Carlo Petrini,
who died on May 21 at age 76, used many thousands of words to explain the Slow Food movement he founded. Almost all of them, though, can be boiled down to just three. Food, he liked to say, should be “good, clean and fair.”
Many copywriters who make a living in advertising will never come up with a slogan as concise or appealing. It is a testament to the flair for communication that Mr. Petrini brought to pitching his cause in books, conversations and countless speeches.
It also points to one reason his message has resonated so widely that the
Slow Food organization he started in Italy in 1986 now has chapters in more than 150 countries. Each of the three words has to do with people.
Good food, obviously, can make people happy. It should be clean to protect them from dubious additives and protect the environment they share. And the people who grow the food, prepare it and bring it to farm stands, supermarkets and restaurants should be paid and treated fairly.
