During the course of Italy 2015 - The Country in the year of the Expo, which was held in Pompeii, and which was the third such event after that held in Milan and Florence, Maurizio Martina, the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies, outlined the main events that will take place during the six-month run of Expo Milano 2015, which opens on May 1.

Four sets of events are scheduled. These are:

• National Days at Expo Milano 2015 (Le giornate nazionali di Expo 2015)

• Expo Milano 2015’s International Days for the Charter of Milan (Le giornate internazionali di Expo 2015 verso la Carta di Milano)

• Women for Expo

• Le feste di Expo 2015

Each will be occasions for having fun and learning, and each will be complemented by a program of other initiatives devised by the Participating Countries, the objective being that the Expo’s theme: Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life will become a common objective worldwide.

National Days at Expo Milano 2015: sharing worldwide knowledge as well as food

Between May and October, the Exhibition Site will be the venue for a number of National Days at Expo Milano 2015 (Le giornate nazionali di Expo Milano 2015). These occasions are when the Participating Countries mark their attendance at the Universal Exposition in the presence of national officials. Taking their cue from the Expo’s theme: Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life, the individual nations will share their traditions, food, and technological expertise.

Expo Milano 2015’s International Days for the Charter of Milan: a major worldwide celebration

Dedicated to raising awareness of topics related to the theme of Expo Milano 2015, which is: Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life, these International Days, or to say it in Italian: “Le giornate internazionali di Expo 2015 verso la Carta di Milano”, will include celebrations for Europe Day (La Giornata dell’Europa), World Environment Day (Giornata mondiale dell’ambiente), and World Food Day (la Giornata dell’alimentazione), among others, and will be marked by events of various kinds, including speaker meetings.

Many of these special days have been created by the Assembly General of the United Nations, or by the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The countries participating in Expo Milano 2015 will be inviting visitors to join them in examining the great challenges that the world faces, and which will impact all of us, most of which relate to food, resources, and sustainability.

Women for Expo: women as the key to the world’s food system

WE-Women for Expo addresses the subject of food and sustainability, and does so, at a Universal Exposition, for the first time from the viewpoint of women. Scheduled from May 18 to July 6, the program of events for Women for Expo will explore how the role of women in agriculture can be enhanced. Among the topics under consideration will be food security, education, sustainability, and women in business.

Fun at Expo 2015: tasty travels for all

Throughout the run of the Universal Exposition, in other words, between May and October, food will be an occasion for enjoyment and sharing. Thanks to the program of events entitled Le Feste di Expo 2015, milk, cocoa, pasta, rice, and more, will be in the spotlight thanks to a program of events organized by Expo Milano 2015. These will be realized in cooperation with the Italian Pavilion, where visitors can explore Italy’s excellence in terms of food, as well as sustainability; they can also see the exhibits put on by some of the country’s leading trade and professional associations. Discovering more about the history of food, the best of Italian cuisine – and that of the other countries taking part in Expo Milano 2015 -- will be an excellent way of travelling the globe, via one’s taste buds. It promises to be an enjoyable, tasty, and fun experience!