biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable,
accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutri-
tionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing
natural and human resources” (FAO, 2010). Closely
linked to the mentioned issues, the cultural aspects
of food are highly significant. Unfortunately, food
systems and related diet are facing a process of cul-
tural homogenization and standardization. For
years, indeed, conservation of different traditional
cultures and knowledge were not enough consid-
ered in public policies.
Mainly in urban places, people rarely know cultural
and environmental meaning of what they eat and do
not usually think about the food chain and how food
is produced and prepared. On the contrary, it should
be affirmed that eating cannot be relegated to the
mere act of taking food but it also represents the
way that populations spread their selves through
the environment (Murrietaet al., 1999). In other
words, it has to be recognized the close connection
of food with space and time with a proper specific
identity.
Sustainable diet calls also for following healthy
lifestyle and reassigning to the food its close link-
age with seasonality. Local ways of livelihood have
been viewed as possible solutions, like using local
production, spreading regional culinary cultures
and traditions, supporting traditional trades (e.g.
fishermen, shepherds, butchers, sausage makers,
bakers) and encouraging people in re-dignifying the
act of eating. In a global perspective, this represents
a valid contribution to face the challenge of food se-
curity. It is indeed not thinkable ensuring global ac-
cess to food without supporting peoples in choosing
their own production and farming systems.
For a world with environmental and social justice,
one should foster the capacity of governance in
basal communities, leading to assert the impor-
tance of “food sovereignty” defined as the right of
peoples and sovereign states to democratically de-
termine their own agricultural and food policies (In-
ternational Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge,
Science and Technology for Development, 2008).
Another aspect to be considered is the occasion of
conviviality connected with the eating act. Convivi-
ality is described as being synonymous with empa-
thy “which alone can establish knowledge of other
minds” (Polanyi, 1958), sharing of a certain kind of
food and/or drink, reinforcing the positive feeling of
togetherness on which the community’s awareness
of its identity is based (Schechter, 2004).
The mentioned very interconnected considerations
need to be assembled and recomposed in a well-
ordered coherent way, for defining and implementing
suitable policies addressed to support sustainable
food systems. Similarly, effective sustainable food
systems and diet models are useful for transposing
in practice the above conceptual schemes.3. The global value of the Mediterranean diet
model3 .1 General remarks
UNESCO inscribed in 2010 the Mediterranean diet
on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity, being recognized the impor-
tance of maintaining the healthy aspects, the good
practices and traditions related to this diet as well
as its peculiar cultural diversity in the face of grow-
ing globalization. This helps intercultural dialogue,
and encourages mutual respect for other ways of
life, taking into account that the importance of in-
tangible cultural heritage lies in the wealth of
knowledge and skills that is transmitted through it
from one generation to the next.
The reason why the Mediterranean diet can be ac-
tually considered as a very effective model is that it
proposes a food system scheme based on sustain-
ability, collecting the mentioned aspects and able to
contribute in pursuing real food security.
The system is characterized by a healthy nutritional
model, which consists mainly of olive oil, cereals,
fruit, fresh or dried, and vegetables, moderate
amounts of fish, dairy products and meat, whole265