From June 25 to 27, 2022 the first international fair "Mediterraneo Wine & Food and Travel" was held in Castel dell'Ovo in Naples, promoted and organized by the Italian Agricultural Industry Association (Fagri) and by the company Fagrifood. Institutional partners of the event were: the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), the Italian Latin American International Organization (IILA), the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, the Campania Region, Assocamaestro and the Municipality of Naples.
«The goal is to start again from the South. We want to bring not only Southern Italy back to the center of international markets, but the South of the whole world starting from the great food and wine excellence of our country. And therefore, Mediterraneo Wine & Food and Travel, could only be born in Naples» commented Gianfranco Grieci - president of Fagri - to the media.
The fair was inaugurated by Italian Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio, present at the opening conference "Italy calls. The world responds ", where he underlined "the credibility and appreciation that made in Italy finds in the world for the guarantees of the highest quality it offers and for the ability to celebrate the territories from which it comes, acting as a driving force also for other key sectors such as tourism". There were also present at the opening conference Prof. Gaetano Manfredi, Mayor of Naples and Angelo Valsecchi of the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
During the event, the Italian companies of the food and wine and tourism sector met the international operators of the sector from different countries of Europe and abroad (buyers, importers, distributors, sales agents, travel agencies, restaurateurs, hoteliers, etc. ), and international prizes have been organized such as "Chef in Borgo 2022" International Prize of Haute Cuisine for Italian and foreign Chefs, the Meronis International Prize, the Agri-couture Sustainable Fashion Competition and the Award Gala of the Big Wine Competition Wine.
Round tables were also held on the themes of internationalization, fashion, agri-food, wine, tourism and green economy including: Sustainable energy and tourism. What future ?; How to promote sustainable agriculture; The Mediterranean diet and food and environmental sustainability; The wine market in the world: scenarios and perspectives; Tourism starts from the small villages; When fashion becomes green, corporate competitiveness and sustainable development. Among the institutional guest speakers who attended: H.E. Lucia Vuolo of the Transport and Tourism Commission of the European Parliament, Massimiliano Manfredi, Councilor of the Campania Region, Maurizio Montemagno, Italian Directorate General of the Ministry for Economic Development, Catello Maresca, President of the Italian PNRR Commission, Nicola Caputo, Councilor for Agriculture of the Campania Region, Giuseppe Ambrosio, Italian Directorate General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Roberto Bolognese, Honorary Consul of the Principality of Monaco in Sardinia and Regional President of Sardinia Confesercenti, Beya Ben Abdelbaki Fraoua, Consul of the Republic of Tunisia in Southern Italy, Prof. Amine Laghidi, international expert in economic diplomacy and development strategy.
On June 25, 2022, Avv. Lifang Dong, President of the Silk Council Association and Founder of the Dong & Partners International law firm, participated as a speaker at the round table: "The company and international markets: advantages and opportunities". Among the other distinguished guest speakers of the round table, moderated by the economic journalist Enzo Agliardi: Gianfranco Grieci, President of Fagri, Domenico Raimondo, President of the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana Consortium, Giovanni Cafiero, Head of Gragnano Pasta Consortium promotion, Marco Bourelly, Confimea Mediterranneo Diplomatic Delegate , Massimiliano Montefusco, General Manager RDS, Francesco Tavassi, Founder and President Temi Spa, H.E. Nicola Carè, Secretary General of the Sidney Chamber of Commerce, Antonella Cavallari, IILA Secretary General, H.E. Pina Picierno, Vice-president of the European Parliament.
In her speech entitled "Building bridges between different cultures and doing business with China", Avv. Lifang Dong, after a brief presentation of the activities of the Silk Council Association and the Dong & Partners international law firm, illustrated the New Silk Road Project which aims to connect Asia, Europe and Africa and which over the years has also extended to the Latin America. Avv. Lifang Dong explained how today the New Silk Road represents a new model of international cooperation, especially with developing countries, focusing on three main sectors: energy, health and finance.
