World Food Day 2026
AMNVS × HDA webinar: Mediterranean Diet perspectives from Greece and Morocco
Looking back at a successful international webinar: more than 19 countries connected through Mediterranean Diet perspectives from Morocco and Greece.
Nutrition brings us together across borders
AMNVS × HDA
Mediterranean Diet in Practice: Nutrition, Obesity and Metabolic Health
To mark World Food Day 2026, the Moroccan Association of Nutrition and Health Vigilance (AMNVS) and the Hellenic Dietetic Association (HDA) held a joint international webinar on 15 October 2026 on the Mediterranean Diet and today's nutrition and public health challenges.
An opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience between Greece and Morocco, explore our food traditions and their evolution, and discuss their relevance to prevention.
A meeting open to an international audience interested in nutrition, research, food education and public health.
Webinar report
An international success, with more than 19 countries represented.
On 15 October 2026, the joint AMNVS and Hellenic Dietetic Association (HDA) webinar provided a valuable occasion for scientific exchange and intercultural dialogue. Held online in English to mark World Food Day, the event brought together participants from more than 19 countries to explore the Mediterranean Diet, its traditions and its place in contemporary nutrition challenges.
The presentations, questions from the audience and range of experiences shared gave the meeting a strong international dimension. Alongside the scientific programme, the discussion connected Moroccan and Greek perspectives and offered an opportunity to discover food practices rooted in different histories and cultures.
- >19
- countries represented
- 3
- scientific presentations
- Morocco × Greece
- a dialogue between two Mediterranean traditions
From food heritage to today’s challenges
Two histories and a shared Mediterranean setting
The presentations explored the history of the Mediterranean Diet in Greece and Morocco, considering culinary traditions, eating habits and how they have changed. These perspectives highlighted local food heritage while recognising the distinct foods, recipes, customs and social settings surrounding meals in each country.
Nutrition, obesity and metabolic health
The Moroccan presentation addressed the Mediterranean Diet and metabolic health, while the Greek perspective connected the legacy of ancient Greece with contemporary food challenges. Bringing these approaches together supported discussion of prevention and the place of food traditions in present-day living conditions.
Shared themes and diverse practices
The exploration of converging and diverging perspectives highlighted the value of considering a dietary pattern as a whole. It opened a dialogue on eating behaviours, the cultural dimensions of food and the transmission of knowledge, with attention to the circumstances of different populations.
An engaged audience and questions that extended the discussion
The question-and-answer session brought practical questions into the scientific exchange. Topics included eating behaviours in the two countries, salt in culinary practices, and questions about diet during pregnancy and the infant gut microbiota. These subjects reflected the audience’s varied interests and the value of connecting practical experience with research.
Participation from more than 19 countries widened the conversation beyond Morocco and Greece. It provided an opportunity to discover other contexts, ask the speakers questions and share experiences of nutrition education and public health.
Ways to build on the exchange
For AMNVS, the success of this meeting encourages further knowledge sharing and international dialogue in three areas:
- Highlight Moroccan and Mediterranean food heritage in nutrition education while considering cultural and social circumstances.
- Make scientific knowledge more accessible to professionals, students and the public through meetings and educational resources.
- Maintain connections with international associations and speakers to explore further exchanges, webinars and opportunities for cooperation.
Thank you to our partners, speakers and participants
AMNVS warmly thanks the Hellenic Dietetic Association and its president, Melina Karipidou, for this collaboration, and Dr Paraskevi Detopoulou, Dr Mary Yannakoulia and Dr Ilyas Samara for their contributions. Their availability and the perspectives they shared made the meeting a rich scientific and human exchange.
We also thank the AMNVS team, members and volunteers involved in preparation and coordination, and everyone who joined, asked questions or helped share the event. Thank you to participants from more than 19 countries for contributing to the success of the webinar and to this shared conversation about food.
The webinar in pictures
Our speakers, a look behind the scenes and our thank-you message. Select an image to open it at full size.
Behind the scenes: the AMNVS team supporting preparation, monitoring and coordination of the webinar.
Open the full-size image
Our message of gratitude to HDA, the speakers and international participants, marking World Food Day 2026.
Open the full-size imageReport published on 16 October 2026
The meeting programme
Presentations were delivered in English. The titles and affiliations below follow the official programme.
Welcome and Introduction
Melina Karipidou, MSc, PhD(c)
President, Hellenic Dietetic Association (HDA)
Dietitian-Nutritionist, Scientific Associate at Harokopio University
Dr Ilyas Samara
President and Founder, Moroccan Association of Nutrition and Health Vigilance (AMNVS)
PhD in Nutrition and Health Vigilance, Morocco
Scientific Presentations
- 01
Presentation 1
Mediterranean Diet and Metabolic Health: The Moroccan Perspective
Dr Ilyas Samara
President and Founder, Moroccan Association of Nutrition and Health Vigilance (AMNVS)
PhD in Nutrition and Health Vigilance, Morocco
- 02
Presentation 2
The Greek Mediterranean Diet from Ancient Greece to Today’s World Challenges
Dr Paraskevi Detopoulou
Special Secretary for Educational Affairs, HDA
Assistant Professor of Clinical Dietetics and Lipid Mediators
Department of Nutrition Science and Dietetics, University of the Peloponnese
- 03
Presentation 3
The Mediterranean Diet: Converging and Diverging Perspectives
Dr Mary Yannakoulia
Professor of Nutrition and Eating Behavior
School of Health Sciences and Education, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University
Summary, Discussion and Q&A
An exchange with the speakers to discuss the key lessons and answer participants' questions.