FOODGaP hosted the workshop “Mediterranean Platform for Local Food Systems” on 26 of September as part International Conference of Food Cities, promoted by the City of Turin.
On 26 September, FOODGaP was in Turin for Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, where it hosted the workshop “Mediterranean Platform for Local Food Systems” in the Sala Plebisciti of the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento Italiano. The session was part of the International Conference of Food Cities, promoted by the City of Turin together with Slow Food Italia within the “Feeding the Cities of the World” programme, and one of the stages of the Stati Generali of international cooperation by local authorities, an initiative launched by ANCI. The idea behind the workshop is simple: the Mediterranean needs cities that talk to each other, share what they have learned and work out common answers to the challenges facing their food systems. Access to food is not only a question of availability.
It depends on whether production, distribution, consumption, natural resources, rural development and social inclusion are governed together, and on whether cities, rural areas, institutions, businesses and civil society are able to cooperate. FOODGaP and many other cooperation projects have shown that where territories exchange and learn from one another, better governance solutions follow.
Collecting good practices, however, is not enough. The workshop focused on two points:
– which institutional conditions and local policy tools allow food systems to become a lever for development, resilience and social cohesion;
– how a Mediterranean Platform, as a permanent space for dialogue between territories, could support this.
The aim was to start a co-design process with the institutions that will use the Platform, so that it is built by cities and for cities. The discussion, moderated by journalist Massimo Zaurrini and opened by CIHEAM Bari and Egidio Dansero of the University of Turin, brought together administrators from both shores of the Mediterranean: Turin, Bergamo, Bethlehem, Jericho, Beit Jala, Khouribga, and our partner Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, with video messages from the Metropolitan City of Rome and the Interreg NEXT MED Programme Communication Officer.
What came out of the discussion was a clear interest in the Platform and a shared expectation: that it becomes a real space for exchanging values, experiences and tools, and not just another network on paper. For FOODGaP, Turin was an important step: a chance to share the project, widen our collaborations and reach new Mediterranean cities. The co-design process started here, and we will keep partners and interested cities updated on the next steps.
Last Update
01/10/2026
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