‘Cittaslow’: Let’s Slow Down Cities!

A famous American fast-food restaurant opened in Rome in 1986. Italians are proud of their national cuisine, so they started a protest against fast food. This was the beginning of the ‘Slow Food Movement’. It argues that eating is not just satisfying hunger. Members of this movement enjoy their meals slowly. They believe everyone has the right to enjoy good, clean and fair food.

Thirteen years later, Italians invented ‘Cittaslow’ which means ‘Slow City’. They applied the ‘Slow Food’ philosophies to the cities. The Slow City Movement encourages people to protect their natural surroundings. It values local foods, small shops, unique cultural traditions, quality of life, fair use of resources and the environment. Today, there are approximately 190 slow cities in the world.

So what are the criteria of a Cittaslow? First, the population of the slow city is under 50,000. Secondly, people use local products instead of global brands. Slow city citizens eat locally-grown organic foods. Thirdly, they protect traditional architecture. In other words, they look after old and traditional buildings. Next, traditional arts and crafts are encouraged. Another important criterion is that citizens of a slow city prevent pollution and improve air quality. How? Through reducing traffic and using alternative energy resources, of course. If a city fulfils all these criteria, then it can proudly display the Cittaslow logo: a snail carrying a colourful city on its back.