À TABLE AVEC LES RELIGIONS

Portfolio 2013-2014

Benvenuti in Italia, in collaboration with Mensa Civica, the Risteco and the Fondation Charles Léopold

Mayer pour le Progrès de l'Homme promoted the research project named À table avec les religions, to

study religious dietary laws, school canteen service and religious pluralism, working with reference to

three case-studies in Turin and Rome (Italy) and Zaragoza (Spain). The project is now planned in

Birmingham, Bucarest, Lausanne, Paris and Tirana.

The project is led by Maria Chiara Giorda (historian of religions), and the research team composed of

Luca Bossi (sociologist) and Elena Messina (anthropologist), members of the Benvenuti in Italia

Scientific Committee. The research team collaborated with Gladys Arbey (Zaragoza case-study), Sara

Casiraghi (gastronome) and Paola Durelli (nutritionist).

The main objective of the study is to explore differences in diet and eating habits among children

attending European schools and those who come from foreign countries, and to define how public

institutions such as primary schools, and their canteen services can consider the religious and

traditional beliefs regarding nutrition.

The project is now going to involve a broad and in-depth programme of research activities. This

includes working with colleagues from the five collaborating cities: Birmingham, Bucarest, Lausanne,

Paris and Tirana. More precisely, research activities concern three schools for each city (thus, circa

750 families for each city), focusing on questionnaires regarding religious dietary rules in school

canteen service. The aim of the study is to produce an evaluation of the school canteen service

provided in terms of social inclusion/exclusion. This also includes actions in conjunction with public

agencies, actors and institution, community groups and other stakeholders.

The numbers of the project ........................................................................................................................................................ 3

Paper and reports .......................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Conferences ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Cultural events ................................................................................................................................................................................ 7

Multimedia ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 9

I find that the idea of making multicultural

menu is really interesting.

Martha, 23 from England

I like trying new tastes and dishes

and also to know and meet diverse

cultures.

John, 21 from USA

The numbers of the project

Research activities

6 primary schools (Rome, Turin, Zaragoza)

2.012 students

848 families

30 conferences in Italy, France, Great Britain and Switzerland

24 interreligious dinners

More than 1.000 meals served to students, families and stakeholders

50 recipes and 19 beverages from differents cultural and religious traditions

The menu was really really good. It makes me

so full and it is really healthy as well.

Fabrizio, 26 from Italy

Nice idea, wonderful!

A fresh new wave proyecting us into the

multireligious world. It made me reflect on

other and different cultures and religions.

Leyla, 19 from Egypt

Paper and reports

Two Reports concerned with results of the first year of the survey.

Italian version: www.benvenutiinitalia.it/pensiero/food-relgion-2014/report-2014-ita/

English version: www.benvenutiinitalia.it/pensiero/food-relgion-2014/report-2014-eng/

Three scientific articles:

- Giorda M., Bossi L., Messina E., Il progetto A Tavola con le religioni. Alcuni dati, Reset

(Dossier n.153, Giugno 2014), at www.reset.it/articolo/il-progetto-a-tavola-con-le-

religionialcuni-dati.

- Giorda M., A tavola con le religioni. Il cibo plurale delle mense scolastiche, in Notizie di

“Politeia”, XXX, 114, 2014, pp.70-93.

- Messina E., Geografia delle good practices. Mensa, ospedale, cimitero, lavoro, in A. Melloni,

Rapporto sull’analfabetismo religioso, Il Mulino, Bologna 2014, pp. 451-457.

Six articles published on the online platform IRInews

www.benvenutiinitalia.it/pensiero/pubblicazioni/irinews/:

- Messina E., Innovazione e progetto. À table avec les religions, Irinews, 01/04/2014, ISSN:

2239 – 1169.

- Messina E., Gustare l’altro. Cibo, religione, incontro a tavola, Irinews, 01/01/2014, ISSN:

2239 – 1169.

- Messina E., Food-Religion. Cibo, religione e mensa scolastica: tu cosa mangi? Irinews,

01/01/2014, ISSN: 2239 – 1169.

- Messina E., À table avec les religions: un progetto sulle mense scolastiche, 01/07/2013, ISSN:

2239 – 1169.

- Bossi L., RE- PARTY: Religioni in città, Irinews, 01/07/2013, ISSN: 2239 – 1169.

- Bossi L., Feste e cibi religiosi: prosegue il progetto sperimentale di storia delle religioni per

l’attività alternativa, Irinews, 01/04/2013, ISSN: 2239 – 1169.

Conferences

2014-2015, October-January: Centro Interculturale della Città di Torino (Intercultural Center)

Class in History of Religions: “Feeding the Souls” (30 hours cours).

2014-2015, October-January Università degli Studi dell’Insubria (Como-Varese)

À table avec les religions presented the lesson for the MA Undergraduate students named

“Diritto, religioni, alimentazione. Regolare il cibo, ordinare il mondo (Rights, Religions and

nourishment: ruling the food, organizing the world)”. (20 hours)

2014, 23rd October: Torino, Terra Madre

During the International event named Terra Madre organized by Slow Food , À table avec les

religions participates in the conference “Eating City: un’altra idea di città”. (Eating City: a

different idea of city)

2014, 20 October: Pollenzo, University of Gastronomic Sciences

Conference named “Food and religions”: À table avec les religions presented achieved results of

the first year of research concerning cultural and religious traditions within Italian and

European school canteen service.

