Cous Cous Fest 2016
San Vito lo Capo, September 22, 2016
No hashtag could be better than #WelcomeDiversity at the Cous Cous Fest 2016, the ‘international festival of cultural integration,’ where 10 countries competed at the Cous Cous World Championship in San Vito lo Capo and some 50,000 visitors came to the event.
On September 22, the Department of State’s American Chef Corps member Mary Sue Milliken, accompanied by her sous chef Bob Blumer, represented the United States at the 19th edition of the festival. Their entry won this year’s “Best Presentation” award.
On September 20, Milliken and Blumer also met with students and migrants in Palermo to promote integration and diversity through the exchange of culinary traditions. In a cooking demonstration at Palermo’s culinary high school “Pietro Piazza,” Milliken told a mixed audience of students and young migrants that “food is a great way to learn about other cultures” and that “we can all help preserve our planet by choosing a sustainable diet.” On the same day, Milliken visited the “Santa Chiara” Association in one of the oldest and most diverse neighborhoods in Palermo, where she discussed entrepreneurship opportunities in the food industry with a group of 25 women from 10 different countries.
