance the producer’s and the agribusiness entrepreneur’s employment and income. g. To connect the agricultural and tourism sectors of the Region.

The “Basket of products from the Region of Peloponnese” is constituted by all characteristic products of the Region, which are traditionally cultivated and are preserving the identity of the region.

Its main aims are: 1. To promote top quality products from the Region. 2. To strengthen the viability of farmers. 3. To promote the Region. 4. To promote “green development” (biological means of cultivation, integrated management, Traditional Products, Protected Designation of Origin Products and Protected Geographical Indication Products).

It participates with lectures all over Greece at conferences, workshops, etc, in order to promote the cultural as well as the economic development dimension of the Mediterranean Diet. Titles of speeches: “Mediterranean Diet: The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”. “Mediterranean Diet: The intangible cultural heritage of humanity and prospects of economic development”. “Tourism and Gastronomy”.

“Searching for a new marketing mix for the Greek olive oil”. “Mediterranean Diet & Health” (lectures at schools). “Mediterranean Diet & Messenia Culinary: history, legends and traditions”. “Mediterranean Diet as intangible cultural heritage & tourism development”.

It participates in the ST-ART APP Project (which is funded by the E.U.). ST-ART APP aims to create an interactive learning space for developing entrepreneurial learning skills in cultural assets and heritage. The purpose is to define specific didactic tools and methodologies for supporting beneficiaries in training and further training activities in the acquisition and the use of knowledge, skills and qualifications to facilitate personal development, employability and participation in the European labour market. The project aims to improve sectoral identification (cultural and creative enterprises) and anticipation of skill and competence needs and their integration in VET provision. Our case study is the Mediterranean Diet.

The Maniatakeion Foundation took the initiative and in collaboration with the Kalamata Environmental Education Centre and the Koroni High School, implemented informal environmental education programs for the students of Koroni High School. The aim was the substantial information with the olive tree and the olive oil, which are part of the Messinian society and economy as well as the basis of the Mediterranean Diet.

The Maniatakeion Foundation supports the initiative that was taken by Captain Vassilis Foundation for the creation of a virtual museum of Messinian Diet. The aim is the documentation and the promotion of the local gastronomy through two basic aspects: nutritional and folkloric value. Basic structure: 1) Messinian Diet, 2) local food, 3) traditional recipes, 4) techniques of production, 5) traditional cooking utensils, 6) religious feasts and local festivals, 7) chronology, 8) interactive map and 9) news.

Thank you for your attention Vicky Iglezou Director of the Maniatakeion Foundation “The beginning and the root of all goods is the belly’s pleasure.” Epicurus b.C.