GELATOn the ROAD: Kick-off meeting in Berlin

In Berlin, Uniteis kick-off the GELATOn the ROAD project, the first Road in Europe dedicated to a food.

It was Uniteis e.V. that inaugurated the European project GELATOn the ROAD in Berlin on 6 and 7 June with an official presentation and a so-called “kick-off meeting“ to kick off the work with the first two-day meeting of the project partners.

The meeting was attended by 34 participants from the European countries involved in the Project. We are talking about 14 partners, plus 2 associated partners, and 12 European countries. The Project is financed by the European Commission through the ‘Creative Europe’ programme and was officially launched by the EU on 1 April this year; it will last 36 months and its ultimate goal is to establish the first European Gelato Route.

One of the aims is to promote and preserve the cultural heritage and local identity of Gelato as an artisan and quality product. To assist these objectives, as many artisan Gelato parlours as possible will be networked, thanks also to the development of an App dedicated to the itinerary, the sites where one can eat a good artisan Gelato and related events.

To further support the realization and promotion of the European Gelato Route, there will be a Pop-up Museum, with 12 special cooking shows and the active involvement of players in the production chain such as product and equipment companies, but also innovative start-ups. Part of the Project is also the analysis and documentation of CO2 emissions in the artisanal production of Gelato.

GELATOn the ROAD Kick-off Meeting:

Uniteis, as the partner responsible for the GELATOn the ROAD kick-off meeting, was represented by President Stefano Bortolot, Vice President Dario Olivier and Secretary General Annalisa Carnio. Among the distinguished guests were Alessandro Piccinini representing MIG and Longarone Fiere Dolomiti Srl, acting as Project leader, and Gian Angelo Bellati, President of the Venetian Cluster Foundation, as associate partner and initiator of the Project.

Opening the presentation was Mr. Karl-Sebastian Schulte, Managing Director of ZDH, who declared himself proud and honoured, as a representative of his Association, to host the presentation conference of such an ambitious Project at their headquarters, which is the “Casa degli Artigiani”.

Berlin was definitely the ideal city for the launch of the Project, as the country’s capital is currently Europe’s leading business location and offers excellent connectivity and accessibility for participants from different EU Member States. Its cosmopolitan character and multicultural environment enrich the potential for promoting intercultural exchange and understanding among participants.

But it is the Gelato, the foreground protagonist, that not only transcends generational boundaries, but serves to spread a broader understanding of food culture, celebrating the craftsmanship and artistry that are essential components of the Gelato production process.

The two days of work served both for the introduction of the partners involved and the roles they represent in the Project; but above all for the presentation of the Project in detail and all the various stages of implementation over the next three years across Europe. The work programme, although intense, allowed the participants to interact and relate to each other personally according to the objectives set and in tune with their tasks. The official language during the two days was English.