The event was attended in-person and online by the diplomatic community
On Wednesday 28 February, the IOC presented the Olive Oil World Congress (OOWC) at its headquarters in Madrid. The OOWC will take place for the first time in June, bringing together a diversity of stakeholders of the olive oil sector to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead. The presentation was attended in-person and online by several ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of both IOC member and observer countries, including the ambassadors of Tunisia, Iranand South Africa to Spain, who expressed their support to the upcoming forum.
The event was opened by Jaime Lillo, IOC Executive Director, who highlighted that the OOWC will serve to boost the olive oil and table olive sector through the exchange of knowledge at the international level. He expressed his gratitude to H.M. King Felipe VI, President of the OOWC’s Honorary Committee. Antonio Rodríguez de Liévana, Deputy Director General for International Relations and Community Affairs at the Spanish Agricultural Ministry, and Ricardo Migueláñez, OOWC General Coordinator, also intervened on the occasion, emphasizing the importance that the millennial olive sector has for Spain.
The first edition of the OOWC is scheduled from 26 to 28 June in the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)’s auditorium in Madrid. It is expected to bring together a diversity of stakeholders of the olive sector from more than 50 countries. Its aim is to address the main developments and challenges facing olive groves in the coming years, such as climate change, product quality and safety, hydraulic resources, health, sustainability and marketing.