Avv. Dong also specified that the New Silk Road is an instrument for both economic cooperation and international security, having been defined by President Xi Jinping as a "road to peace".
Finally, Avv. Dong presented the evolution of China after 44 years of reforms and opening up, diplomatic and trade relations between China-Europe and China-Italy and provided the company audience with some practical advice for successfully approaching the Chinese market.
On the occasion of the first international fair "Mediterraneo Wine & Food and Travel" the Italian Agricultural Industry Associations (Fagri) and Silk Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the internationalization of Italian companies and the attraction of foreign investments in the agri-food sectors , tourism and renewable energy.
For the pursuit of these objectives, the Memorandum of Understanding provides for the realization of joint events for the promotion and entrepreneurial training, the organization of institutional, academic, artistic and entrepreneurial missions abroad and the reception of specific institutional and academic delegations, foreign artistic and entrepreneurial projects, as well as the exchange of information for the creation of synergies favorable to the search for investors in industrial projects, the business matching of products and services and the development of technology transfer and internationalization projects towards foreign markets, in particular China and Asia.
The Chinese market is a great opportunity for Italian companies and this memorandum of understanding intends to facilitate commercial, technological, scientific and cultural exchanges between Italy and China within the framework of the strategic partnership of the two countries, within the project of the New Silk Road which Italy joined in 2019 and as part of the Italy-China Year of Culture and Tourism 2022.
We would like to thank the organizers, Fagri and Fagri Food, in particular the president Gianfranco Grieci and the journalist Nadia Pedicino for the invitation to participate in this interesting initiative.
For more information visit the official page of the "Mediterraneo Wine & Food and Travel" international fair:
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio opens 'Mediterraneo wine, food and travel' international fair
Event Video summary
Silk Council
Press Office
Press Releases (italian media):
Castel dell’Ovo a Napoli si trasforma in cittadella del gusto e del turismo. Dal 25 al 27 giugno il monumento partenopeo ospiterà la prima edizione della Fiera Internazionale “Mediterraneo Wine Food and Travel”, Telecolore, 17.6.2022
Tutto pronto per ‘Mediterraneo Wine & Food and Travel’, Expartibus, 18.6.2022
"Mediterraneo Wine, Food and Travel". 25-27/2022 Castel dell'Ovo, Napoli per tre giorni cittadella del gusto e del turismo, Spaghetti Italiani, 18.6.2022
Mediterraneo Wine & Food and Travel, per tre giorni Castel Dell’Ovo cittadella del gusto e del turismo, Il Denaro.it, 18.6.2022
Mediterraneo Wine & Food and Travel: kermesse internazionale che rilancerà il Made in Italy, Napoli Sera.it, 18.6.2022
Mediterraneo Wine & Food and Travel: la fiera dedicata a cibo, vino e turismo al Castel dell’Ovo, Grande Napoli
Napoli, Di Maio inaugura la prima edizione di “Mediterraneo wine & Food and Travel” al Castel dell'Ovo, Il Mattino TV, 25.6.2022
Napoli, Mediterraneo Wine & Food and Travel prima edizione al Castel dell'Ovo, Il Mattino, 25.6.2022
Napoli. ‘Mediterraneo Wine, Food and Travel’ a ‘Castel dell’Ovo’ fino a lunedì 27, Teleradio news, 26.6.2022
Di Maio a Napoli. Inaugurata la prima edizione; internazionale di “Mediterraneo wine & Food and Travel”, La Notteonline.it, 27.6.2022
Cibo, vino e turismo protagonisti della fiera “Mediterraneo” di Napoli, Teleambiente,
27.6.2022
Press release (Moroccan media):
La leadership marocchina in materia di sicurezza energetica e sicurezza alimentare messa in evidenza a Napoli, Maroque Diplomatique, 2.7.2022:
Press release (Chinese media):
People's daily, 15.7.2022
Wenzhouren, 15.7.2022
Huaren Toutiao,15.7.2022