“Agriculture is the pillar of our economy, wine is a fundamental sector”, Giorgia Meloni said

The Prime Minister said, “I am happy to be here at Vinitaly. Agriculture is a pillar of our economy, and wine is a fundamental sector. It only works if we combine the centuries of traditions we have with innovation and modernity, and no one can do it better than young students. This is why we are thinking about a “Made in Italy high school”. Agri-food is fundamental, the students attending the Agricultural Institutes have been far-sighted because there is nothing more linked to our culture than what they are studying, passing on, and carrying forward. And Italy thanks them. Wine is excellence and we are the number one producer and number two consumers of wine. And, I am doing my part as well”. The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni was at “Vinitaly 2023”, and together with the Ministers of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida, of Tourism, Daniela Santanchè, of Health, Orazio Schillaci and of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, awarded the students, winners of the "Enological Competition of the Agricultural Institutes of Italy", promoted by CREA. It was another moment in which the political imprint confirmed the strong presence of the Government at this edition of “Vinitaly”. Further, at the conference, “Wine: health, businesses and tourism”, Minister Lollobrigida confirmed the “multidisciplinary” approach to the topic.
“The Government must create synergy”, Lollobrigida said, “everything is connected, so the lack of synergy in politics creates degeneration, bureaucracy, which is not open to dialogue, but rather blocks things. Today, there is an excellent relationship with the Regions, beyond political affiliations, because we have to work for businesses. And, behind the companies, there is much more. There is the work of those who create it and build it through investments, and there are the workers. It is all connected. Here at Vinitaly, I have seen first-hand that the productive fabric is healthy and so is the image of Italy’s reliability, which, however, had been lacking in the last few years. The numerous presence of the Balkan countries confirms Italy’s status and we want to open new paths with these Countries where Italy must also play a role in stabilizing that area.We don’t have to re-educate anyone; Italy has never gone to other countries to exploit them, but to support them, and to improve things. This is what we must do now — help improve the countries where citizens emigrate from hunger, not by choice. And on this subject”, Lollobrigida continued, “I would like to clarify that yesterday a lot of press reported something I didn't say. I had spoken about citizens' income, which is based on the concept to help those who cannot work. And, this pillar must be strengthened. In a civilized Nation, solidarity is the first duty. Wealth must be created and be redistributed so that those who do not have the resources, can be helped. Then, I stressed several times that there is a demand for labor in agriculture, tourism, construction, and transportation, which are not humiliating and shameful jobs. Because if that were the case, when the flows of migrants are open, it would mean that the slave market opens, and not the labor market. It doesn’t have to be like this — whoever enters our Country must be treated fairly and justly. But, one thing must be clear. People who choose not to work cannot expect those who get up in the morning to go to work, to pay their salary”. According to Lollobrigida, this is linked to another subject, training, especially for students. “I am proud to have the Agricultural Institutes here. I thank them, as they are our future, and I thank the students with whom we have drawn up an important Memorandum of Understanding”.
Topics such as wine linked to health and tourism are definitely just as important. “There is not a problem of abuse in Italy like there is in some Nordic Countries, and wine and beer consumption certainly has not grown over the years here. In any case, the message is to consume wine in moderate quantities, be aware, and place it within the framework of the Mediterranean diet, which I call "Italian", and in this context wine may also have preventive functions in some cardiovascular diseases”, the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, who is also a researcher and professor of Medicine at the La Sapienza University in Rome, said. He added, “it is important to educate, not forbid, and make young people aware of how wine can be drunk responsibly, in a diet like the Mediterranean, which is typically Italian”.
Wine tourism is also important for the development of the Country, as the Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanchè underlined, “wine tourism is a fundamental sector, because it is not only accessible and sustainable tourism. It can make a difference even in the management of tourist flows. Last year, during the grape harvest, 10 million people wanted to live the experience. The grape harvest is unique, and also educational. Tourism”, Santanchè said, “in Italy is seasonal, which is why the Government wants to do more, because we have not always managed to generate income from the assets we have. People who come to Italy want to have experiences, i.e., touching traditions, values, and eating well. We have excellent wine and food, like no one else, and we must learn how to put all of our excellence into a network. But, our promotion activities are too fragmented, while others have products that are less beautiful than what we have, but sell them better. Made in Italy is the third largest brand in the world. When we travel abroad, we should wear the "Italia" hat, because the more we play as a team, the more results we will get. We must regain possession of the value of belonging, being aware of who we are and what we can do, a pride that we sometimes don't have. Ours is the most beautiful Nation in the world; if we understand this, we will be better at promoting ourselves. If we change the pace, all together, we will have no rivals, because we have to say, we are the most beautiful in the world”.
The Government, together with the companies, must step in, said the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso. “People who create jobs and workers are the driving force of the economy and Made in Italy, which is a brand, in global perception. The first imprint of Made in Italy is food, and wine in the lead. Wine, and not other foods, is at the origin of everything. The excellence of Made in Italy was born on this identity, and its "3 A's", food, furniture, and clothing. At the center”, Urso added, “there is the “Renaissance” person, who has creative art, taste, style. Made in Italy is not a place of production, but a lifestyle. We as a Government will put financial resources to help businesses grow, so that they are increasingly sustainable and competitive. And, to fight counterfeiting and Italian Sounding. We are launching a slogan, which is a project, “Work in the world and live in Italy. The possibility of remote working makes our Country strong and incomparable, so we want to attract digital workers to repopulate our villages, the most beautiful places in the world. It can be done, and we will do it”.