Carlo Petrini
The global movement enters a new chapter, strengthening communities and projects that embody its founder’s vision
Following three days of silence in memory of founder Carlo Petrini, Slow Food today outlines how it will continue moving forward as a global movement, reaffirming its commitment to a food system that is good, clean and fair for all.
At a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and widening inequalities, Slow Food reiterates its role as a collective force rooted in local realities worldwide, carrying forward Petrini’s vision and values into this next phase.
Active in over 150 countries, Slow Food connects farmers, fishers, cooks, activists, and young people across local food systems and in a uniquely diverse global network.
“Carlo taught us that commitment can be carried with lightness, with courage, depth, and trust in one another,” said Edward Mukiibi, President of Slow Food. “We are a multitude, and together we can build the future.”
Terra Madre 2026: a turning point for the movement
This new chapter will take shape at Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2026 (Turin, Italy, September 24–27), a defining moment for Slow Food and its global network. Conceived by Carlo Petrini as a visionary gathering, Terra Madre will, for the first time, bring together the global network he created in his absence, more united than ever and deeply committed to a shared mission.
Alongside Terra Madre, the International Participants’ Assembly will convene Slow Food representatives from around the world to set priorities and guide the future direction of the movement.
“Terra Madre 2026 will be both a tribute and a turning point,” said Edward Mukiibi, President of Slow Food. “It is also an opportunity to reaffirm the vision that guides us: a globalization grounded in local communities, a network that expands without homogenizing food and standardizing tastes, that connects without erasing diversity, and that values indigenous knowledge rather than replacing it.”
Gardens in Africa: a living legacy
Among Petrini’s most tangible legacies, the Slow Food Gardens in Africa project continues to grow as a concrete response to today’s challenges, promoting sustainable agriculture, food sovereignty, and education across communities.
“In those gardens, we see an agriculture that nourishes people, regenerates the land and strengthens communities, showing us the future we want”, said Mukiibi. Since 2011, the program has supported 3,490 school and community gardens in 38 countries, involving over 500,000 people. In 2024, 97% of participating households reported improved access to fresh, healthy food, while 89% reported increased income or financial stability.
To honor this legacy, Slow Food has launched a dedicated donation initiative:
https://donate.slowfood.com/
A global movement moving forward
Through its network of farmers, fishers, cooks, youth, and activists across the world, Slow Food enters this new phase with a renewed sense of shared responsibility.
“We do not look to the past with nostalgia, but to the future with determination,” Mukiibi said. “The legacy we have received is not only an inheritance, it is a responsibility we carry together, every day, in every community.”
More information
Terra Madre 2026: https://2026.
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