UNISG AT SLOW FISH 2011

This year’s UNISG presence at Slow Fish, the biannual gathering held in Genova from May 27–30, 2011, and dedicated to worldwide marine issues, will see students staffing a completed renovated university stand, as well as coordinating a program of innovative academic activities, via the Slow Food student convivium.

For months, the UNISG convivium has been planning numerous initiatives for Slow Fish visitors, each aimed at educating the public and diffusing the notion of sustainable fishing. To this end, they have met with experts from the sector, including biologists, cooks, fishmongers, and Slow Food staff, in order to increase their cultural and cognitive understanding of fishing, the ocean, and sustainability.

The resulting program is diverse, and will sensitize the public to being conscious consumers, without excluding pleasure or enjoyment. The UNISG activities include workshops for children and adults, in partnership with Slow Food Education, and independently organized “personal shopping” and “sustainable sushi” experiences.

Personal shoppers will accompany visitors among the stands of the Slow Fish exhibition, helping to select the most sustainable species, with respect also to seasonality and size. The consumer will walk away with the ability to make more informed individual choices, and ultimately to participate in influencing the market overall. More informed consumers means a more informed impact on the world of fish, as well as the hope of avoiding species extinction without having to renounce pleasure.

The sustainable sushi experience, in collaboration with Kai Cutlery, is designed to introduce consumers to an increasingly popular trend in Italy: sushi. Visitors will learn about the traditions of sushi and what kinds of fish are most commonly eaten—often at relatively low prices—as well as other fish-based knowledge, such as adulterations and how fish products are transformed, and alternatives to the most commonly used species. The experience will conclude with a sustainable tasting: fish with great organoleptic qualities that can be enjoyed without excessive impact on marine ecosystems.

At the UNISG stand, visitors will also be able to learn about the university’s offerings and the world of gastronomic sciences, as well as meet students and staff to discuss the programs in an informal setting. The stand will be open throughout Slow Fish, with representatives from various UNISG departments along with students from a wide variety of backgrounds.

The university will also be present at a new Slow Fish event: a Sunday Lunch prepared by Cavolfiori a Merenda, a traveling gastronomy group founded by recent UNISG graduates. Taking place out of doors at the Slow Fish entryway, the Lunch will display the underlying philosophy of Cavolfiori: honest cooking, free of special effects, that privileges technique and knowledge of ingredients. They seek to showcase that which is often forgotten: lesser cuts and fresher vegetables, to bring to the table flavors as they should be. Their promise is to not just feed people the same ten fish, but to bring to light the immensity of the sea.

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For more information, contact:
UNISG Communications Office
comunicazione@unisg.it
tel. 0172 458507-05