PRESS RELEASE

24th July 2023

LINK 2007 has always sought open dialogue with institutions and stakeholders at the national level regarding food systems, emphasizing its commitment to sustainability, biosphere protection, and the fight against inequalities.

LINK 2007 has actively participated, passionately presenting its contents, during the Coopera meetings in June, in the sessions of the National Table on Food Systems, and in a recent event organized within the framework of the Sustainable Development Festival. However, the institutional dialogue process has not yielded the desired results, as the finalization of the Italian National Pathway that should have highlighted contents and perspectives developed, among others, by the Working Group on Local Food Policies has been absent.

Despite the valuable work done in collaboration with partners such as Slow Food and the Network of Local Food Policies, LINK 2007 and other important Italian actors note the lack of a concrete commitment to building a shared national perspective outside the National Table.

Therefore, LINK 2007 endorses a critical motion towards the new United Nations Summit on Food Systems, which will commence on Monday, 24th July, at the FAO – UNFSS+2 Stocktaking Moment, as part of a broad civil society movement. The press release entitled “A Change of Course on Food Systems Now, to Protect the Right to Food and the Planet,” highlights the need for a radical change, the effectiveness of which has already been tested. The release advocates for “concrete and effective strategies to address climate and food crises while respecting cultural diversity, social justice, and human and collective rights. These strategies include food sovereignty, agroecology, biodiversity revitalization, territorial markets, and the social and solidarity economy.”

LINK 2007 reiterates its commitment to strongly support justice in food systems and actively participate in initiatives of the Italian and international civil society that strive for greater sustainability and justice in the food sector. Transparency in processes and consistency in positioning remain fundamental for LINK 2007 in promoting a sustainable and inclusive future for all.