Terra Madre Day is the official Slow Food Day of action and celebration, celebrated annually on December 10th among local Slow Food groups across the globe. This year, 318 events in 86 countries gather communities, producers, activists, farmers, and members to take action for a better future for food systems.
The day is a moment to highlight initiatives and successes of the year, invite new members and activists into the movement, plan for the year ahead, and showcase the values of Slow Food by honoring those who produce our food and telling the stories of local biodiversity and food heritage.
This year, local groups all over the Nordic countries have marked the day with events ranging from communal meals and tastings to workshops and cooking demos.
Slow Food Danmark Honors Local Producers
Slow Food Danmark annually marks the day by awarding Slow Food diplomas to producers, restaurants, venues, or food activists who work in line with Slow Food’s values.
Carsten Lunding, the former chair of Slow Food Danmark, tells us that many are very moved by receiving the diploma.
“To get this kind of feedback means a lot in this field. It is hard work to build a reputation for products that you can vouch for, tell their stories, and, in addition, the hard physical work that goes into production,” Lunding says.
The diplomas are also a means for the group to show how Slow Food is so much more than a members organisation – it is a network of people, farmers, producers, activists, fishers, and more – working together for a more sustainable food system, locally and globally. Through the nomination process and jury work, the group also strengthens its dialogue with restaurants and producers, gives them visibility, and involves members in the process.
Everyday Food the Theme This Year
So how does it work? Members and people in the Slow Food network submit suggestions explaining who the nominee is and why they are worthy of a diploma. A jury carefully evaluates all the nominees and selects 3–5 winners. As chair of the jury, a previous year’s recipient leads the work.
This year, for the first time, all the nominees were presented on Slow Food Danmarks’ social media channels, giving them valuable visibility and the opportunity to share their work and information about their operations.
Simon Milwertz Philipsen, chef, teacher, and vinegar brewer of Simons Kogeskole, was the chair of the jury. Passionate about everyday food, this was especially emphasized in this year’s process.
“I thought I knew something about the Danish food landscape, but I’ve become wiser, and my world has become bigger,” Milwertz Philipsen says about the nomination process.
“All food comes from nature, and it can be easy to forget in everyday life, where everything moves so fast. With the Slow Food nominations, there is some honesty, where marketing is not the most important thing. We have food in common regardless of our differences; everyone must eat and drink, ” Milwertz Philipsen concludes.
Award Ceremony at Grønt Marked
Slow Food Danmark regularly collaborates with Grønt Marked in Copenhagen, a farmers’ market that makes local, fresh, and seasonal produce more accessible to everyone.
The award ceremony took place at the market on Sunday, the 7th of December, as part of the Christmas-themed market program. During the ceremony, market-goers had the chance to get to know the producers and listen to their stories, daily work, what inspires them, and their visions for the future. Exactly what Terra Madre Day is all about – honoring those who produce our food.
Meet the Slow Food Danmark Diploma Winners
Thorup Marked
(seasonal food market)
Peter Plant and Liljan Wagner Smitt
“We started as ‘food missionaries’ 15 years ago. We promote local food and invented the term “Kilometer food”. On all labels of the products at the market, you can see how far they have traveled – 500 meters, 2 kilometers. Now, Thorup Marked has become a meeting place and a tourist attraction. Local food is the answer to many, many things. At the food stalls, we serve plant-based meals that taste really good. It is a social experience in a lovely context.”
Hideaway Vingård (winery)
Karin Hvidtfeldt and Lou Langdon
“Sometimes it’s unbelievable how fast you have to run to make slow food. A pat on the back is welcome when you have worked on it for 20 years. We have transformed an old apple and plum orchard into a vineyard with a winery, a wildlife habitat, a biodiversity garden, and a grove with 70 varieties of figs. It takes sweat and muscle, but the hard work is one long declaration of love for our vines and soil.”
Veronique Delhalle of Kolibri (organic packaging free grocery store)
“It’s great to get some ‘wind beneath the wings’ right now, as I expand my shop from 24 square meters to 100. I meet the customers where they are and get hugs from customers I didn’t know before.”
Vestjyllands Højskole (high school)
“Our food culture is under pressure. When you serve food for 80 students plus teaching staff for four meals a day, it is tempting to cut corners to make it work. But the kitchen has chosen that it can take time, be a little difficult, and cost what good ingredients now cost. The kitchen has been organic since the 1990s, so it lies at the heart of our core values.”
Jazzed on Grains
Small batch pasta producer using old Danish grain varieties (not present at the award ceremony).
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