World Olive Day 2024

The International Olive Council (IOC), in collaboration with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the International Centre for Advanced Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), is proud to celebrate World Olive Day on Thursday 21 November 2024 at the CSIC headquarters in Madrid. This year's event commemorates the 30th anniversary of the official publication of the Mediterranean diet pyramid, highlighting its lasting impact on global health and cultural heritage.

The event will feature prestigious speakers, including several co-authors of the Mediterranean diet pyramid. Dr. Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at Harvard University and one of the world's most cited scientists in nutrition and public health, will share his ideas via video. Dr Antonia Trichopoulou, a member of the Academy of Athens and an authority on nutritional epidemiology, has been instrumental in advocating the Mediterranean diet as a model of health. Dr. Frank Hu, chairman of the Harvard Department of Nutrition, whose work on the impact of diet and lifestyle on cardiometabolic diseases is internationally acclaimed, will also give a presentation. Dr Miguel A. Martínez-González, a key researcher in pioneering studies such as PREDIMED, brings his expertise in public health and the Mediterranean diet. Dr Enrique Martinez Force, leading researcher on the chemical composition of olive oil, and Greg Drescher, co-creator of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, will provide invaluable insights into the history and future of the diet.

In addition, high-level authorities such as Luis Planas, Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Jaime Lillo, Executive Director of the IOC, and Eloísa del Pino, President of CSIC, will participate, underlining the importance of the event.

For those unable to attend in person, the event will be streamed live in English, French and Spanish. To join the live stream, click here.