New York, November 13, 2024 – As part of the 9th Italian Cuisine Week Worldwide, a groundbreaking research project began today, focusing on the adaptation of the Mediterranean Diet within Italian communities abroad, starting in the United States. The project, called “Dieta Planeterranea,” took place at the Italian Cultural Institute in New York, directed by Prof. Fabio Finotti, in collaboration with the UNESCO Chair at Federico II University led by Professor Annamaria Colao.
The event was opened by Dr. Silvia Mongardo, Deputy Director of the Cultural Institute, representing Prof. Finotti, and Dr. Silvana Mangione, Deputy Secretary General of the General Council of Italians Abroad (CGIE) for extra-European English-speaking countries. Speakers included Michael Cascianelli, Principal of Scuola d’Italia in London (via video link), Roberta Marini De Plano from the Italian Academy of Cuisine in New York, Chef Fabrizio Facchini, and Don Luigi Portarulo, pastor of St. Patrick’s Church. Davide Ippolito, Director of the Italian American Reputation Lab and founder of IlNewyorkese, moderated the event, emphasizing the project’s mission to explore how Italian culture and cuisine can influence and enrich the younger Italian generations raised abroad.
The research has a bold objective: to analyze the eating habits of young Italian-Americans to understand how the Mediterranean Diet evolves and adapts across various cultural contexts. Through surveys and a series of interactive activities, high school students from Scuola d’Italia in New York will be directly involved in the project, collecting data until January 2025. This phase will culminate in a scientific publication and a collaborative documentary that will present the findings to an international audience.
“This research is unprecedented: for the first time, we are studying how the lifestyles of young Italians living abroad, especially in New York, incorporate elements of the Mediterranean Diet. After the United States, the project plans to extend its analysis to other cities, like Moscow,” said Prof. Colao, noting that the project is also supported by the PNRR-funded OnFoods program, which promotes the Mediterranean diet as a model for global health.
The 9th Italian Cuisine Week Worldwide, running from November 16 to 22, 2024, celebrates the theme “Mediterranean Diet and Roots Cuisine: Health and Tradition,” highlighting Italian cuisine not only as cultural heritage but also as a sustainable lifestyle and wellness tool. This initiative aligns with the commitment of the Italian Embassy and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote and protect Italian culture globally, while strengthening ties between the Italian community abroad and its roots.
