Negotiations have concluded on the text of the resolution establishing November 16 as International Mediterranean Diet Day. The resolution will now be submitted for formal adoption by the United Nations General Assembly. This announcement was made by Ambassador Maurizio Massari , Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations, during an event organized by Italy, Lebanon, and Morocco at the UN headquarters: "Mediterranean Diet: Science, Sustainability, and Cultural Heritage."

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Massari —who has been committed to the international promotion of the Mediterranean Diet for years and was among the first to support the Municipality of Pollica's proposal for the establishment of a dedicated International Day—emphasized: "Science and academia have widely demonstrated that the Mediterranean Diet is a healthy lifestyle, promoting health, well-being, and resilience, reflecting the cultural and identity values of local communities. This is why the message of establishing an International Mediterranean Diet Day extends to other regions of the world, highlighting the contribution of traditional diets and local products, and the role that traditions and traditional cultures play in shaping not only food systems, but sustainable development and, therefore, the very future of societies."

The event, moderated by Sara Roversi (Future Food Institute), was attended by the Directors of the permanent representations of FAO and UNESCO, together with leading figures from the academic world such as Antonia Trichopoulou , considered the "scientific mother of the Mediterranean Diet" for over sixty years of research and a life entirely dedicated to the study of this heritage, recently appointed by the Municipality of Pollica, Ambassador of the Mediterranean Diet in the World, Loredana Quadro and Harini Sampath . Representing the seven Emblematic Communities of the Mediterranean Diet – Agros (Cyprus), Brač (Croatia), Koroni (Greece), Chefchaouen (Morocco), Tavira (Portugal), Soria (Spain) and Pollica (Italy) – Stefano Pisani , Mayor of Pollica, spoke, representing not only Italy, but the very soul of the heritage, as spokesperson for the Italian emblematic community and, above all, as Coordinator of the Permanent Secretariat of the Emblematic Communities of the Mediterranean Diet.

In his speech, Mayor Pisani stated: “The Mediterranean Diet is much more than a dietary model: it is an innovative vision geared towards public health, a philosophy of life inspired by the principles of integral ecological development, universal values that become a concrete model of sustainability. This heritage is safeguarded every day in our communities, in fields, markets, kitchens, and on our tables. The valuable work initiated by UNESCO with the recognition of the Mediterranean Diet as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity is now receiving new impetus thanks to the support of the FAO, which welcomed and promoted our proposal for the establishment of the International Day. This resolution is crucial for transforming this legacy into a strategic lever for the food systems of the future.”