PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF RAILWAY STATIONS

In the future they will be places of transit, cultural meetings and trade exchanges

Reggio Emilia, 7 February 2005 - Parmigiano-Reggiano welcomed the participants of the conference "Next Station, le stazioni ferroviarie del futuro", the first International Conference on Railway Stations held in Rome from 2 to 4 February. In the wonderful scenario of the Roman Aquarium, a Liberty masterpiece of the early 20th century, the participants arriving from all over the world to talk about the future evolution of railway stations found an impeccably cut wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese waiting for them and accompanying them throughout the buffet together with a close cousin, Parma Ham.

Following the invitation from the organisers - the International Union of Railways and the College of Italian Railway Engineers - the Consortium participated in the convention not only because Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the icons of good Italian food worldwide, but especially to present - as Leo Bertozzi, Director of the Consortium, stated - a PDO product closely linked to its area of origin, yet characterised by global connotations that make it suitable for the cuisine and gastronomic preparations of the restaurants of future and ultramodern railway stations all over the world.

The plastic models of these stations witnessed how, within new urban and architectural scenarios, an unprecedented role of railway stations as transit places will develop (in Europe stations see a transit of 13 billion people a year, i.e. 35 million people a day), but also a role as places where to hold cultural events, meetings with people, trading exchanges, and as seats for cinemas and restaurants.