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In 2013, UNESCO added the Mediterranean diet to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as it "involves a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols and traditions concerning crops, harvesting, fishing, animal husbandry, conservation, processing, cooking, and particularly the sharing and consumption of food.” Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco and Portugal were the promoters of this initiative within UNESCO, highlighting the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet (or from the Greek “diaita”, “way of life”) on culture and tradition, environmental conservation and biodiversity of land and seas, thriving health, intercultural dialogue and respect for diversity, creativity and also gender, with the recognized role of women in transmitting knowledge, techniques and traditions.

In this concept, the Permanent Mission of Cyprus in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of Italy founded the “Group of Friends for the Mediterranean Diet: Culture, Healthy and Sustainable Food” for the “Agenda 2030”. The meeting was held under the Chairmanship of the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations, Ambassador Kornelios Korneliou, in the format of a working Mediterranean breakfast, on 28 June, 2018, at the Permanent Mission of Greece.

 In his opening remarks, Mr Korneliou pointed out that the Mediterranean diet is an important part of Cyprus' history and culture. It also constitutes a symbol of the shared heritage of the countries of the Mediterranean basin. While one can find different variations of the diet from country to country, its basic element, the use of olive oil, is central in all countries sharing the Mediterranean diet tradition.

He added that Cyprus implements a number of policies, aiming to promote this healthy diet among the people, especially children. The relevance of the diet becomes especially important nowadays, due to the development of new dietary habits by our populations, which are closely linked to changing ways of everyday life and to globalization.

“With health being increasingly discussed at the international level, and in view of ‘Agenda 2030’ and ‘Sustainable Development Goal 3’ and the ‘UN Decade of Action on Nutrition’, we are launching today our Group of Friends, in an effort to promote and raise awareness of the Mediterranean diet and its numerous benefits and to exchange ideas and recommendations on ways we can work together to achieve this”, he concluded.

The event was attended by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy, the Permanent Representatives of Greece, Lebanon, Malta, Croatia, Egypt, Spain, Morocco, Romania, Algeria, Montenegro, Tunisia and Albania and exchanged ideas for the promotion of Mediterranean Diet.

(ML/II)