“In order to communicate, one must be free. We are here to promote the value of freedom, which is synonymous with the possibility of communicating. Sadly, our sector has too many boundaries and factions. I sincerely hope that here instead we shall be able to cooperate fruitfully!”
It is with these words, pronounced by Gabriella Stansfield, president of the Italian association “Donne dell’Olio” (i.e. “The Ladies of Oil”), that a new adventure begins, namely that of OSA – Olio Spazio Aperto (Oil Open Space). OSA is an area that had long been dreamt about by the members, a place devoted to activities promoting the culture of oil, and it was finally inaugurated on June 19 in Milan, near the Navigli. These new headquarters of the association did not see the light thanks to public funds, but was paid for by the lady members of the association. The latter was established in Veneto in the year 2000 and currently includes producers from all over Italy. In the words of Gabriella: “The Ladies of Oil are mothers of a difficult teenager, medieval women who find themselves working in a dark and controversial moment in time as regards the production of top-class olive oil”. OSA was designed as a liaison office in the city that will soon hold the 2015 EXPO, a meeting place where the association could communicate its beliefs, policy of transparency, and the concrete actions carried out, which are all aimed at promoting the culture of oil. OSA however is also an area where other associations are welcome: the idea is to combine oil production with other forms of art such as music or sculpture, and beat new pathways to discover different forms of communication.
