The Mediterranean Olive Days, placed for this edition under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries, is one of the tools initiated since the creation of the ENA-Meknès Olive Agropôle to promote technology transfer and innovation for the benefit of the development and promotion of the Moroccan olive sector, which is one of the priority sectors of the Green Morocco Plan. Thus, these days constitute a technical, technological, environmental, legal, and commercial watch for the sector. I think that through these days, we are making our modest contribution to the development and promotion of the regional and national olive sector. In recent years, the Moroccan olive sector through Meknès and its olive groves has benefited from great international interest from professionals, experts, and the specialised press.

These days are initiated and organised by the Olive Agropôle of the ENA of Meknès and the International University of Andalusia (UNIA), within the framework of an academic partnership, research-development, and technology transfer convention. They also benefit from the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agriculture Council of the Junta de Andalucia as well as the sponsorship of national and international public and private bodies. These days are structured around scientific and technical conferences, case studies, and round tables that will allow for taking stock of the achievements and technological innovations of the olive sector in its entirety and to better define the current challenges of the national olive sector within a Mediterranean framework.

The organisation of this sixth edition follows the great success of previous editions since 2006. The initiators, moreover, wish to perpetuate it as a scientific, technical, and technological exchange event in the Meknès region, known for its ancestral olive traditions. These days are confirmed, year after year, as an unmissable appointment in the agenda of major international olive events.

At each edition, the themes chosen respond to the current concerns of the Moroccan olive sector and to the strategy currently underway at the national level of the Green Morocco Plan for the development of this sector. During the various previous editions, the emphasis was placed on varieties, good practices for production and milling of olives, environmental protection, and the valorisation of olive by-products (compost, cosmetics, and energy). But our current concern with our partners is to make known the qualitative potential of Moroccan olive oil both at the local and international market level. Thus, the Mediterranean Olive Days in Meknès propose for this edition to take stock of the current concerns of the olive oil sector, namely communication, marketing, and commercialisation. Quality, health, and the Mediterranean Diet are at the heart of the competitiveness, marketing, and commercialisation strategies of olive oil.

Olive oil is the emblem of the Mediterranean diet. It is a way of life to be safeguarded for future generations. Its composition, its richness in bio-active elements, and natural anti-oxidants give it the attribute of a "Functional Food" of high nutritional value whose consumption perfectly associates dietary balance and distinctive flavours. Thus, highlighting the benefits of quality olive oil on human health and its nutritional contributions through training and education is now essential to develop the competitiveness of quality olive oil. They constitute the bases of the concepts of current marketing strategies for this product. Also, the promotion of the consumption of quality olive oil presents interesting opportunities to be seized at the level of the local and international market where only 3.5% of the planetary population consumes it. It is therefore our duty to encourage the rest of the population (96.5%) to do the same at a time when the "Mediterranean Diet" is recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. With this commitment, Moroccan olive oil will gain certain international and national notoriety; it is just a question of time.

This edition is organised into thematic days with the participation of numerous specialists and experts from the majority of olive-growing countries in the Mediterranean basin (Morocco, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Tunisia, United States of America, Albania, Portugal, Algeria). This meeting should address the themes: Olive sector, Promotion and competitiveness strategies, Nutritional quality of olive oil, Cosmetics and benefits on human health, Taste, flavours of olive oil, and Gastronomy. On the sidelines of the Mediterranean Olive Days, two events are planned: the board of directors of the Mediterranean Network of Olive Oil Cities and the organisation of the fifth edition of the Premium "Volubilis Extra-virgin Morocco 2013" Trophy, initiated by the Olive Agropôle in partnership with the UDOM association, with the aim of promoting packaged extra-virgin olive oil from Morocco at the level of local and international markets. The jury of the competition is composed of international experts approved by the International Olive Council.