Regional Institute of Wine and Oil

REPUBLIC DAY: ITALIAN IDENTITY EMERGES IN LYON WITH SICILIAN EXCELLENCE

Sicily's oil and wine industry brings the most authentic story of Made in Italy to Lyon. On June 3, 2026, to mark the celebrations for the Italian Republic Day, IRVO participated in the event sponsored by the Consulate General of Italy in Lyon with a tour dedicated to the island's food and wine excellence. This institutional and cultural opportunity showcases the distinctive products, territories, knowledge, and supply chains that make Sicilian oil and wine ambassadors of quality, tradition, and innovation around the world.

"Italian Republic Day is an anniversary that represents not only the institutional birth of our country, but also the affirmation of the values of freedom, democracy, and cohesion that continue to guide our national identity," IRVO Commissioner Giusi Mistretta stated during the event. "It is also an opportunity to highlight the Italy that works, produces, and embraces excellence. Among these, Sicily holds a prominent place, thanks to its unique agricultural, gastronomic, and winemaking heritage, remarkable for its diversity, history, and quality."

IRVO, the Sicilian Regional Institute of Olive Oil and Wine, which for decades has been a cornerstone of the development of Sicilian viticulture and olive oil production, was presented in Lyon as a key institution within the Sicilian Regional Department of Agriculture. Through research, certification, business support, and international promotion, it makes a concrete contribution to strengthening the competitiveness of Sicilian products, both in Italy and global markets.

"As part of this mission," Mistretta continued, "we promote the best of regional agri-food production abroad." This was how the supply chains of the Consortium for the Protection and Promotion of Sicilian PGI Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the Sicilia DOC Consortium for the oil and wine produced on the island and exported internationally were presented.

"Sicilian wine and extra virgin olive oil," he concluded, "are ambassadors of Mediterranean culture, capable of telling the story of our land, our landscapes, and our spirit of innovation."