Rome - Barbara Nappini confirmed as president of Slow Food Italy: "Another vision of the world is possible" - - Varese News

Barbara Nappini was reappointed as president of Slow Food Italy at the conclusion of the National Assembly of Members held at FAO headquarters in Rome. The two-day meeting, attended by delegates from across Italy, featured a strong youth component and an ambitious theme: "Another Idea of the World."

A plural and evolving community

"These two days have given us intense presentations, which were able to compete with a bold title," Nappini said in his closing speech. "We don't know where we're headed, but we have the will to figure it out together." The assembly approved the Rome Document , which encapsulates Slow Food's legacy but also looks to the future, to those who are twenty, ten, or yet to be born.

Alongside Nappini, the new Board of Directors of Slow Food Italy is composed of:

• Federico Varazi , vice president

• Luca Martinotti

• Francesco Sottile

• Raoul Tiraboschi

A free voice for justice

One of the new council's first formal acts was a message of solidarity with Francesca Albanese , the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. "She was sanctioned for doing her job well," the statement reads. "And we at Slow Food want to always stand alongside free voices."

Petrini: "Our happiness comes from grassroots action."

During the assembly, founder Carlo Petrini recalled the profound meaning of Slow Food's commitment: "Being part of this Association is a way to achieve our happiness. The right to pleasure, for us, is also the right to participation, to democracy." Petrini also cited a recent meeting with Pope Francis, who urged the Association to continue its grassroots work, with "joy and happiness."

Finally, Petrini recalled the organization's commitment to some of the world's most challenging situations: "In Congo, we're working with young people in the Slow Food Gardens, and in Palestine, we're raising funds to build a school."

The team that will lead Slow Food Italy for the next four years

Federico Varazi

A geologist and science communicator by profession, he lives in Orvieto and, after years of volunteering in his local area, in 2021 he was appointed vice president of Slow Food Italy and a member of the Board of Directors of Slow Food Editore. In May 2024, he became president of the Pollenzo Wine Bank.

Luca Martinotti

Born in Vercelli in 1994, she graduated from the Master's program in Gastronomic Heritage and Tourism Management at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo and joined Carlo Petrini's team in the executive office. She is the regional coordinator for Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta for the Osterie d'Italia Guide.

Francesco Sottile

A native of Palermo, he teaches Biodiversity in Agrosystems and Rural Landscape Protection and Promotion in the Department of Architecture at the University of Palermo, conducting research on small-scale agricultural systems, agroecology, and natural resource conservation. He has been involved in several Slow Food chapters for over 20 years, focusing on the pillars of biodiversity, education, and advocacy, and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Slow Food ETS Foundation internationally.

Raoul Tiraboschi

Born in Seriate (Bergamo), he practices civil law and is registered with the Milan Bar Association. For over 20 years, he has been involved in the street lawyers project of the Diocesan Caritas of Bergamo and with Agesci, working with young people aged 18 to 21 and as a project manager in Israel/Palestine. For the Municipality of Bergamo, he serves as Coordinator of the Food Policy Committee. With the 2021 Genoa Congress, he was appointed Vice President of Slow Food Italy.

The voice of the territories

Over the past two days, the Association has presented itself with the full value of its members from across Italy. Over 50 delegates spoke about their daily work in the local communities and brought all of Slow Food's most important themes to the Assembly:

the delicate economic and social conditions facing those who work the land; the depopulation of inland areas; food as a tool for social integration; the need to nurture the beauty and wonder in the eyes of children through food education projects such as the Slow Food Gardens and the Earth-Friendly Professions; food policies; the need to reconnect cities and countryside; the climate crisis; the future of the Mediterranean and the Highlands; the defense of raw milk, artisanal farming, pastoralism, and extensive livestock farming; the dialogue between generations; the role of young people; and the power of femininity as a lever for change toward a world of dialogue and peace.

The alliance between Slow Food Italy, FederBio, represented by President Mariagrazia Mammuccini, and Legambiente, represented by President Stefano Ciafani, was confirmed at the end of the two-day event with the aim of facilitating the ecological transition by supporting farmers.

The National Assembly of Slow Food Italy members was held in collaboration with the Lazio Region, Arsial, and the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Waste Management of Rome. Official partners were Maggiore and AmicoBlu, PEFC, and Tucano. Special thanks go to Promozeta, Empresa, Pastificio Di Martino, Berlucchi Franciacorta, and Acqua San Bernardo.