The project ‘Culinary Harmony: Genoa and Kesennuma Journey to Sustainable Food Systems and Vibrant Communities’ was selected from over 2,000 applications as the only initiative with main activities carried out in Italy and one of only seven on the theme of “Food” within the ‘Co-Creation Challenges’ programme promoted by Team Expo Osaka 2025.
What do Genoa and Kesennuma have in common?
• Both are defined as vibrant cities, urban centres that, thanks to a combination of positive factors, manage to create a dynamic and constantly evolving environment.
• Since 2018, Genoa has been committed to promoting good food practices, encouraging proper nutrition and the use of local short supply chain products.
• In 2014, in the midst of post-tsunami reconstruction, Kesennuma was the first Japanese town to join the international “Slow Cities” network, a group of towns that promote a lifestyle and government based on “slow living”.
Two distant cities united by a common project
Since the preparatory phase of Expo Osaka 2025, the international organisation of the event has launched the Co-Creation Challenge, with the aim of identifying good sustainable practices within the Team Expo programme, which was then transformed into an international call for proposals.
The University of Genoa, with the support of SINU (Italian Society of Human Nutrition) and the Genoa Chamber of Commerce, following the guidelines of the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations), presented the project 'Culinary Harmony: Genova and Kesennuma Journey to Sustainable Food Systems and Vibrant Communities', launched in 2024 with the aim of promoting healthy diets and resilient communities in Genoa, Italy, and Kesennuma, Japan, through sustainable food systems rooted in fishing, agriculture, cooking and catering services.
The strong interest shown has consolidated a common commitment to raising awareness of the issues addressed and creating a collaborative network. This ‘twinning’, which has given rise to a genuine network for study and promotion, aims to develop tools to enhance the value of respective local products.
Livia Pisciotta, professor of Food Science and Applied Dietary Techniques at the University of Genoa, coordinator of the degree course in Dietetics and director of the School of Specialisation in Food Science, commented: 'This project is the natural evolution of a winning synergy that has been created over the years, where the University of Genoa, SINU and the Chamber of Commerce promote ethics and practice that has, in fact, brought Genoa and Kesennuma and the entire network that has been created together. The results achieved thanks to the joint efforts of all parties involved are invaluable, in particular the doctoral programme co-funded by the University of Genoa and the Chamber of Commerce, dedicated exclusively to the issue of food sustainability. The objectives of the activity have been fully achieved by creating an international network on food sustainability and collecting sufficient data to explore the situation regarding the presence of good sustainability practices in the sector at a global level."
A summary of the results of this “overseas” experience was presented at the 65th edition of the Genoa International Boat Show, as part of the presentation of the “CORE: services and products for the competitiveness and sustainability of small-scale fishing businesses” project, with a specific focus on the sustainability of fishing in the area of cooperation between Italy and France.
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