OUR HISTORY
The Mediterranean Olive Oil Cities Network – RECOMED – was created in 2011 in Imperia (Liguria, Italy), one of the most important cities associated with olives and extra virgin olive oil during the 1st Mediterranean Diet Forum.
It is a non-profit organisation and its main objective is to contribute to the strengthening of olive cultivation and quality olive oil production, to the promotion of the Mediterranean identity through knowledge about olive-growing regions and their products, through a targeted economic and social strategy.
The initiator of the idea and advocate of the networking of Mediterranean olive-growing towns/regions is Enrico Lupi, currently President of the Imperia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Italy) and until recently President of the Citta dell’Olio (Italy), who has strongly and actively supported the implementation of this Mediterranean initiative for many years.
RECOMED is the continuation of FEMO (Federation of Mediterranean Oil Towns), which was the first step towards the networking of Mediterranean olive oil towns with the exclusive participation of National Networks of Olive Oil Towns.
THE MEMBERS
The founding members of the RECOMED Network are: Italy, Albania, Croatia, Greece, Israel, Morocco, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey. Lebanon became a member during the 2nd Mediterranean Diet Forum in 2012.
Today, a total of 9 countries participate in the RECOMED Network.
The organisations representing their countries in the RECOMED Network are:
- CROATIA, Croatian Olive Oil Towns Association
- GREECE, Cultural Foundation ” Routes of the Οlive Τree “
- ITALY, Italian Olive oil Towns Association “Citta dell’Olio”
- MAROCCO, Agro-pôle Olivier, Ecole Nationale Agriculture de Meknes
- MONTENEGRO, Municipality of Tivat, Maslinarsko društvo Boka
- SLOVENIA, Municipality of Koper
- SPAIN, Olive oil Towns Association AEMO
- TUNISIA, National Institute of Agricultural Research IRESA/ Olive Oil Institutes
- TURKEY, Didim Agricultural Chamber
In accordance with the Statutes and management rules of the Network, the presidency is for 2 years and passes from country to country. From January 2023 the Presidency is held by Greece (Cultural Foundation ” Routes of the Olive Tree “, President George Karabatos). The Vice-Presidents elected are Italy (Italian Olive oil Towns Association “Citta dell’Olio”) and Spain (Olive oil Towns Association AEMO).
IMPERIA, the birthplace
Imperia (Italy), the city where the idea for the Network was born, has been at the centre of important events related to the olive sector since 1983. The first international meeting on “Culture and History of the Mediterranean Diet” and the creation of ONAOO (World Organisation of Olive Oil Tasters) are some of them.
On the northwest coast of Italy, Imperia is known for its port and the production of olive and olive oil and has many attractions, among which stands out the Museo dell’Olivo Carlo Carli, one of the most important olive museums in the Mediterranean.
