BRICs 라는 말이 있다. 신흥 4개국이란 말인데 브라질, 러시아, 인도 그리고 중국을 지칭하는 말이다. 왜 브라질이 먼저 일까? 우리와 앞으로 윈윈 하기에 가장 좋은 파트너이기 때문이 아닐까 생각한다. 브라질은 면적이 851.4 평방킬로미터로 세계 4위, 인구가 2억 이상으로 5위, 국민총생산이 $2.5조로 7위 그리고 개인소득이 $1만3천이다. 더욱이 이 나라는 금년에 한국 이민 50주년을 맞이하며 교포가 5만명이다. 오는 10월 1일 남양주시에서 열리는 2013 남양주 슬로푸드국제대회 개막식에는 수십명의 주한 외국대사와 부인이 참가하는데 ‘에드먼드 후지타’ 주한 브라질 대사가 단장을 맡았다. 다음은 개막식에서 할 그의 축사의 일부인데 내용이 너무너무 재미 있다. 예를 들면 "We will enjoy each and every one of the foods and cherish in our memories and stomachs" 이란 구절이 나온다. 대충 해석하자면 "거기에 진열된 각국의 음식을 하나도 빠짐없이 시식해서 그것을 우리의 기억뿐만 아니라 배속에서도 소중이 간직하자"는 말 같다. 영어를 아시는 분, 또는 배우시는 분들에게 一讀을 권한다. Mr Lee Seok-Woo, Mayor of Namyangju City, Ladies and gentlemen On behalf of the Diplomatic Corps in Korea, I wish to congratulate you for your meritorious initiative in promoting the 2013 Namyangju International Slow Food Fair. Congratulations to the people of Namyangju City for being chosen to host the International Slow Food Fair AsiO Gusto this year. As diplomats based in Korea, we particularly appreciate this event, because we know very well the importance of a good food in our profession. Food is about the people who prepare and eat it, it is the culture of the nation, it is the ecology of the country where it is cultivated, it is the economy of the society who needs its nourishing energy and it is the diplomacy of the state who wants to build friendly and cooperative relations in the international community. In fact, it is recognized at the highest political level that chefs who cook for the top leaders and negotiators of the world have an invaluable influence on the success of important meetings, because it is well known that one should never discuss with an empty stomach. Therefore, good food, carefully and tastefully prepared is a positive ice breaker for smooth and productive talks. That is one of the reasons why many governments make efforts to use national food as an important aspect of public diplomacy. It is through food that we learn about different cultures, traditions, nutrition, sustainability and well-being of peoples. What we are seeing every day is that modern society, with its hectic “pali-pali” life style, the explosive population growth, the depletion or endangerment of some species and the massification of production is yielding to the bad side of globalization, by increasing material comfort, but decreasing happiness. We must recover quality in our lives, without waiving our responsibility in working for the improvement of situation of the less privileged people. By enhancing new value to the local production, to the pristine quality of ingredients and to the artisanal skills of those chefs who cook with love, we are in fact promoting the convergence of producers and customers, environment and sustainability, economic growth and cultural wealth. This is the reason why the unique qualities of slow food make our bodies healthy and our minds clear by warming our hearts. It recovers the wisdom of our ancestors and projects it to the perpetuation of our descendants. It is for this reason that Carlo Petrini, founder of slow food movement has been awarded in September 28, 2013, the highest recognition by the United Nations Environmental Program, the “UNEP Champions of the Earth Award”, for promoting the defense of local traditions, the protection of local biodiversity, the enhancement of small scale quality products and giving new value to food production in developing countries. I congratulate once again and thank Mayor Lee Seok for giving us the privilege of attending this opening ceremony of the International Slow Food Fair. Mayor Lee Seok-Woo and the people of Namyangju deserve our enormous gratitude for giving us opportunity to learn the unique varieties of foods and drinks of 44 different countries of Asia and Oceania at his AsiO Gusto Fair 2013, which we will not fail to enjoy each and every one of them and cherish in our memories and stomachs.
Posted on: Sun, 29 Sep 2013 03:23:30 +0000
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