Project presented for us pavilion at Milan Expo 2015

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Project presented for us pavilion at Milan Expo 2015

By Emily Backus (ANSA.IT) 15:57, November 26, 2013

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Milan, November 22 - The group Friends of the US Pavilion has presented the concept for the American pavilion at the food-themed Milan Expo 2015.

The Milan Expo has so far signed up nearly 140 countries to participate in the Universal Exposition which will take place May 31-October 1, 2015 under the theme ''Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life''.

The US government has not opted to directly sponsor a pavilion, but to promote a project to be funded by private donors.

The Friends of the US Pavilion group is looking to raise 45 million dollars from the private sector for the project, which was one of the subjects discussed between US President Barack Obama and Premier Enrico Letta when the Italian head of government made a State visit to Washington D.C. last month.

The Friends of the US Pavilion project is a joint effort of the James Beard Foundation, a culinary culture non-profit in honour of a bestselling American cookbook author, the International Culinary Center, a culinary school based in New York and San Francisco, and the American Chamber of Commerce. Entitled 'American Food 2.0: Sustainable, Innovative, Healthful, Entrepreneurial and Delicious,' the US Pavilion has been conceived as a structure shaped like a light, contemporary granary, with a massive wall of vertically planted greenery. Diversity and responsibility are pillars of the project's message, as is the idea that food is a universal language, and that the future of nutrition depends on creative political, diplomatic, social and technological solutions on a global level.

Visitors will follow a path along the food production chain from the farm to the table, and immerse themselves in the rich cultural, scientific and culinary mosaic of the 50 states of America.

Events, conferences and meetings will animate the exhibition space, but the pavilion will also make ample use of social media. A specific program - The Manifesto Project - will also be developed to furnish a white paper on business responsibilities toward food security and environmental sustainability.

Projects will also be developed for Italian students to study related subjects in US universities.

On Thursday, Premier Letta spoke via video conference at the presentation of ''Italy Agenda 2015'', illustrating initiatives taken a national and governmental level to prepare for the universal exposition ''Expo 2015 will be the driving force to find growth once more,'' Letta said, making reference to Italy's long-standing struggle with economic recession and stagnation.

''Expo 2015 will be a success only if all of Italy sees itself in this event. I believe that the message of national unity will give the best impression abroad,'' Letta added.

Italy Agenda 2015 consists of 60 projects coordinated by the Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Economy Ministry and the Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry.

Among the national efforts outlined in the presentation, the state railway company Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) is beefing up its services for Expo as well as working with airline companies to create special travel packages for students and elderly.

FS Chief Executive Mauro Moretti said agreements had already been made with Emirates, Thai Airways and Air Canada, and that Alitalia and British Airways were on the agenda for 2014.

Moretti added that FS was adding 18 connections with Swiss colleagues, retooling Milan stations beginning with the closest station to the Expo site - Rho - and increasing suburban train lines around Milan.

Moretti confirmed FS commitment to develop an ''integrated system of offers''.