Sustainability, Economics, and Ethics (SEE)
Mediterranean Diet: Health, Heritagization, and Sustainability
On October 16, 2023, IQS hosted an engaging seminar titled Mediterranean Diet: Health, Heritagization, and Sustainability, presented by Dr. Špela Ledinek Lozej from the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
This insightful event explored the Mediterranean diet, celebrated not just as a model of health but also as a cornerstone of cultural heritage and a beacon of sustainable practices. Dr. Ledinek Lozej illuminated the multifaceted role of this diet in shaping health outcomes, preserving traditions, and addressing global sustainability challenges.
The presentation shows how the Mediterranean diet has evolved as an assemblage, linking nutrition and health with heritage and sustainable development. The concept of Mediterranean diet developed in the 1950s. Since then, it has undergone various changes from healthy nutrition to a food system that encompasses food production and consumption and was included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. Since then, it has been adopted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as a diet with an emphasis on sustainability and locality. How can these heritagization processes and transformation from a healthy diet to sustainability be observed ethnographically in the contemporary food landscapes of Barcelona?
Attendees gained a comprehensive understanding of the Mediterranean diet as more than just a nutritional guideline—it is a living tradition that connects health, culture, and sustainability. The seminar inspired participants to think critically about their dietary choices and their impact on both personal health and the planet.