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Category: Conferences & Classes
A photo outside the IOC headquarters, the IOC logo, and text about the seminar topic and date

The International Olive Council (IOC) welcomes everyone interested in olive oil to an online seminar focused on The Future of the Olive Oil Sector. This videoconference will take place on November 26, 2020, the first anniversary of the creation of World Olive Day by UNESCO, with simultaneous interpretation into Arabic, English, French, Italian, and Spanish.

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Scroll down below the article introductions to find a list of Selected Past Events -- and Selected Future Events, after scheduling becomes more definite again -- with links to more information about each one.

Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have a conference, exposition, meeting, class, or seminar to announce that meets the following criteria:

  • takes place in or includes English
  • addresses an international audience 
  • features extra virgin olive oil and/or the Mediterranean diet

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Category: Conferences & Classes
An agronomist talking to a group next to an olive grove near Delphi

In Delphi, the ancient Greeks’ center of the world, more than 100 experts, professionals, and enthusiasts from seven countries gathered at the 2nd International Yale Symposium on Olive Oil and Health to discuss a liquid gold and a solid treasure that have been central to Greek civilization since the time of the Delphic oracle: olive oil and olives. 

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a monumental olive tree in a nicely landscaped area, with the sunset behind it

The 2nd International Yale Symposium on Olive Oil and Health will take place at the European Cultural Center of Delphi, Greece, December 1-4, 2019. Olive oil experts, scientists, nutritionists, marketers, farmers, entrepreneurs, international dignitaries, and chefs from Greece, Italy, Spain, USA, UK, Japan, and Brazil will present the latest developments.

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Category: Conferences & Classes
several blue olive oil tasting glasses next to each other

From November 4 to 8, 2019, the Olive Oil Academy is offering an olive oil sommelier course at Pienza Val d’Orcia, Siena, in Tuscany, Italy. This is a course for food lovers, gourmets, food enthusiasts, and professionals who want to deepen their knowledge of the whole production and commercial process of olive oil “from the earth to the plate.”

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Participants and leaders at the olive oil tasting seminar in Rethymno

What do you need to know about extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)? That depends. Most people shopping for an EVOO to use at home can taste the oil to see if they like it, consider its best-buy date, classification, and origin, then choose a dark glass bottle or tin they’ll use within 3 months. But professionals who work with EVOOs can benefit from knowing more.

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Category: Conferences & Classes
A view of the Greece section of SIAL Paris, looking down the aisle, with booths on either side

For five days last month, 90 Greek companies exhibited their olive oil at what may be the world's largest food exhibition, SIAL Paris. Among 7,200 exhibitors, Greek extra virgin olive oils attracted the attention of many of the 310,000 professionals attending the exhibition. Greek olive oil company representatives discussed the expo with Greek Liquid Gold.

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the Pellas Nature stand at the Food Expo in 2017, with Ioanna Diamanti and many small and medium sized bottles of infused olive oil

The annual Food Expo in Athens gathers hundreds of superb Greek extra virgin olive oils (and many other products) under one roof. It is a convenient place for food and beverage businesspeople to taste products and meet with company representatives. It also offers an opportunity to catch up on stories and news from olive oil companies from all over Greece.

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Irini Kokolaki and her classmates in an olive mill or museum in Jaen, Spain

Last September, Irini Kokolaki studied Spanish at the University of Jaen for five hours a day. She learned a new language so she could attend a three-month course for certification as an “expert in virgin olive oil tasting,” the world’s only expert level university course focused on sensory analysis that is supported by the International Olive Council.

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Eleftheria Germanaki speaking at the seminar

At a recent seminar in Rethymno, Crete, olive oil tasting panel supervisor and international judge Eleftheria Germanaki discussed Greek successes in olive oil competitions. Agronomist and scientific consultant Ioannis Metzidakis emphasized the importance of accurate knowledge. And award winning Cretan olive oil producers considered their accomplishments.

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building in Spain, trees, blue sky

In the shadow of a Medieval monastery outside of Barcelona (Món Sant Benet, Catalonia, Spain), a world class team of olive oil experts will convene March 19–23, 2018 to teach an olive oil evaluation course, Tools for the Trade: Tasting, Testing and Understanding Olive Oil.

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Terra Creta olive oil table at the Gourmet Exhibition, with visitors trying samples of olive oil

The 2nd Gourmet Olive and Delicacies Exhibition in Thessaloniki, Greece on May 5, 6 and 7 confirmed for the second consecutive year that Gourmet is an exclusive exhibition. Over three hundred fine foods and natural personal care products from seventy two artisan Greek producers were showcased in a three-day festive Gourmet exhibition.

Selected Past Events