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Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - Manila: The Philippines is hosting the UN’s first regional forum on gastronomy in Cebu, in conjunction with UN Tourism’s annual joint meeting of the Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and the Commission for South Asia.

Organized by the government of the Philippines, UN Tourism and its Spain-based affiliate Basque Culinary Center — one of the world’s top gastronomy and nutrition schools — the event on June 26-27 is focused on policies to advance culinary tourism in the region, preserving local traditions and protecting the land and products for the sector’s sustainability, and initiatives to help address climate change.

“Food tourism is of course a growing and dynamic sector, offering enormous potential for economic growth and advancement and cultural exchange among nations,” Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said as she welcomed the forum’s participants in the Cebu province’s Lapu-Lapu city.

“We join you in our shared aspirations to advance tourism and gastronomy in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.”

The UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific started with the ceremonial pouring of rice into a giant puso — a Filipino cake made by boiling rice in a rectangular woven pouch of palm leaves, which is a culinary pride of the Cebu province.

“By showcasing our local flavors and culinary traditions, we invite the rest of the world to experience the heart and soul of the Filipino, the heart of the Philippines,” Frasco said, narrating the country’s culinary history, where indigenous and Malay heritage meets Spanish, Chinese, and American influences.

“Filipino cuisine is a diverse tapestry of flavors, reflecting regional characteristics from across our beautiful archipelago of 7,641 islands, from the globally renowned Cebu lechon and the comforting tastes of adobo and sinigang to Mindanao’s distinctive dishes like curacha, pastil, our culinary heritage is rich and varied ... Through our food, we tell the story of the Filipino. We narrate the victories of our people, our homeland, our history.”

Since Asia and the Pacific’s status as a gastronomy tourism destination has been growing, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili announced he wanted to establish an educational gastronomy center in the Philippines.

“We know that education is the top priority for your tourists, and we will support this initiative to help the progress of UN Tourism,” Pololikashvili said.

“Food is at the heart of every tourist experience, and gastronomy tourism delivers many social and economic benefits.”

The event produced the Cebu Call to Action on Gastronomy Tourism for public and private sector leaders to integrate gastronomy tourism into policy and practice.

“It urges the creation of governance mechanisms uniting stakeholders under a shared vision, fostering cooperation across sectors such as agriculture and culture, and supporting small businesses to enhance their market position,” UN Tourism said in a statement.

“Emphasis was placed on empowering local communities through training and financing, promoting unique culinary experiences, and advocating for sustainable practices that protect local cultures and the environment.”