PUNTOITALY N°2 - July - December 2012

183 MIG HALF A CENTURY OF GELATO Among all the other trade fairs dedicated to the world of gelato, Mig, the International Artisan Gelato Expo, stands out as an exhibition of historic importance. The first Expo was held in December 1959 at Longarone (Bel- luno Province, Italy), transforming the city into a true gelato capital. The event was organised at the wishes of the artisans in the district, at the meeting point between the gelato makers of Valle di Zoldo and Valle del Cadore, who would return to their homes at the end of the sea- son of work in the gelato shops in Germany, Austria and other European countries. Over time, the Expo has as- sumed an increasingly important role, as witnessed by the 30,000 people attending annually, almost half of whom are made up of foreign operators representing about fifty countries. Particularly significant in this sense is the fact that Artglace, the European Confederation of Artisan Gelatiers, has chosen to establish its headquarters at the Longarone Fiere centre. During the opening days there are conferences on the most pressing issues of the day, meetings, and some international competitions that are now part of the history of the Expo, ranging from the Gold Cup to the Festival of Original Creations. A notable event is also the award of the “Gelato Outlets on the Web Prize” for the best gelato shop websites, and of the “Master Gelatiers Prize”, awarded to a family or person who has contributed to the promotion of artisan gelato in the world. STUDY AND TRAINING CENTRE Besides the Mig Expo, Longarone Fiere is the promoter of a series of initiatives at the service of the world of gelato. A project has recently been approved to set up, at the trade fair centre, the “Documentation, Information and Training Centre for Artisan Gelato.” In particular, the Cen- tre will promote the regular collection and dissemina- tion of news relating to artisan gelato, and will process the statistical data valuable for understanding develop- ments and trends. Conferences and meetings for the ex- change of information will also be organised on topics relating to the entrepreneurial growth of the work of gelato makers. In addition, at the premises of the Con- ference Centre of Longarone Fiere, a new gelato kitchen has recently been completed. The space is available to all those – trade associations and gelato businesses first and foremost – who wish to organise professional re- fresher courses and events at Longarone during the year. FOOD-AND-DRINK • PASTRY • GELATO