QUALITALY_134

May/June 2023 I MAGAZINE AT PAGE 1 An expression of solidarity We are so caught up in the busy rhythms of our lives, swamped by daily activities, taken by social media and the news that we are roused from the slumber of the self only in the face of calamities - or football events. Events that prompt us to expressions of solidarity are increasingly rare. We have all seen the images of the devastating flood that hit Emilia-Romagna last May, but we have not fully realised the gravity of what happened, so much so that, except for those who were affected, each of us has returned to their frenetic and hedonistic existence. One hundred municipalities affected, fourteen dead and over thirty-six thousand displaced. This is the scale of the human tragedy. But the cost increases when we think about the repercussions. As for our agri-food sector, 42% of the agricultural area has been affected by the events, involving more than 41 thousand workers, more than half of those employed in the sector in Emilia-Romagna. Nearly 21,000 farms were impacted. The fruit and vegetable and wine crops affected by the flood represent about 45% of the regional fruit and vegetable growing area. The impact on the livestock sector is also huge, involving pigs, sheep, guinea fowl, turkeys, chickens, cattle, horses. Without taking into account the damage to processing companies (stocks, facilities, machinery, production stoppages) and the damage deriving from the suspension of cultivation operations, including tomato transplants for processing. An economically viable sector, and so important for the region’s inhabitants. As a result, the seventy agricultural members of the Ravenna Cooperative Cab Ter.Ra, have sacrificed their land and their crops to ensure the safety of the local population. Agreeing to the cutting of a levee while seeing their orchards, greenhouses, fields and farms destroyed. Yet, says President Lino Bacchilega in an interview, “We looked each other in the eye and already knew that a rejection would be an unforgivable shame. “In the first place, collective interest means being normal citizens, not heroes. I caught fear, sadness, concern, but most of all pride in the eyes of the members for not betraying our values.” Solidarity and values are the very reason for humanity. To paraphrase Kant, the solidarity of mankind is not only beautiful but a necessity of being. Let’s remember it more often. Stand in solidarity and act! Enjoy your read! By Lorenzo Morelli AT PAGE 3 Let’s get ready for a record summer! Dear colleagues, when I was asked to write for this issue of Qualitaly I repeatedly wondered what would be an interesting topic for a category, such as ours, that is preparing for the upcoming summer season. Well, I decided to do some research and, the numbers I discovered - and which I want to share with you, - really got me thinking. According to forecasts made by the Demoskopika Institute, the summer of 2023 looks set to be a record one for Italian tourism: in fact, there 68 million tourists are expected in Italy and almost 267 million overnight stays with a growth of 4.3% and 3.2% compared to the same period in 2022. The figures for tourist spending are also incredible, with an estimated 46 billion euro and a growth of 5.4% compared to 2022. “Net of scenarios within the expected margins of error,” explained Demoskopika president MAY/JUN 2023 MAGAZINE Traduzione a cura di Christopher Farley