Also this year the twelfth of October will not just be the date that remembers the cultural encounter with the populations of America: but as of 2005 it is also national Cocoa and Chocolate day: Chocoday!

After last year’s success, the event, which is promoted by Eurochocolate and backed by the Ministry of Production and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Policies, has already received supported from important organizations such as Cna Alimentare (National Artisans’ Food Confederation) and Confartigianato Alimentare (Artisans’ Food Confederation), who with their masters chocolatier continue to guarantee the quality of this sweet product. We also wish to highlight the essential support of ICCO (International Cocoa Organization), the international organization that promotes cooperation between Cocoa producing countries.

Chocoday, therefore, wishes to celebrate and promote Pure Chocolate, i.e. the product obtained using butter and cocoa mass exclusively, without added fats and vegetable oil that would ruin its properties. * 
 
This goal is achieved through a Manifesto that also emphasises the need to ensure the protection of ethical and social values that are still not fully guaranteed, as well as the control of the whole cocoa production process, promoting the concepts of traceability and biodiversity in particular.    

This year, once again, cocoa producers, importers and exporters, chocolate  companies, patisseries and chocolate shops, associations, schools, ONGs, institutions, distribution and service companies and chocolate lovers will be able to work towards the common objectives of safeguarding quality and the ethical principles involved in chocolate production, by undersigning the Chocoday Manifesto and applying to use the official Chocoday logo, free of charge.  

Furthermore, those who undersign the Manifesto and who wish to contribute to the promotion of good chocolate practically, are free to organize special projects linked to their businesses. These projects should aim to spread awareness of the principles that characterize the passion and consumption of this important food.
Eurochocolate on its behalf will provide promotional material and initiate a specific advertising campaign on a national and international scale.

The official site (www.chocoday.com) will contain a special section with a list of the Manifesto’s signers and of the events taking place in every corner of this country and of the world. 

Support chocolate, protect tradition…sign the Chocoday Manifesto at www.chocoday.com!