Regional Institute of Wine and Oil

Caleca: “We start again from the Mediterranean”

“We will bring two thousand years of values and culture to EXPO 2015 to start again from the Mediterranean”. This is what was stated by the new Councilor for Agriculture, Nino Caleca, during the conference presenting the tenders for participation in the Mediterranean Bio Cluster and on which we report the press release on our website. 

The notices, which can be found on the site www.biomediterraneo.com, contain all the useful information for anyone, for any reason, who wants to participate in the prestigious international event which will take place in Milan from 1 May to 31 October 2015.

The Cluster is the innovative formula used by Expo to bring together different nations around homogeneous thematic areas. Sicily, identified as Expo's contractor for the management of the Bio-Mediterranean Cluster, will have the task of coordinating the initiatives of the eleven participating countries (Greece, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Malta, San Marino, Albania and Montenegro) and to administer all initiatives and events that will take place within the common area. “Sicily, through its role as leader of the Cluster – specified Caleca – will be able to concretely implement that policy of cohesion and sharing of projects and values between the countries of the Mediterranean Basin which can do so much today for the recovery of relations of peace and of economic and social growth among peoples. We will try to bring centrality back to the Mediterranean Diet understood as a lifestyle based on conviviality, culture, interpersonal relationships, restoring to a world that has lost sight of the common interest the age-old values linked to the land and traditions. Expo will also be an opportunity to bring young people closer to the land. The Agriculture Department, in fact, will direct many of its resources towards the promotion of new youth businesses that are able to combine tradition and innovation, land and global means of communication. Another element that is important to the councilor is compliance with legality protocols. “The journey to EXPO starts from the Falcone tree – he declared. Sicily chooses legality with strength and determination as a tool for participation. We will activate all possible legal instruments to guarantee that not even a company operating illegally can be present at the EXPO representing Sicily. The Sicily that we will carry forward will be that of good products, quality, work and ethical choices." The common area of the Bio Cluster covers a space of approximately 4,600 m2 within which there are 4 catering/market points which will be used: 2 for catering, one for baking and desserts, one for the wine bar. The recipients of the notices (which can be downloaded in full from the site indicated above) will have time by 30 November 2014 to send their applications both in paper form and by email to the address [email protected] . Categories affected are: companies producing agricultural, fisheries and agri-food products in Sicily, Municipalities, "Sicily destination" operators of Expo visitors, Local Action Groups (GAL) and Coastal Action Groups (GAC) of Sicily (instrumental bodies of the Sicilian Region, Universities and research bodies, schools, chefs, associations, foundations, natural and legal persons, banks. All of these can be found on the site www.biomediterraneo.com the notices and templates useful for the presentation of project ideas.