Final post of Sagre month! Though this week what we’re looking
at isn’t so much a food festival as a food exhibition. Since May 1st,
and until the end of October, Milan is being taken over by Expo Milano, the
Universal Exhibition, and the theme is FOOD.
Well, technically the theme is “Feeding the Planet, Energy
for Life”, but that takes longer to type. The exhibition will provide a platform
for the exchange of ideas and solutions on the theme of food, and the
opportunity to discover how the participating cultures grow and prepare food. It
will examine both the traditional cultural values of food and how new
technologies are and can be used in food production. Fascinating stuff!
The Universal Exhibition has long been famous for its
ground-breaking exhibits. The first was held at Crystal Palace in London
in 1851 and has been going ever since. Without it, Brussels might not have the Atomium
or Paris the Eiffel Tower! The Exhibition is a stage to show off technological
successes and gain insight into great inventions and discoveries across the
world. This year over 120 countries are participating and the Expo is expected
to welcome over 20 million visitors through its gates.
The site for the Exhibition is vast, and covers over 1.1km2.
There are four main themed areas: Pavillion
Zero (which traces humankind’s historical relationship with food), the Future Food District (which explains
how technology will change food storage, distribution, purchase, and
consumption), the Biodiversity Park
(full of ecosystems all over the world) and Arts & Foods (which explores the ever-changing relationship
between art and food).
Many of the participating countries have their own pavilions
where there are videos, installations, photo exhibitions, cooking
demonstrations and tastings. (The UK pavilion is built to look like a gianthive and centres on bees and their importance in producing food.) The Italian pavilion
lies right at the heart of the exhibition and promises to present all sides of
Italian food culture – the places of production, culture, regions, landscape,
and Italian hospitality. Definitely not one to miss.
So there you have it folks, it started here and it has made
its way all around the world and stopped off in Italy. Much like me in reverse!
Anyway, if you find yourself in Italy before the end of October, head to Milan
and grab yourself a ticket for the Expo to learn all you ever needed to know about FOOD.
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