2014, 16 October: Turin, Sala Valfré

During the public event Diario alimentare nell’antichità (Ancient food diary): À table avec les

religions partecipates in the conference “Dall’Egitto a Bisanzio, l’identità dei popoli antichi

attraverso le loro abitudini alimentar”i (From Egyptian to Byzantine Empire Ancient people food

identity through their dietary habits), organized by Archeoricette in collaboration with con

ArcheologiTrePuntoZero and Centro Studi Petrie and supported by GranoTorino.

2014, 6 October: Turin, Fabbrica delle “E”

Benvenuti in Italia Foundation organizes the weekly event named Scuola di Politica Renata

Fonte, during which À table avec les religions presented the achieved results of the first year of

research with Vinicio Ongini, representative for MIUR (Minister of Education) – Foreign

Students Office.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK-7IqYgwZ8-

2014, August 11-15: Villarceaux (FR), Eating City Summer Campus

ARC2020 signatory Eating City organized a summer campus for twenty-five Euro-

mediterranean young people male and female, aged 30 or younger. The event, taking place in

Villarceaux (FR) presented courses given by Euro-mediterranean experts on sustainable food

from universities, companies, local authorities and civil society. In this cccasion, À table avec les

religions prepared papers and speech concerning religious dietary systems in school canteen

service, in Italy.

2014, June, 13-14: Eating City Tirana.

Conferences on “Food Policy and Food Planning”.

2014, May 21-22: University of Lausanne (CH)

International Conference on “Spiritualité et religion dans les modèles de rétablissement en

institution: accompagnement et régulation dans la diversité?” À table Avec les religions

presented the paper “Religious diversity in hospitals: improving health care?” (EASR

International Conference) on food and religions in hospitals.

2014, April-May: Rome, La Sapienza University

Four lessons on “Food and religions: an historical and anthropological overview”, for

undergraduate students of the MA in Religion and Intercultural Communication.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v5aPsQNQyY

2014, April 28 Milano: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.

À table avec les religions presented the lesson for the MA Undergraduate students on “Diritto e

religioni (Rights and Religions)”.

2014, March 25: Milano, Fondazione Feltrinelli e Reset.

À table avec les religions presented the paper “Nutrire l’Anima. Religione e Alimentazione

(Feeding the soul. Food and Religions)”. www.resetdoc.org/news/00000000112

2014, March 21-22: Eating City Rome.

Conferences on “Food Policy and Food Planning”.

2013, August 11-15: Villarceaux (FR), Eating City Summer Campus

The event presented courses given by Euro-mediterranean experts on sustainable food from

universities, companies, local authorities and civil society. In this occasion, À table avec les

religions prepared the paper “Food and religions: an historical and anthropological overview”.

Cultural events

2014, October 20-21-22: Pollenzo, University of Gastronomic Sciences

Religiously correct menu testing in schools: the UNISG school canteen services organized the

three day testing for school pupils (6-11). An Interreligious Gala dinner is organized by

Benvenuti in Italia Foundation, in collaboration with Slow Food and Banca del Vino (Wine

Bank). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAvOHAJXY8w

2014, 17 ottobre: Cascina Caccia, San Sebastiano da Po

Cooking my religions: interreligious dinner organized by Fondazione Benvenuti in Italia

Foundation and À table avec les religions within Cascina Caccia, Mafia seized property.

2014, October, 11-12: Venezia, Biennale Architettura (International Architecture Exhibition)

Tracce di fede (Traces of faith): multireligious walking among sacred places in Venice, in the

frame of the Sacred weekend. Organized by Benvenuti in Italia, À table avec les religions and

Biennale Architettura.

2014, September 27-28: Torino Spiritualità

Mobilità Urbane: multireligious walkings among sacred places of Turin; the events

involved 60 persons, moving through some of the most important religious places of the City of

Turin, ending with religious dinner and lunch consumed in loco.

2014, September 27: White Night of Religions (Torino Spiritualità 2014)

DI[W]INE | ARTS: vernissage with religious art exhibition from Benvenuti in Italia Foundation

and religious wine and food tasting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9IrYQ2-ux4

2014, June 3: Rome

Food and Religions primary schools workshops by UVA in collaboration with Benvenuti in

Italia. Final event: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v5aPsQNQyY

2013, ottobre-dicembre: Turin, Bar Italia Libera

Cibo divino(Divene Food): three religious dinners (Jewish, Islamic and Buddhist) prepared and

presented by representative from the each one of the religious communities and introduced by

À table avec les religions researchers. In collaboration with Benvenuti in Italia Foundation.

www.benvenutiinitalia.it/cibo-divino/

2013, September 28-29: Torino Spiritualità

Mobilità Urbane: multireligious walkings among sacred places of Turin; the events

involved 60 persons, moving through some of the most important religious places of the City of

Turin, ending with religious dinner and lunch consumed in loco.

2013, May 22: Turin, Acmos Association

Multireligious dinner organized by Benvenuti in Italia Foundation in collaboration with À table

avec les religions and Acmos Association.

Multimedia

Religious up! [your meal]

A short video about food education, community and religious pluralism in contemporary Italian

school canteens. http://www.barillagood4.com/it/allprojects/single/282

DeAgostini publishing, “Mangiare Sacro (Sacred Eating)”

on Jewish, Islamic, Orthodox and Chinese traditional sacred food habits and rules.

www.zonareligione.scuola.com/mangiare_sacro/index.html

RE-party (www.reparty.it/)

Turin’s sacred/religious places interactive map, with religious cooking videos, sustained by the

Youth Programme of the EU in collaboration with Osservatorio Pluralismo Religioso di Torino

– Turin’s Observatory on Religious Pluralism (e.g. www.reparty.it/Ricorrenze/chanukka/).