by Albino Pezzini
President AIPO
Piero Paglialunga, a personality who left a deep mark on the panorama of Italian journalism, passed away today at the age of 82. With a sharp gaze and brilliant spirit, he recounted the changes in society, the richness of the territories and the thousand nuances of daily life for over half a century. His pen, clear and rigorous, was able to combine analytical precision and narrative sensitivity, giving us articles of great human and intellectual value.
From a very young age, Piero showed an extraordinary curiosity and an innate passion for observing reality. After his studies, he embarked on the path of journalism, moving from his first editorial experiences to landing in the prestigious newspaper Il Gazzettino.
It is here that he honed his unmistakable style, always attentive to detail and open to listening to the world. Piero was not only a journalist, he was also a refined interpreter of Italian gastronomic culture. With a curious step and attentive eye, he traveled Italy visiting butchers, taverns, markets and delicatessens, rediscovering flavors, stories and culinary traditions often forgotten. He was an explorer of taste, capable of restoring, with precise and passionate words, the dignity and beauty of authentic food.
In the 1980s he put his experience at the service of veronafiere, where he directed communications and contributed with great expertise to the planning of trade fair events and the creation of permanent exhibition centres.
For over twenty-five years, it has been a point of reference in the promotion of trade fairs, combining strategic vision and deep respect for Italian manufacturing excellence.
Even after retirement, Piero never stopped writing, studying, observing. He continued to collaborate with specialized magazines and with AIPO – Interregional Association of Olive Producers – contributing with lucidity and passion to the debate on agro-economics, food culture and agricultural policies. His articles, rich in ideas and reflections, knew how to connect facts to history, analyses to values.
Today we remember him as a cultured, generous, curious man, a master of storytelling, a guardian of traditions and at the same time a promoter of conscious innovation. His legacy lives in his words and his vision: that of a journalism made with seriousness, love for detail and a deep desire to understand and make others understand.
Thank you, Piero, for teaching us to look at the world with more attentive eyes and more appropriate words.
