The Med EMPORION Project supports food markets and market culture, promoting connection and exchange between cities with relevant food markets in the Mediterranean. Research, pilot projects, and open activities like Food Festivals will help the creation of permanent links, awareness raising about their social role as important placemakers and the improvement of their quality and services.  

The Project is an initiative of the cities of Torino, Barcelona and Genova together with the Conservatoria del Piemonte and Conservatoire des Cuisines Mediterraneés of Marseille in the frame of the MED Programme of the European Union.

The Mediterranean Sea has been the place of birth of many cultures and civilizations. The idea of Europe as a common place has born in its shores. From very ancient times, this sea called "mesogios", (meaning "between lands" in ancient Greek) has helped the establishment of networks and links connecting nations and peoples. The sea is still today more a path, a way of transportation more than an obstacle. It is a bridge that makes possible the exchange of ideas and goods.

The creation of market places in the shores of the sea goes back to the times of the ancient Fenician, Greek and Roma. Markets have been crucial to determinate the kind and shape of the cities and their later modern development. Market trade in market halls is nowadays very similar to what always has been, and it is a part of the characteristic Mediterranean way of life, a unique model of healthy diet and lifestyle, based on the consumption of fresh locally produced and commercialized in market places.

Today, in the 21st century markets are still a key spot and a central part of the urban life in the Mediterranean cities, and play an active role as commercial engines and social institutions. In market places people don't just buy goods: they meet each other and share their lives. Markets are facing big challenges but at the same enjoy a scenario of big opportunities. A spirit of modernization and up- to- date services is giving new life and light to the old markets.

 

The Med Emporion initiative

To help to face successfully market places challenges and opportunities, the cities of Torino, Barcelona, Marseille and Genova, together with Conservatoria dell Piemonte and Conservatoire de la Mediterranée are launching the Med EMPORION project as a way to meet and share ideas and activities, to create links among them and identify the best solutions and models for the market future. In the frame of the MED initiative of the European Union, the Med EMPORION project will create in the next two years a framework and a network of relation among the markets in the mediterranean area to identify and transfer the best practices on managing markets, trading and modernizing them.

The project includes a wide range of activities: pilot projects; academic studies, gastronomic and food festivals, meetings, activities and events for the next two years. The main goal is to promote dialogue and interaction between citizens, market customer and market traders, producers and operators. The project will produce documents and policy recommendations addressed to national and European authorities to improve today's markets situation and face the future with the best tools.