Monday, December 7, 2009
The Maniatakeion Foundation, working together with the Koroni Municipality, the Messinia Prefecture, the Agricultural Cooperative of Koroni and the Koronian Association “Panagja I Eleistria”, prepared the proposal to have the Mediterreanean diet included in Unesco’s Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage Catalog.
The Maniatakeion Foundation, working together with the Koroni Municipality, the Messinia Prefecture, the Agricultural Cooperative of Koroni and the Koronian Association “Panagja I Eleistria”, prepared the proposal to have the Mediterreanean diet included in Unesco’s Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage Catalog.
The Hellenic Ministries of Culture and Agriculture, in cooperation with their counterparts and other institutions in Spain, Italy, and Morocco, in the context of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage took the initiative to demonstrate the cultural value of the Mediterranean diet and to have it included in Unesco’s list. Greece chose Koroni to support the nomination.
Koroni, besides its long history, is a town in a beautiful natural setting, producing agricultural products of great quality. It is an example of a place where the Mediterranean diet and the traditional way of cooking are still part of everyday life. The fertile region produces olive oil, the world famous Koroni variety, olives, raisins, wine, figs, wheat, lentils, and dairy products, which are the basis of the Mediterranean diet, which stands apart for thousands of years.
Mrs. Eleni Tagonidi-Maniataki’s cookbook, “Kalligevston” (Great Tasting), which contains 250 Mediterranean recipes, played a strong part in supporting the Greek candidacy. Each recipe is prepared the traditional way, using local products of Koroni. Along with the recipes, calorie counts, and protein, hydrocarbon, fiber and fat information is provided—while all recipes are zero cholesterol.
In our days, where globalization and the pace of life are such that other dietary habits are becoming dominant, which are not the healthiest, turning to more wholesome food is not a luxury but a necessity. For this reason, the Maniatakeion Foundation is interested in supporting plans and actions intended to raise awareness about it.