Gaza City – Children lining up with plates and containers in search of a meal — images that reflect a harsh reality facing the Palestinian people, not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank, where thousands are affected by food insecurity. The Turin City Council has approved the “Akli Baladi” project, which means “eat local” in Arabic. Turin will lead a network of Italian and Palestinian cities, associations, three universities, and third-sector organizations — including Slow Food Italy — to help develop inclusive, sustainable, and resilient urban food policies in West Bank cities during this critical time. The goal of the Italian cities involved (Assisi, Bergamo, Bra, Caltagirone, Pavia, Reggio Emilia, Sesto Fiorentino) is to support their sister cities, where farmers are also struggling, by strengthening local food policies to ensure adequate food rights for all citizens. The initiative will include the creation of centers to promote local products and food education, as well as efforts to improve the quality of key Palestinian products like olive oil — made from trees cultivated on terraced hillsides for centuries — dates, and honey. Expected outcomes include strengthening initiatives that link urbanization, food, and agriculture in the Bethlehem and Jericho governorates; enhancing food governance among Palestinian local authorities and their networks, in coordination with their Italian counterparts; and improving education and training related to urban food policies in the West Bank. The project, which will last 36 months, has a total value of €1.7 million, primarily funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, with the remainder covered by the project partners.