The National Association »Città dell’olio« was set up in Larino (Campobasso) on the 17th of December 1994. Therefore this year the 10th anniversary of its foundation will be celebrated. The Association welcomes Towns, Districts, chambers of commerce, Mountain Communities and public bodies interested in promoting extra-virgin olive oil and, through this, its territory as well, with its history, culture, art and all the aspects related to the oil tourism.

During these ten years of constant and fruitful activity the Association gained a significant and specific role in protecting, promoting and enhancing the quality of extra-virgin olive oil.

Today the Association numbers 270 members, including public administrations and chamber of commerces belonging to all the Italian regions, exception made for Piemonte and Val d’Aosta. President of the Association is Enrico Lupi, representative of the Imperia chamber of commerce and president of the FEMO (Euromediterranean federation of olive-growing communities, seated in Madrid).

Among the main initiatives carried out during the year the Association can boast: the Settimana dell’Olio (Olive week) e Degustolio as well as il Premio Sirena d’Oro di Sorrento (Prize Sirena d’Oro di Sorrento) taking place in February; Giornate Mediterranee dell’Olio d’Oliva a Jesi (Mediterranean days of olive oil in Jesi) in March, l'Expo dei Sapori alla Fiera di Milano (Flavours Expo at the Milan fair) and Pane e Olio in Frantoio (Bread and oil in the oil-mill) in November and, at the end of December, the Marketing territoriale delle Città dell'Olio (Territorial marketing of the oil cities).

The first town of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region gaining membership of the national Association »Città dell'Olio« was San Dorligo della Valle – Občina Dolina (Triest) in 2001. Ever since the oil tradition of our region has spread all over the country thanks to the constant presence of San Dorligo-Dolina administrators during board meetings, assemblies and contributions of the town to the initiatives launched by the Association. President Lupi and his team have been welcomed in Dolina several times, as well as in the close areas of Slovenia and Croatia, where awareness is being raised on the oil-growing situation. The Town of San Dorligo-Dolina was followed by the Triest Chamber of Commerce and the Association has recently welcomed the District and the Town of Triest.

The smallest Italian district was able to contribute to the “Città dell’Olio” Association with four bodies, which is noteworthy.
Membership of the national Association “Città dell’Olio” is an ambitious achievement in itself, but, furthermore, the “Città dell’Olio” plays a pivotal role in establishing relations among the various areas in which olive trees are grown. The underlying principle of the Association is equal dignity of all members, apart from the amount of oil produced, since the most crucial guideline is the quality of the extra-virgin olive oil.

The high quality of our oil is widely appreciated and acknowledged, which is why the members of Friuli Venezia Giulia have gained particular lustre within the national Association “Città dell’Olio”.