Longarone, October 20, 2022 – “We can say that Longarone Fiere has hit the jackpot,” comments the President of Longarone Fiere Dolomiti, Gian Angelo Bellati. “If we think that today, in 2022, we won this very important project, approved and funded by the European Commission, a route recognized by the Venice office of the Council of Europe, which aims to highlight these important routes that drive activities, attract culture, and move people and goods… Well, 10 years ago, Longarone Fiere inspired what we now call the European Day of Artisanal Gelato (March 24). This huge movement of opinion and politics involved the entire European Parliament, which voted overwhelmingly for this day, a result that is hugely significant for our fair, recognized as the Gelato Fair, and Longarone as the Gelato City. So, after ten years, we are happy with this further recognition that brings Longarone, the Longarone Fiere, the Dolomites, and the Belluno Province to the center of the world in such an important sector as artisanal gelato.”
The project is called “GELATOn the Road”, and it focuses on promoting artisanal gelato as both a touristic product and a way to increase awareness of craftsmanship throughout Europe. Gelato was recognized as an exceptional product by the European Parliament in 2012, under President Antonio Tajani. Today, artisanal gelato is still the only food product to have a dedicated European day (Gelato Day), celebrated annually on March 24 since 2013. Artisanal gelato represents excellence in quality and food safety. It is produced using traditional methods to reduce the use of plastic and embrace a Green Economy model aimed at limiting plastic waste. Additionally, artisanal gelato supports the km0 initiative, which promotes local agro-food products in each EU member state, receiving strong consumer support.
Here’s a tremendous success for the world of artisanal gelato. “Longarone Fiere, as the leading entity of the project, presented the GELATOn the Road proposal to the European Commission,” continues Bellati. “It’s a huge success because this project, worth €3 million, will create a route centered in Longarone, starting in Georgia, passing through Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, and reaching Slovenia, Italy, and then going up through Austria, Germany, Poland, and heading west to Belgium, Luxembourg, and finally down to Spain. It’s a very long route, and for Longarone, it’s crucial because it’s at the heart of this journey. Gelato is the symbol of Longarone. MIG is the most important fair in Longarone Fiere, which has been showcasing gelato for over 62 years now. It is the oldest gelato-related fair in the world. This is also another record because this is the first itinerary based on a food product. Moreover, it is also recognized by the Venice office of the Council of Europe. This route aims not only to bring tourism and business but also to compare the ability of these regions to produce quality artisanal gelato, and to bring the experiences of all these sector businesses to Longarone Fiere during the International Gelato Exhibition. It’s proof of how important European projects are for such an internationally-focused fair like MIG, but also for the Longarone Dolomites Fair. This project further strengthens its role as the only truly mountain-based fair in Europe, presenting itself to the world with an innovative project involving more than 10 EU countries along this amazing Gelato Route.”
As mentioned, Longarone Fiere Dolomiti is leading the project, but there are many partners who will join the journey along the designated routes:
- Venetian Cluster (Italy)
- Ita-Bel Chamber of Commerce (Belgium)
- AGRIFOOD PARTNERSHIP OF WESTERN GREECE (Greece)
- Women Business Council of Georgia (Georgia)
- Uniteis e.V. (Germany)
- CCIL Chamber (Luxembourg)
- Belgrade Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Serbia)
- Regional Development Agency (Slovenia)
- ISTRIAN Ecomuseo di Dignano (Croatia)
- ETRI (Austria)
- Cloud Computing Business Association of Catalonia (Spain)
- RRDA (Poland)
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa (Bulgaria)
- Dom Spain (Spain)