Nestlé Brazil contributes to the history of Brazilian food culture, participating in projects that preserve the memory, essential part in the process of constructing and reconstructing traditions and identities. The supported programmes and initiatives are significant marks in the formation of our nutritional habits.
The backing of the "Route of the Taquari Valley Mills" in Rio Grande do Sul, Southern State of Brazil, is an example of this contribution. The project aims to recover the history of Italian immigration in this region and to raise people's awareness for the conservation of the historical, architectural and natural heritage in the Taquari Valley.
The restauration of the Colognese Mill and the construction of the Bread Museum and the Baking Workshop in Ilópolis are model schemes for the further development of the touristic and educational Route of the Taquari Valley Mills: Caminho dos Moinhos.
Above: The Bread Museum
Culture needs to be understood as something ranging from tradition to invention. There are certain things created and built in the past that need to be preserved, otherwise we will be trapped within a distorted, disfiguring present. But by the same token, we need to bet on the new, as it is a fundamental means for the establishment and transformation of our communities and our society as a whole.
In the frame of this project, baking workshops are organised for adults, providing courses on food education, gastronomy and baking. Furthermore, guided tours tell the local history, with particular emphasis on the history of bread in the area.
A DVD and book have been produced, receiving several awards:
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Rodrigo de Melo Franco Award – created by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture to identify the best projects serving to preserve Brazilian historical assets.
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Was selected among the 16 finalists at the World Architecture Festival – category new and old.
