MED EMPORION

The project's aim is to valorize local markets as strengths for urban development. The idea of the project is to valorize the links between towns and markets and is based on the assumption that markets play a central role within the towns and territories from an economic, cultural, social and touristic approach, as well as in the spatial planning because they create activity, trade, tourism, and cohesion. Markets are a natural laboratory of intercultural dialogue. The project proposes the trans national cooperation of different towns in the MED zone that experienced a long tradition of economic, commercial and urban development linked with the existence of local markets. The market is indeed a place for gathering, but also a place for living and meeting of different cultures: markets are filling a spatial function within city centers. This is why the project proposes the implementation of common trans national actions that are: one research about the valorization of markets, and another one about local food production (and its valorization in local markets places); 4 local pilot actions about the urban regeneration of local markets and, the organization of food festivals in the different partnering towns, the implementation of a large integrated communication campaign and the organization of visits and trans national working groups (focus groups).

State of the art of project implementation since the project start 4. Description of the Results: Conclusions: The Congress can be considered a success in terms both of audience and discussions. It has been the first Congress on this topic organized in Europe, focusing specifically on food retail markets and its role in our cities. The Congress was a significant opportunity of presenting the project results to a wider audience (many representatives of European cities assisted, a part of our project partners) and reached a remarkable media coverage. But beyond that, the symposium provided an opportunity to look at two major aspects: market management and the importance of fresh food in markets. The discussion around the former led to several conclusions, including the need for renovating markets to make them more competitive, an ongoing change in the outlook of market traders through training, and the issue of opening times. The other workshop focused on produce. Participants agreed that a new definition of fresh food, with added value, trust and professionalisation were features that set markets apart. They also discussed questions like a fair price for their produce and listened to ideas like influencing customers with quality produce. 4.PUBLISHABLE INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT 4.1. Description of activities, outputs and results since the project start. During the first reporting period: - Conception and construction of the project web page. - Two coordination meetings (June and ending September. The second one was used to plan the second semester) - Adoption of internal management procedures. -Administrative organization. Setting up of coordination teams. Appointment of area’s responsible. - Elaboration of the pilot project, research, Food Market and communication guidelines. - Establishing each project activity joint chronogram. - Edition of the project leaflets. - Elaboration of the project graphic guideline, (common image, logos…) - Organization and celebration of the Marseille’s Gastronomare Food Market Festival. - Gastronomare’s webpage. - Newsletter. - Public presentation of the project in Barcelona and Marseille (press conference). Main activities and outputs realised during the second semester. - Uploading of news and contents to the project web: www.medemporion.eu and project newsletters. - Distribution program of the project leaflets and brochures. - Drafting of the project’s contacts Database by each partner. - Setting up and preparation of the pilot projects. Barcelona starts execution and the rest have already elaborated its strategic plans. - Setting up of the Research methodology, coordination team, objectives and mapping of the involved territories. The Research starts. - Organization of a Markets expert’s roundtable in Torino with politics and important markets. - Preparation of most of the project most important public activities: The Torino’s Food Market Festival, the communication medemporion activity with occasion of the Pallio delle Regate in Genoa and the preparation of the Barcelona’s Food Market (Mercat de Mercats). All of them will be executed in the third semester and because of the responsibility involved in organizing public events, with a consistent activities program, seller’s coordination and communication campaign, it has taken a lot of time. The objective is to make people conscious of the values of markets, their Mediterranean character, and the benefits of a healthier nourishment, to improve the knowledge of Mediterranean products. - Public presentation of the project in Torino and Genoa (press conference). Main activities and outputs realised during the third semester. From this semester onwards, following the advises of our project instructor, we will include in this section strictly the most relevant outputs that may have some interest for the general external communication activities: - Barcelona. Pilot project. Interactive web page “Menjo de Mercat”. In the frame of the Barcelona pilot project, an already working interactive web page has been created, in which the school students that take part in our pilot project “menjo de mercat” can make their homework linked with this subject, upload and download videos and documents and learn about the nutritional values of the products, food markets, receipts and much more. There can be find also the set of working documents that compose our pilot project under the section “material didactic”. Each student has a password and a personal account in the webpage. Also reported in the Barcelona Annexes. o The webpage can be found in the following link: www.menjodemercat.cat - “Agricultural Market” of Genoa, with occasion of the Palio delle Regate Marinare. Genoa organized a small food Fair with 24 stands with representation of the local products of each “Marinare Republic”, (Genoa, Pisa, Amalfi and Venice), plus Torino, who was also present as project partner. There was also a MED EMPORION stand, with information of the project, brochures and roll ups. This is not a Food Market Festival of the project as such, but was used as a “communication activity”, in order to make the Genoese citizens aware of the MED EMPORION project and learn about its goals. As a Fair, had however the same “general objectives” than the others, which are making the people conscious of the values of the Mediterranean food and diet, of our markets and Mediterranean tradition. The project tries to combine more theoretical or scientific activities like the Research, with others that have a strong public impact, like the Fairs. - Pilot project of Genoa. A very exhaustive Report and description of the Genoa’s pilot project is included in the Annexes. With this document, Genoa concludes the pilot project first execution phase and catches the timing of the rest of the project partners. - Torino Food Market Festival. A huge Market Fair was organized in Torino the last June, which obtained a large number of quotes of specialized food reviews and general newspapers, both Italian and International, as it can be seen in our Annexes. During these days the already biggest market of Europe was even enlarged with a number of other Mediterranean cities stands, activities, cooking