After welcome greetings from the Prior of Chiaravalle della Colomba, the Reverend Father Silvestro Buttarazzi O.Cist., and from the mayor of Alseno, Davide Zucchi, Livia Pomodoro recalled how food-related issues were addressed in Milan during Expo 2015, where the main theme was “Feeding the planet, energy for life”. Topics discussed ranged from nutritional education to GMOs, and the famines and food shortages that afflict vast areas of the planet. President Pomodoro emphasized the “inalienable right to healthy, safe, and sufficient food for all inhabitants of the Earth”. To achieve this, it is essential not only to eliminate hunger, thirst, childhood mortality, and malnutrition but also to prevent social diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular conditions that affect both well-established countries and, especially, developing nations. The principles and goals of Expo, such as nutrition, environmental sustainability, and human rights, were ultimately included in the document presented to the UN, known as the “Milano Charter”.

Claudio Serafini, Director of the Organic Cities Network Europe, then took the floor. Referencing Dante, he outlined the goals of Organic Cities, emphasizing the long-term objective of ensuring that everyone has “non-discriminatory access to fresh, affordable, seasonal, and organically grown regional food”. He added, “By coming together to form the European network of Organic Cities, our cities have found a way to focus on the future of younger generations… A sustainable food strategy is also essential if we want Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050”.

Francesco Ferrari, Vice President of the European Association of the Vie Francigene, extended his greetings and highlighted the historical and contemporary significance of Chiaravalle della Colomba, which is included by the Council of Europe in the two cultural routes: “Via Francigena” and “Route Européenne des Abbayes Cicterciennes”.

Ferrari also took a moment to remember Massimo Tedeschi, founder and president of EAVF, who recently passed away.

Professor Carola Ricci, from the Department of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Pavia, examined the legislative tools provided by international, European, and Italian public law for food safety. This safety must be achieved in full respect of both genuinely sustainable development and private international law, which protects individuals, whether they are consumers or entrepreneurs. She addressed issues related to food quality, the risks of fraud, and importantly, “What does the right to adequate nutrition mean?”. Adequate food for an individual considers not only their age or physical condition “but also their religious beliefs and cultural background. It is not enough for food to be available in sufficient quantities; it must also meet acceptable quality standards for the individual in all their essential elements”.

Professor Lucrezia Lamastra, from the Department for Sustainable Food Process at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Piacenza, delved into the issue of food waste. She discussed national or supranational policies and personal habits, catering, the overall CO2 emissions produced in food preparation and transportation, large-scale distribution, and family consumption. In all these situations, the fight against waste hinges on both individual and collective awareness. This means being conscious that if, for example, I buy fruit from other countries, I am taking the water contained in that fruit away from its country of origin, removing it from the normal local regeneration cycle. With a degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Professor Lamastra also quoted a statement made by Pope Benedict XVI at the FAO World Summit in 2009: “It is not possible to continue to accept opulence and waste”.

The conference concluded with a video message from His Excellency Monsignor Adriano Cevolotto, Bishop of Piacenza-Bobbio. In his remarks, Monsignor Cevolotto recalled the other historic Piacenza Abbey, that of Bobbio, dedicated to Saint Columbanus, of which he is also the abbot.

In the afternoon, at 5 p.m., the meeting titled “Food: Nourishment for Body and Soul” commenced in the Sala Capitolare, featuring His Excellency Monsignor Franco Maria Giuseppe Agnesi, Auxiliary Bishop of Milan, Abbot Father Silvestro, and Professor Francesca Rigotti, philosopher and essayist.

Monsignor Agnesi began by discussing how the Gospels depict Jesus as “an expert in cooking”, referencing the episode of the grilled fish for the Apostles by the Sea of Tiberias and the biblical mention of the proper amount of salt to season food. Father Silvestro reminded the audience that in Cistercian refectories, monks had one dish for every two brothers: “Not to eat less, but to ensure that the other brother also received adequate nourishment, beyond prayer and mystical calling”. Francesca Rigotti, author of several books on cooking, including the “Smooth Food Manifesto: a New Philosophy in Cooking” written and published during the Milan Expo, emphasized the language—often filled with violence—and the terms we use to prepare food for consumption: we cut, chop, crush, break, peel, etc.

The July 2 event concluded with a concert by Mariangela Bettanini and the Archimia Quartet. This performance saw classical music harmoniously blend with modern and contemporary hits, including original pieces and arrangements created specifically for Mariangela Bettanini. Her soulful repertoire, enriched by sacred texts, filled the abbey hall with a unique atmosphere, evoking vibrant sensations and emotions.

At the end of the day, Livia Pomodoro bid farewell and announced the destination for the ninth stop of “In cammino”, which will take place on July 9 in Fulda, Germany.