Do you have a restaurant? Join immediately ”Pasta Pesto Day”: a huge solidarity initiative meant to relaunch the city of Genoa

 After the tragedy of Morandi Bridge collapse on the 14th of August, all institutions in Liguria are engaged in infrastructure actions in order to bring back Genoa and the entire region to a minor critical level. Numerous help and support offers for the city universally recognized as a very beautiful and fragile city, as it is described in the songs of De André, existed from the very beginning.

This is how the idea of a communication and fund raising campaign named “Pasta Pesto Day” appeared in the first place, aiming at relaunching a positive and appealing image of the Liguria territory, as well as at raising money in the current account of the Municipality of Genoa intended to be used for the emergency situation on the 14th of August.

Taking into consideration the fact that the food-territory has always been the best combination for promoting tourism, Pasta Pesto Day will take place at the same time ”Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo” (The Italian Cuisine Week in the World) will take place, that is between November 19 and November 25, combining in this way the solidarity gesture with the direct experience of a pesto pasta plate, the international icon of the Ligurian oenogastronomy.

„Taste pasta pesto and help Genoa“ „For each eaten portion of food, 2 Euros will be donated to the city of Genoa, 1 Euro on behalf of the client and one euro on behalf of the restaurant.“  The initiative is designated for all restorers in Italia and for the Italian restorers in all countries in the world, who can join the initiative by registering on the site www.pastapestoday.it.

During the month, the president of Liguria region, Giovanni Toti, involved in the project institutional and private partners, who rapidly adhered to Pasta Pesto Day. Starting with the Ministry of Agriculture and Tourism and with the Foreign Affairs Ministry , which coordinate the ”Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo”, they being asked to lead the project. The Foreign Commerce Institute, the Chambers of Commerce and ENIT – The Italian Tourism Agency have been contacted through the Regional Agency for promoting Tourism „In Liguria“, as wel as the central headquarters Rome and at their centres in Seul-Korea, Mumbai-India, Moscow-Russia, Warsaw-Poland, Prague-Czech Republic, Tel-Aviv-Israel, Amsterdam, Paris, London, Stockholm, Vienna and Zurich. The most important economic partners present in Genoa announced their support, including Costa Crociere, the airport in Genoa, which will raise awareness of colleague airline companies, among which also Volotea, so that they will serve pasta pesto at the board of their aircrafts.

Slow Food and Slow Food International will join Pasta Pesto Day, by informing all those, who would like to join the initiative. Within a few weeks a huge support took shape in the entire world. Brazil, with an entire team of 20 Italian restaurants in Sao Paulo, will be the first country to testify the Pasta Pesto Day initiative and our ambassadors will be famous start chefs, such as Paolo & Barbara, the guests of the 7th edition of the Italian Regional Cuisine in the World, organized by the Consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The president of the Region Liguria, Giovanni Toti, says that: „Concentrating ourselves on pesto, which is one of the not only culinary, but also cultural and social flags of Liguria, and by involving in this beautiful and ambitious project the restorers and gourmet specialist in the entire world, we wish to communicate on all continents that Liguria and Genoa are alive and full of life, now more than ever. The message we, together with the Tourism Department and the "In Liguria" Promoting Agency want to send arises from being aware of the incredible means we have available in order to overcome difficulties. We want to tell everybody, from New York to Sydney, from London to Tokyo, that we are here, that we do not give up and that we are ready to welcome everybody to our wonderful rainbow-like realm, to taste pesto and other delicious meals that make the Liguria cuisine unique and reach, to enjoy our beachsides and seaside villages 12 months a year, to visit Genoa with its art and culture patrimony, Cinque Terre parte of the UNESCO worldwide patrimony, Riviera di Ponente, the zones in the interior of the region. Liguria asks today the world for a helping hand, but is ready, with all its potential, to host and offer the necessary conditions so that everybody will have a good time. The fact that we managed to organize such a big and unique global and social event within a period of only a few weeks confirms that #orgoglioliguria never died”