The last international preliminary competition took place in Columbus – Ohio on Sunday 26 January before the VIII Championship on 28 March at Palazzo Ducale.
The event was organized by the Greater Columbus Sister Cities International Association and Columbus State Community College. “I am so excited to be returning to Columbus for the Columbus Pesto Championship. This event is a truly exciting way of uniting the two sister cities and highlighting Genoese history and art through the Genoese pesto tradition,” said the President of the Palatifini Association Roberto Panizza.
Ten local competitors participated in the competition at StateCommunity College’s Mitchell Hall. The competitors were judged by Priscille Tyson, a member of the Columbus City Council, Jeni Britton Bauer, Founder of the Jeni’s Ice Cream, Mauro Cavallero of Palatifini Association and Roberto Panizza, the “King of Pesto”.
Columbus boasts the oldest twinning with Genoa which in 1955 gave the city of Ohio the statue of Christopher Columbus placed in the town hall square where Colombian celebrations take place every year. Columbus is also part of the International Association of Sister Cities with Genoa, which is responsible for organizing the event, and hosts one of the most active and passionate Italian-American communities.
