La Nuova Sardegna

The Costa Smeralda celebrated Sardinian centenarians in the beautiful setting of Porto Cervo Marina. A twinning between Sardinia and the Japanese islands of Okinawa in the sign of longevity. The Costa Smeralda Consortium hosted yesterday the second edition of “Longevity Fest”, an event of great appeal that allowed to develop the anthropological and cultural analysis of longevity, comparing two of the most important “Blue Zones” in the world: the island of Okinawa and Sardinia, in the presence of researchers and specialists. The event represented a new stage in the territorial marketing program “Insula-Sardinia Quality World”, promoted by the Regional Department of Tourism, Handicrafts and Trade and Cipnes Gallura, to present the uniqueness values of the Sardinian destination. The Longevity Fest project, conceived and produced by director Pietro Mereu and Ilex Production, was developed and coordinated, in its second edition, by the Costa Smeralda Consortium and the Agrifood and Territorial Marketing Division of Cipnes Gallura, through an in-depth talk. An excerpt of the documentary on the island of Okinawa, “Kentannos”, directed by Victor Cruz, was screened, which was followed by a panel discussion entitled “Okinawa and Sardinia: so far away, so close”, in which the similarities and differences between the two Blue Zones emerged.
In addition to the artistic director, Pietro Mereu, director and founder of Longevity Fest, the talk featured Giovanni Mario Pes, researcher at the University of Sassari and Blue Zone co-founder. «Gallura's is a very interesting case – explained Pes, associate professor of Food Science at the University of Sassari –. Already 20 years ago some long-lived municipalities emerged, such as Arzachena and La Maddalena, and the current data seem to confirm that evidence. What amazed us – he stressed – was that these were flat territories, in contrast to the other long-lived municipalities in Sardinia, which were mountainous. This phenomenon should be studied: I believe that, if there is support from the public administrations, which are called upon to give access to the civil status records, I will deal with it with great passion».
During the evening event, the contents of the thematic action “The Paths of Food and Wine Tourism”, a journey through longevity and values of the Sardinian-Mediterranean diet, by Massimo Masia, Insula project manager, were illustrated.
«We are pleased that Sardinian excellence can also include longevity, a peculiarity of our territory that is a further testimony to the value of the context in which we live – stressed Renzo Persico, president of the Costa Smeralda Consortium –. Hosting the world event on longevity in the future as well will have a strategic value for us, both for its attractiveness and for the cultural depth that its contents present». On the other hand, the head of the Agrifood and Territorial Marketing Division of Cipnes, Massimo Masia, emphasized how «in the articulated path of promotion and internationalization of the destination Sardinia promoted by the Region and Cipnes Gallura, we love to tell about a land that is more than its beautiful sea and white beaches, a magical place rich in history, biodiversity and symbol of longevity and quality of life. We are one of the 5 “Blue Zone areas” in the world with the highest ratio of centenarians per inhabitants, a mix of genetic, environmental factors, quality of life and nutraceutical values of the foods that are the basis of the Sardinian-Mediterranean diet».