The OOWC was presented in Italy to promote its internationalisation

The Olive Oil World Congress (OOWC) has landed in Italy to present this collaborative project to the Italian olive sector and involve it in the organisation of the congress. The action is part of the period "On The Road to OOWC 2024" to achieve the internationalisation of the congress. The next destination will be Portugal, followed by Greece and other North African countries.

Olive oil is one of the jewels of the Mediterranean Diet, the liquid gold of the olive oil producing countries located in the Mediterranean basin, including Italy, with a great olive-growing tradition and of great importance in the promotion of this product.

On Wednesday 15 March, OOWC ‘s representatives met at the Associazione Italiana Industria Olearia (Assitol) with some of Italy's most important olive oil producing associations, such as Cia Agricoltore Italiani, the Interprofessionale Filiera Olivicola Olearia Italiana (FOOI), Confederazione Generale dell'Agricoltura Italiana (Confagricoltura), Consorzio Nazionale Italia Olivicola and Federazione Nazionale Del Commercio Oleario (Federolio).

The meeting served to highlight the aims of this initiative as a collaborative tool also between countries. The OOWC aims to be a tool built by all the links in the olive chain in all the producing countries, including the producer associations that are capable of sharing knowledge about the product and the sector, especially in regards of the complicated situation that the olive oil industry is going through at the moment.

On Thursday 16 March, the organisers of the OOWC held a meeting with representatives of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, with the aim of informing the Italian administration of the initiative and involving them in the organisation and dissemination of the congress. The representatives showed great interest in the subject so that Italian institutions could participate in this collaborative project.

In the afternoon, the day continued with the presentation of the Olive Oil World Congress to the diplomatic corps of numerous countries accredited to Italy and FAO members, at the headquarters of the Royal Academy of Spain in this city.

Juan Prieto, Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain to the FAO and Counsellor for Agriculture, recalled "the important role played by this healthy product of extraordinary quality in food worldwide" and added that "thanks to this congress and the joint work of all the olive oil producing countries, such as Italy, we will be able to extend the collaboration that the countries currently maintain and develop actions to reach all the world's consumers".

Right after, Rosa Gallardo, president of the Organising Committee of the Olive Oil World Congress, and Ricardo Migueláñez, General Coordinator of the congress, presented this event, which aims to become a meeting point for the olive oil sector and professionals.

Gallardo indicated that "this congress will bring together the world's leading speakers on issues related to production, processing, through consumption to the communication and marketing techniques that the sector faces in the future. All of this, with views to generating knowledge about the latest developments and innovations at each stage of the value chain".

For his part, Migueláñez assured that "the initiative aspires to position itself as a recognised brand under which the different links in the chain can come together and work towards the common objective of all the operators in the olive oil-olive oil chain: transmitting the benefits of the product and promoting it across the world".

The attendees then enjoyed a tasting of Spanish olive oil in which they were able to learn to recognise the aromas and flavours of two single-varietal olive oils provided by InterÓleo, one of the Gold sponsors of the OOWC. This activity aimed to highlight the value of this product and promote its benefits, curiosities and virtues of one of the main ingredients of the Mediterranean diet. As a finishing touch, the Royal Academy of Spain in Rome offered the attendees a nocturnal guided tour of the facilities of this emblematic place in the capital of Italy.

Under the slogan 'Taste it, enjoy, It's olive oil', the congress counts on the support of AgroBank and the Castilla-La Mancha Regional Government through the Campo y Alma brand, as Platinum sponsors, Grupo Interóleo, Balam Agriculture and Agrocolor, as Gold sponsors, and Kubota as Silver sponsor for its organization.