Parmigiano Reggiano Auction
Parmigiano Reggiano is sponsor at the World Cheese Awards, taking place as part of the International Cheese Festival in Oviedo, Spain from 3rd – 6th November 2021. During this event Parmigiano Reggiano will be auctioning a 21-year-old wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano - one of the oldest edible cheeses in the world. This wheel of cheese is one of a kind, Parmigiano Reggiano is generally aged for 24-, 36-, 40-, and 48-months making a 21-year-old wheel a true rarity. The cheese wheel was produced in April 2000 by the Latteria di Tabiano dairy when it was under the leadership of the late Erio Bertani. It was one of the first wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano to be awarded the prestigious “Quality of the Mountain” status by the Conva Consortium, which is responsible for the safeguarding and promotion of products from the Apennines. The wheel was then purchased by Erio Bertani himself, who kept it in his warehouse until 2018, when his wife, Susetta Sforacchi, and children decided to donate it to charity in his memory.
The Charities
All the proceeds from the auction will be donated to two solidarity projects: Aiutiamo il mondo di Padre Marco Canovi (“Let’s help the world by Father Marco Canovi”) and Mama Sofia, founded by Zakaria Seddiki, wife of the late ambassador to Congo, Luca Attanasio. The latter initiative is directly supported by La Forma Del Cuore (“The shape of the heart”).
Father Marco Canovi has dedicated his life to humanitarian work in Uganda, where he helped build Matany Hospital and its corresponding Nursing and Midwife School. He is passionate about providing education and a better quality of life for children and young people and has built both primary and secondary schools in the region. His mission in the Karamoja region, has been to help local farmers create and prosper from their plantations of maize, vegetables, fruit, and other crops.
Proceeds from the auction donated to Father Canovi’s non-profit group will help to build a pediatric medical centre in the Apeitolim, which is already underway with construction to be completed by 2022. The money from the auction will be an invaluable method for the medical centre to train and recruit staff, as well as to purchase medical equipment.
La Forma Del Cuore is a project created by the Nazionale del Parmigiano Reggiano, an association of Parmigiano Reggiano dairies. The project has been associated with various humanitarian missions in Central Africa, including the Discalced Carmelites and the non-profit organisation, Mama Sofia, which is run by Zakaria Seddiki, the wife of Luca Attanasio, who served as the Italian ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2017 until his brutal murder there in February 2021. The Mama Sofia organisation supports women and families in situations of serious hardship in the Congo by providing healthcare, clean water, and schoolbooks for children.
Proceeds from the auction donated to La Forma del Cuore will support the Mama Sofia Medical Centre – the first medical centre dedicated to combatting malnutrition in Boma. The centre will guarantee medical support for at least 100 children every year.
The World Cheese Awards
Established in 1988 by the Guild of Fine Food, the World Cheese Awards was created to bring the work of artisan cheesemakers to a wider audience, since evolving into the largest cheese-only competition in the world. Postponed from 2020 due to restrictions on international travel, this year’s event is set to be bigger and more international than ever, with over 3,000 entries from 42 countries predicted.
The World Cheese Awards has been bringing together cheesemakers, retailers, buyers, consumers, and food commentators worldwide for over three decades, in a celebration of tradition, innovation, and excellence in cheese. It’s the biggest cheese-only event in the world, with no yoghurt, cream, butter, or other dairy able to enter, championing the world’s best cheesemakers, from tiny artisans to global heavyweights.
The cheese wheel will be on display at the World Cheese Awards, and representatives from the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium will also be present throughout, where a sampling stand will be set up for attendees to learn more about Parmigiano Reggiano.
Please help us raise critical funds by participating in the Parmigiano Reggiano auction or by making a donation.
Thank you for your continued support.
