Cerealia 2016 – The Cereal Festival

The 6th edition of Cerealia was dedicated to the Kingdom of Morocco. Bread served as one of the central threads of the festival, beginning with the presentation in Pompeii on May 28 of ancient Roman bread, and culminating in Rome with the Bread of Hospitality, offered by local bakers for the Jubilee.
A scientific seminar at the FIDAF headquarters in Rome addressed “Agriculture and Sustainability”, with particular focus on wheat, exploring future scenarios for agriculture and food production in light of the challenges of 2050.
The festival also highlighted new rurality and the role of agriculture as a tool for community regeneration, emphasizing the importance of local communities in protecting territory and landscape. In collaboration with the Gustolab International Institute for Food Studies, a video documentary presented examples of social agriculture and community-based economy in the Lazio region.
A special feature of this edition was visiting experimental wheat fields, made possible through partnerships with the University of Tuscia, the University of Perugia, and the Centro Appenninico del Terminillo “Carlo Jucci”, allowing several visits to the experimental fields at the Rieti Base Station. In Rieti, a rich program of initiatives ran from June 9 to 13, including visits to the Regia Stazione di Granicoltura di Nazareno Strampelli and a conference on the prospects of grain cultivation.
Tarquinia, participating in Cerealia for the third consecutive year, also hosted a full program of initiatives open to schools starting in April, promoted by a network of public and private organizations.
Rome, as the festival’s main hub, featured a rich and diverse four-day program, offering deep cultural insights into Morocco. Attendees experienced the country’s traditions and innovations, exploring its scents and flavors. The Morocco-focused program included conferences, dance and music performances, poetry readings, film screenings, documentary projections, and reconstructions of daily life, with particular attention to rural traditions and women’s roles.
Confirming its diffused festival structure, Cerealia spread across the capital, from the center to the periphery, with events held in multiple locations, including the Collina della Pace Municipal Library (Borgata Finocchio), the Società Geografica, the Auditorium of Mecenate, the Campagna Amica Farmers’ Market at Circo Massimo, the Domus Romana, and the Capannelle Farmers’ Market.
Additional activities took place in Calabria (Vibo Valentia), organized by the local Archeoclub d’Italia, and in November, a conference was held in Milan.
The promoters of this edition, alongside the cultural association M.Th.I., were the Archeoclub d’Italia – Rome branch and Aisu verso Itaca, in collaboration with Agroalimentare in Rosa, the Moroccan Embassy, the Consulate General of Milan, and Moroccan communities in Italy.
Many technical and organizational partners and patron institutions also contributed to the festival’s success, and they are sincerely thanked for their support.

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