Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight. I’m Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I’m Rebekah Schipper. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Imagine this situation. You are at a school. It is time for the mid-day meal. All the children bring out their food and prepare to eat. Everything is fine until one child has the idea to throw his food at another child. He takes a piece of his fruit. And he throws it. The fruit hits a young girl right in the face. A direct hit! Next, she throws part of her food back. Soon all the children start throwing their food. Food is flying everywhere! It is a food fight!
Voice 2
You have probably heard of food fights before. You may have even been in a food fight yourself! But have you ever heard of food creating peace? Today’s Spotlight is on two groups that use food to work for peace.
Voice 1
For a few weeks each year Turin, Italy is filled with lots and lots of food - good food. For ten [10] years people have gathered together in Turin to celebrate Salone del Gusto--the Exhibition of Taste. People can taste food from many different places. And, in 2006, everyone at Salone del Gusto sat down together to eat a peace meal. Cooks from Palestine and Israel prepared the meal. Their people have been at war for many years. But their love of good food brought them together! Salone del Gusto is a celebration of food and peace created by the Slow Food movement.
Voice 2
The Slow Food movement started in 1989 by a group of concerned people. These people were concerned about the state of the world’s food. They were sad to discover that local food and local food traditions were beginning to disappear. That is because many people around the world like the Western idea of “fast food.” Eating places like McDonalds, Burger King, and Pizza Hut serve food. And they serve it fast! Fast food is becoming more and more popular around the world. But, Slow Food believes that fast food has started to replace family meals, local food, and local food traditions.
Voice 1
Slow Food believes people have lost interest in food. Today, many people do not think about what they eat. They do not care where it comes from, how it tastes, or how their food choices affect the rest of the world. Do you ever think about your food? Do you ever think about where it comes from? Do you ever think about how the food you eat may affect the lives of others?
Voice 2
The people of Slow Food have very firm beliefs about food. They believe that food should taste good. Food should be produced in a clean way. The food we eat should not hurt the environment, animals, or the health of people. That is why they say that chemicals and food should not mix. Chemicals can harm the environment, animals, and people. And finally, Slow Food believes that food producers should receive fair pay for their work no matter where they live.
Voice 1
So, what do you eat? Where does your food come from? Are there harmful chemicals in your food? Is the person who grew your food being paid fairly? These are questions that Slow Food would like you to ask!
Voice 2
The people of Slow Food use food celebrations to teach people about their food choices. At the 2006 Salone del Gusto, Slow Food held events and discussions to teach people about the food they eat.
Voice 1
First at Salone del Gusto, Slow Food encouraged people to buy food responsibly. Slow food wants people to support their local farmers. So, people should buy food that is grown locally. All farmers should receive fair pay for what they produce. Also at the event, Slow Food asked people to only buy the food they need. People should not waste food. Recently the World Wildlife Fund created a report. The report stated that people are using resources faster than the earth can produce them. Food is a resource.
Voice 2
Second, Slow Food taught people about traditional farming. Traditional farming does not use chemicals to grow food. And traditional farmers treat their animals with care.
Voice 1
Finally, Slow Food discussed the link between war and food. Existing wars destroy needed food crops. So, war can cause people to go hungry. And, many people may not understand that food can cause war. Slow Food reminds people that wars have started over lack of food. And if people do not buy responsibly more wars may start in the future!
Voice 2
And that is why Slow Food joined with Chefs for Peace at the 2006 Salone del Gusto. Chefs for Peace is another group that believes food can bring peace. Together these two groups decided to hold a “peace meal.”
Voice 1
Chefs for Peace started in 2001. The idea is that the love of food can bring people together - even people who may come from warring nations. Kevork Alemian started Chefs for Peace. One day he found himself cooking with two Palestinians and two Israelis - people who have been at war for many years.
Voice 3
“I watched these four cooks working together in the kitchen preparing food. It came into my mind that we should do something together.”
Voice 1
Kevork described his time with the cooks as being great fellowship, great fun, and great food!
Voice 2
Chefs for Peace wants to encourage peace between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The people at Chefs for Peace believe that peace must start on common ground. People cannot disagree on everything! So, the idea is to find something common to do or to talk about. Chefs for Peace believes that everyone has food in common! Kevork says
Voice 3
“People have to eat. Let us just sit around the table and eat and enjoy together. But no talking politics.”
Voice 1
Slow Food and Chefs for Peace give people a new way to think about food. The food we eat can affect many things. It can affect the environment, animals, our health and even the lives of other people! Food can cause wars. And food can bring people together in peace.
Voice 2
Have you ever thought about preparing your own peace meal? It is simple. Just invite people you know to a meal. But make sure that everyone helps to prepare it! The idea is to bring people together. And it is something all of us can do. I am sure that would be the best food we would ever taste.
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