laboratories, seminars on markets and a large etcetera. It obtained a big success of public. Photos, videos and reports can be seen in the Torino Annexes. The definitive report on the event is currently being compiled and will be submitted the next semester. - Research. The Research has done its first visible steps with the Study travels, (Fes, Zagreb, Lujblana and Istanbul) which account four during this semester and (a report for each one of the visits can be obtained in the Annexes. Together with the travels is being enlarged the experts network that will work in assessing on the research or directly be involved in the drafting of some chapters. Barcelona has also concluded a first draft of what should be the Index of the first part. Finally, a Seminar on markets management was hold in Torino with occasion of its Food Market Festival. To avoid nonsense working, the documentation of this section (index, study visits reports) is not translated, since it is already foreseen to get the final edition, with the conclusions and reports, also in English. Fourth Reporting period: An exhaustive listing of this publishable material can be found as Annex, together with a more explicit reference to them in the Section 6 (involvement of partners in the implementation of the project activities). - Celebration of the Barcelona’s Market Fair, Mercat de Mercats. Many publishable documentation, brochures and photos are annexed to this report. - Signature of the Manifesto on Markets, Barcelona. Video and photos. - Critical developments of PP of Marseille and Genoa. Presentation of documents. (Only partially, the lacking ones will be presented during the next reporting period). - Definitive implementation of the Barcelona’s PP, not any more as a pilot but as an institutionalized activity, in many schools of the Barcelona province. Publishable brochure and web page. Fifth Reporting Period: Concerning articles and press releases related to project activities, please, see: Genoa’s press release of it’s market Fair. Press release of the CCIM (Marseille), on its pilot project. Concerning project’s published documents: Genoa: Global Study on the Genoa’s markets to be included in the Research. Genoa (inauguration panels and photos of the physical and programs regeneration of the “Mercato delle Carmine” (pilot project) Conservatoria Piemonte and Annex 2 Barcelona, are both not yet publishable versions of the Research, but they are already finished in terms of contents. In the next reporting period we will deliver the documentation. Torino, contains a visual Report on the Torino’s Food Market Fair. Concerning communication material (promotional leaflets, brochures…) Genoa: the Genoa’s Festival communication material (“Genoa, market of land & sea”) :folder, banners, invitation, playbill, posters, totem, tickets. CCIM Marseille: Publication of a charter for farmers’ markets and a seasonal fruits and vegetables calendar (double sided printing) CCIM Marseille: All the farmers of the farmers’ market of Cours Julien have been visited to make photos of their farm and to interview them about the way they are producing. These data have then been compiled on plastified posters. They’ve been printed and producers now use them on the farmers’ market. IMMB Barcelona: Power Point of presentation of the MED EMPORION project to the MED Program follow-up Committee. IMMB Barcelona: Promotional video of promotion of the project contents. Also displayed with occasion of the MED EMPORION presentation. Sixth Reporting Period. - Concerning articles and press releases related to project activities, please, see: The following news has been uploaded in the project’s website: - The celebration of the Market of Market Fair second Edition. - The celebration of the MED Program Annual Event and the presentation of the MED EMPORION project. - New on the evolving of the Barcelona’s Pilot Project. - Torino. Update on the Pilot Project. - Conservatoria Piemonte: Update on the Research IInd Section. - Genoa: New on the Market Fair. - Concerning project’s published documents, please, see: The most significant documents published during this semester are the two main Researches on markets that had to be developed during the project life: - Comparative Research on MED Markets: “The markets of the Mediterranean. Management models and Good Practices”, delivered by Barcelona, and containing not only a set of good practices for our markets to adapt to the challenges of the XXIst century, in terms of consumer trends, demands, environmental practices, linking city-countryside, the promotion of healthy alimentary habits and commerce of proximity, but also a comparative research on several topics of the markets of the project partners and the ones of other significant cities of the Mediterranean area. - The Research leaded by Conservatoria del Piemonte: “Light on Porta Palazzo. The market that never turns off”, focusing on the study of implementation of Km 0 strategies and short supply chain. This research includes an analysis on markets characteristics and potential and can be used as a sort of “business plan” to increase the markets attractiveness, as well as guiding criteria to help the cities to include the markets in its urban planning strategies. - Final document completing the other sections of the Pilot Project of Marseille, consisting in a printed brochure defining the “Methodology for the creation of farmer’s markets”. This guide is offering a methodology for the setting up, management and long term sustainability of the farmers markets. It contains new proposals experienced and tested in a pilot basis during the project life. - Concerning communication material (promotional leaflets, brochures…) Not very significant in comparison to previous communication material already reported in previous semesters, but Genoa has produced a logo and a card of the Regional Winery (last activities developed to complete its pilot project) The pilot project’s “Methodology document” developed by CICM Marseille has also a communication objective, which is reflected in its printing, adapting the format of a brochure. Design, editing, graphic concept and realization of a promotional bag made from recycled material taken from the promotional posters, once posted in the area, of past Med Emporion events happened in Torino. The bag is realized in 285 copies and will be distributed to the official delgations coming to Torino in order to raise the awareness of institutional representatives on urban markets. Latest project activities and outputs The Final Congress on Mediterranean Markets has produced several documentation and communication material. Given that it was conceived for a particular event, we don’t consider it significant enough to be “published”, as required in the heading of this section. However, to be exhaustive, we list the following items, included in the annexes: Concerning articles and press releases related to project activities, please, see: Annex 6: Social Networks (review of some comments published related to the event) and statistics New in the Medemporion webpage. - Before the event: Annex 8 - After the event: Annex 9 Press release, Annex 10 Concerning project’s published documents: Any. The Project Researches were distributed during the Congress among specialized public, but they were already reported in previous semesters. Concerning communication material (promotional leaflets, brochures…) Annex 1. Agenda of the Congress. Annex 5: Communication material: roll ups, poster, ... Next key steps for the project submission of the Seventh and the Final Progress Report and financial Claim.