The faculty and students of the University of Gastronomic Sciences, Italy visited CISSA, Thiruvananthapuram as part of their field study to gain hands-on experience about the various ethnic food cultures of the world, and to discuss about the future co-operation to carry the slow food initiatives in India.

The University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) is a unique institution founded in 2004 by Carlo Petrini, the founder of the Slow Food Movement, as the first university devoted to the principles of the slow food movement. The main objective of the school is to bridge the gap between agricultural science and gastronomy.

In addition to coursework, students of UNISG are required to attend "stages" (field-study excursions) throughout Europe and the world. During this process of hands-on learning, students meet with local farmers, food producers, and professors, who explain in depth a particular product, tradition, or production area. The students also stay and visit the areas, observing local practices and tasting a wide range of regional food and drink. It is this experience that assists in the synthesis of the students' classroom learning, and is one of the unique differentiators of the UNISG curriculum. (For more information visit http://www.unisg.it/.)

The delegation in India that visited CISSA, comprising of two Professors and thirteen Post Graduate students has already visited Dehra Dun in Uttarakhand and New Delhi. The team members also visited the fishing community at Anjuthengu, in the outskirts of the city, to learn about the traditional fishing practices in Kerala.

At CISSA the team was given a rousing welcome by its team members. A very informative interactive session was arranged with CISSA experts from areas of food and Agriculture.

Dr. S. Rajasekharan, Deputy Director of Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI) did a presentation on ‘Ethnic foods and health food of Kerala’, Dr. K. Prathapan Director of Horticulture Mission, Kerala presented ‘The changing food scenario in Kerala’, Dr. C. Suresh Kumar (General Secretary, CISSA) presented the ‘Activities of Good Food Movement launched by CISSA’- and introduction about CISSA-by Dr. K. G. Ajitkumar, Secretary, CISSA. Sri. L. Radhakrishnan IAS  Principal Secretary Government of Kerala, who was  also the  working chairman of the recently concluded Annam Food and Agro biodiversity festival  explained the delegation on the threats of GM foods and the lack of governmental initiatives to curb its spread

The Annam movement launched in India by Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA) as well as Annam Food and Biodiversity Festival organised in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala during December 2008, drew its inspiration from this philosophy. The CISSA team informed the visitors that the Good Food Movement- Annam initiated by CISSA was launched in India by Mr.  Carlo Petrini, the founder of slow food  international  at the function organised in Thiruvananthapuram on 18th February 2008.The visiting delegation exchanged information about the activities organised by Slow food Movement in different countries with  the members of CISSA.

An interaction with Media persons was also arranged as part of the programme.The faculty and other team members explained the Media about their university, their purpose of visit,working of Slow FoodMovement in their own countries.They told the Media that every year, the students of UNiSG visit different parts of the globe as part of their field study to gain hands-on experience about the various ethnic food cultures.right now  three more delegations from the University is visiting Cuba, Morocco and Spain.

A scrumptious lunch were prepared for the visiting delegates with a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian traditional food items of Kerala with Native fruits like jack fruit, mango, papaya,  pineapple and different types of banana  were also offered.

The team  which was on a seven day visit to India left for Kochi to get a close look of modern fishing techniques and from there, they  moved to Coimbatore and Ooty to learn about the organic cultivation, organic tea processing  and ethnic food culture.

The visit was well captured by various renowned electronic and printed media.

Team members pausing for a photo............................Presentations given to the team............................

...........................................................................Team members conversating with the media people...

Explaining the activities of CISSA to the team..............Posters displayed about the food culture.................

With Sri. L. Radhakrishnan IAS, Principal Secretary,
Govt of Kerala........................................................

scrumptious lunch offered to the delegates............................................................................

The Delegates from University of Gastronomic Sciences, visited India

SURNAME	NAME	GENDER	ROLE
NICOLINO	Davide	Male	Professor
GOBBI	Emanuele	Male	Professor
BOFFANO	Cristina	Female	Post Graduate Student
CIAVATTA	Anna Lisa	Female	Post Graduate Student
PEDRAZZINI	Elisa Giulia Virginia	Female	Post Graduate Student
PRETTE	Chiara	Female	Post Graduate Student
SAFINA	Enrico	Male	Post Graduate Student
FUHRER	Finnian	Male	Post Graduate Student
GALLIERO	Giorgio	Male	Post Graduate Student
GENOVESI	Lorenzo	Male	Post Graduate Student
GLAUDE	Bernard Prescod	Male	Post Graduate Student
MWANGI	John Kariuki	Male	Post Graduate Student
MÜLLER-GUTTENBRUNN	Christian	Male	Post Graduate Student
NIZZOLI	Francesco	Male	Post Graduate Student
FONTANA	Oreste Giovanni	Male	Post Graduate Student