Friends Of The USA Pavilion Milano 2015 Join Italian Embassy For Republic Day Celebration

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015, the coalition responsible for organizing the U.S. presence at Expo Milano 2015, will join the Italian Embassy and dignitaries on June 2 to celebrate the 68^th anniversary of Italy's Republic Day and the theme of the upcoming world's fair, Expo Milano 2015. Expo Milano 2015 will also be the focus of Italy's Republic Day celebrations hosted on June 2 in New York City, San Francisco and Chicago. 

The celebration is part of a year-long series of events for the coalition that underpins the theme of Expo Milano 2015 – Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life – which promotes a global dialogue about the future of our food system. The theme of the USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 – American Food 2.0: United to Feed the Planet – will showcase American leadership on global food issues, including food security and policy, science and technology, nutrition and health, and culinary culture.

"Our countries are promoting shared prosperity and tackling the challenge of global food security," said Secretary of State John Kerry in a statement released last week. "The United States looks forward to participating in Expo Milano 2015, an important venue to raise awareness about the challenges of feeding the planet through sustainable agriculture and nutrition."

The United States is among more than 140 participating nations at Expo Milano 2015, taking place in Milan from May through October 2015. More than 20 million visitors are expected, sampling foods and exploring exhibitors' cultural traditions. The USA Pavilion program will pay tribute to America's rich agricultural history and exciting innovation-driven future with features and events that include:

• Spotlight on U.S. Innovations and Advancements - An ongoing emphasis on how U.S. industries and institutions are helping solve global food security, hunger and nutrition challenges
• A Fully-Functioning Vertical Farm - The Pavilion will feature a hydroponic green wall that rotates to face the sun and capture and recycle rainwater for irrigation. Acrobatic growers will reach the plants by catwalks, putting on a daily harvesting performance for visitors
• Food Truck Nation - Celebrating the modern street food movement, USA Pavilion food trucks will tour the U.S. this year and be present in Milan to serve iconic American street foods
• Food for Thought - Curated talks, salons, workshops, innovation accelerators and other gatherings held before, during and after Expo Milano 2015 to address the biggest issues, challenges and opportunities to feeding the planet
• Farm to Table and Back to Farm - Interactive exhibits taking visitors through the global food system from the environmental, economic and social dimensions
• James Beard American Restaurant - A showcase for fine dining and casual American cuisine separate from the USA Pavilion that will feature a rotating roster of American culinary talent

"The Expo is the most important international event on food sustainability to take place in Italy or anywhere else in the world in the coming years. This is one of the world's greatest challenges in the 21^st century," noted Ambassador of Italy to the United States Claudio Bisogniero.

"Innovative partnerships, especially public-private partnerships, are essential to the future of food security. We'll continue to work with partners who are stepping up to address food security and bring nations and organizations together so that millions more people can benefit from agricultural adaptations," said National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice. "As we work toward a post-2015 development agenda to replace the Millennium Development Goals, we will ensure that all the issues – including boosting climate resilience, improving environmental sustainability, and ending extreme poverty – remain a global priority."

The USA Pavilion is seeking sponsors to help represent the immense diversity, innovation and entrepreneurialism that the United States contributes to the global food system.

"From our food and beverage producers, to our culinary community, research organizations, technology and logistics companies, academic institutions and the individual states themselves, the U.S. plays a huge role in shaping the approach to feeding the planet. We invite those organizations to join us in this important opportunity to engage with the global community in 2015," said Dorothy Hamilton, President of the Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015.

For more information about the USA Pavilion or to become a sponsor, visit http://www.usapavilion2015.net.

About the Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015
Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a collaboration between the James Beard Foundation (JBF) and the International Culinary Center (ICC), in association with the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy, whose mission is to conceive, design, fundraise for, and produce the USA Pavilion and programs at Expo Milano 2015 under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State. Current partners include DuPont, illy, 3M, the International Culinary Center, the James Beard Foundation and McKinsey & Company.

The Pavilion's management and program is directed by President Dorothy Hamilton (founder and CEO of ICC), CEO Charlie Faas, and Chief Creative Officer Mitchell Davis (EVP of JBF). In consultation with a team of experts across the science, business, technology, agriculture, sustainability, design and other fields, the Friends organization will oversee every aspect of the project.

For more information, visit: http://www.usapavilion2015.net/ and http://en.expo2015.org/

SOURCE Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015